About Bill and the Scholarship Foundation
A founding member of the Kirkwood Youth Hockey Association in 1968,
Bill McKenna was active within the many facets of St. Louis hockey until his death in 1997.
Bill had an exemplary attitude toward youth sports. His optimism and sportsmanship were as much evident in his enjoyment of the game as in the positive mark he made upon St. Louis hockey.
As a veteran referee, Bill didn't just enforce the rules, he also encouraged the integrity of the game. Most of all, he took the welfare of his players to heart: truly the “Referee of Referees”!
Since its establishment in 1999, the Missouri Ice Hockey Officials Association (MIHOA) has been a principal donor to The Bill McKenna Scholarship Fund. Through continuing fund raising efforts from the hockey community along with organizations such as the St. Louis Blues For Kids and Blues Alumni, Bill's contribution to amateur hockey – both on- and off-ice – is honored through the academic assistance his fund offers to ice hockey officials.
Our Mission
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Recognize and encourage studious ability and skilled academic performance among eligible ice hockey officials.
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Encourage personal growth through participation in extracurricular activities within the civic and academic community.
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Recognize intellectual growth and achievement.
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Provide fiscal support that eases financial burden while encouraging the achievement of post-secondary education in college or vocational school programs. (Scholarships are offered each year for full-time study at an accredited institution of the student’s choice.)