Staff report

The Rotary Club of Westminster has added three new scholarships to its signature program, now in its 27th year.

The catalog of available scholarships for 2016 has been distributed to seniors at Westminster High School, Northglenn High School, Legacy High School, Holy Family High School, Thornton High School, Mountain Range High School, Standley Lake High School, Jefferson Academy, Belleview Christian High School and Academy of Charter Schools.

The catalog and application form can also be downloaded from the club’s website, www.westminsterrotary.com.

A new $4,000 “opportunity” stipend is being funded from the estate of the late Myer “Mike” Schaffner as the first increment of a $100,000 contribution to the program. Founder of Peerless Tyres, Schaffner was a charter member of the club and 55-year Westminster Rotarian.

Another longtime Rotarian, the late Tom Jones, will be memorialized with a $2,000-per-year scholarship, with money contributed primarily by friends and business associates in Westminster. Jones was president of Citizens Bank and involved in a myriad of civic activities. Recipients will be seeking a college degree in finance.

The third new offering has resulted from an unsolicited contribution from Karsten Deuschle, a previous scholarship program recipient. A graduate of Arizona State University, Karsten is now a certified public accountant in Denver and the Rotary Club has elected to acknowledge his generosity by matching his contribution and paying it forward.

Fifteen other scholarships are available in areas that include vocational and technology, business, accounting, real estate, dental studies, education career, arts studies, journalism studies and visual arts. There also is the Bennett Family Scholarship for improvement through education.

Launched in 1999, the Rotary Club of Westminster Community Scholarship program has distributed more than $815,000 to 440 successful applicants. All members of the club participate in interviewing and selecting recipients each spring. Applications are due by March 4 and selected recipients will be honored during a special Rotary evening meeting in mid-May.

The Rotary Club of Westminster, founded in 1960, meets each Thursday at noon at the Greg Mastriona Golf Courses at Hyland Hills. Bill Bowman is beginning his sixth year as chair of the Scholarship program. He can be reached at 303-884-5172.