ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
ANNOUNCING THE THOMAS AND CAROLYN FRAIL FAMILY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
December 18, 2022
The Lima Shawnee Alumni Legacy Scholarship program is honored to announce the Thomas and Carolyn Frail Scholarship. This scholarship was created by the family of Tom and Carolyn Frail as a lasting legacy and memorial tribute to honor the exemplary and selfless way they lived their lives serving their family, their friends, and their community. This endowed scholarship will provide a $2,000 grant to a graduating senior who demonstrates a hard work ethic and respect for others while striving to make the world around them a better place.
Tom and Carolyn’s commitment to education, service, and their faith exemplified lifelong altruistic principles of integrity, sincerity, and grace which have been passed on to those whose lives were touched by their generosity and kindness.
“The Thomas and Carolyn Frail family is proud and honored to afford this legacy scholarship ensuring academic and prolific excellence for generations of Shawnee graduates to come,” said Tom Waltz, a 2006 Shawnee graduate and grandson of Thomas and Carolyn Frail.
Tom and Carolyn were both born and raised in Lima, Ohio, and were 1953 graduates of the Lima Central High School. Tom attended BGSU for one year and was then drafted into the US Army. He served as a paratrooper in the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After his honorable discharge in 1956, Tom completed his college education at Bluffton College where he received his BS in education.
Tom went on to teach and coach in the Lima City and Bath School districts before coming to Shawnee Schools in 1967. While at Shawnee, Tom inspired many students as a teacher, coach, and athletic director before retiring in 1986. In honor of his many years of dedication and service, Tom was inducted into the Shawnee High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991.
Carolyn attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio where she received her teaching certificate. She taught at Washington McKinley Elementary School in Lima and then was a Pre-School teacher and Administrator at High Street United Methodist Church for 19 years. Following their retirement from teaching, Tom and Carolyn spent many hours serving their community by volunteering at Lima Memorial Health System and their church. They were awarded the Golden Deeds Award by the Lima Exchange Club in 2010 for their service to LMHS, their community, and their church.
Tom and Carolyn were both lifelong teachers and educators, impacting the lives of countless students while instilling values of service, continual learning, and gratitude. They were staunch supporters and advocates of the Shawnee School System and proud of Shawnee’s commitment to academic and community excellence. Tom and Carolyn fostered two generations of Shawnee graduates through their daughters, Laura (Frail) Waltz (79) and Natalie (Frail) Schaublin (81), and grandchildren, Tom Waltz (06) and Katy Jo (Waltz) Thompson (10).
The Lima Shawnee Alumni Legacy Scholarship Program was created to honor and provide support to Shawnee graduates. To find out more about the Shawnee Scholarship Program, please visit us at www.LimaShawneeScholarshipFund.org.
ANNOUNCING THE KIRK FAMILY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
May 1, 2022
The Lima Shawnee Alumni- Legacy Scholarship Fund is privileged to announce the Kirk Family Foundation Scholarship. Created by donor Everett "Butch" Kirk III, the endowed scholarship will provide an initial $2,000 grant to a graduating senior interested in pursuing an education in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM). The scholarship is in honor of three generations of the Kirk Family who have attended Shawnee Local Schools.
Mr. Kirk is a 1971 graduate of Lima Shawnee High School. After receiving his B.S. in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University, he and his grandfather, Everett S. Kirk, Sr. founded the International Tank Service, Inc. and today serves as President and CEO. A lifelong resident of the Lima area, Butch is involved in many community organizations past and present. He is currently a trustee of Rhodes State College and a member of the Heir Force Community School Board. He is past president of the Lima Family YMCA, past president of the Lima Rotary Foundation, past fund chair of the Boy Scouts of America, trustee for the John H. Keller Fund, and a past board member of Allen Lima Leadership. Mr. Kirk is also a member of the Lima Community Foundation Board of Directors, the 501(c)(3) administrator for the scholarship fund.
“The Kirk Family is honored and blessed to afford this endowment ensuring academic scholarships for future Shawnee High School Students. In God We Trust.” - Everett “Butch” Kirk, III
We are honored that Mr. Kirk has chosen the Lima Shawnee Alumni-Legacy Scholarship Fund to support Shawnee graduates by establishing the Kirk Family Foundation Scholarship.
ANNOUNCING THE STEVEN J. GORDON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
December 9, 2021
The Lima Shawnee Alumni-Legacy Scholarship Fund is pleased to announce a new scholarship for Shawnee graduating seniors - the Steven J. Gordon Scholarship. Mr. Gordon is a 1993 Shawnee graduate, and the 2014 recipient of the Shawnee Distinguished Alumni Award.
While in high school, Steve participated in football and student government. After Shawnee, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Penn State University. In 2010, Mr. Gordon began granting scholarships for Shawnee seniors in recognition of their outstanding leadership and service to the school. Between 2010 and today, Steve and his wife Ariele have awarded scholarships ranging in value from $500 to $5,000 to 90 students, with total grants reaching nearly $100,000. In addition to his support of Shawnee graduates, he has been a major contributor to the Kathie Naab Conwell Memorial Scholarship.
Steve currently works in Commercial Real Estate Finance in New York City where he resides with his wife Ariele, and three children - Sammy (11), Ryan (9), and Leia (5). Steve currently serves on the advisory boards of the Lima Shawnee Alumni-Legacy Scholarship Fund, the Harmonie Club, and previously served on the Penn State Real Estate Board.
We are honored that he has chosen the Lima Shawnee Alumni-Legacy Scholarship Fund to continue his generosity by establishing the Steven J. Gordon Scholarship Award.
ANNOUNCING THE ZARZAR - PORTMANN SCHOLARSHIP FOR MEDICINE
November 6, 2021
The Lima Shawnee Alumni-Legacy Scholarship Fund is privileged to announce our most recent named scholarship: the Zarzar - Portmann Scholarship for Medicine. Created by donors Rik Portmann and Bob Zarzar, this $100,000 endowed scholarship will provide an annual $4,000 grant to graduating seniors interested in pursuing a career in the field of medicine. The scholarship is in honor of their fathers, physicians who served the Lima community for many years.
Mr. Portmann is a 1969 graduate of Lima Shawnee High School. Rik graduated from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business in 1973 and went on to own businesses in the transportation and distribution industries. He currently resides on the west coast of Florida.
“I feel it's important to assist in all areas of education,” said Mr. Portmann. “Education offers the largest single support to one's personal growth. For once you have the knowledge, it lasts a lifetime and no one may take it from you.”
Mr. Zarzar is also a 1969 graduate of Lima Shawnee High School. After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Economics at the University of Michigan, he continued his education at Michigan and received his MBA in Accountancy. A CPA, Bob was a partner with Price Waterhouse and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Zarzar served on the board of directors of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and was chair of the AICPA’s Tax Executive Committee. He currently resides outside of Washington, DC, in Oakton, VA.
"Shawnee has graduated so many students that have had important, positive influences in their communities,” said Mr. Zarzar. “It is my hope that this scholarship will help continue that legacy of which we all are tremendously proud."
ANNOUNCING THE KEITH AND DEBORAH WANDELL NAMED SCHOLARSHIP
May 1, 2021
The Lima Shawnee Alumni-Legacy Scholarship Fund is honored to announce the single largest gift in the short history of the fund. Through the generosity of donors Keith and Deborah Wandell, the Lima Shawnee Alumni-Legacy Scholarship Fund will establish its first named scholarship – the Keith and Deborah Wandell Scholarship.
“It is a privilege to announce this transformational gift,” said Bob Zarzar, Chair of the Stewardship Committee for the fund. “This $100,000 gift will provide endowed resources to directly support graduating seniors today, and for generations to come, as they pursue their education on the way to becoming our next leaders.”
A 1968 graduate of Shawnee High School, Mr. Wandell is the retired President, CEO, and Chairman of Harley-Davidson Inc. He is also the lead independent director of the Dana Incorporated board of directors. Mr. Wandell received an undergraduate degree from Ohio University and an MBA from the University of Dayton.
About the Lima Shawnee Alumni-Legacy Scholarship Fund
The Lima Shawnee Alumni-Legacy Scholarship Fund was created in 2019 through the Lima Community Foundation. It is a great opportunity for donors to honor the special people at Shawnee who contributed toward their success, or the success of friends and family. It is a simple way to honor the many generations who have attended Shawnee over the past 100 years.
Donations, gifts, and pledges of any size may be made in honor or celebration of an individual or group. Named scholarships are also available. A named scholarship helps meet the needs of students while providing the opportunity to reflect the specific interests, accomplishments, or desires of a donor in a particular academic or vocational area.
More information may be found at www.LimaShawneeScholarshipFund.org or on Facebook at Lima Shawnee Alumni-Legacy Scholarship. Contributions may be made directly through the website. Additional questions may be directed to Bob Zarzar at razarzar@aol.com, Tom Orchard at 2taorchard@gmail.com or at info@LimaShawneeScholarshipFund.org.
2026
100th Anniversary of Shawnee High School! Mark your calendar now to celebrate the 100th graduating class of Shawnee High School.