Craig Gnagey, a 1977 Trinity High School graduate, stayed involved in the Washington County community his entire life. It is here that he and his wife Karen chose to raise their four children, Lauren, Sara, Melissa, and Craig, Jr. And it was here that Craig coached so many youth sports teams, including soccer, basketball and girls softball.
In addition to youth sports, Craig was an active member of the Parent Teacher Association at Windsor Highland Elementary, leading the effort to build a safe and secure playground at the school. He was also a volunteer firefighter in the South Strabane Fire Department.
One of his favorite charitable causes was the American Cancer Society of Washington. He helped the charity raise money, participated annually in the Relay for Life, and helped to organize the first Dance and Dine, which is now held in his memory.
In 1984, Craig and several friends started a society called the East Washington Country Club. This society, now known as the East Washington Golf Club (EWGC), combined two activities Craig loved, athletics and giving back to the community.
Annually, the EWGC holds a golf outing with proceeds donated to local charities serving youth. A few of the organizations that have received support over the years, include the Brownson House, Washington Park, and the Lemoyne Center.
Although cancer took Craig’s life in June of 1997, the EWGC continued their annual golf outing - that is the way Craig would have wanted it to be. But his friends at the EWGC wanted to do more and so with proceeds of this year’s golf outing, the leadership of the EWGC created a permanent fund at the community foundation in Craig’s name. “We chose the Washington County Community Foundation so Craig’s name and efforts would live on forever,” says Jon Freeze.
Grants from the Craig Gnagey Memorial Fund will benefit local charitable groups, with an emphasis on organizations serving youth. “There is no more valuable resource than our community’s children” comments Abe Key. “Craig shared this belief and he would be pleased that this fund that bears his name is targeted to youth projects in the local community.”