The Trooper Kenny Velez memorial golf outing in Lorain will hold its 10th and final run in 2026, organizers announced on March 9, 2026. For a decade, the tournament has raised scholarship money for local students in Velez’s name, and organizers say they are wrapping it up so those resources can be redirected. A newly formed committee plans to keep that scholarship mission alive by launching a separate memorial fundraiser for Lorain officer Phillip Wagner beginning in 2027.
Outing Winds Down, New Fundraiser On Deck
Organizers told reporters the 2026 tournament will be the last, closing out a run that has generated more than $100,000 in scholarship awards over the years. They said a new committee will take the lead on a Phillip Wagner memorial campaign beginning in 2027, with more details to come, as reported by Cleveland.com.
Kenny Velez And A Lasting Scholarship Legacy
Trooper Kenneth Velez was a Lorain resident and a 27-year veteran of the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Cleveland post. He was killed while conducting traffic enforcement on Interstate 90 on Sept. 15, 2016, and is survived by three children. The Velez memorial site documents the fund’s annual awards and event activities, including a dinner, a 5.11K and the golf outing, and lists past scholarship totals and registration information for recent events, according to KVelez Memorial.
Context: Ambush That Shifted The Spotlight
The move to redirect attention comes after the July 23, 2025 ambush in Lorain that left Officer Phillip Wagner dead and Officers Brent Payne and Peter Gale wounded. The suspect was killed after an exchange of gunfire. Wagner, a U.S. Marine veteran who had served with the Lorain and Sheffield Village police departments, drew large public memorials and statewide attention. Ideastream Public Media covered the memorials and the community response following the shooting.
What’s Next For Local Scholarships
Organizers emphasized that the scholarship mission will continue even as the tournament wraps up, and they expect the new committee to reach out to past donors and business sponsors to underwrite the Wagner memorial drive. The Velez fund has historically focused on Lorain County high-school graduates, a focus the new effort is expected to preserve, per KVelez Memorial, which lists prior award amounts and application details.
