In honor of the memory of WTVC News Channel 9’s MaryEllen Locher, who lost her battle with breast cancer 11 years ago, See Rock City last week awarded two scholarships to local students through their partnership with the MaryEllen Locher Foundation (MELF).
The scholarship recipients, sisters Jordan and Savannah Bennett, each received $1,000 through their volunteer efforts with MELF and their essays. Their mother, Shannon Bennett, is a breast cancer survivor.
MELF has awarded 420 scholarships to students whose parents have fought breast cancer since the program’s inception by MaryEllen in 2002. See Rock City raises money for MELF through the sale of pink Survivor birdhouse sales, sold during breast cancer awareness month every October.
Savannah is a rising junior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, with a double major in creative writing and communications. A graduate of Ooltewah High School, she is also an accomplished dancer. Savannah has been a scholarship winner with the MaryEllenLocher Foundation for the past two years. She and her family created “Variety 4 Life,” a variety show fundraiser for the foundation. She also works with “Mel’s Club,” the foundation’s breast health education program for teen girls.
A graduate of Ooltewah High, Jordan is a student at Chattanooga State Community College majoring in art education. She is also a talented vocalist, and has performed in several area musical theater productions. In addition, Jordan is an employee at See Rock City. She was Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother during Fairytale Nights. This is her first year as a scholarship recipient with the MaryEllen Locher Foundation.
Shannon Bennett, mother of Jordan and Savannah, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and is now an eight-year survivor.
Source: See Rock City