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Rappahannock Lions Club visits Laurel Ridge Trades Center

by | Oct 16, 2024

Donna Comer explains HVAC training to students and Lions Club members.
Donna Comer explains HVAC training to students and Lions Club members.

laurel ridge

Donna Comer explains HVAC training to students and Lions Club members.

Rappahannock Lions Club members visited the Laurel Ridge Skilled Trades Center in Warrenton recently to learn more about a program helping Rappahannock County High School (RCHS) students acquire trade skills. The club is providing partial scholarships to seven students to attend classes and earn credentials for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, welding and heavy equipment operation.

Donna Comer, Workforce Solutions program manager, and a member of the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors, said the program is designed to meet the local demand for technical skills in the building trades. “Often, workers have to travel far from Rappahannock County to find work,” she said. “Our program trains students locally and can place them with local employers so they can work closer to home.”

In the coming year the club expects to expand its scholarships for workforce training. “This program is a great option for students who decide not to go to college,” said Larry Grove who coordinates scholarships for the club. “When these kids graduate they can earn $50,000 a year or more,” he said. 

The club also awarded $28,000 in scholarships earlier this year to seven college-bound graduating seniors.

The Workforce Solutions program offers students a variety of courses in other professions, including computers, technology and healthcare. For more information, visit laurelridgeworkforce.com.

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By Bob Hurley

Read more articles by Bob Hurley
Bob Hurley has been a member of the Foothills reporting team for several years. In addition to writing in-depth news articles, Bob regularly contributes Doer’s Profiles which feature stories about people who make important contributions to the Rappahannock community. After graduating from college, Bob worked for several years at the ABC News bureau in Washington, D.C., and as a communications director for the National Wildlife Federation. Later, he spent over a decade in the United States Senate as a senior staff member working on major environmental laws including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air, coastal, and wetlands protection legislation. Subsequently, he ran a government relations firm specializing in environment, energy and sustainability issues. Bob and his wife, Heather, have had a home in Rappahannock since 2016. He enjoys being involved in a wide range of community activities including the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection, RAAC Theatre, Headwaters Starfish Mentoring Program, the Lions Club and Rapp at Home. He enjoys fishing, gardening, hiking, and biking. Reach Bob at [email protected]