2nd Annual Team Vogel vs Cancer
-Bowling Tournament Results -
...and the rest of the teams :)
...and a few fun moments...
The Joe Vogel "Pay it Forward"
2011 - 2012 Scholarship Winner
I want to share with you the fabulous speech Kristin Biesanz put together and shared with the Cotter Community when awarded the first Joe Vogel "Pay it Foraward" Scholarship...
Hello Cotter students, facility, staff and parents. My name is Kristin Biesanz and I am a Cotter High School class of 1996 graduate. Joining me onstage are my fellow members of the Joe Vogel Pay it Forward Scholarship committee: Rachel Vogel and Katie Fream, class of '96. I also want to recognize Angela Vogel Daley as well as Megan Sadowski (both Cotter class of '94) for their work on this committee as well.
Today we are here to present the winner of the first annual Joe Vogel Pay it Forward scholarship.This scholarship was created by Joe’s family, friends, and co-workers at Frito Lay Inc. It will be awarded annually to a Cotter Student who upholds and lives the spirit of “Pay it Forward”.
Katie and myself were classmates and friends of Joe's from kindergarden on, all the way through the WACS system, and ultimately graduating with him in 1996. So many in the class of ‘96 remember Joe for his huge smile, great sense of humor and - later in life - his amazing efforts to raise money for cancer stricken families and cancer research. Although fighting his own battle, at the forefront of his mind were others, their financial burdens and making sure they knew that people really cared. Through Joe Vogel TEAM VOGEL was born, and is currently 300+ strong. I know personally witnessing and being a part of the Team Vogel vs. Cancer Fundraisers, I was in absolute awe of Joe. Little did we know, all of those years through kindergarden, grade school, middle school and high school……. there was a HERO among us. This scholarship that we are presenting today is a wonderful way to keep Joe's legacy alive and encourage Cotter students to follow in his footsteps of simply helping others….of giving rather than receiving.
This Scholarship will be available annually to all Cotter students grades 7-12. The scholarship award will be $500 towards Cotter tuition. Scholarship applicants were asked to submit a one page essay, a letter of recommendation from a teacher, and one letter of recommendation from a community member all attesting to the student’s efforts to “Pay it Forward.”
I can speak for all of the committee members when I say the selection of this years winner was a very difficult choice. It is hard to put into words how impressed we were with each and every applicant and the many examples and stories they shared about how they strive to pay if forward each and every day. Whether it be reaching out to another student who may be a bit more reserved, involvement in the Cross Cultural Ministry Project, or this awesome group we read about called "Parmies" - we were truly in awe of how much these young adults have already figured out at such a young age. The applicants referred to paying it forward as when you do something good when no one is watching, when you help somebody that nobody else might even notice. One applicant quoted Audrey Hepburn as saying: "You were given two hands; one to help yourself and one to help someone else." We thank each and every one of you who applied this year. The committee and I would like to challenge those of you who did not apply to consider doing so next year. Keep these ideas and quotes in the forefront of your thoughts and actions because it can help everyone of us to pay it forward each and every day. Who's life can YOU positively affect today? What is YOUR legacy going to be?
Without further ado, I would like to ask Katie Fream to come forward to announce the winner of this years scholarship:
(Katie) The winner of the 2012 Joe Vogel Pay it Forward scholarship is: Monica Weltzien.
Alright - this has been a lengthy post here - but so many moments...pictures that truly reflect Team Vogel.
Before I sign off here - I want to formally announce...I am going to be a big sister in about 1 hour :) Mom and Dad are on their way to pick up my new sisters. THEY ARE GETTING PUPPIES!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to share them with you next week.
Love and hugs - Rach