To the Editor:

I am writing to you today in my capacity as the chairwoman of the J. Wyatt Spencer Memorial Scholarship Fund and as a very grateful resident of a wonderful community.

Nearly three weeks ago, on Sept. 24, we held our Sixth Annual Wyatt Spencer Memorial/Berne-Knox-Westerlo Class of 2014 Golf Tournament.  This letter is, therefore, long overdue.

It’s hard for us to believe that we’ve been at this for six years now!  The weather was perfect and the golf course was in prime shape as 84 golfers took to the links at Colonie Golf and Country Club in Voorheesville.

The golf, facilities, and wait staffs at Colonie Golf Club were beyond compare and the tournament and banquet went off beautifully and flawlessly! We welcomed an additional 60 dinner guests to our festivities. They were able to bid on 62 raffle baskets and prizes and everyone went away with something.

We hope that the most memorable thing all participants walked away with was a sense of pride and kinship as they helped us further our aim of carrying Wyatt Spencer’s indomitable spirit and legacy forward by assisting some very deserving students at Berne-Knox-Westerlo High School to achieve their dreams.

Thus far, we have awarded $16,500 to six students going on to higher education and are well on a path to making this annual scholarship a long-lasting tribute to Wyatt and his loyal classmates and friends.  The “Band of Brothers” made a strong showing again this year and were on hand en masse to volunteer or golf.

Three of our past recipients personally joined us in 2016’s fundraising efforts and all of our past recipients’ families partnered with us in one capacity or another to pay it forward and give back.  It was extremely heartwarming and gratifying to us to have their support.

We cannot say “thank you” enough to our generous participants and donors.  From our volunteers, golfers, and dinner guests to this amazing community of businesses, artisans, and individual donors, the outpouring of goodwill, love, and patronage humbled us.

You have made us deeply appreciative of the luck we have in living in this incredible area so rich with good and caring people. So many local businesses participated that we had to add another 1.5 feet to our thank you banner.

Speaking of banners, a special debt of gratitude is owed to Thea Snyder and The Corner Gateway in Slingerlands for their expert signage design and printing services, bookkeeping and database skills, and overall friendship and encouragement.

With all of this bounty of goodwill, kindness, and altruism we were able to raise $11,500 for the Scholarship Fund!

We would also like to send special congratulations to Marcia Casullo and her family for winning the Myrtle Beach Golfers’ Getaway Vacation Package.  That was one of the most poignant, touching, and memorable moments of this year’s event.  There is no doubt in our mind that Marcia’s son, Mike, and Wyatt are smiling down on us from the cosmos!

Bonnie Spencer once told me that this event, in a small measure, has become a replacement for the holidays, birthdays, sports banquets, and special occasions she and her family have missed since Wyatt’s passing.  So to all of you who have helped us in any way, shape, or form, we say from all of us, “Bless you and our most sincere thanks for making something decent and healing come from something tragic.”

All of our best to all of you, today and every day.

Kelley R. Hess

J. Wyatt Spencer Memorial

Scholarship Fund Committee