HISTORY OF BARRY GRUNOW MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

The establishment of the Barry Grunow Memorial Scholarship to honor slain Lake Worth Middle School teacher, Barry Grunow, was an idea conceived by School Board Member Jody Gleason and County Commissioner Warren Newell in the summer of 2000. Their plan was to donate their unused campaign funds and to encourage other elected officials to also donate their unused campaign funds to establish the scholarship fund.

Commissioner Newell and Mrs. Gleason approached then Lake Worth Dollars for Scholars President Rock Tate and former Principal David Cantley regarding the scholarship and the possibility that Lake Worth Dollars for Scholars administer the scholarship. It was stipulated that the funds would be available to high school seniors in all public, private and parochial schools in Palm Beach County.

The Barry Grunow Memorial Scholarship would be available only to students aspiring to become an educator. In September 2000, the Lake Worth Dollars for Scholars Board met to modify their by-laws in order to accommodate the Barry Grunow Memorial Scholarship. In October of 2000, Commissioner Newell and Mrs. Gleason presented a check for $28,100 to Lake Worth Dollars for Scholars as seed money for the newly established Barry Grunow Memorial Scholarship for aspiring teachers. The seed money was collected not only from unused campaign funds of local officials, but also from local businesses and individuals.

In January of 2001, Garth Rosenkrance, friend of Barry Grunow, became a member of Lake Worth Dollars for Scholars Board of Directors. Garth and friends, Andrew Gamble, Bill Meyers, Rodney Carroll, Dan Nurenberg, Gerry Schildkraut and Mitch Krolick had decided to establish the Barry Grunow Three-on-three Basketball Tournament to be held in conjunction with Jupiter Recreation Center as a means of honoring their friend, Barry Grunow, and also to contribute to the Barry Grunow Memorial Scholarship fund. Contributions from this tournament netted $84,838.69 during the five years of the tournaments and these funds were applied to the scholarship fund. Unfortunately, the Fifth Annual Barry Grunow Three-on-three was the final tournament.

Dave Palombo of Dave's Last Resort and Raw Bar in Lake Worth sponsored a Golf Tournament with proceeds going to the Barry Grunow Memorial scholarship fund. Lake Worth Middle School students also organized an event in order to contribute to their beloved teacher's memorial fund. WIRK radio station contributed funds from a listener competition. Friends and former students of Barry Grunow held a two-day event at Lake Worth Community Middle School June 2010 with proceeds to benefit the scholarship fund. Contributions are also received at random from other individuals and businesses, which enhance the scholarship fund.

Barry Grunow Memorial Scholarships in the amount of $10,000 were awarded in 2001 to 7 students. To date,  2001 to 2013, $131,250.00 has been awarded to 95 students in Palm Beach County who aspire to become teachers. The current value of the Barry Grunow Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund is $90,000. The principal of this fund will never be touched-only interest earned will be used for scholarships thus ensuring that the Barry Grunow Memorial Scholarship will continue in perpetuity.

Barry Grunow was husband, father, son, brother, teacher, coach, mentor, role model, colleague and friend. He was the epitome of a dedicated and caring educator; he showed through example what a person and a teacher should be. Barry was admired and respected by his students and his co-workers alike. Lake Worth Dollars for Scholars is honored to have been entrusted with the awarding of scholarships in Barry's name.

Contributions to the Barry Grunow Memorial Scholarship fund may be made by contacting David Cantley, President of Lake Worth Dollars for Scholars, at (561) 964-4025 or by email at Dave1Cantley@aol.com. or Garth Rosenkrance at Lamn, Krielow, Dytrych & Co., 500 University Blvd., Suite 215, Jupiter, FL 33458.

Checks should be made payable to: Lake Worth Dollars for Scholars with the notation: Grunow Scholarship Fund.

For more information about Lake Worth Dollars for Scholars, contact: Lake Worth High Alumni Office by email at AlumniOffice@LWHSAlumni.org.

Lake Worth Dollars for Scholars is a 501(c)(3) foundation and all contributions are tax deductible.