Notable Gifts: Scholarship awards

Twenty students from 12 local high schools recently were awarded $1,500 scholarships from the Ukrop's Education Foundation.

The additions mean 140 students will receive Ukrop's scholarships worth a total of $210,000 during the 2009-2010 academic year.

Scholarships are renewable for four years or until a bachelor's degree is earned, as long as the student maintains an acceptable grade-point average.

Since the first scholarships were granted in 1996, the Ukrop's Education Foundation has distributed more than $1.9 million to 475 students.

. . .

Seven Virginia students have received scholarships through Verizon's program for the children and dependents of company employees.

Richmond-area recipients, who will get $5,000 annually for college expenses, are Jamahl Sapp of Richmond, son of Lorenzo Sapp, who plans to attend Old Dominion University; and Aundrea Baker of Charles City, daughter of Tanya Baker, who plans to attend the University of Virginia.

Each scholarship is renewable for three years and has a total value of $20,000.

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Here's one more opportunity to recognize a special father on Father's Day today.

Patrick Donohue's daughter Sarah Jane was shaken by her nurse and sustained a severe traumatic brain injury four years ago. Now a single father with sole custody of a disabled child, he has found hope for his family and others.

Donohue created The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation, a not-for-profit organization to help the millions of children with brain injuries through a nationwide model system of care and awareness.

His efforts have launched the National Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Plan and the first-ever medical and educational collaboration on behalf of brain-injured children.

The Kluge Children's Rehabilitation Center at the University of Virginia is the state's lead center for the Sarah Jane Brain Project. The center will serve as a level one SJBP Center, creating a statewide master plan to provide a high standard of care for all children and young adults in Virginia who acquire a brain injury.

The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation is asking for special Father's Day donations in honor of Donohue's efforts on behalf of his daughter and many others. In their appeal, communications director Jennipher Dickens wrote, "In honor of his amazing examples of fatherly devotion every single day, I am hoping that together we can honor Patrick by donating to the foundation that means so much to him. [Today] you can donate directly to the special Father's Day PayPal account and include a special note to Patrick. Sarah Jane can't tell Patrick what a good father he is -- but you can!"

To donate, visit https://www.thebrainproject.org/donate.asp.

Contact Katherine Calos at (804) 649-6433 or . Send notices for Notable Gifts to .