This article was written by BenitoLink intern Michael Koteles
The Hollister Exchange Club held an awards event to distribute $24,075 in grants and scholarships to local recipients. The event took place at the Community Foundation Epicenter on July 8. Committed to making a positive impact in Hollister and surrounding areas, Brent Redmond, club treasurer, said that it is dedicated to fostering youth development, supporting charitable initiatives, and strengthening community bonds.
“For the Exchange Club, giving to the youth of the community is really what it’s all about,” said club member Lindsay Swanton. “We’re happy to go out and do the hard work so that we can have the good feeling of making sure kiddos have college scholarships or the various charities that are associated with the youth around town are taken care of. We do our best to keep all of our donations, all our philanthropic endeavors locally here in San Benito County and it’s really neat to have a gathering like this where we get to see the faces of those that we help.”
The 16 grant recipients were Animation Dance Community, Bulldog Boxing, Boy Scout Troop 436, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Community Foundation for San Benito County, Community Foundation for ASBFund/Alysa Taormina, Emmaus House, Hollister Recreation, Hollister High tennis team, San Benito Stage Company, San Benito Youth Robotics, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Small Steps, Youth Alliance, Youth Recovery Connections and YMCA of Hollister. Eight recipients were awarded $2,000 and the other eight received between $500 and $1,200.
The $1,000 scholarship recipients were
- Grace Baldwin
- Emmia Rivera
- Kayla Salazar
- Autumn Salinas
- Isabela Fernandez
Youth of the Year Scholarship
Laci Lemos was awarded the $2,000 Youth of the Year Scholarship in recognition of her achievements, leadership qualities, and contributions to the community.
In addition to the grants and scholarships, the Hollister Exchange Club provided $775 to Eagle Scout projects and $400 to a Costa Rica youth group visiting Hollister through a cultural exchange program.
Exchange Club Secretary David Ortiz said the funds help programs that focus on helping the youth who may otherwise not get any support.
“It’s an accomplishment,” he said. “The people deserve it; the kids deserve it because sometimes they don’t have anything.”
“This scholarship definitely came as a shocker,” scholarship recipient Grace Baldwin said. “I plan to use this to go towards school, obviously, so like meal plans and stuff like that because they can be pretty pricey, especially for out-of-state people.”
Baldwin said she’ll be attending Oklahoma State University to major in history.
Ortiz said the scholarships are awarded by factoring in grade point average and how applicants have contributed to the community.
“We also have an essay that is in conjunction with the national organization and [we look at] how they promote themselves during that essay,” he said.
Bulldog Boxing owner Zeke Lopez, whose organization received a $2,000 grant, said his goal is to guide youth on a path of education, personal growth and helping them pursue their passions.
“We want to provide a safe and engaging environment where they can participate in something they truly enjoy, such as boxing,” Lopez said. “Through our travels and participation in various boxing shows, we strive to keep them busy and focused, ultimately helping them stay on the right track.”
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour, United Way, Taylor Farms and the Emma Bowen Foundation.
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