Thank you to Stephen Girsh, and Joyce Reed for forwarding the names of the 2009 recipients of the Abbott Methodist Church Scholarships. The following students each received $1,000 in scholarship funds:
China Springs High School
Michael Ruiz
Michelle Ruiz
Aquilla High School
Lanie Reid
Samantha Cobb
Abbott High School
Colton Snokhous
Justin Henderson
Whitney High School
Craig O’Neil
Christopher Rogers
The scholarships were established by Bobbie and Willie Nelson for seniors from Abbott, Aquilla, Hillsboro and Whitney. “We were looking for a way to sustain the church and scholarship fund,” said Don Reed, of Whitney, who coordinates church and scholarship activities.
It was Don Reed who called Willie in 2006 and told him that the church that he and Bobbie grew up in had been closed and was being sold, and may be moved somewhere to be used as a wedding chapel. Willie and Bobbie purchased the church, which still has services, on the first and third Sundays of each month at 10:45 a.m.
“When the church closed, they were averaging about five people per Sunday. “We are now averaging about 35 to 40 people with all volunteer preachers, song leaders and music directors,” Reed said.
The Abbott Scholarship Fund has awarded $25,000 in scholarships the past two years, in addition to this years awards.
The scholarships are partially funded from the sale of the 2006 commemorative coins minted in honor of Willie and Bobbie Nelson:
The coins are still available for purchase directly from the Texas Mint and Merchantile in Whitney, Texas, or you can order them from their website at
http://01f31ba.netsolhost.com/willie_nelson.htm, at cost of $55.00, which includes tax.