Risher Mortuary awards $9K in scholarships

Pictured are scholarship winners from Calvary Chapel Downey. Top row, from left: Oscar Ayala, Jonathan Manjarrez and Edgar Sactic. Bottom row: Kristin Alva, Maria Roubidoux and Kimberly Aguilar.

Winners not available for pictures included Emma Estives, Suraya Martinez, Raquel Mijangos and Jezebel Perez of Downey High School; Kate Gonzales, Ryan Leal and Felipe Rodriguez of Warren High School; Ronnie Flores, Viviana Navarro and Valerie Orellana of Columbus High School; and Royl Murga, Isaac Huerta and Kevin Villagomez of La Serna High School.

DOWNEY – Risher Mortuary and Cremation Services recently announced the winners of its $9000 “Caring for Others” scholarship.

According to Barbara Risher Welch and husband Greg Welch, owners of Risher Mortuary, the concept of the scholarship “is much more important” than the usual qualifications of academic excellence and financial need.

“While it is certainly appropriate to recognize academic excellence as well as provide assistance to the underserved, it is ‘caring for others’ that truly unites us as a community, a country and a world,” said Greg. “We consider our funeral business as a ‘ministry to the bereaved,’ and caring for families as they’re mourning a loss of a loved one is the most important time to minister to their broken hearts.”

Students were required to provide a resume including activities they are involved in, such as ministries, clubs, sports, charitable organizations, etc., as well as other opportunities and accomplishments they have experienced in their lives.

Additionally, they listed the schools they are interested in and the career field they will pursue.

Finally, each applicant submitted a one-to-two-page essay about their plan to use their next level of education to “Care for Others.”

Students are not expected nor required to pursue the funeral industry, as the concept of the scholarship is to encourage and reward those kids that will apply their next level of education to the benefit of those in need.

“We receive beautifully written essays from kids with GPAs from 4.0 to 1.0. Kindness is not an intelligence thing, nor is it a rich or poor thing. It is something that God requires all of us everyday of our lives, no matter what the circumstance,” said Barbara. “There are wonderful kids in our community. Greg and I have been blessed by this community and seek to pass on a blessing to them.”