The 2013 Ryan Clark Scholarship and Community Service Award Ceremony will be held May 2 at Lakeside High School at 6 p.m. A reception will be held from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. and the awards program will begin at 7 p.m. The public is invited. Please RSVP to 706-556-0609. This is the fifth year that a $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a Richmond or Columbia County high school student based on service to the community. Last year, we were able to give two additional scholarships of $500 to deserving students.

The intent of this award is to honor Ryan Clark for his contribution to the community by promoting volunteerism among young people and continuing his legacy of service.

On April 16, 2007, the world learned the name of Ryan Clark for one heroic, selfless act on the campus of Virginia Tech. With this award, Ryan’s hometown community honors all the selfless acts that were part of Ryan’s character. The 2002 Lakeside High School graduate was a campus leader and volunteered for many organizations. He sorted items at Golden Harvest Food Bank, served food to the homeless at the Master’s Table, tutored children at Communities in Schools of Augusta/Richmond County, volunteered with Virginia Tech YMCA during Thanksgiving 2004 to help clean up after Hurricane Katrina through Circle K, a Kiwanis organization, and served as a counselor at Camp Big Heart, a camp for youth with special needs. Volunteering his time to help people was a core value of the young man known as “Stack” by fellow members of the Virginia Tech marching band.  Since Ryan was to graduate in May with a triple major in biology, English and psychology, we have chosen that time to give out the award in his name.