Pennsauken’s Flaherty Is First Recipient Of Mummers Scholarship
By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor
Pennsauken native and longtime Mummer Bobby Flaherty, Jr. became the first-ever recipient of the Wendy Hamilton Scholarship. The scholarship, put together by the Mummers community to honor Hamilton, who is the general manager of SugarHouse Casino and division president of Mummers Clubs, is designed to help Mummers and their children attend college.
Flaherty received the scholarship at annual Mummers Night of Champions, held on Jan. 25 at the Mummers Museum in Philadelphia. Generally, the scholarship is $500 towards college, but at the event, Hamilton announced that Bobby would actually receive $1,000 for his education.
Pennsauken native and longtime Mummer Bobby Flaherty, Jr. became the first-ever recipient of the Wendy Hamilton Scholarship. Flaherty is seen here with Tom Loomis, a member of the Woodland String Band and president of the Philadelphia String Band Association; and Steve Volkert, a retired string band member and friend of the Philadelphia String Band Association.
“I’m really honored to be the first one,” says Flaherty, who has been playing accordion for the Aqua String Band for seven years. “It’s nice to be recognized for all that I do for the Mummers and how committed I am.”
Flaherty, who is just 18 years-old, is the youngest student attending Aria Health School of Nursing/Penn State Collaborative. When he graduates in May of 2017, he’ll have both his RN and BSN. He’s also the youngest arranger of Mummers music and is currently hard at work at putting together Aqua’s musical arrangement for New Year’s Day 2016.
Flaherty, who has been composing music since he was 11, said, “Last year, we were looking for a new arranger and someone said, ‘You know how to write. Why don’t you do it?’”
Not only did Bobby do it, but Aqua String Band placed in the top ten this year. Already, Flaherty has set his sights higher, not just for Broad St., but in life as well.
