Mrs. Lewis
Mrs. Neal
Mrs. Duncan
Mrs. Turnipseed
Dr. Watkins
Dr. Wicks
The list could go on and on. These are just a few of the amazing teachers that shaped my education. They were significantly impactful on my career and life. Without them, there is no doubt I would not be where I am today.
I have always been aware that education changed my life and felt a desire to pass it on where I could. While I was lucky to have financial help from family and my local church, Heritage United Methodist Church, a good portion of my education was up to me. At the time I hated it, but it made me appreciate the money that was generously given and the money that was coming out of my own pocket.
While there are people who teach you professionally, I also know there are people in your life who teach you by who they are as a person. One of those people for me was my best friend, Betsy Shook. Being her friend taught me unconditional love and acceptance. When she passed away in 2014, it broke my heart. What gives me peace today is that she still teaches me. Even though she isn’t physically here, I hear her guidance to focus on what is important, look for friends that shared her qualities, and to believe in myself.
This summer, Lucky Forks was fortunate to have two amazing interns. Near the end of her internship, Holly Lippman and I discussed if she could potentially continue working for us in the Fall. As is prevalent amongst many students in school today, this was dependent upon finding a way to help her financially through a scholarship. Little did she know that creating a scholarship had been a goal of mine for over 5 years. Something in my gut said, “Chad, this is the time.”
Today, I am happy to announce that Lucky Forks has decided to create a scholarship that honors all of life’s teachers. Each summer we will reward one scholarship to a Summer intern who shows exceptional talent and a desire to continue working for the company during their Fall term. Congratulations Holly Lippman for helping me bring a personal goal to reality and being the first recipient of the Betsy Shook Memorial Scholarship!
By Chad Hickey, CEO at Lucky Forks