Cranford PAL Awards 5 Scholarships
Submitted by D/Lt. Matthew R. Nazzaro
The Cranford Police Athletic League (PAL), a not-for-profit youth sports organization serving the Township since 1981, awarded 5 scholarships to graduating Cranford High School seniors this year during a ceremony at Memorial Field. Presenting the scholarships was veteran Board of Director Member Kim Capece.
The Glenn A. Owens Scholarship was established in honor of the late PAL board of director member who dedicated his life to service and community. A police officer, volunteer coach, and military veteran, Glenn played baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1952 to 1956 as well as coached baseball in the Cranford baseball leagues for over 15 years. In 2002, Glenn was inducted into the Cranford Sports Hall of Fame. For the Glenn A. Owens Scholarship, applicants were required to demonstrate their shared similarities with Mr. Owens, who was affectionately known as a “doer”. For 2021, Matthew Coates and Meghan Pitts were selected as recipients.
With an outpouring of community support and grassroots donations, the Cranford PAL was able to establish a second scholarship in memory of PAL Participant Will DeGregorio who passed away in 2020 after a courageous battle with pediatric cancer. Will loved anything and everything related to sports and was a fierce competitor who demonstrated exceptional perseverance. After Will’s passing, community groups such as the Cranford Knights of Columbus, Cranford Jaycees, and fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon TCNJ came together to hold fundraisers – including the Knights’ Corned Beef Dinner and the Jaycee’s Track Friday – to help fund a scholarship in his honor. Recently, the Brookside School PTA contributed to this fund. Will’s family determined that students who have persevered through adversity would be eligible for this award. For the inaugural Will DeGregorio Memorial Scholarship, Dominic Fallone, Dane Hagstrom, and Kate Wilson were selected as award recipients.
For more information on the Cranford PAL, visit cranfordpal.org. The Cranford PAL consists of volunteer parents and police officers whose collective goal is to help create a positive, trusting relationship between the youth and police officers of Cranford. Officers include Lieutenant Christopher Polito (President), Vice President Gregg Wheatley, Ptl. Brian Trotter (Secretary), Ptl. Robert Chamra (Treasurer) and Lieutenant Matthew Nazzaro (Executive Director).
