February | 2012 | Paul C Harris

Friday, May 4: The 6th Annual Paul C. Harris Scholarship Fundraiser

Join us on Friday, May 4 for the Great Bridge High School J.V. and Varsity soccer games at the G.B. Colon L. Hall Stadium. Want to help out, or make a donation? You can contact Cindy Harris (charris858@aol.com) or Jim Williams (jimwms444@cox.net)

The Paul C. Harris Great Bridge High School Scholarship was started in memory of Paul Harris. He was an incredibly outgoing, athletic and vivacious 18 year old, as well as a lifelong soccer player in Chesapeake. He graduated from Great Bridge High School in June of 2006. During his high schoolcareer, Paul was a player on the G.B.H.S. Junior Varsity and Varsity soccer teams. He valued histeammates, his opponents and those in the stands cheering for him. He was loved by many on and off the field.

This year the event will pit alumni\’s against varsity players. It should be exciting and fun to see!

Dinner for a $5 donation
T-shirt for a $10 donation

There will be live music, a DJ, games and awesome drawings! Hope to see you there.

This is what we have hoped for…

Sunday I met a guy at Harris Teeter grocery store. He and I had a pleasant conversation while he checked me out, about school (he\’s a senior at Great Bridge HS) , about how excited he is to be going to Christopher Newport University for college next fall, and of course, the weather. I asked him about sports and what he does in high school…just \”chatting it up\”.

He told me that the only thing that is bothering him about going to CNU is that he has not received any scholarships yet, so of course I mentioned that we have a scholarship at GBHS and that he should apply. \”Do you mean the Paul Harris Scholarship?\”, he asked. I immediately thought that this is what we have been hoping!! This young man didn\’t know Paul, but he knows about the scholarship and that Paul died and his family and the community give these scholarships in his memory!! He immediately thought of Paul\’s scholarship! It was the first time I ever experienced anything like this. This young man\’s family has only lived here a few years and he isn\’t a part of the soccer community, but still…he knows.

These things don\’t take the pain away, but they give me hope that we are indeed honoring Paul\’s memory by helping kids go to college and keeping his memory alive. I also thought as I was standing there how much I miss my son and how I long to know who he would have become and where he would have finished college.

It is the \”what could have beens\” that are the hardest, but honoring Paul and helping others…well, that takes some of the sting away and gives us hope!

Cindy