The character of Meri Agnes Dalton did not go unnoticed to the organization for which she has played about a decade of softball.

The 18-year-old, who recently wrapped up her last year with Lunenburg Girls Softball (LGS), was selected by the board of officers for the organization to receive the LGS/Tony Matthews Scholarship.

It is worth $1,000 and will go to aid Dalton in her college education, which she is starting now at Longwood University.

“I think she’s a great kid,” said Matthews, LGS commissioner.

“She is an excellent softball player. She has got a wonderful work ethic both on and off the field. She’s a very caring person, which makes her essential to what we stand for at LGS. She is a child we would like to say is a product of what we’re trying to give the world as a type of gift. We’re trying to make sure the world is full of more people like Meri Agnes.”

Dalton said the scholarship meant a lot to her, as does LGS.

“They have given me a bunch of opportunities I wouldn’t have had if I would have played at any other rec league,” she said. “They really treat you like family there, and I also ended up working for them a little bit this past year as an umpire.”

LGS has handed out this scholarship to one of its players for four years now. Including Dalton, the recipients have been Tiffany Evans, Savannah “Nana” Parsons and Kaitlyn Matthews.

“Each year, each graduating senior — or a person who’s extending their education who’s a graduating senior — if you’ve ever played Lunenburg Girls Softball, you’re eligible” for the scholarship, Tony Matthews said.

To be considered by the board, girls matching the description must write an essay, touching on the lessons they have learned through softball during their time at LGS and what the experience meant to them.

“I talked about how being on the field with other girls helped me with friendships,” Dalton said. “It helped me with team-building and with leadership skills.”

Scholarship applicants get points based on the number of years they have played with LGS and the amount of civic duties they have done, like volunteering to help at the concession stand, volunteering to help during tournaments and helping maintain the field.

“Then you’re evaluated on your points and your essay, and then it’s awarded that way,” Matthews said.

Dalton volunteered to help at an all-star tournament for younger girls as a way of giving back to those who had volunteered their time to help at tournaments she played in.

All moved in at Longwood, Dalton is majoring in political science and may continue her softball career there, as well.

“I’m actually going to try out for the Longwood team, but I haven’t really heard about tryouts yet, so we’ll see how that goes,” she said.