If George Scott could have been at the Italy High School cafeteria Friday night I think he would have been proud. There were many graduates of Italy High School there, young and old eating BBQ to raise money for the George Scott Scholarship. There were even some recipients of the scholarship there helping to serve dinner, giving back what was given to them.

Wanda Scott (George Scott’s wife) was there and very proud of the turn out. I asked her about her husband and she said, “My husband was a wonderful man and he loved this school and he loved all the children in it. And he knew every kid’s name, who their parents were and he knew what they were supposed to be doing and when they were supposed to be doing it.”

When asked what about the man, not the superintendent but what was the man like, Wanda replied, “The man was just a wonderful man, he loved life, he loved people. One of the things he would get most excited about was when the monarch butterflies would come in. He loved his family, and he was excited when we had grandchildren.”

Bubba’s BBQ catered this event and has for sometime but Cheryl Owen said it was not always catered. She said, “We (some of the school board members, George Scott board members and volunteers) started cooking this food twenty years ago. We took up donations from people in the community. All the husbands and wives pitched in and we bought the potato salad, the ladies in the school cafeteria made the beans and the cake and W.O.Harris cooked the meat. We served it in the cafeteria, delivered it to people’s homes and cleaned up. We did this for years because we could not afford to have it catered but now we can and it means to me that Mr. Scott’s dream is living on. Mr. Scott started this scholarship before he died with his own money and now everyone is helping to keep his dream alive.”

There were many students at the dinner that received the George Scott Scholarship. Lexie Miller received the George Scott Scholarship in 2010. She is attending Baylor University and is studying public relations. She hopes to go pre-law and eventually practice family law.

Melissa Smithey was also a recipient 2011. Melissa said, “I am attending Tarlton State University where I am majoring in public relations and event management. After graduation I hope to work for a non profit organization like habitat for humanity.” When asked how the scholarship had helped her she said, “Everyone knows college is expensive but the reality of it doesn’t actually hit you until you are there. There is tuition, day to day expenses, books. The money goes so fast. The George Scott Scholarship helped me immensely and I am very grateful.”

I think George Scott would be happy to know how many lives he helped and how many hearts he has touched. And because of this, once again the fund raising dinner was a success!