Valley Patriot, Team Zingales Partner for $2,000 in Scholarships

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Team Zingales/Valley Patriot $1,000 Scholarship winner Sam Lara, Joe Zingales, Rosanna Zingales-Lopez, MTV’s Brittany Baldi, and Mr. Sullivan from Central Catholic. Looking away is YMCA Director Dan Halloran. PHOTO: CINDY DRIVER

Each year The Valley Patriot holds its annual charity BASH. This year seven students attending the BASH walked away with $1,000 in scholarship money for college. 

“Six years ago The Valley Patriot was able to raise enough money from the raffle at this event to donate one scholarship for $100 to one Lawrence High School student, Valley Patriot Publisher Tom Duggan said at the event held at the Firefighter’s Relief In.

“Each year since then, The Valley Patriot has been able to slowly increase the amount of money they give for scholarship and has also increased the number of students receiving scholarship money.”

“This year, seven high school students attending this BASH will walk out of the room with $1,000 each to further their education. To me, that’s pretty amazing!”

Tom Duggan introduced the first scholarship presenters of the evening, Joe Zingales and Rosanna Zingales-Lopez of Team Zingales, REMAX who donated $2,000 for scholarships at this year’s BASH!

“Joey and Rosanna Zingales have been big supporters of The Valley Patriot so, do us a favor and buy a house from these people, they do good things in the community and they are always here to help us at the annual BASH,” Duggan said.

Joe Zingales explained why the two students were chosen for the first Annual Valley Patriot/Team Zingales scholarship.

“We selected two individuals from the community who excelled in their school and in community service. Zingales introduced Chris Sullivan from Central Catholic and Dan Halloran, head of the YMCA as both students attend Central and donate their time at the YMCA.

SAM LARA ($1,000) – Sam Lara of Lawrence is currently a senior at Central Catholic High School, is a Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence alumni and captain of the boys varsity basketball and baseball teams at Central Catholic. Laral says that Lawrence and Central Catholic have provided him with a great education and as a result, many doors have been opened for him and he strongly believes every child deserves a good education and he plans to contribute making this happen.

Junielly Vargas is also from Lawrence and currently a senior at Central Catholic High School, and the passionate President for the Mayor’s Health Task Force Lawrence Youth Council. Junielly says she knows that Lawrence and Central have given her an understanding of the true value of education. She is also a product of the Lawrence YMCA’s Adelente Program!

“Junielly is not here tonight but her family is here with us. But Junielly is not with us tonight but the reason exactly the reason she is getting this scholarship,” Sullivan said. Sullivan explained that Junielly was chosen to represent Central Catholic along with five leaders from the school who went to New York to prepare for the Marist day of service. “Junielly is one of the leaders of our community service program.”