In The News

Shell-Rotella T donates $10,000 to OOIDA-Mary Johnston Scholarship Fund

For nearly 11 years now, the OOIDA Scholarship Committee has helped 51 young people of OOIDA members achieve their dreams of going on to college or trade school.

Now, they will be able to help even more young people wanting to further their educations. The committee has received the news that Shell-Rotella T is donating $10,000 to the scholarship fund named in honor of Mary Johnston, the late wife of OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston.

Land Line Magazine's Advertising Director Alex Gates broke the news to scholarship committee members at the spring board meeting of the OOIDA Board of Directors on Wednesday, April 22.

“The OOIDA-Mary Johnston Scholarship Fund is something that is near and dear to my heart, and I am so proud that Shell-Rotella saw the importance of backing this program with their $10,000 donation,” Gates said at the meeting.

Gates’ announcement was followed by loud cheers and a few tears by those on the committee who have worked so hard to advance OOIDA's scholarship program.

OOIDA Scholarship Committee Chairman Bill Rode of Eagle, ID, said this donation from Shell is a “blessing and will definitely be put to good use” to help even more young people.

Paula Chambers, wife of OOIDA General Vice President Woody Chambers of Eddyville, KY, said she volunteered to be on the first scholarship committee because she and several others in the Association saw the value of helping to educate our young people.

"When we started this, there weren’t a lot of scholarship programs out there for young people who wanted to become a trucker or who wanted to learn a trade, but might not get to attend without some assistance,” Paula Chambers said.

This year’s OOIDA scholarship winners will be announced on June 1. Those eligible for the scholarships include the children, grandchildren and legal dependents of dues-paying OOIDA members.

The members of the OOIDA Scholarship Committee are already in planning mode for how they can raise money for the round of scholarship applicants.

For members wanting to support the committee’s efforts, cookbooks are available for $10 in the OOIDA Road Gear Store at OOIDA headquarters in Grain Valley, MO. The recipes were supplied by OOIDA board members.

“We are just trying to help our young people get a little further down the road,” Rode said.

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