College Advancement

HCC receives $25,000 donation

(June 17, 2019) – The Wheatcraft Family has made a $25,000 donation to the Hagerstown Community College Foundation, in memory of sister Melissa Wheatcraft and brother-in-law George Bailey. The Melissa Wheatcraft and George Bailey Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to HCC students pursuing a degree or certificate in a healthcare field.

Wheatcraft and Bailey were longtime residents of Hagerstown. Wheatcraft died at 60 years of age, on December 9, 2014, after a courageous battle with lung cancer. Her husband, George Bailey, preceded her in death on September 24, 2014.

Wheatcraft was a 1976 graduate of Community College of Baltimore, as a physical therapist assistant (PTA), taking her first job at Western MD Center in Hagerstown, as the first PTA to be employed in Washington County. After 11 years at WMC, she was employed at Physical Therapy Inc. and then at Washington County Hospital/Meritus Medical as a home health PTA. She held a variety of part-time PTA positions as well. She was a life member of Community Rescue Service of Hagerstown, being an active member from 1977 to 1987.

“Her profession was a true reflection of who she was as a person,” stated her brother, Andrew Wheatcraft. “Melissa was fond of music, gardening, photography, crafting, travel and her Baltimore Orioles, but she was most passionate about helping people maintain quality of life and living life to the fullest! She lived simply and always thought of ways to reach out to people in small but meaningful ways.”

Wheatcraft was passionate about her work and the value of physical therapy, and dedicated more than 30 years of her life working in this field in the greater Hagerstown area.

“It’s a logical next step for us to establish this scholarship in her honor,” said Andrew. “Melissa would be thrilled to know that George’s and her legacy is that others have support in realizing their dream and passion to work in health care.”

A named, endowed scholarship given to HCC is held in trust by the HCC Foundation and the interest from the gift is awarded annually to an HCC student, from Maryland, to help cover their tuition need. The Melissa Wheatcraft and George Bailey Memorial Scholarship will remain in trust in perpetuity and will be a living legacy to Melissa and George, which will benefit generations of future HCC students.

For more information on the scholarship, contact the HCC College Advancement Office at 240-500-2348, or visit www.hagerstowncc.edu/hcc-foundation.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured, from left are: HCC President Jim Klauber, Tom Bonderenko, Yvonne Sporrer, Suzanne Wheatcraft, Amy Bardelman (holding the baby simulator used for teacher), Ken Winkler, and Andy Wheatcraft.