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OVBPW ends year with scholarship awards

Janice Kiaski PRESENTATIONS MADE — The memory of the late MaryAnn Donnelly, a longtime member of the Ohio Valley Business and Professional Women and executive director of A Caring Place Child Advocacy Center, was honored at the OVBPW’s year-end meeting May 16 at the Laurels of Steubenville when three $500 MaryAnn Donnelly Memorial Scholarships were awarded, thanks to donations by Eastern Construction Services, represented by owner Ronald Kleineke and Lisa Tiberio, business manager, with the recipient being Maria Lombardi, and by A Caring Place Child Advocacy Center, represented by Jean-Philippe “J.P.” Rigaud, board president, and board member and OVBPW member Phyllis Riccadonna, with the recipients being Eden Rice and Jayson Chappell. From left, Rigaud, Kleineke, widower Robert Donnelly, Tiberio, Riccadonna and Sara Lane, OVBPW president. -- Janice Kiaski

STEUBENVILLE — Six $500 scholarships were awarded when the Ohio Valley Business and Professional Women members welcomed guests and recipients to their final meeting of the 2016-17 club year.

President Sara Lane formally greeted those attending the dinner and scholarship presentations held May 16 at the Laurels of Steubenville — an evening that included a moment of silence observed for OVBPW members MaryAnn Donnelly, whose husband, Robert Donnelly, was in attendance, and for Nina Steinman. Both were longtime members of the organization, and first-time memorial scholarships in their honor were presented.

There were three $500 MaryAnn Donnelly Memorial Scholarships awarded, including one made possible by a donation from Eastern Construction Services, represented by owner Ronald Kleineke and business manager Lisa Tiberio, a board member of A Caring Place Child Advocacy Center in Wintersville where Donnelly served as its executive director.

That scholarship went to Maria Lombardi, a senior at Brooke High School who plans to attend West Virginia University to pursue a double major in business entrepreneurship and innovations and communications.

The other two MaryAnn Donnelly Memorial Scholarships were donated on behalf of A Caring Place. Board President Jean-Philippe “J.P.” Rigaud presented one to Eden Rice, daughter of Amy VanHorn and Scott Rice. The senior at Brooke High School plans to attend Bethany College to pursue a dual major in social work and psychology, her ultimate goal to open an equine facilitated therapeutic center.

Phyllis Riccadonna, a member of OVBPW and a board member of A Caring Place, presented the other MaryAnn Donnelly Memorial Scholarship to Jayson Chappell, son of Earl and Michelle Chappell of New Cumberland and a senior at Oak Glen High School. He will be attending Community College of Beaver County, Aviation Sciences Center, to become a professional pilot like his father.

The Nina Steinman NIKE Club Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Kira Newburn, a senior at Steubenville High School who plans to major in nursing at West Liberty University, her desire to be a pediatric oncologist nurse. Lane explained that Newburn has been a member of the NIKE Club for four years and noted that members of the sister organization are mentored by OVBPW members. It’s the only such club in Ohio.

The Puskarich Accounting Scholarship, meanwhile, was presented by OVBPW members Deborah Puskarich and her daughter, Brandy Puskarich, to Olivia Welch, daughter of Tracey and Chris Welch of Follansbee and a senior at Brooke High School. She plans to major in biomedical engineering at West Virginia University.

Lane presented the club’s nontraditional student scholarship to Brooke Stevenson of Wintersville, who is studying physical therapy at the East Liverpool campus of Kent State University.

The presentations were followed by a brief business meeting

Lorraine Linton gave the invocation before the meal.

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