Train hits pedestrian
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New way to honor coach Smith
Sunday, August 19, 2007
I know you are out there. And I know you are many.
When Wittenberg coaching legend Pam Smith passed away on June 26 after a 16-year battle with cancer, most of us felt helpless to do something, anything, to help those closest to her. And we
Extras
pretty much were.
Sure, we showed our respects, offered words of love and condolence and tried to honor her massive impact on our community as best as we possible could. But we wanted to do more, mainly because she had done so much for so long.
Now we can, thanks to a scholarship that has been established in her name. The Pam Evans Smith '82 Memorial Scholarship is the way husband, Roger, felt we could best give something back to someone who had given so much.
"It's not trying to pay her back, but in a way it is," he said. "It's a way to let those people who are coming on after her and didn't know her to know they are getting a scholarship based on someone who represented all that Wittenberg is: academics, athletics, the whole gamut."
Even though the pain of grief is still fresh, he wanted to get it going quickly.
"It's a tough time, you have a lot of sadness, but if I wait six months down the road until I heal somewhat, it loses some of the reason of what were doing it for," Roger said. "The sooner the better. The moment has to be seized, and this is the time to do it."
So far, so good.
"We've got several people who have already donated," Roger said. "The scholarship will happen."
"I won't have to worry about raising the money to get it endowed. There's enough people who she impacted either directly or in passing to keep this going. So many people are out there waiting to do something."
Roger already has heard from many of them.
And they all know Pam would be uncomfortable with the name of the scholarship.
"Pam would not like this," Roger admitted with a guilty laugh. "If she knew this was being established in her name, she'd be knocking me in the head. She wouldn't want her name put in lights, but she'd want something done for the girls, for Wittenberg.
"Be it small or large, it will be something that goes on and on and on as long as Wittenberg is here," he said.
Kind of like the impact she made in her 47 years here.
"I wanted to do it right," Roger said. " ... there are so many lives she's touched that right now are wanting to do something. They are anxious to keep her legacy alive."
To donate, visit www4.
wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/pamsmith.
