To the Editor:

I thank you for the honor and pleasure of speaking to all of you through this letter as the secretary of the James Wyatt Spencer Memorial Scholarship Fund. For any readers who may not be aware, James “Wyatt” Spencer was an incredibly special and impactful young man who was tragically lost in a utility vehicle accident on his family farm in Knox in the spring of 2009.

He left behind a loving family and a large group of friends that have strived to emulate his key attributes and maintain his legacy in the Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District through this scholarship fund.

We are beyond pleased to announce that, after a short hiatus, the annual Memorial Golf Tournament will be returning to raise money for the scholarship fund this year! Since its inception, the J. Wyatt Spencer Memorial Scholarship Fund has awarded over $48,000 in scholarships to deserving Berne-Knox-Westerlo graduates. This year, however, it’s even more special.

This spring will mark 15 years since Wyatt passed away. To many of us, it feels as if it was still just yesterday. Not only does 2024 bring the return of the golf tournament, but it is the first year that the administration of the scholarship foundation has been transferred to Wyatt’s friends and class members of the BKW Class of 2014.

After years of dedicated hard work from Kelley R. Hess; Kim DePeaux; Cathy Turck; Don Dennis; and Wyatt’s parents, Bonnie and Jim Spencer, who will all still serve in advisory roles, Wyatt’s friends and classmates will now carry on his legacy. We would all like to extend our greatest thanks to these wonderful people for their hard work throughout the years, thereby making it possible for us to carry it on.

This year, our tournament will be held on June 1, at Orchard Creek Golf Club in Altamont. This beautiful course carries a multitude of amenities for golfers along with an outstanding catering service and elegant venue for our post-tournament banquet.

Golfers of all levels are welcome and encouraged to participate. Our golfers range from beginner to scratch.

If, much like me, golf is not your forte, we still encourage you to join us for the post-tournament banquet immediately following the event that will include incredible food as well as a variety of fantastic raffle items for your bidding. The cost is $175 per golfer (Four-person scramble includes 18 holes, cart rental, lunch, specialty hole admission, dinner, and complimentary raffle tickets).

If golfing isn’t your thing, you are still welcome to join us for dinner and raffles for just $65. We pride ourselves on our fantastic raffles, which are always a fan favorite. This year’s selections will include a variety of items from local businesses, some of the greatest “Themed Baskets” you’ll ever have the opportunity to win, as well as a 50/50 raffle.

The tournament is also actively looking for event sponsors, which is not only a great opportunity to advertise, but also a chance to support a worthwhile cause that gives 100 percent of funds raised back to the youth of our amazing community.

Event sponsorship will include recognition in pre-event promotion, business name/logo on an on-site banner during the event, signage located throughout the course, event entry for two participants, prominent logo placement on our brochure given to all participants, and special recognition during the banquet as well as on the event’s Facebook page.

You can also sponsor one of the 18 holes of the tournament. This includes your business logo and information on signage located on a specific tee box, logo placement on the golf cart brochure that is given to all participants, and special recognition on our event’s Facebook page.

We will also gratefully accept any items, gift certificates, and services donated for our basket raffle and/or monetary donations from interested individuals, businesses, and organizations.

Year after year we are amazed, humbled, and grateful for the outpouring of support that the community shows us. We guarantee a great time and a special day to come together as a community to remember, honor, and support Wyatt Spencer’s legacy.

This scholarship was established to try and make some sense from a tragedy and to make a great loss serve a purpose. BKW is not a wealthy school district, but it serves a wealth of talented and deserving students.

This foundation strives to give opportunities to some of those students to further expand their education and skill sets. Please help us continue to remember and honor Wyatt’s legacy. We thank you in advance for your interest and participation! For any questions about sponsorship or event participation please email or contact Alex Chauvot at 518-728-5711. 

Alexander R. Chauvot

Secretary, and the entire

James Wyatt Spencer

Memorial Scholarship

Fund Committee