Wilmot Garden Club Awards 2 Scholarships

The Wilmot Garden Club presented its Walter Kangas Memorial Scholarships on Saturday, June 29 at the Wilmot Farmers Market. On hand for the presentation were: (first row from left) Pauline Kangas, Kathryn MacLeod, scholarship recipient; Sally Asher, Kathryn’s mother. Second row from left: Chris Jenssen, Ann Davis, Eric Bonewald, scholarship recipient; Jodi Bonewald, Eric’s mother. Back row, Margaret Monto and Elizabeth Fielding, co-president of the Wilmot Garden Club.

Kathryn MacLeod and Eric Bonewald are the 2019 recipients of the Wilmot Garden Club’s (WGC) Walter Kangas Memorial Scholarship. The students received their scholarships during a ceremony at the Wilmot Farmers Market on Saturday, June 29.

On Saturday, June 29, the Wilmot Garden Club presented the Walter Kangas Memorial Scholarship to two local students, Eric Bonewald (left) of New London, a student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY, and Kathryn MacLeod (right) of Wilmot, a student at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. Pauline Kangas (center) of Wilmot was on hand for the presentation.

A resident of Wilmot, McLeod is enrolled at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. A sophomore, she will be studying in Morocco in 2019-2020.

“Down the road, I could see myself working for a non-profit organization that safeguards the environment. …,” she said. She is interested in environmental law.

Bonewald will be a junior at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY. He is majoring in architectural studies and environmental studies. This is the third year that Bonewald, a resident of New London, has received a scholarship from the Garden Club.

“My hopes of one day being a landscape architect are still a priority for me,” he said. During the summer, Bonewald works with his father who owns a landscaping business.

“We are thrilled to award scholarships to these two outstanding students,” said Chris Jenssen, a member of the WGC’s scholarship committee.

The Walter Kangas Memorial Scholarship was named for Walt Kangas, a long-time supporter and member of the Garden Club.

The mission of the Wilmot Garden Club is to beautify the town of Wilmot by maintaining several gardens throughout town and hanging greens during the winter holidays. The not-for-profit organization also schedules educational programs and field trips throughout the year. It raises funds for town beautification and scholarships through its annual plant sale held the Saturday before Memorial Day.

Anyone with an interest in gardening is welcome to participate. If you would like to be added to the email list, please contact Lindy Heim at lindy@nullheimfamily.org.