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Last Tuesday, Rotary Club members dedicated their time to help bus tables at Dairy Queen from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM to raise funds for the Rotary Education Scholarship Fund. This fund sponsors three scholarships for students: the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA), the First Port City Youth Leadership Award, and the Earl Carr Gragg Award. Each scholarship has specific criteria for applicants.

The Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) is aimed at sophomore and junior students who have the opportunity to attend a leadership camp in Americus during the summer. The First Port City Youth Leadership Award is designed for graduating seniors at Bainbridge High School (BHS) and Grace Christian Academy (GCA) who focus on service to others. The Earl Carr Gragg Award honors a graduating senior boy who embodies “the highest standards of character, service, and citizenship.” This award is a tribute to victims of the Winecoff Hotel Fire and Earl Carr Gragg, a former student and member of Boy Scout Troop 502, which the Rotary Club of Bainbridge sponsors. Notably, this award is aligned with the Mary Davis Pilot Club Award, which is presented to a graduating senior girl. The Rotary Club has matched the scholarship with this Pilot Club award.

The Rotary Club is also gearing up for the Bearcat Spring Games, formerly known as the Special Olympics, which will take place on Friday, March 28. The event begins with buses lining up at 8:30 AM at the Boat Basin before heading down Shotwell Street to Bainbridge High School. Participating schools include Decatur County, Seminole County, Spring Creek Charter, and Pataula Charter Academy. The Rotary Club encourages everyone to come out and cheer on the athletes along Shotwell Street, supporting this inspiring event.

Additionally, the Salvation Army will host its annual patron and volunteer appreciation banquet, “Aprons and Angels,” on Thursday, March 27, at 6:00 PM. The event will take place at the Bainbridge High School Bearcat Café, located at 1 Bearcat Boulevard. The guest speaker for the evening will be Major John Murphy. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by Friday, March 21, by emailing BainbridgeGa@uss.salvationarmy.org or calling 229.243.7250.