The family of Ronald A. Gill Jr. recently announced the recipients of awards through the PS3 Ronald A. Gill Jr. Memorial Scholarship Foundation.

On Aug. 11, Erica Rekrut, Jessica Desrosiers, Katelyn Buonauito, Tanya Serapiglia, and Amber Perry each received a check from the Gill Foundation to help defray their college expenses. Mayor Allan Fung was on hand to pass out the scholarships and to congratulate each recipient personally.

The family and friends of Gill Jr. established the foundation at the time of his death, when they were unable to get his loans for college forgiven. The family vowed to use Gill Jr.’s legacy to help others with their own college costs in the future.

The Gill Foundation has given out scholarships totaling almost $200,000 since his passing. This year, a new scholarship was established in memory of the nephew of Ron Gill Sr., Brian Pedone, who died in a tragic car accident just a week earlier at the age of 28.

“From now on we’ll be giving out a scholarship in his memory each year,” Gill Sr. said.

Amber Perry was the recipient of that scholarship.

Gill Jr. was killed in the line of duty on March 25, 2007, while serving in the United States Coast Guard. For more information about the foundation and its upcoming events, visit www.rongilljr.org.