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All 78 families eligible to receive money from the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund have met the Sept. 15 deadline to fill out a claim for the money due to them.
The $7.6 million currently in the fund will be split among the families proportionally to the degree affected.
According to the final protocols by Kenneth Feinberg, the consultant for the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, those 32 families who lost a family member have the option of receiving a cash payment of $180,000, turning the money into a scholarship in the name of the victim, or a combination of both.
People who were hospitalized for ten or more days receive $90,000 and will have their tuitions paid for the remainder of their educations at Virginia Tech.
Tuition will be paid and $40,000 will be given to those hospitalized for three to nine days. The final protocols also discuss free tuition for other injuries and free counseling for those psychologically injured.
The families received the claim form Aug. 15 and were expected to return the claims by Sept. 15. Rumors circulating that the families considered the month timeframe too short are false.
"I don't think that was a widespread belief (among the families)," said Larry Hincker, associate vice President of university relations.
The Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund will remain open to contributions until Dec. 31.
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Hopefully, these parents will set up scholarships in their slain children's names, that would be the best use of the monies received.
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