Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc., announces the 2026-2027 recipients of the Margaret M. Rivers and Anne Lauterbach scholarship awards. The scholarship program was created to foster employee longevity and encourage employees to pursue their higher education goals. Through the generosity of our residents, their families, the Board of Directors, and staff, just under $450,000 in scholarships has been awarded to Pines Village employees since 1996.
The Margaret M. Rivers Fund - created in honor of Midge Rivers, founding director and CEO of Pines Village Retirement Communities.
The Anne Lauterbach Fund - created in honor of the late Anne Lauterbach, an educator and a Pines Village resident.
Every year Pines Village holds a ceremony for high school and college graduates as well as the scholarship recipients. Residents, staff, and their families are welcome to celebrate their achievements.
FRONT ROW – Scholarship Committee Members: Nancy Moore, John Feaster, Lou Foster, Mary Knarr, Jeanne Hayes, Sandy Detraz
BACK ROW - Scholarship Recipients: Madison Reeves, Anna Rotole, Lucy Warner, Sylvia Rotole, Henry Harris. Not present: Madalyn Halsey.
This year, for the 2026-2027 school year, $ 24,900 was awarded to the following 6 student employees:
Madalyn Halsey – Madalyn has been employed in Home Health as an aide for 3 years. She is attending Ivy Tech Community College, majoring in Nursing. Madalyn’s father is Adam Halsey.
Henry Harris – Henry has been employed in Dining Services as a server and a cook for a little over 5 years. Henry is attending the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, majoring in Social Work. Henry’s parents are Denielle and Brandon Harris.
Madison Reeves – Madison has been employed in Dining Services as a server for 3-1/2 years. Madison is attending Indiana University in Bloomington, majoring in Political Science and International Studies with a minor in Intelligence Analytics. Her parents are Kim and Brian Reeves.
Anna Rotole – Anna has been employed in Dining Services as a server for a little over 2 years. She is attending Purdue University in Lafayette pursuing a degree in Food Science. Her parents are Joanna and John Rotole.
Sylvia Rotole – Sylvia began her time at Pines Village in Dining Services and is now a Home Health Aide in our Home Health department, having been employed for almost 4-1/2 years between the two departments. She attends Purdue University Northwest in Westville, where she is pursuing a degree in Nursing. Beyond that, Sylvia plans to pursue her doctorate to become a Nurse Anesthetist or a Cardiothoracic Nurse Practitioner. Her parents are Joanna and John Rotole.
Lucy Warner – Lucy has been employed in Dining Services as a server for 6 years. She attends Purdue University in West Lafayette, where she is majoring in Biomedical Health Sciences, working towards becoming a Physician. Her parents are Karen and Tim Warner.
Sincere congratulations to each of you!
Pines Village would also like to congratulate our 2026 college graduates.
Abrey Gudeman - Abrey graduated from Huntington University in Huntington, IN with a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She has worked in our Dining Services department for just short of 5 years.
Jonah Hackbart-Morlock – Jonah graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music. Jonah plans to continue his education to obtain his Master’s in Music in Conducting. He has been employed in our Dining Services department as a cook for just over a year.
Christina Garcia – Christina graduated from Ivy Tech with her Technical Certificate. Christina is pursuing her AAS as a Paralegal working in Family Law. Christina works in our Facilities department as a housekeeper and has been with us since December of last year.
In addition, we would like to congratulate our 2026 high school graduates Olivia Belcher (Chesterton High School), Tatiyana Harris, and Megan Kasich (both Valparaiso High School). We are truly happy for each of you and your individual accomplishments! We wish you much success and can’t wait to hear about your future.
Pines Village Retirement Communities is a nonprofit organization that has been celebrating the lives of older adults since 1983. Donations are accepted at 3303 Pines Village Circle, Valparaiso, IN 46383, and online. For more information, please call 219-465-1591 or visit our website at www.pinesvillage.org.