Warwick. Madeleine Olivia Butchko wins $3,000 scholarship from the Eye-Bank of New York

Warwick resident Madeleine Olivia Butchko has been awarded The Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration’s 2020 Young Ambassador Scholarship in the amount of $3,000.

She was selected as the winner over a number of qualified applicants who promoted eye, organ and tissue donation in a variety of public awareness projects.

Madeleine was awarded the scholarship for successfully promoting the donation message in her community. She distributed flyers at Warwick Valley High School where she was a senior; at the Warwick EMS office where she was a volunteer, and at her eyeglass provider’s office.

Madeleine also leveraged social media and posted the flyer on Instagram, Snap Chat and Facebook together with donation and New York State Donate Life Registry sign-up information which received a very positive response and was shared by many.

According to Madeleine, she felt touched by the story of Christopher Nordquist in whose memory the scholarship is founded. He died at the age of two and gave the gift of sight to two people as an eye donor.

Madeleine has had challenges with her own eyesight and can identify with others who experience the same. As such, she welcomed the opportunity provided by the scholarship to learn about and share eye, organ and tissue donation information and encourage many to enroll in the New York State Donate Life Registry.

Currently a freshman at Providence College in Rhode Island, Madeleine says she will continue to advocate on behalf of eye, organ and tissue donation.

The Young Ambassador Scholarship is awarded to a qualifying applicant under the age of 25 who is entering or currently enrolled in college and has conducted efforts to increase public awareness of eye, organ, and tissue donation.

For more information about The Eye-Bank’s Young Ambassador Scholarship, please visit www.eyedonation.org/scholarship.