CLEARFIELD – On April 20, the Lock Haven University Physician Assistant students hosted a Celebrity Waiter Night at the Dutch Pantry Family Restaurant in Clearfield. The goal of the event was to raise enough money to start the Lacy Magagnotti Memorial Scholarship.
Lacy was a local alumna of the Lock Haven University Physician Assistant (PA) program, Class of 2012, who recently lost her battle with cancer. She was diagnosed with cancer of unknown origin with metastasis to the liver in 2013, following the birth of her daughter.
Her husband Frank, a local physical therapist never left the side of his soulmate throughout her illness. Frank never missed a doctor appointment, stayed at the hospital when she was admitted and quit working to be with her during her final days.
After a two-year fight, Lacy passed away in January surrounded by her family. She was a lively and spirited woman, with a strong but silent faith in God, as well as a skilled and caring clinician. With the help of Lacy’s family and friends, the students of the current Lock Haven University PA program wanted to honor her and keep her spirit alive by creating a memorial scholarship in her name.
The event was organized with the help of Jane Frelin, Lacy’s mother and employee at the Dutch Pantry Family Restaurant in Clearfield, as well as Tracy Brubaker, a close friend of Jane’s and Lacy’s, and also the manager at the Dutch Pantry.
The students raised funds for the scholarship by waiting tables and hosting a Chinese auction. All proceeds from the auction went to the scholarship fund, as well as all the tips and 10 percent of the food sales.
Each Lock Haven University student was paired up with a Dutch Pantry waitress to help serve the restaurant patrons and promote the scholarship. Fun was had by all as the tables filled up with friends, family and guests.
Attendees to the event also had the option to buy tickets for the Chinese auction. Raffled items consisted of donations from the community, including gift certificates, themed baskets, and a few beautiful pieces of jewelry. The winners were drawn at the end of the night by a very special guest, Mia Magagnotti, Lacy’s daughter, enthusiastically choosing the winning ticket for each item.
At the end of the event, the total proceeds were calculated and the night was deemed a success. Far surpassing the initial goal of $1,000, the event raised $1,700 for the Lacy Magagnotti Memorial Scholarship fund.
This scholarship will be a $1,000 award, given annually to a deserving PA student from rural Pennsylvania, just like Lacy was. Due to additional donations from Lock Haven University faculty and other community members, the total raised for the scholarship is now close to $9,000.
The goal is to raise $35,000, to ensure this scholarship will continue inevitably into the future. It is the hope of the Lock Haven University students that more fundraisers will be done in the coming years to continue this scholarship and keep Lacy’s inspirational story alive.