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Kids’ Chance of New Jersey Awards the Hon. Virginia M. Dietrich Memorial Scholarship

MATAWAN, NJ – MAY 25, 2015 – Kids’ Chance of New Jersey, Inc. awards the first recipient of the Honorable Virginia M. Dietrich Memorial Scholarship that will be presented at its 3rd Annual Fundraising Gala to be held on July 23, 2015 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at The Heldrich Hotel located in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Virginia M. Dietrich, Chief Administrative Supervisory Judge of NJ Workers’ Compensation, passed away suddenly on October 15, 2014. Donations have been raised to create a KCNJ Scholarship in her name. Born in Trenton, she was a lifelong resident of Mercer County. After practicing law for 25 years with her father, she was appointed by Governor Donald DiFrancesco as a Judge of Workers’ Compensation in 2002. She possessed a sharp intellect and was a two-time Jeopardy champion. Judge Dietrich possessed a generous spirit towards those in need.

George Lockhart, a recent graduate of Manalapan High School is the first recipient of the Judge Dietrich Memorial Scholarship. George’s father, George J. Lockhart, Jr., 38 years old, was moonlighting as a pharmacist in Marlboro, NJ in 2000. After finishing a 12-hour shift, Lockhart was shot in the face and killed during an attempted robbery. When the incident took place George was only three and his sister 10 months old. Sherry DePinto, co-founder and secretary of KCNJ, explains, “Not only has this family had to suffer the emotional trauma of a husband and father being killed during a heinous crime while at work but raising two children alone has placed a tremendous financial burden on Cindy Lockhart.”

Kids’ Chance of New Jersey, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 2012 that awards higher education scholarships to the children of New Jersey workers who have been fatally or catastrophically injured in a work-related accident, resulting in financial need. More than 4 million workplace injuries occur in the United States each year, with approximately 1 million of those resulting in disabling injuries and 5,000 resulting in death.

“With the help of the Judge Dietrich award I will be able to achieve my life long college dream.” states George Lockhart. He will be attending Towson University in the fall to study Physical Education and become a teacher.

For more information on Kids’ Chance of NJ, Inc., including gala ticket pricing and sponsorship information, please visit www.kidschancenj.org