SALISBURY – The Salisbury-Rowan chapter of PFLAG and the Scholarships Advisory Committee have awarded seven $1,000 scholarships to local students.

The scholarships and the 2017 winners are:

• The Anne Stanback-Charlotte Kinlock Scholarship, named in honor of Salisbury native Anne Stanback and her wife, Charlotte Kinlock, was awarded to Olivia R. Llanio. Olivia is a graduate of Jesse C. Carson High School and will attend Rollins College. She is the daughter of Melinda and John Llanio of China Grove.
• The Linda Ketner Community Service Scholarship, named in honor of Salisbury native Linda Ketner, was awarded to Eleanor “Nellie” Brown. Nellie is a graduate of Salisbury High School and will attend Appalachian State University. She is the daughter of Emily Ford and Charlie Brown of Salisbury.
• The Bob Page-Dale Frederiksen Scholarship, named in honor of Bob Page, founder and CEO of Replacements Ltd., and his husband, Dale Frederiksen, was awarded to Terry D. Lark. Terry is a graduate of North Rowan High School and will attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is the son Nickole Anderson of Salisbury and Terry Lark Sr.
• The Ralph Ketner-Bill Stanback Equality Scholarship, named in honor of the two Salisbury businessmen and philanthropists and awarded to a straight ally, was awarded to Madison T. Temple. Madison is a graduate of South Rowan High School and will attend UNC-Chapel Hill. She is the daughter of Kristin Kilgore and Alan Temple, both of Landis.
• The Salisbury Pride-Scotty Ray Gilbert Scholarship is named in memory of Scotty Ray Gilbert, a past board member of Salisbury Pride Inc. This scholarship was awarded to Ronnie L. Williams. Ronnie is a graduate of Carson High School and will attend UNC-Greensboro. She is the daughter of Mitchell Williams and Christiane Harris, both of Salisbury.
• The Roger and Linda Hull Scholarship, created to honor the Hull’s gay son and awarded to someone active in their faith community, was awarded to Sabrina E. Harkey. Sabrina is a graduate of East Rowan High School and will attend Western Carolina University. She is the daughter of Bobby and Brenda Harkey of Rockwell.
• The Russell E. Hellekson Jr. Scholarship, created in memory of the accomplished musician who died in 1988, was  awarded to Rilee A. Rockey. Rilee is a graduate of North Rowan High School and will attend East Carolina University. She is the daughter of Brian and Carrie Mahaley of Salisbury.

In addition, the chapter presented the 2017 Bob Johnsen Faculty Advocacy Award. Awarded by election of scholarship applicants, it recognizes a faculty member who provides support and safe zones for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight-ally students. The inaugural recipient and the awards namesake is Bob Johnsen, a teacher and faculty adviser for the Gay-Straight Alliance at Carson High School. Johnsen is a former teacher at North Rowan High School and was the faculty adviser for that school’s Gay-Straight Alliance for four years.

Scholarships Advisory Committee members are Chairman Michael Clawson, Lisa Cobb, Dr. Mary Frances Edens, Roger Hull, Vonda Kimrey-Jenkins, Donna Odrosky and Carol Williams-Swoope.

The local PFLAG chapter was founded in 2006. In 2008, the chapter established its scholarship foundation and awarded its first two scholarships. Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG was the first organization in North Carolina to award scholarships exclusively to LGBT students or their straight allies.

“Uniquely, Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG’s scholarships may be awarded to any public, private or home-schooled high school senior continuing their education at any accredited trade school, community college or traditional four-year college or university,” said Donna Odrosky, chapter president.

PFLAG is the nation’s foremost family-based organization committed to the civil and social rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Founded in 1973 by mothers and fathers, PFLAG has 300,000 members in nearly 350 chapters throughout the United States, including 20 chapters in North Carolina.

“Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG is proud to support these articulate, accomplished scholars with great promise for future contribution to our society in general and to the cause of rights and recognition for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in particular,” said Mike Clawson, chairman of the Scholarships Advisory Committee. “Our sincere thanks go to all of our many benefactors and donors who consider this an important cause and whose generosity makes these scholarships possible. Because of the wonderful response to the program and with the continued success of our scholarship fundraisers, Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG has awarded 47 $1,000 scholarships over the last 10 years. That’s an accomplishment to be proud of.”

This year’s scholarship recipients were recognized on stage at the seventh annual Salisbury Pride celebration in downtown Salisbury last Saturday.

For more information on Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG and the chapter’s scholarship program, call Donna Odrosky at 704-640-2621.