Mamaroneck High School (MHS) students Sam Smoltz and Jackson Owen were honored with our club's annual Blum Award at a special luncheon held at the Larchmont Yacht Club on November 5th.
For several years, Sam and Jackson have been running the Aces for Alzheimers, a local club founded by their older sisters, which raises funds for Alzheimer's disease research. They did it by holding on-line trivia contests, casino nights and other events. The total amount raised came to $50,000.
Club President Marion Anderson welcomed guests and members, and introduced special guest, State Assemblyman Steve Otis who presented Sam and Jackson with certificates of commendation from NY State for their accomplishments. Marian White, Club Rotary Foundation Chairwoman, followed with the presentation, of the Blum Award to both students.
The Blum Award was created through a trust in 1980 by past Rotarian Max Blum. Every year the award honors seniors at MHS for outstanding services and dedication to benefit the local community. Past winners have included young people who have headed the MHS Red Cross Club, The Clothes Closet, NOLA, the Explorers' Post of the Larchmont Fire Dept. and the Autism Club.
Sam and Jackson then spoke about how they got involved with Aces for Alzheimer, the fund raisers they did, and to why they chose to focus on Alzheimer's disease. Their focus for 2021 is brain health education in schools. They are starting a Brain Health Club at the high school to engage MHS students in their cause and hope to have this club extend across other school districts with prevention becoming a major issue.
Aces for Alzheimers gave the money raised to the Department of Neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. The funds were used for the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic, run by Dr. Richard Isaccson. For more information, go to: https://alzu.org
As both Sam and Jackson will be graduating from MHS next spring, they will be handing over the reins to Sam's younger sister, Lucy.
Club member Lester Nathan followed with the presentation of a check from our club to the Aces for Alzheimers, which he handed to Jackson.
Marion Anderson, Club President, concluded the ceremony.
Click on the button below to watch a slideshow of the day's festivities.
