SUNBURY—The Phil Lockcuff Memorial Scholarship fund has been in the news lately but not for the right reasons. Former Northumberland County Prothonotary Justin Dunkelberger pleaded guilty to charges related to stealing from the fund.
Phil Lockcuff was Shikellamy’s stand out wrestling coach, and his widow Elizabeth Lockcuff says the fund is moving on saying, “I am relieved that this ordeal is finally over and I want to get back to what is important which is the scholarship fund.”
The scholarship fund has resumed disbursements to students and is planning more scholarship announcements soon, says Tom Michaels of Sunbury, one of the founders of the fund, “ We will continue to pay the scholarships every may and hopefully our tournament is successful again this year and we will continue from here.”
The 5th Annual Phil Lockcuff Memorial Golf Tournament is coming up on Friday, June 23 at the Links at Hemlock Creek. All proceeds of that event will go toward the scholarship fund for male and female student athletes at Shikellamy High School.
Mrs. Lockcuff spoke about how the scholarship recipients are chosen saying, “They have to be in a sport, they have to maintain decent grades, every student has to write an essay as to what being involved in sports has meant to them and how it has changed their lives. We have a committee of five who read all the applications look over everything and the top four people receive the scholarships.”
The Scholarship fund disperses four $1,000 dollar scholarships a year at the annual awards assembly at Shikellamy High School. (Sarah Benek)