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Short Pump Ruritan Club honors first-responders, businessperson, college scholarship recipients

,   and  Citizen Staff Reports
2 min read
Six of the 10 recipients of the Short Pump Ruritan Club's college scholarships are pictured above; from left (front row) are MaLeah Cowan (Goochland High School), Taylor Clingenpeel (IB Center at Tucker High School), Sydney Wilson (Glen Allen High School), Cary Dodson (Hermitage High School), Druthi Ravishankar (Glen Allen High School) and Cierra Harris (Tucker High School). Club members Bill Miller (far left), Rich Velletri (center) and Larry Van Wagner (president, far right) also are pictured. (Contributed photo)

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The Short Pump Ruritan Club honored three Henrico County first-responders and a local businessperson and awarded scholarships to 10 local area high school students during its annual awards dinner June 24. More than 50 club members and guests attended the dinner at the Kitchen 33 Restaurant in Glen Allen.

First-responder awards went to Henrico Firefighter of the Year Lauren Challis, Henrico Police Officer of the Year Michael Taylor and Henrico Sheriff’s Deputy of the Year Yvonne Duncan. Each was nominated by their department for outstanding service to the community and received a framed certificate and a $100 cash gift.

(Contributed photos)

Puritan Cleaners President Gary Glover received the 2025 Short Pump Businessperson of the Year Award in recognition of his company’s long history of giving back to the Greater Richmond region through its annual Salvation Army Coats for Kids Campaign, a partnership with FeedMore for the 100K Meals Campaign and other charitable endeavors.

Glover was unable to attend the event, so the award was accepted on his behalf by Puritan Cleaners’ Head of Community Relations Sara Moncrieff and Short Pump location store manager James Leighty.

College scholarships of $1,500 each were presented to the following graduating high school seniors to assist with their college tuition in the fall:

• Taylor Clingenpeel (IB Center at J.R. Tucker High School);
• MaLeah Cowan (Goochland High School);
• Cary Dodson (Hermitage High School);
• Ella Griffon (Hermitage High School);
• Cierra Harrison (J.R.Tucker High School);
• Smriti Murali (Glen Allen High School);
• Druthi Ravishankar (Glen Allen High School);
• Alex Scroggins (Hermitage High School);
• Sydney Wilson (Glen Allen High School).

The Short Pump Ruritan Club, Inc. was chartered in 1965 and is celebrating its 60th anniversary of serving Henrico’s West End, as well as Eastern Goochland and Hanover counties. It is a community-based nonprofit service organization and one of more than 800 local Ruritan Clubs nationwide. Membership is open to anyone older than 18.

For details, visit https://www.shortpumpruritan.org

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