Businessman offers grants

A Columbia County businessman is offering six $1,000 scholarships to 2008 high school graduates.

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Bill Polonus, the founder of Augusta Disposal & Recycling Inc., is awarding the scholarships to high school seniors who plan to continue their educations in environmental sciences.

He created the John Polonus Memorial Scholarship to recognize his brother, who died of brain cancer in 1999.

The brothers founded their two-man waste disposal operation in 1991 with two used garbage trucks they bought at a North Augusta municipal auction.

Today, Polonus said, the business boasts 45 trucks and about 50 employees.

The Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce named the brothers as the Small Business Person of the Year in 1999, three weeks after John Polonus' death.

"We're so grateful and thankful for the community," said Polonus. "It's just something we need to pay back."

He said scholarship applications are available at the guidance counselors' offices in Columbia County's four high schools.

Home-schooled or Richmond County students can get an application by calling (706) 860-2208.

The deadline to apply is June 15.