KarunaNews Story

A mother’s promise to keep her son’s memory alive has blossomed into a community movement, raising $11,000 this year to help trade students pursue their dreams. The money, raised through the Ethan Legrand Helping Hands benefit and a softball tournament, will fund scholarships for seniors at Pennsylvania’s Clarion County Career Center in the name of Ethan Legrand, a 2022 graduate of the welding program who passed away after a September 2024 automobile accident. The first benefit last year raised $5,600. This year, the second annual benefit and a new softball tournament organized by Ethan’s friends brought the total to $11,000. The funds will create two scholarships for Clarion County Career Center seniors pursuing their chosen trade. For his mother, Heather Walters, and her husband, the annual event has become a way to celebrate Ethan’s life.