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Area student athletes receive CRCF scholarships

Mon, Aug 17th 2020 11:20 am

Three area high school student athletes recently received scholarship awards from funds managed by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation.

Caden Larabee of Cuba-Rushford Central School received the Kaleigh Wilday Scholar Athlete Award.

This scholarship of $1,000 is awarded to a scholar athlete who is part of a scholar-athlete team during her or his senior year. The Cuba-Rushford Athletic Awards Committee chooses the recipient of the scholar-athlete award, which includes the $1,000 scholarship.

The Kaleigh Wilday Endowment Fund, established by Cuba residents Ward “Skip” and Greta Wilday in memory of their daughter, makes possible this annual scholarship.

Larabee will study surveying and geomatics engineering at Alfred State College.

Brigid McGee of Hamburg High School received the Mark J. Prockton Memorial Scholarship for $650.

The Prockton scholarship is for a graduating senior from Hamburg High School who has lettered in cross country and has the highest GPA. Gregg and Mike Prockton established the scholarship in memory of their brother Mark J. Prockton, a former New York City School teacher, Hamburg High School alumnus and runner.

McGee will attend St. John Fisher College to study mathematics and adolescent education.

Chase Wenke of Portville Central School received the Patrick Shinners Memorial Team Player Scholarship for $500.

This $500 scholarship is available to players in Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties who are a graduating senior and participated in football for at least one school year. The ideal candidate is a player who was there for the team; a player who was not the team hero, but who came to practice knowing that he may not be in the game on Friday night.

The award is given as a scholarship or educational stipend that can be used toward college, trade or technical school or job-related expenses such as uniforms or equipment or travel costs if entering the military. A committee of the Southwestern Chapter of the New York State Association of Certified Football Officials selects the recipient (s) whose coaches completed the scholarship application on their behalf.

Wenke plans to study early childhood education at Jamestown Community College.

In total, area graduates received over $155,000 in awards from CRCF scholarship funds in 2020.

Donations can be made to the any of these scholarship funds at CRCF, 301 North Union St., Suite 203 in Olean, NY 14760 or online at cattfoundation.org

Established in 1994, the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).