East Texas racquetball fundraiser backs Audrii Cunningham scholarships

The second annual racquetball tournament for the Audrii Cunningham Memorial Scholarship rolled into East Texas on July 18 with a clear job: turn local play into money for student scholarships. Organizers asked for registration by July 16 so they could finalize plans, and the fundraiser was aimed at Polk County residents who wanted to support the cause through competition.

Cheyenne Lusk said, "This is our way of keeping Audrii’s legacy alive," and the event was built around more than just the matches. It also was meant to keep attention on child advocacy and student safety, folding a memorial into a grassroots sports event that kept racquetball in front of local fans while honoring a Livingston student whose name still carries weight in the county.

Pace Funeral Home says Audrii Danielle Cunningham was born Feb. 5, 2013, in Livingston, Texas, and died Feb. 20, 2024, at age 11. Livingston ISD announced the Audrii Cunningham Memorial Scholarship in connection with its Green and White Scholarship Ceremony set for May 7, 2024, and KETK reported that members of the Class of 2024 who submitted an application for the Green and White Scholarship were eligible for the memorial scholarship.

The fundraiser's value is simple and measurable even without a packed arena or a TV spotlight: each entry helps underwrite scholarships for local students in Polk County. That keeps the memorial connected to a practical payoff for families and students while giving East Texas racquetball a public-facing event that reaches beyond the bracket and onto the scholarship ledger.