Boss Dog hosts Officer Jason West scholarship fundraiser on May 20
Boss Dog Brewery on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights will host the 2018 Officer Jason West Memorial Scholarship Mega Raffle event on Sunday, May 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. The annual event raises money for the Officer Jason West Memorial Scholarship. Raffle tickets are $2 and can be purchased from any committee member or at the event on May 20.
Officer Jason West, a Cleveland Heights police officer, was shot and killed on May 26, 2007, as he exited his patrol car when responding to a disturbance call. "When Jason was killed, this city lost not only a dedicated police officer, but also a very dear friend and neighbor," said Liz Radivoyevitch, co-chair of the Scholarship Selection Committee. "Officer Jason West was a hero, not because of the way he died, but because of the way he chose to live his life—as a devoted son and brother, and loyal friend; as a mentor and role model to young adults in the community; and as a dedicated police officer. Protecting and serving the city of Cleveland Heights was something that Jason did willingly each and every day he put his uniform on."
After West was killed, Cleveland Heights residents and businesses, along with family, friends and fellow officers, established the Officer Jason D. West Memorial Scholarship as a way of honoring West’s memory and his dedicated service as a police officer. It is a two-year scholarship that is awarded each year to a graduating senior from the Criminal Justice Program at Heights High, who plans on pursuing a career in law enforcement or criminal justice, and who exemplifies West’s dedication as a police officer. Recipients receive the second part of their scholarship after they complete their first year in college.
“Through the scholarship, Officer West continues to serve as a role model to young adults by providing financial assistance to a Heights High student pursuing a profession in criminal justice or a law enforcement career,” said Radivoyevitch.
Contributions can also be mailed to: The Officer Jason D. West Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o the Treasurer's Office, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, 2155 Miramar Boulevard, University Heights, OH, 44118. Checks should be made payable to "Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District," and include "Jason D. West Scholarship" on the memo line.
For more information, contact Scholarship Selection Committee member Lita Gonzalez at 216-410- 4577, or visit the Scholarship's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JasonWestScholarship/.
Lita Gonzalez
Lita Gonzalez, who has lived in Cleveland Heights since 1995, has written a book about researching her family history.