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By LIZZIE BOWEN | Staff Writer

PELHAM – Pelham Strong will be awarding one lucky Pelham student with a $1,000 scholarship to further their education.

Pelham Strong is a non-profit founded in 2021 by Chad Leverett and councilmember Rick Wash and is run on a completely volunteer basis. In 2021 Pelham Strong organized the first ever Christmas parade for the city of Pelham, with an estimated 7-10,000 people in attendance.

In 2022, Pelham Strong started a toy drive where Pelham residents, businesses, employees and families donated toys and other items that were given to 37 children within the city of Pelham.

“We’ve been able to help several people within the Pelham community,” Leverett said. “Pelham Strong is looking to partner with our local Fraternal Order of Police and open the toy drive this year in 2023 into all of Shelby and Chilton counties as well as supporting Children’s Hospital downtown.”

As Pelham Strong continues to grow as an organization, they will be awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a student within the community of Pelham.

“Rick and I will select the winner who has demonstrated they are part of the community and give back to the community,” Leverett said. “We also hope this scholarship increases the emphasis on community and creates enthusiasm with our school students to be more active in the community. It’s important to invest in the community and invest in the future of our children.”

Submissions are now open for students and requirements for the scholarship include a three page-double spaced paper on what the Pelham community means to them as well as a description of personal contributions to the community.

Submissions are open until Saturday, April 15 and those looking to submit can do so by email at pelhamstrong35124@gmail.com. The winner will be announced at Pelham’s Awards Day on Friday, May 12 at 9 a.m. in the Pelham High School Auditorium.