On Sept. 6, the family of Mitchell Price accepted a check from Lakeland Eagles Aerie 3760 for $30,580.88. In front from left are Kaylyn Neibert, Riley Price, Ginger Price, Stanley Price, Cindy Price. In the second row are Jeff Richardson, Cylus Melching, Memphis Melching and Ryan Neibert. Third row: Ron Smith, Denny Hapner, Trevor Wharton, Ashton Wharton and Maggie Cahill. InkFreeNews photo by David Hazledine.

By David Hazledine
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — On Sept. 6, the family of Mitchell Price gathered at Lakeland Eagles Aerie 3760 in Syracuse to accept a check for $30,580.88 for the Mitchell J. Price Memorial Scholarship Fund. The check represents the amount raised from events held at Lakeland Eagles in recent months, including a cornhole tournament and gun raffle.

The money will go to Wawasee High School graduates planning to pursue a career in public service, particularly as emergency first responders.

The fund, administered by Kosciusko County Community Foundation, was started in July 2020 by the Price family in honor of Mitchell Price, who devoted much of his life to helping others before dying of cancer at age 51. The family’s goal, said his wife, Cindy Price, is to raise $100,000, which will then becoming self-sustaining and able to provide Wawasee graduates with $1,000 each year for up to four years.

“We’re not quite there yet,” she commented, but added the check “made a great dent” in the $100,000. The fund awarded its first $1,000 to Blake Roose in May 2021.

For more than 30 years, Price held a maintenance job at Chore-Time Brock, where he also ran the company’s United Way organization. At the same time, Price served as a volunteer firefighter with Milford Fire Department, was a volunteer driver for Multi-Township EMS and mentored elementary and middle school kids as the wrestling coach at Milford schools.

According to his son, Riley Price, the idea for a scholarship was first broached his aunt, Melinda Scaggs, as a way to continue his philanthropic spirit by, said Riley, “building more people like him who want to give back to the community … He was always somebody who loved giving to others.”

To learn more about Mitch Price, or to donate, go to www.kcfoundation.org/donors/donate-now/?fund=mitchell-j-price-memorial-scholarship-fund.