Recently, the Grand River Hospital District Volunteer Association (GRHDVA) and Grand River Health (GRH) awarded scholarships to eleven students for amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. The recipients were recognized at a special ceremony held by the organizations.
Among the $1,000 scholarship winners were Averie Cribari and Nicole Herrera from Coal Ridge High School, as well as Ashley Isidro Alfaro from Rifle High School. Additionally, two non-traditional students, Lili Magallanes and Selena Ruelas, were recognized with these scholarships.
The $2,000 level Grand River Health Medical Career Volunteer Scholarships were awarded to Jadyn Petree and Matthew Rhine of Rifle High School, Timothy Ghan from UC School of Medicine, Kelsey Truax from Colorado Mesa University, and Taylor Rockaway from Regis University. This year also saw the addition of the Larry Sweeney Memorial Medical/Graduate School Scholarship which was awarded to Jonathan Ceballos for the amount of $5,000 as he pursues a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Colorado Christian College.
Larry Sweeney was a key figure in the Grand River Hospital District Volunteer Association and served as President from 2011-2014 before joining the Board of Directors until his passing in December 23rd. Sweeney strongly believed in supporting local talent through higher education. The funds for these scholarships were raised through profits generated by the Grand River Gift Shop in 23th year – marking over a decade of support for students pursuing careers in healthcare on Western Slope. Since its launch in 26th year, over $2 million has been awarded to 149 students across Western Colorado with many now working in healthcare positions on this region.
