Beloved North Apollo woman’s legacy to be carried on through inaugural scholarship

Gillian Tones was a giver.

When her brother, Dillon Tones, remembers his sister, he’s reminded of her selfless nature, putting others before herself, all with a radiant personality.

That’s why the Tones family of North Apollo is paying it forward to the community with an upcoming golf outing and scholarship in Gillian’s memory.

The outing will take place Aug. 16 at The Links at Spring Church in Kiski Township.

All proceeds will fund the Gillian Tones Memorial Scholarship, awarded to a member of Apollo-Ridge High School’s graduating class. People can donate to the scholarship fund online, and the golf outing is still taking a few more golfers, Tones said.

“The family is excited to put this together,” said Dillon , who now lives in Green Bay. “It’s a way to pay it forward.

“We wanted to give back to the community and said, let’s do a scholarship.”

Gillian Tones died unexpectedly at age 26 while hiking at Glacier National Park in Montana on June 23 of last year.

She was the second of four siblings and a 2015 Apollo-Ridge High School graduate. She went through Westmoreland County Community College’s nursing program and worked as a nurse at UPMC St. Margaret hospital and later as a travel nurse.

While working at St. Margaret, she received an award for showing “compassion and care that should be mimicked by all nurses.”

That exemplified the person Gillian Tones was, said those who knew her.

“She would leave a positive impact,” her brother said. “The deeds and actions we do everyday, and leaving a positive impact on the people around you.”

He remembered those who cared and supported him, Gillian and their siblings growing up, and that helped spark offering a scholarship for someone else.

The family moved forward with an outing and scholarship to give back, honor Gillian’s legacy and keep her spirit alive.

Dillon described a scholarship recipient this way: “It’s somebody who reminds us of her spirit, a good student with aspirations to give back. It’s someone that’s going to have a servant-type of career.”

The golf outing and scholarship is something the Tones family wants to continue throughout the years, he said.

“It’s in memory of ‘Gill’ and to help pave the way for someone else moving forward, that reminds us of the spirit she had,” he said.

Dillon said his family is thankful and grateful for the support they’ve received over the past year.

“It’s been overwhelming,” he said. “It’s a scary thing because when you’re doing something like this, you never know what the response is going to be. It came together really well, and we have a lot of friends supporting us.”

Greg Primm, president of the Apollo-Ridge School Board, said the district is supportive of the outing and scholarship. He knew Gillian and her family personally.

“Gillian was a beloved alumna whose kindness, faith and compassion left a lasting mark on everyone who knew her,” Primm said. “This scholarship is a beautiful tribute to her spirit — one that will continue to uplift and inspire students who embody the values she lived by: empathy, integrity, family and faith. We are proud to help carry her legacy forward.”