ARA Foundation Awards 29 Scholarships

Twenty-nine students’ educational goals just became a little easier to achieve, thanks to the $54,500 worth of ARAFoundation and affiliate scholarships awarded for the 2012/2013 academic year, including the new Bill Loomer Houston Rental Association Scholarship and the ARA of California Scholarships. The recipients are selected by the ARA Foundation scholarship committee.

“The winners, who were selected during an anonymous screening of applications, were awarded these scholarships based on their academic success, leadership, rental industry involvement, written essays on rental-related questions and references,” says Jenni Venema, ARA Foundation director of development. “Many received multiple scholarships, ranging from $500 to $3,000, which will go a long way in helping them pursue their education related to the equipment rental industry.”

The ARA Foundation scholarships and their recipients include:

The Leonard Hawk Founders Scholarship — the ARA Foundation’s top scholarship worth $3,000

·         Daniel Imbro of Party Time Rental and Events in Little Rock, Ark.

ARA Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships of $2,000 each

·         Tyler Arlinghaus, Art’s Rental Equipment in Newport, Ky.

·         Whitney Brumley, Avalon Tent & Part/Avalon Tent Manufacturing, Anaheim, Calif.

·         Melanie Cougle, Perfect Party Place in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada

·         Nathan Creighton, Pleasanton Rentals, Pleasanton, Calif.

·         Cameron Dupy, American Party Rental, Austin, Texas

·         Erick Helfmann, A-1 Lansing Rent-All, Lansing, Mich.

·         Charles Jones, Rent-All Center in Alexandria, Va.

·         Jacob Kanis, Nelson Agri-Center True Value, Viroqua, Wis.

·         Patrick Kennedy, AA Rental Center in Melrose Park, Ill.

·         Laura Snell, NJS Design Event & Party Rentals in Clinton, Ontario, Canada

·         Christopher Whitesell, Rental Supply d/b/a Grand Rental Station, Greensboro, N.C.

ARA Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships of $1,000 each

·         Grant Christopher, Christopher Equipment, Tullahoma, Tenn.

·         Austin Goeman, JK Rentals, Kewaskum, Wis.

·         Logan Hart, Bootheel Parts & Equipment Rentals, Poplar Bluff, Mo.

·         Bryan Licata, Four Season Power Equipment, East Meadow, N.Y.

·         William Meier, Aerial Rental, Boise, Idaho

·         Jordan Ramkey, Walker-Lewis Rents, Bakersfield, Calif.

·         Scott Rodgers, Rodgers Rental, Centralia, Mo.

·         Peter Van Staveren, Stayner Rental, Stayner, Ontario, Canada

ARA Foundation Technical/Vocational Scholarships of $1,000 each

·         Luther Bender, Table 4 Décor Party Rental and Design, Rapid City, S.D.

·         Justin McConnell, Pioneer Equipment Rental & Sales, Newcastle, Okla.

ARA Foundation Graduate Scholarship of $2,000

·         Melissa Blanchard, Rentals Unlimited, Stoughton, Mass.

The Foundation also administers scholarships for affiliated rental organizations, including the following:

ARA Insurance Scholarship worth $2,500

·         Charles Jones, Rent-All Center, Alexandria, Va., who also received an ARA Foundation undergraduate scholarship and an ARA Region Two/Ron Marshall scholarship. He received a total of $5,000 in scholarship funds.

ARA of California Scholarships worth $1,000 each

·         Nathan Creighton, Pleasanton Rentals, Pleasanton, Calif., who also received an ARA Foundation undergraduate scholarship for a total of $3,000 in scholarship funds.

·         Jordan Ramkey, Walker-Lewis Rents, Bakersfield, Calif., who also received an ARA Foundation undergraduate scholarship for a total of $2,000 in scholarship funds.

ARA of Michigan Scholarships worth $500 each

·         Eric Helfmann, A-1 Lansing Rent-All, Lansing, Va., who also received an ARA Foundation undergraduate scholarship for a total of $2,500 in scholarship funds.

·         Michelle Wormser, Barry’s Let’s Rent It, West Bloomfield, Mich.

ARA of North Carolina worth $1,000

·         Christopher Whitesell, Rental Supply d/b/a Grand Rental Station, Greensboro, N.C., who also received an ARA Foundation undergraduate scholarship for a total of $3,000 in scholarship funds.

ARA of Ohio Scholarships worth $1,500 each

·         Jessica Ahrns, Celina Tent, Celina, Ohio

·         Marshall McMillin, Art’s Rental Equipment, Dayton, Ohio

·         Amanda Miller, Alladin Rents for Special Events, Eastlake, Ohio

Bill Loomer Houston Rental Association Scholarship worth $1,000

·         Cameron Dupy, American Party Rental, Austin, Texas, who also received an ARA Foundation undergraduate scholarship and a Texas Rental Association scholarship. He received a total of $4,000 in scholarship funds.

Dorothy Wellnitz Scholarship awarded by the Canadian Rental Association worth $1,000

·         Melanie Cougle, Perfect Party Place, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, who also received an ARA Foundation undergraduate scholarship for a total of $3,000 in scholarship funds.

Doug Mitchell Scholarship awarded by the Canadian Rental Association worth $1,000

·         Laura Snell, NJS Design Event & Party Rentals, Clinton, Ontario, Canada, who also received an ARA Foundation undergraduate scholarship for a total of $3,000 in scholarship funds.

Ron Marshall Scholarship awarded by ARA’s Region Two worth $500

·         Charles Jones, Rent-All Center, Alexandria, Va.

Texas Rental Association Scholarships worth $1,000 each

·         Walter Burke, 4-B Rental Source d/b/a Taylor Rental, Wylie, Texas

·         Cameron Dupy, American Party Rental, Austin, Texas

·         Darby Slack, Tejas Equipment Rental & Sales, McAllen, Texas