Sashy and Gladys Kane Perpetual Scholarship Awarded

Each year, two students from Kane Area High School are awarded the Sashy and Gladys Kane Perpetual Scholarship, through the Elk County Community Foundation. These students must play an active role in their school and community in order to be selected for the scholarship. This year DeForest Long and Emelie Kerek were awarded the scholarship.

DeForest Long is the son of Kathy Long of Kane, Chuck and Lt. Col. Jill Long of Germany. While he was in high school DeForest was involved in marching band, concert band, drumline, the school newspaper, his church drama group, and the Handbell Choir. He has also participated in the 30 hour famine, Vacation Bible School, the Roadside Litter Pickup and the Loren B. Wright Festival of Bands. DeForest is currently employed at Allegheny Ice Company. This fall he is headed to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania to major in Cinematography with a minor in Advertising. While at Edinboro DeForest hopes to be a part of the Bagpipe Band.

Emelie Kerek, the daughter of Thomas and Linda Kerek, of Kane Area High School graduated valedictorian for the class of 2010. While in high school Emelie was awarded the Certificate of Excellence in History, Mathematics, and English, and was a member of the National Honor Society and Enrichment program. She was also consistently on the merit honor roll. Ms. Kerek was on the staff of her school newspaper, a peer mediator, and a tutor. Emelie also volunteered for the Allegheny Friends of the NRA and the Kane Winter Carnival. This fall Emelie will be attending Edinboro University of Pennsylvania to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts in Applied Media Arts. Upon her college graduation, Emelie plans to work as an animator in Video Game Development or Cinematic Animation.

The Sashy and Gladys Kane Permanent Memorial Scholarship Fund provides two scholarships to Kane Area High School seniors who are pursuing a baccalaureate degree at an accredited institution of higher learning. Sashy Kane was the eldest grandchild of General Thomas L. Kane, the town’s founder. He was a veteran of both World Wars, twice receiving the bronze star and retiring with the rank of the Colonel. He received a Ph.D. from Harvard University, was a professor at the University of North Carolina and was head of the Language Department at the University of Tennessee. Gladys was a registered nurse and the head nurse at the Kane Hospital. Together with her husband Sashy, they established and operated the Kane Manor until moving to Florida in 1954. Tom, son of Sash and Gladys along with his wife Dottie established this scholarship in memory of his parents and their family roots in Kane, PA

The Elk County Community Foundation serves Elk and surrounding counties connecting people who care with causes that matter. The Foundation manages permanent charitable funds to improve the quality of life in our communities. Revenues from these funds provide grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships to students in the area, just as the donor intends. If anyone is interested in learning how to establish a scholarship or donating to an existing scholarship, they can contact Paula Fritz Eddy at the Elk County Community Foundation office at 814-834-2125.