Gladys Wilkins scholarship winners announced
The Milton Community Foundation and John Potocki of Salon Milton are proud to announce this year’s recipients of Gladys Wilkins Seeding the Future Scholarships. The following Sussex County students received scholarships totaling $14,000: Morgan Schwab, Caitlyn Lewis, Daniel Tull, Amanda Ritter and Brynley Mulveny. Scholarship are awarded annually to Sussex County students who wish to pursue a career in sustainable agriculture.
The scholarship is named for Gladys Wilkins, who was born and raised in Milton in the farmhouse she called home until her death in December 2013. The house is a classic Sussex County farmhouse, sturdy and strong just like Gladys. In winter, the home was heated by wood stove in the kitchen and coal in the living room. In summer, there was no air conditioning; windows were opened for nature's own cooling.
A long dirt lane leads to the farmhouse, which is surrounded by land once farmed by Gladys and her husband Norman. The couple also operated a school bus. Agriculture was very important to Gladys, who believed in an honest day's work and good, clean living.
She was quick with a joke, remembered everyone's name and, usually, a little story about everyone she knew. Her clutch of chickens was almost as famous as she was. A dozen eggs from Gladys' prized hens fetched hundreds of dollars each year at the Milton Historical Society fundraiser.
To make a donation to the Gladys Wilkins Seeding the Future Scholarship Fund, send a check payable to Milton Community Foundation with “Gladys Wilkins” in the memo line to John Potocki, 517 Chestnut St., Milton, DE 19968.
