DURANT’S NECK — The joys of the high school graduation season are not limited to students capping 12 years of education.
For civic clubs like the Durant’s Neck Ruritan Club, the graduation season also is a joyful time. It’s when the club’s months of fundraising pay off with the awarding of college scholarships to deserving students, many of whom plan to return to Perquimans and make the county a better place to live and work.
On June 13, the Durant’s Neck Ruritan Club presented $1,500 scholarships to three college-bound Perquimans County High School seniors at its annual scholarship dinner. Cynthia Berrio, the club president, presented scholarships to Morgan Baccus, Ashlynn Ward and Collin Roberts. Baccus is headed to Chowan University. Ward and Roberts are planning first to attend College of The Albemarle before transferring to a four-year university.
According to Berrio, the Durants Neck Ruritan Club has been providing college scholarships for more than 20 years. Funds for the scholarships come from the club’s fundraising activities.
“We’ve been able to fund a minimum of three (scholarships) for several years, but we gave four scholarships in 2023,” Berrio said.
Students qualifying for the Ruritan Club’s scholarships have to be active in their community, not just high achievers in the classroom.
“On the students’ (scholarship) applications, we like to see examples of their community service,” Berrio said. “It’s more valuable than anything they can do.”
The club also “loves it” when applicants say “that they plan to come back to this community,” she said.
“I think all of this year’s recipients plan to come back to work in this community,” Berrio said.
Ward said she’s looking forward to launching a nursing career in northeastern North Carolina. She was pleased to hear that a 2023 Durant’s Neck Ruritan Club scholarship recipient is slated to begin working soon as a nurse.
“This (scholarship) means a lot, especially since I heard another girl who won this scholarship completed the same (nursing) path I am starting,” she said. “My high school community service included participating in the ‘Living History Day’ at the Newbold-White House, helping with a blood drive and helping with the Special Olympics.”
After Berrio presented scholarships to the three graduates, she lauded Durant’s Neck Ruritan Club members for completing another successful year of fundraisers. The club was able to make its $500 annual donation to the Durant’s Neck Volunteer Fire Department and donations to The Open Door Food Pantry of Perquimans County.
The club also contributes annually to Project Patriot, an initiative of 15 Ruritan Clubs in the Albemarle district that helps veterans in need of short-term assistance.
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