John Smale, Chair of student bursaries was very honoured to introduce the student recipients. (L-R: Awards Chair John Smale, Belleville Rotary Presdient Tracy Bray, Loyalist student Joseph Gearns, Rotarian Judy McKnight, Loyalist President Ann Marie Vaughan, Loyalist student Emilie Leneveu and Carol-Lynn Burnett-Michaud)
James E. Marker Bursary is presented annually in memory and celebration of the life of James E. Marker, an American-born Canadian business man who invented Cheezies, a brand of cheese curl snack food popular in Canada. Mr. Marker also established the Belleville Aerodome, a private airport in 1961. Mr. Marker invested a new machine used to process cornmeal. This machine caught the attention of Marker's business partner, W. T. Hawkins. Together Marker and Hawkins moved to Canada and founded W. T. Hawkins Company in 1949, the company that manufactures the Cheezies snack. Mr. Marker was a long standing member of the Belleville Rotary Club. The funding for this bursary was provided through the estate of Mr. Marker. Due to the care he received by practical nurses and personal support workers, Mr. Marker was able to stay in his home much longer and the award is given to a student in the Health Care program at Loyalist College. This year's recipient is Schena MacDonald. Schena is currently taking the Personal Support Worker program at Loyalist College and is a very worthy recipient. Congratulations to Schena!
The Bob McKnight Bursary is presented annually in memory and celebration of the life of Bob McKnight, a long-time member and Secretary of the Rotary Club of Belleville. Bob was active in youth activities and programs, including his leadership of the Rotary Music Festival program. As a secondary school educator and teacher with the Hastings Prince Edward District School Board, he was instrumental in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and coordinated that program on behalf of the Board and worked closely with Loyalist College in placing student in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship programs on campus. We know how important OYAP was to Bob in his work with secondary school students, and this year’s recipient of the Bob McKnight Award is Joseph Gearns. Joseph is just finishing his first year in the Electrical Techniques program at Loyalist. He was part of the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program during high school at Bayside Secondary School … his trade was Construction. Congratulations, Joseph!
The Robert George Michaud Bursay is presented annually in memory and celebration of the life of Robert George Michaud, raised and educated in Belleville with an early career with General Motors of Canada in Oshawa before returning home to purchase the family business, Michaud Fine Furniture and Carpets Ltd., from his father Robert Michaud Sr. Bob's reputation in business was marked with the same traits that guided his personal and community lives. Bob was a six foot, four inch bundle of energy, exuberance, honesty and compassion. Bob was truly a larger than life character and the consummate salesman. Bob loved the art and challenge of sales and used it, combined with a magnetic personality, to lead and inspire others. This year’s recipient is Emilie Leneveu. Emilie is completing her third year of the Biotechnology Program at Loyalist and is the captain of the Women’s Volleyball team. As captain, Emilie is the epitome of sportsmanship and leads her team by example time after time. She’s a wonderful person who always thinks of others before herself and she works incredibly hard to earn her way through College. A quote from one of Emilie's professors "Emilie has been an INCREDIBLE student coordinator for Let's Talk Science at Loyalist College. She has had a tremendous impact on the youth in our community by increasing their exposure to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) with hands-on activities and discussion about their possibilities in education, potential careers and how to play a role in making our world a better place to live!" The award is given to a student who exemplifies key qualities that Bob had – sportsmanship, community service and entrepreneurship. Congratulations to Emilie.