MARIA STEIN — Scholarships totaling $10,500 were recently awarded to 14 men from the area who are studying to be Catholic priests. The North Deaneries Seminarian Fund of the Darke County Foundation supported every seminarian from the Sidney and St. Marys deaneries of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

The awards were presented at the annual Serra Club dinner for priests and seminarians on Dec. 29 at the Maria Stein Spiritual Center.

The scholarship fund was established by Melvin and Mary Ann Stucke, of Versailles, and it has grown with additional donations from the community.

“We wanted to show seminarians that we support them and are so proud of their decision to serve the Church community,” Melvin Stucke said. “Becoming a priest requires so many years of study and discipline that we hope these scholarships give them a little boost.”

Receiving scholarships were Matthew Keller, Maria Stein; Peter Langenkamp, Coldwater; Elijah Puthoff, Russia; Patrick Blenman, Sidney; Adam Hoying, Russia; Ethan Hoying, Russia; Greg Evers, St. Rose; Aaron Hess, Coldwater; Adam Berning, McCartyville; David Doseck, Botkins; Zach Cecil, Piqua; Loren Hein, Maria Stein; Jared Kohn, Philothea; and Nicholas White, Greenville.

As an endowment fund, the North Deaneries Seminarian Fund operates primarily from investment income, providing scholarships every year in perpetuity. Donations may be made to the Darke County Foundation, P.O. Box 438, Greenville, OH 45331. For more information, call 937-548-4673. The Darke County Foundation receives, administers and distributes charitable gifts for the benefit of area residents.