Ruettiger receives Muffler Memorial Scholarship

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Fire science to nurture

Julie Buck, from left, executive director of The Community Foundation of Grundy County; Jake Ruettiger, recipient of the Pete Muffler Scholarship; Bob Wills, deputy chief of the Morris Fire Protection District; Kim Brown of Morris Building & Loan; Tracey Steffes, chief of the Morris Fire Protection District; Sue Morse, Secretary of the Grundy County Corn Festival Board; Don Farmer of the Fraternal Order of Eagles 1024; and John Sparrow, president of the Grundy County Corn Festival Board, met at the Morris Fire Protection District Station 2 Monday afternoon to present Jake Ruettiger, a recent Morris High School graduate, with a check for $1,000 from the Pete Muffler Scholarship Fund to use toward his college education in Fire Science. (Herald Photo by Lisa Pesavento — lpesavento@morrisdailyherald.com)
Julie Buck, from left, executive director of The Community Foundation of Grundy County; Jake Ruettiger, recipient of the Pete Muffler Scholarship; Bob Wills, deputy chief of the Morris Fire Protection District; Kim Brown of Morris Building & Loan; Tracey Steffes, chief of the Morris Fire Protection District; Sue Morse, Secretary of the Grundy County Corn Festival Board; Don Farmer of the Fraternal Order of Eagles 1024; and John Sparrow, president of the Grundy County Corn Festival Board, met at the Morris Fire Protection District Station 2 Monday afternoon to present Jake Ruettiger, a recent Morris High School graduate, with a check for $1,000 from the Pete Muffler Scholarship Fund to use toward his college education in Fire Science. (Herald Photo by Lisa Pesavento — [email protected])

 

January 16, 2013

by Christina Chapman

The second Pete Muffler Memorial Scholarship has been awarded to Morris Community High School senior Jake Ruettiger.

Ruettiger was given his $1,000 scholarship last week through the Community Foundation of Grundy County, which facilitates the scholarship program. He is currently attending Spoon River College in Canton.

A fund was established in 2010 in Muffler’s memory to provide scholarships for the young men and women of Grundy County who are choosing fire service as a career. The recipients must be a part of the fire service program at Grundy Area Vocational Center.

The first scholarship was awarded in 2011 to Keegan Anderson of Coal City.

Muffler died in 2009 at 82. He was called a “pillar of the community” for his dedication to local organizations. He was a member of the Morris Fire Protection and Ambulance District for 61 years, serving in many positions, including firefighter, deputy chief, and president of the fire board.

Muffler was also very dedicated to the Grundy County Corn Festival, serving as its chairman from when it began in 1948 until he died.

The organizations he was dedicated to have partnered to contribute and raise money for the scholarship fund. Contributors include the Morris Firemen’s Association, Morris Building & Loan, Grundy County Corn Festival, Morris Lions Club and the Morris Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Ruettiger said in his application essay that being a firefighter and paramedic has always been his dream. Being a firefighter is a family tradition.

“I always liked when my uncles would ask me to go down to the station with them. That’s when I realized I wanted to make it a goal to do well in school so I could further my education in college,” he wrote.

“It’s a very rewarding career when you know you could help someone in need at any time the call comes in. So being a firefighter/medic is my choice of work for many years to come,” Ruettiger concluded in his essay.

The goal is to give more than one $1,000 scholarship a year, said Julie Buck, executive director of the Community Foundation of Grundy County. So the foundation is always taking donations for the fund.

To donate to the Pete Muffler Memorial Scholarship contact the Community Foundation of Grundy County at (815) 941-0852.

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