Premier Pat Binns and Provincial Treasurer Patricia Mella on behalf of the government of Prince Edward Island presented Dr. Elizabeth Epperly, President of the University of Prince Edward Island, with a cheque for $15,000 today towards the Michael S. Kelly Memorial Scholarship fund. Mr Kelly died suddenly on May 5, 1997, while serving as the Deputy Minister of the Department of the Provincial Treasury.
"Mr. Kelly served in many departments of the provincial government. He worked in the Department of Community Affairs and was deputy minister of: Industry; Fisheries and Aquaculture; Provincial Affairs and Attorney General and Provincial Treasury," said Premier Binns. "In recognition of his dedicated service to Prince Edward Island, I am pleased to contribute on behalf of government, to the Michael S. Kelly Memorial Scholarship Fund."
"As a further memorial to Mr. Kelly, on September 23, Management Board dedicated its boardroom in his honour. The boardroom, on the third floor of the Shaw building, will now be called the Michael S. Kelly Board Room," said Provincial Treasurer Patricia Mella.
A "Friends Committee," in cooperation with his family and chaired by Phil MacDougall, established an annual full-time scholarship at UPEI. The Michael S. Kelly Memorial Scholarship will be awarded for the first time in the spring of 1998. "An Island student exhibiting leadership, solid personal attributes, athletic achievement and academic excellence will be selected to receive the scholarship," said Premier Binns. "We wanted to support this initiative to remember Mike in this way and encourage young people to follow the example he had set through his commitment to family, work and community."
A joint public/private-sector campaign was launched on June 25, 1997, with the hopes of raising $60,000 for the scholarship fund. The response to this project displays the high regard held for Mr. Kelly by the government, public servants and the community. Provincial government employees donated over $16,000. The provincial government agreed to match employees' contributions, up to a maximum of $15,000. Contributions from the private sector have pushed the fund over $75,000.