The Roan Oak Masonic Lodge #860 of Garrett’s Bluff has donated $500 scholarships to five Paris Junior College nursing students. The scholarships will help the students with tuition, fees and related expenses.
“The Roan Oak Masonic Lodge has provided annual scholarships for many years to our nursing students,” said Dr. Pam Anglin, PJC President. “Paris Junior College and our community is very fortunate to have such a wonderful group of men that help our nursing students achieve their goals with financial help.”
Receiving the scholarships are Jessie Crenshaw Reece of Brookston, Sara C. Ward of Bogota, Chyna Bell of Reno, Rebecah Wells-Tyndall of Paris, and Erin B. Justiss of Howland.
The students recently were able to meet and thank two lodge representatives, Worshipful Master Tony Fisher and Master of Ceremonies Allen Tapp, who also chairs the lodge’s scholarship and fundraising committees.
“Roan Oak Masonic Lodge is pleased to partner with Paris Junior College,” said Tapp. “For the past several years, our fundraising events and matching funds from the Grand Masonic Lodge of Texas have provided thousands of dollars in scholarships to second year nursing students at PJC. Upon graduation, many of those recipients remain locally. That fills a vital health care need for the local community, and the Lodge is proud to support these nursing students in their education endeavors at PJC.”
“I’m thankful for this scholarship,” said Bell. “It really helps me continue on throughout the nursing program.”
The matching gift came from the Texas Masonic Charities Foundation, Inc., which allows the Lodge to boost the results of their local fundraising efforts.
“This scholarship means everything,” said Wells-Tyndell. “A lot of us have to have help to be able to financially continue.”
The Lodge’s major annual fundraisers are a fish fry and pancake breakfast in Garrett’s Bluff. The fall fish fry was cancelled due to the pandemic and instead the group is raffling off a folding Henry U.S. Survival AR-7 .22 rifle and a Remington Model 783 .308 deer rifle. Tickets are available at Paul Green’s Complete Auto Repair in Paris with a drawing held Dec. 17.
For more information about scholarships at Paris Junior College go to www.parisjc.edu/scholarships; for information on PJC nursing programs call 903-782-0734.
Photo cutline: Roan Oak Masonic Lodge #860 of Garrett’s Bluff recently awarded five PJC nursing students with $500 scholarships. Shown from left are PJC President, Dr. Pam Anglin; Lodge Worshipful Master Tony Fisher; Director of Nursing Rebbecca Harris; students Chyna Bell, Sarah Ward, Rebecah Wells-Tyndell, and Jessie Reese; Lodge Master of Ceremonies Allen Tapp; and Dean of Health Occupations, Dr. Greg Ferenchak. Pictured separately is scholarship recipient Erin Justiss.
