INCOMPLETE

TODO: Add context and link to the foundation’s website and picture of night

Good evening everyone!

My name is Alexander Medeiros and I’m Tamara and Jack Medeiros’ son, the founders of Rita’s Closet. Tonight, I’ve been given the lovely honor of awarding Rita’s Closet and the Rita Medeiros scholarship on behalf of the Community Foundation of Carroll County.

When my parents founded the organization, I was a decade younger and my triplet sister Rita had recently passed away in a car accident. As the theme of tonight goes: what keeps us growing, we needn’t look further than our own adversities.

As we traverse these treacherous trenches of life we’ll be met with catastrophes from all sides and we can either stay stagnant or we can grow.

Just as the dandelion blown into the wind has reached an end, spreading seeds across a field; Rita’s passing was the end of her life, but she spread seeds across a field she’ll never get to see.

The community foundation acts as a field for these volunteers to take root. We are so very fortunate to have them and I think I can speak for all of us when I say: Congratulations Rita’s Closet, you deserve this “Rooted in the Community” award and so much more.