WEST ORANGE, NJ — For the fifth consecutive year, the West Orange Scholarship Fund presented graduating West Orange High School seniors with the Timothy Groves Memorial Scholarship, which was established by Lisa and Donald Shauger in 2014 in memory of former West Orange police officer Timothy Groves.
On June 13, the scholarship was awarded to 10 members of the Class of 2019: Hailey Adelsohn, Kayla Ceaser, Nathanael Dalger, Amber Dalmacy, Vincent Daniels, Colin Morgan, Raymond Porch Jr., Saniyiah Richardson, Ayana Tapper and Tahis Vigo.
In total, the 2019 Groves Memorial Scholarship recipients received $10,150 in scholarship funds. Including this year’s recipients, there have been 35 recipients of the Timothy Groves Memorial Scholarship to date.
To be eligible for a WOSF scholarship, interested students must complete an application, which — along with the student’s academic record, financial need and extracurricular involvement — is evaluated by the WOSF committee. For the Timothy Groves Memorial Scholarship, special consideration is given to students in financial need who share Groves’ selfless dedication to community service and volunteer opportunities. Future career plans in law enforcement or criminal justice are not required criteria, but it is especially meaningful when recipients share Groves’ love for law and justice.
“It is a great group again this year and one that Timmy would be proud to be associated with,” WOSF treasurer Jim Quinn said.
The Shaugers often encourage others to donate to the Timothy Groves Memorial Scholarship, in the hope it will provide much-needed financial support to local youth.
“Seeing how successful the scholarship has been over the last several years, I have no doubt that it is a reflection on Timmy Groves himself and on the impact he had on the community during his lifetime,” Donald Shauger said. “Timmy gave constantly to the community around him — not only by serving and protecting the community as part of the West Orange Police Department, but also by volunteering with local youth, mentorship programs and the Special Olympics. People won’t forget the difference he made.”
Before Groves died of cancer in 2013, he was known not only for his commitment to the WOPD, but also for his leadership within the West Orange community and his passion for community
service.
“Not a day goes by that Don and I aren’t proud of the incredible opportunities the scholarship has provided to students in West Orange,” Lisa Shauger said. “Tim Groves meant a lot to us, and we know he would be honored to be associated with the scholarship. We look forward to continuing our commitment to the Timothy Groves Memorial Scholarship and the West Orange Scholarship Fund — and to the students they benefit — for many years to come.”
Text Courtesy of Alexandra Gakos and Photos Courtesy of Cynthia Cumming
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