Rotary scholarships: The tie that binds a community
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — One of the most important programs for the members of the Putnam Rotary Club is its scholarship program.
It’s a continuum running through generations. Scholarships named for passed Rotarians who contributed to the community are awarded to high school students who will pass that on to the community of tomorrow.
The Putnam Rotary Club turned 100 years old last year and the scholarship program has been a tie that binds.
Everything from endowments to good-natured fines to golf tournaments and much more through the years has built a scholarship program that this year awarded $30,000 to six local students heading to college.
Six scholarships were awarded for the 2023-2024 year. Amanda Kelly, president for that year, said: “The Putnam Rotary Club is proud to be able to offer these scholarships and provide support to students in our region. This past year we had a very impressive group of scholarship applicants.” She thanked the committee for its work and congratulated the students who received a scholarship.
Doug Porter, current Rotary president, said the awards ceremony Jan. 2 “was a great evening for both the scholarship recipients and the Rotary Club of Putnam.” Noting that scholarships are “a major focus” of the Rotary Club of Putnam, Porter thanked the Rotarians who worked so hard to raise money for the scholarships and congratulated “these outstanding students from northeastern Connecticut.”
Rachael Johnston, chair of the Scholarship Committee, said “We were, frankly, blown away” by the caliber of the scholarship applicants. They all excelled in sports, community service and “oh yes, throw in academics.”
The six winners included: John O’Brien Scholarship (presented by The Putnam Rotary Club Foundation president Joseph Adiletta) – Ava Hovestadt; A. Leon Archambault Scholarship (presented by Denise, Marc and Mary Archambault) — Talia Tremblay; Maurice Beaulac Scholarship (presented by Maureen Beaulac) – Lily Goyette; and three Raymond and Violet Brousseau Scholarships (all presented by Ronald P. Coderre) – Julia Coyle, Eric Levesque, and Peyton Bentley.
Hovestadt, a Woodstock Academy grad, is attending College of the Holy Cross and is majoring in economics and also getting a certificate in finance and banking.
Tremblay graduated from Woodstock Academy and is majoring in nursing at UConn. “I would not have been able to pursue this at my top school without this scholarship,” she said.
Coyle graduated from Woodstock Academy and is majoring in government and history at Connecticut College. She is also interested in international relations. She is taking part in cross country and track and said she has co-authored a chapter in a book about the Ukraine. “It’s been a great experience so far.”
Levesque, a co-president of the club’s Interact Club last year, is a double major in accounting and actuarial science. Because of the number of advanced courses he took at Tourtellotte, he has junior credit standing at UConn. He is working to recreate the Rotaract Club of Storrs which went extinct after COVID-19. It is being sponsored by the nearby Stafford Springs Rotary Club.
Bentley is a Northeastern student, taking London Scholars Program. She is majoring in biology. “This scholarship has really motivated me to strive for excellence,” she said.
Goyette is attending UConn and is studying Allied Health Science with the intention of going graduate school for occupational therapy. The scholarship, she said, is enabling her to “explore all my opportunities.”
John J. O’Brien Memorial Scholarship
John J. O’Brien was a WWII veteran. He spent many years in the textile industry as a sales manager. When he retired he bought Joe’s Package Store. He was a member of the Putnam Board of Education, a life member and past exalted ruler of the Putnam Lode o Elks, a member of the Albert J. Breault Post VFW #1523 and a communicant of St. Mary of the Visitation Church.
He was a member of the Putnam Rotary Club for more than 20 years, serving as president in 1976. He received the Paul Harris Fellow Award. He is remembered as a gentleman with a sense of humor who exuded leadership, class and professionalism. He died in 1993.
Maurice P. Beaulac Memorial Scholarship
Maurice Beaulac was a pharmacist. He and his wife Mary successfully operated Beaulac's Pharmacy in Thompson and Woodstock. He was active in community affairs, serving as an alderman on the City Council and as a member of the Water and Sewer Authority. He was a corporator of Day Kimball Hospital, a communicant at St. Mary Church, a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Connecticut Pharmaceutical Association and a director at Putnam Bank.
He joined the Putnam Rotary Club in 1968, serving as president in 1971. He received the highest Rotary Award, a Paul Harris Fellow Award. Active in the club on many subcommittees, he and his wife hosted the annual Rotary picnic at their summer home in Lake Alexander. Once a huge thunderstorm opened up on the picnic and perhaps 80 Rotarians crowded into their cottage. And Moe smiled through it all. He died in 2009.
Leon Archambault Memorial Scholarship
A Leon Archambault was the owner and president of Archambault Insurance Associates of Putnam and Danielson, a family business originally founded by his father. A devoted civic servant, he served as chairman of the Putnam Water Pollution Control authority, was a member of the Board of Finance and the Economic Development Commission, a corporator and director of Putnam Bank, a corporator of Day Kimball Hospital, 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, a member of the Northeast Concert Choir and a volunteer teacher for Literacy Volunteers of America. .He served six years in the Connecticut National Guard.
He served as president of the Putnam Rotary Club in 1979 and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a quiet unassuming individual who led by example. He died in 2006.
Raymond and Violet Brousseau Memorial Scholarship
The couple owned and operated The Church Clothing Company of Putnam which specialized in the finest of men’s and women’s clothing. Through their hard work, the couple was proud to give back to the community of Putnam which had given them so much during their many years in business. Their charitable gifts benefited Day Kimball Hospital, the Congregational Church of Putnam and the Putnam Rotary Club.
Mr. Brousseau was a member of the Putnam Rotary for more than 60 years. Loyal and dedicated to the motto of Rotary “Service Above Self,” he prided himself in participating in every aspect of the organization. He served as president in 1941 and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow. He was proud of his record of Perfect Attendance which exceeded more than 40 years. He served as the club’s scholarship committee chair up to the time of his death. The club’s annual basketball game for high school senior boys and girls was named the Ray Brousseau Senior Basketball Shootout. He died in 1998.
(Scholarship biographies written by Ronald P. Coderre)