Wm. Ashley “Ash” Connelly Fund

On the event of his 30th birthday, William Ashley “Ash” Connelly’s parents, William and Lorna, held a big birthday party for Ash and presented him with this scholarship in his honor. Ash was born on June 5, 1977. He is a lifelong Wakefield resident and a member of the Wakefield High School Class of 1997. During his years in the Wakefield school system, he received many services through the Special Education program. These services helped to prepare Ash for his life outside of the school system. For this reason, this fund has a preference for a student studying Special Education. Ash is currently the independent operator of the Coffee Cart at the Burbank YMCA in Reading. Ash is very active in all aspects of the Special Olympics. He has competed in swimming, golf, track and field, and floor hockey. In 1999, he was a member of the World Special Olympics held in North Carolina. He competed in swimming with two fellow Wakefieldians, Brendan O’Keefe and Leia Brown.