Scholarship recipients. PHOTO PROVIDED

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Kiwanis Club of Lehigh Acres held its annual Community Awards and Scholarship Banquet on June 25 at 6 p.m., inside the Christ United Methodist Church located on Lee Boulevard. This year there was Our “Future Heroes” and also marked the 50th Anniversary for the Kiwanis Club Lehigh Acres.

After an opening invocation by Pastor John Baschieri, of New Life Assembly of God, Kiwanis President Sharon Hill and Tina Pegler, Kiwanis Div. 19 lieutenant governor, opened the awards ceremony and introduced a few young entertainers who wowed the crowd with both their voices and talent on the piano.

Prior to the scholarship recipients announcement, special presentations were made for Service to Youth Awards by Rick Anglickis, chairman of the SLP Program. Anglickis gave a brief background on the Kiwanis International organization and how one man’s small donation grew into the organization that exists today.

“One year after the Kiwanis International Foundation was established as a legal entity, Walter Zeller made the first donation: 25 Canadian silver dollars that he hoped would turn into the foundation’s nest egg — that dream came true,” Anglickis said. “On behalf of the Eliminate Project, Kiwanis International is proud to honor Walter Zeller’s commitment to service by establishing the Walter Zeller Fellowship. This is a very special opportunity designed for those who have donated and been a part of the Eliminate Project. Tonight we would like to honor Dr. Greg Stancel with a special Retirement Award. We do this to honor Greg’s longtime commitment to our service leadership programs and key clubs.”

The Kiwanis Club of Lehigh Acres also awarded 27 scholarships for a total of $76,652 to Lehigh Acres students.Two awards were awarded to Riverdale High School students, four to Lehigh Senior High School students, and 15 to East Lee County High School students. Six awards, for a total of $17,852, go to renewed scholarships so students can continue their college education.

Scholarships recipients:

Riverdale High School

• Kimberly Rice $5,000

• Kaitlyn Skinner $2000

Lehigh Senior High School

• Gia Escorcha $5,000

• Durland Bundy $2,000

• Jonathan Kelly $2,000

• Yasminie Sahadeo $2,000

East Lee County

• Skylar Dushek $5,000

• Jonathan Hernandez $5,000

• Kedrin Altamirano $4,800

• Sharen Barthelemy $2,400

• Ana Vanessa Cruz $2,400

• Diana Echevarria $2,400

• Jacqueline Llanes $2,400

• Nimslha Massolas $2,000

• Deisy Mejia $2,400

• Axel Arias $2,000

• Jennifer Cabrera-Partido $2,000

• Gabriel Johnson $2,000

• Anthony Sierra $2,000

• Andy Travieso $2,000

• Virginia Valentin $2,000

Kiwanis members ended with a presentation of their 2021 Hometown Heroes Awards. This year’s recipients were Dayna Flores, Lehigh Regional Medical Center, presented by Jacklyn Arsenault and Deputy Alexandria Davis, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, presented by Captain Mark Ballard.

Both Flores and Davis were awarded the Hometown Hero Award for their stellar service to the community.