An endowment fund that pays scholarships to Penhold Crossing Secondary School graduates has been doubled by its benefactors.

During a ceremony at the Penhold Library on Friday afternoon, Stewart and Eileen Ford announced they would be providing more money for more students seeking a post-secondary education.

The ceremony also saw members of town council presented with medallions and The Chain of Office. The province’s Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell was among in attendance, bestowing the ornaments. Afterward, she stayed behind to talk with more than 50 Grade 6 students present, answering questions about her job, and her interactions with the Queen.

Jenna Dudar, a Penhold Crossing graduate, speaks about receiving the Ford Family Scholarship. Behind her, Sherry Cooper, trustee for Chinook's Edge School Division Ward 2.

The Ford Family Scholarship was created in 2014 when the couple donated $500,000 to create a trust, managed by the Red Deer and District Community Foundation.

They realized that as the school grew, scholarships were not keeping up with the number of deserving students. Staff had to pick who would get awarded, Stewart said.

“Hopefully now, there’s the money,” he said. “It helps people who want to get an education and do something for the country. What better can you do?”

Scholarship amounts depend on how much the fund earns.

Jenna Dudar, who graduated last year, received $5,000. She said it was enough to pay for an entire semester at Mount Royal University, where she’s studying business.

“Since I am also living on residence too, there’s just so much I have to pay for with tuition, books and residence. It just help me so much that I didn’t have to take out a student loan this semester, which was great, so I don’t have any debt yet,” Dudar said.

“We are always thinking about money. We are always worried about not having enough money to pay for our tuition, our books. Some of my classmates don’t even have books for their classes because they can’t afford it. So with this scholarship, it really helps with everything.”