WATCH: Military Officers Associationof Cape Canaveral Presents $77,000 in Scholarships at Awards Luncheon
By Steve Wilson // July 19, 2024
41st Annual MOAACC Awards Ceremony Presents Funds to 11 Students
WATCH: The Military Officers Association of America Cape Canaveral Chapter (MOAACC) held its 41st annual MOAACC Scholarship Corporation Awards Luncheon, at the Indian River Colony Club, in Melbourne. Scholarships were awarded to 11 young people in the amount of $7,000 each.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Military Officers Association of America Cape Canaveral Chapter (MOAACC) held its 41st annual MOAACC Scholarship Corporation Awards Luncheon, at the Indian River Colony Club, in Melbourne. Scholarships were awarded to 11 young people in the amount of $7,000 each.
I had the opportunity to cover this very special ceremony. Since its inception, the MOAACC Scholarship Corporation has awarded 296 scholarships in the total amount of $937,000! The excitement of those in attendance was palpable.
According the MOACC website, to be eligible for the scholarship, you must be “a descendant or ward of a currently serving active duty or retired member of the Uniformed Services of the United States, (includes Regular, National Guard or Reserve enlisted and officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force, NOAA or USPHS), or a descendant or ward of a deceased member of the Uniformed Services of the U.S., who died while on active duty or in retired status.” Or you must be a “descendant or ward of a current member (or was, if deceased) of the Military Officers Association of America Cape Canaveral Chapter.”
Those that were awarded scholarships will use the money to further their education are:
2024 Award Recipients:
■ Dameon Buhl-Strubbe, University of Texas San Antonio
■ Amanda Fentress, University of Florida
■ Ava Franco, University of Central Florida
■ Emma Grandt, Florida State University
■ Kathryn Hibbard, Florida State University
■ Dylan Quiroga, The Citadel
■ Lucia Rabolli, University of Southern California
■ Marisa Ricks, University of Florida
■ Justin Schverak, University of Florida
■ Daniel Weaver, Christopher Newport University
■ Carter Yaskovic, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
I asked the president of the MOAACC Scholarship Board of Directors, retired Rear Adm. Wayne Justice, U.S. Coast Guard, about the Annual Awards Luncheon. He told me, “It’s an honor and a pleasure to do what we did here today.”
I asked Justice to talk about MOAACC. He said, “We are former or retired military officers from Brevard County. We’ve got the largest chapter in the United States.” He continued, “We not only give out scholarships, but we have a Good Deeds Foundation, which supports, for example, every high school JROTC program in the county.” All 14 programs in the county will receive $3,000 this year from the Good Deeds Foundation.
Justice proudly stated, “We take care of our youth, we take care of our Veterans,” and take care of our activity duty personnel.
It was an honor for me to attend the Military Officers Association of America Cape Canaveral Chapter’s 41st annual MOAACC Scholarship Corporation Awards Luncheon. I was surrounded by “the best of the best.” These are men and women that have proudly served our country and continue to serve at the highest level. Giving back to our youth and our Veterans is about as good as it gets.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia. He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.
Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey.
Wilson is especially proud of his chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.
He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 24 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.
The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.
