State Champions, 1984 Plum Mustangs
Good evening. I want to first take the time to thank you all for this wonderful recognition. I hope that somehow, somewhere, Ellen is aware of it, because it is in her contact with her peers in this sport that she hung so much importance. This will come as no surprise to those of you who knew her. Volleyball oozed from her pores... it was one of her life's great passions.
Yet as I stand among you tonight, I can't help but feel her smile. She sits in the glory of the great beyond, while I stand in a room full of referee's...
I'm kidding of course. Ellen always was fair minded, and many times would tell me to settle down, and that you had made the right call. She in fact wore the stripes enough to know that only half the gym was going to agree with you at any given time, and that integrity was the only way.
She so enjoyed her interactions with you.
Tonight I want to tell you a story. It's about being present and what that can mean.
37 years ago a young girl walked into a gym full of girls 4, 5, and 6 years older than her. What she sought that day was a purpose. For a few months this young girls voice had gone silent. She was so confused about what her identity was, what she was supposed to do. These are challenges most 13-14 year olds face, and this one chose not to speak while she figured it out. What she found in that gym was a sport that demanded she communicate, and soon, she not only spoke again, but she thrived. This young girl found her voice again that night, and an identity she was comfortable with.
She immersed herself in the sport, and for every moment lived and breathed the lessons it taught. Volleyball was right on time...
Some of you in this room remember that young lady, because you were a part of her volleyball life. There were Schalls Millers and Reillys, Heberts, Colliers, Herbecks, Watsons and Larkos, McDowells and Jones, and later Vicks and Prusias and Clairs. Each carving out a unique patch in a beautiful volleyball tapestry. All people who, by circumstance or force, came into her life just when she needed them most.
Truth is we all know young ladies and young men just like Ellen was at that time. Without the little nudge you gave her, whether it was instruction or encouragement or even just a passing smile, you altered the course of her young life, and in turn she took to altering so many lives since then. Ellen loved coaching and teaching. She looked forward to practices and the improvements she could see in her athletes and students everyday. Her greatest joy, besides the times we spent together as a family were victories on the court for sure, but she also learned to relish losses that taught the great lessons in life.
Jaime and Ellen, courage defined.
We all have seen the next Ellen pass by us. It is important to be ready with that nudge that alters his or her life. Once Ellen learned that her diagnosis had changed she wanted to find a way to keep influencing volleyball players from
our region and beyond to find their voice and their passion. It was her idea to create the We Serve First Foundation, and provide financial help to young men and women so that they could afford a camp or club volleyball experience.
In our first year, we have spent almost $8,000 doing just that, and our success is obvious in the footprint Ellen left in the first years recipients.
What is awesome about the foundation is that with each vollership a life is altered just slightly, sometimes it's enough to make a big difference.
#choosetoserve
Clairissa Hankinson was on the fence about college. A consistent 4.0 student throughout her High School years, she thought she would continue working after school. College seemed far from affordable to Clair. She was also a talented middle blocker at Plum HS but with out the wherewithal to afford club she was largely off the radar for a college scholarship. With a little help in the volleyball community we were put in contact with Clair, got her the club experience she needed. Ellen was so glad she was able to help Clair out. It gave her hope in the purpose of this new foundation. It wasn't until Ellen's wake that we found out Clair had received an offer from Eastern Kentucky and would attend on scholarship...
So WSF will continue on in Ellen's memory, it alone can't keep her spirit alive, but you can. It is hard to be everywhere and find the kids that need our help, so we can always use extra eyes in the volleyball community. Feel free to contact me with any questions about our program, and please steer kids our way that might need our assistance.
Once again, thank you all for this wonderful evening, and for impacting Ellen throughout her life, and also for the love and support you have shown my family and I throughout the past year. God bless you all. Thank you.