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Current
Albert Lea Wrestling News
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Courtesy of the Albert Lea Tribune
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February 13, 2005
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Anatomy
Scholarship:
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Local
funds prime post-secondary educational pump
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for existing and
future generations of ALHS students
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By Geri McShane, Tribune Lifestyles
Editor
Lyman K. "Manny" Steil was at church one Sunday
morning when his pastor shared a story that particularly captured his
attention.
The larger message centered on life-long
service, but the specific, compelling story was about "Pecos Pete."
Filled with enthusiasm and energy, "Pecos Pete"
was walking in the desert until he suffered dehydration,
disorientation, and possible hallucination. In the desert ahead, he
thought he saw a hand pump. Real or imagined? As he drew closer, Pecos
Pete discovered the pump was real! In addition, he discovered a bottle
of water and a note. The note simply said, "You have a choice. You can
drink the water and perhaps survive; or, use the water to prime the
pump and possibly drink long and deep. If you choose to prime the pump,
leave water for those who follow."
The story reminded Steil of one man, LeRoy Maas.
Steil said the pump is symbolic as Maas is the
water that primed the pumps of thousands for more than 40 years. As a
teacher, coach, mentor, and friend, Maas has helped Albert Lea youths
fulfill their optimal promise.
To honor his legacy, and to continue to prime
the post-secondary educational pump for existing and future generations
of ALHS students, Steil and a group of other individuals began the
LeRoy Maas Scholarship Fund.
So in June 1996, they created a 501 (C) 3
tax-exempt charitable trust and a board of advisors. The board then
established a minimum goal to raise $100,000 and a criteria for
awarding the scholarship to ALHS students.
So far, the scholarship fund has received
donations of $84,725, plus a future donation of $10,000 from an
insurance policy, from 124 different contributors, Steil said. The
contributors include 114 individuals and 10 organizations, including
four ALHS classes (1947, 1951, 1952 and 1953), three service clubs
(American Legion, Knights of Columbus and Kiwanis) and one booster club
(Albert Lea Wrestling). There have also been matching funds from Toro
and BP Amoco. Contributions have ranged from $5 to $5,000. The funds
are invested and managed by The Minnesota Community Foundation.
Scholarships are funded by up to 90 percent of
the interest generated, and to date the fund has provided scholarships
to 17 ALHS graduates in the amount of $20,800.
"The total dollars and number of scholarship
will continue to grow as we expand the Maas Scholarship Fund," Steil
said. "To that end, we invite contributors who want to perpetuate the
teaching and coaching values of LeRoy Maas to provide financial
assistance to deserving ALHS athlete scholars."
The scholarship fund has a Web site,
www.lmaasscholarship.org, where information on contributing may be
found, or donations may be sent to: The LeRoy Maas Scholarship Fund,
2430 Anthony St., South St. Paul, MN 55075.
The fund's board of trustees includes:
President Pete Veldman, class of 1951; Vice President Manny Steil,
class of 1956; Jim McKeown, class of 1949; Kathy (Maas) Raid, class of
1962; Neal Skaar, class of 1964; and LeRoy Maas, ex-officio.
The LeRoy Maas Scholarship fund is just one of
a number of scholarships set up to help ALHS graduates further their
education, said ALHS Counselor Rod Johnson. Other local scholarships
set up in a similar fashion are the John M. Morrison Scholarship
Program, the Albert Lea Educational Foundation, the Cliff Cairns (Jobs
Inc.) Scholarship, and the Cuppage Foundation Scholarship.
In addition, local service clubs offer
scholarships for which they raise money each year, and there are also
scholarships which have been created in memory of local people. They
include: Stan Breckner, John C. Campbell, Mark Patrick Delgado, Charles
G. Heilman, Scott C. Kach, Ethel Larson, Larry Lawrence, Eddie Cochran,
Jeanette Wong Ming, Terry Moriarty, Charlie Myers, June Wells (Naeve
Health Care Association), Franklin Newell Jr., Tom Speltz, Charles and
Beatrice Upin, Charles and Leone Wall, Marv Wangen, Paulette Schwemmler
Wasmoen, Russell Wulff and Mark David Paschka.
Johnson said the local scholarships, whoever
they are named for, are important to further the education of ALHS
students.
Anytime we can continue someone's education
through someone else's name, it's a nice gesture," he said.
Last year, $72,000 in local scholarships were
awarded.
- (Contact Geri McShane at
lifestyles@albertleatribune.com or 379-3436.)
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