ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Late Rock Island runner Mable Velge has donated $372K to the Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation (RIMEF) to establish an annual scholarship for Rock Island High School student-athletes.
The gift will fund the Steven and Mabel M. Velge Track & Cross-Country Scholarship through the RIMEF's scholarship program. Every year, two $6,000 scholarships will be awarded to one male and one female who have been a part of the RIHS track or cross-country teams and plan to attend college, university or trade school.
Velge gifted the scholarship to honor her son Steven, who graduated from Rock Island High School with the class of 1968 and passed in 2018, and also for her love of running.
Velge started running at the age of 55 and had been a member of the Cornbelt Running Club for many years before passing in 2023. Velge worked at the Rock Island Arsenal for 34 years.
The grant will be presented to the RIMEF at the Rock Island High School stadium track on Apr. 22 at 3:30 p.m.
The first Velge scholarship will be awarded on May 8 at the Austin Academic Achievement Award and RIMEF Scholarship Night at the RIHS auditorium.
For more information about the scholarship or the RIMEF, contact Executive Director Monta Ponsetto.
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