Boys & Girls Club youth earn OCYC awards

Staff
Published: November 13, 2008

Two Orange County youths received awards at the annual Orange Youth Commission meeting held Nov. 3 at the Orange County High School.
Loren Callahan, 15, daughter of Michael Callahan and Kelly Shifflett, 11, daughter of Terry and Tracie Shifflett, received the Garvis Huff Memorial Outstanding Youth award for 2008.  Loren, a 10th grader from Orange County High School received the award for youth in grades nine through 12 and sixth-grader Kelly for those in six through eight.
Earlier this year, Loren received the Mary Lew Sponski Youth of the Year award from the Boys and Girls Club and went on to represent the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Virginia in regional competition held in Lynchburg.  Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Sheila Donnelly said Loren was cited for her outstanding contributions to the club as a junior staff member, a member mentor, and a reading tutor for Project Learn and for her service in the youth group of the Zion Baptist Church.  She is also a member of the OCHS Student Council.  Ms. Donnelly said, “Loren has the ability to make lemonade out of lemons.  She is undaunted by adverse situations.“
The Orange County 4-H Club nominated Kelly for her award where she helped sell one thousand poinsettias for the last year’s Christmas fundraiser.  Kelly is president of the 4-H Home Economics Club, a reporter for the Livestock Club and raises and shows Yorkshire hogs at the Orange County Fair.  Ms. Donnelly said, “Kelly is an outstanding role model for the other youth.
Garvis Huff, for whom the award is named, was an original member of the Orange Youth Commission and an Orange County public school volunteer.“