FALL RIVER: Two former players with the Fall River Rebels basketball program are grateful to have been selected as the recipient of the Brenda Wickstrom Memorial Scholarship.
Oliver Horne and Molly White, both graduates of Lockview High this past June, were announced by the Rebels and Brenda Wickstrom Memorial Scholarship organizers as this year’s recipients.
Rebels treasurer Matt Sullivan and Steve Wickstrom, Brenda’s husband, presented the scholarships to the two outside Lockview High on Aug. 31. It is usually awarded to one male and one female, and thus the $2,000 is split evenly between the two chosen from those that applied based on criteria for the scholarship.
The scholarship is named in honour of Wickstrom, who was a member of the executive of Fall River Basketball in the late nineties until her passing in 2004. The scholarship was first presented in 2005.
Horne said the money will help him a lot towards tuition at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish.
“It’s going to be a big help paying for school,” said Horne. “I’m really grateful for it.”
He said his reaction was of surprise when he found out he was one of the two recipients this year.
“I was really excited about it,” he said.
White agreed. She said it will help towards her costs of attending University of Waterloo, where she will play the sport she has a passion for in volleyball while furthering her education in the area of STEM programs.
“I think it’s pretty awesome because I know Brenda helped out a lot in the community and Steve continues that today,’ said White. “I just think it’s pretty cool to have that reflect back on me.
A couple of her friends were recipients in 2021, so White is proud to be among those who have received the scholarship.
Both White and Horne encouraged other graduates for this year and years to come that have participated in the Rebels basketball program to apply for the scholarship.
“Definitely apply because you kind of forget because you stop doing Rebels when you start doing Lockview basketball,” said White. “It kind of gets overshadowed.
“I think a lot of us played for the Rebels for a long time and it was a big part of our life.”
“Apply for the Brenda Wickstrom scholarship or any scholarship available to you,” added Horne. “It will definitely help you out.”
