The Order of the Golden Rule Foundation recently announced the recipients of its 2023 Awards of Excellence scholarship program. Awarded annually, mortuary students receive these scholarships based on strong academic performance, community involvement and an essay exemplifying a commitment to serving grieving families with compassion, fairness and dignity.
2023 Gold Award of Excellence recipient Peyton Nash, who graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, Illinois, was awarded $3,500 to assist her as she enters the funeral profession.
Ann Kaufman of Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston, Texas, and Jacqueline Brock of American Academy McAllister Institute in New York, New York, both received the Silver Award of Excellence, each worth $2,000.
Scott Runyon of Des Moines Area Community College in Des Moines, Iowa, and Molly Smith of Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in Cincinnati, Ohio, received bronze-level scholarships worth $1,000 each.
The foundation also awarded a $500 scholarship to Nia Collins of Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In other news, the International Order of the Golden Rule announced this year’s finalists for its Community Service and Exemplary Service awards. Community Service Award nominees include Huff-Guthrie Funeral Home & Cremation Services (Franklin, Pennsylvania), Oliverie Funeral Home (Manchester, New Jersey) and Arlington Memorial Chapels (Quezon City, Manila, Philippines).
Exemplary Service Award nominees include Arlington Memorial Chapels, Bradley Funeral Home and Crematory (Antigo, Wisconsin), Brunswick Memorial Home (East Brunswick, New Jersey), Chiles-Laman Funeral & Cremation Services (Lima, Ohio), Flora Funeral Service (Rocky Mount, Virginia), Huff-Guthrie Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Janowiak Funeral Home (Ypsilanti, Michigan), Lewis Funeral Home (Milton, Florida), Mulhearn Funeral Home (Monroe, Louisiana), Oliverie Funeral Home, Osborne Funeral Home (Williamsport, Maryland), Proko Funeral Home (Kenosha, Wisconsin), Singleton Funeral & Cremation Services (Glen Burnie, Maryland), Strunk Funeral Homes (Vero Beach, Florida), Wenner Funeral Home (Cold Spring, Minnesota) and Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home (Decatur, Indiana). ogr.org