Congratulations to our 2025 Recipient, Isobel Weber!

Optimist Club of New Dundee $1500 Youth Appreciation Scholarship presented to Isobel Weber!

Isobel Weber of New Dundee is this year’s recipient of the $1500 Optimist Club of New Dundee Youth

Appreciation Scholarship. Isobel, who lives in New Dundee and attends Waterloo-Oxford DSS, has accepted an offer at the University of Waterloo in their Honours Kinesiology program.

Presenting Isobel with her cheque and certificate are Beth Mehring and Lynn Berry, Co-Chairs of the Scholarship Committee.

Special thanks also goes to Mark Cameron for his contributions during the candidate interviews and selection process.

This is a scholarship with a difference. It does not depend on marks or financial need. It recognizes students who have volunteered their time and talents helping others through service in their community, school and/or church (beyond the requirement for graduation). It is open to New Dundee area students who are graduating from high school and going on to college or university. In keeping with the

Optimist motto ‘Friend of Youth’, the New Dundee Optimist Club hopes to encourage young people at an early age to see the benefits of getting involved in volunteer activities.

Throughout high school, Isobel volunteered for the Japan Martial Arts Centre. There she took on many roles including instructor, mentor, tournament organizer, referee and judge. At school, she was the principal organizer for the WODSS Graduate Art Exhibition. This led to her current interest in volunteering for Castle Kilbride’s Summer Art Exhibition. Isobel has demonstrated the kind of commitment this award is intended to celebrate. Despite serious injury, Isobel was able to find ways to use her gifts to benefit those in her school and community.

Along with her plans to enrol in the Honours Kinesiology program at Waterloo, Isobel has committed to volunteering in a variety of settings related to her interest in physiotherapy to further her understanding and gain experience in the field.

The Optimist Club of New Dundee is pleased to be able to provide this scholarship to a very deserving candidate who represents the spirit of this award well by demonstrating a driving desire to assist.