Thought I would share

[upndownshop 0]

I am in my Rv outside my brothers house in dallas loading things up for SF. Will arrive in Houston Sunday night and start setting up. Cleaning out some PC files and came across this. Yes had a couple of 7&7's in 2007 for the 7th year of SkyFest so maybe a bit sentimental.
Key board sticky from spilling a drink,,,,,,

This was written by a winner of a skydiving scholarship (JSF).

Quote

Okay now. Since there is a trend going of the positive outcome of Skyfest..I would like to share a little story.


Amanduh
Thank you so much for your story about your experience of SkyFest, and i must say that ultimately that makes you a "Jerry's Kid".

With that in mind I feel I must post another testimonial of another Scholarship winner who jumped at the same DZ as Jerry, but never met him.

March 2004 I ( J )had asked Robin what it was like to win a scholarship.

"You did ask a question I would like to address. What it was like being a Scholarship recipient.

Last year, the recip's were chosen by our AFFI's and staff. I'd busted my ass all year. There were many that had. They could have chosen several others, and no one would've batted an eye.

When my name was called to go up and receive my plaque, it was one of the more rewarding moments this sport has afforded me. Very proud... vindicating, maybe. The award wasn't a huge sum, it'd been spread out over about a half dozen recip's over several DZ's. But WAS enough to make the difference between taking a coach course or not. I wouldn't have taken it had I not had that money to apply.

What was really interesting to me though... and I don't think I ever told you this.. was how people reacted to the scholarship winners.

Those that had never known your father offered quick, textbook congrats. In their mind, it seemed like they felt I'd won a raffle or something.

Those that had known your father reacted very differently. It really meant something to them. I could see it in their eyes. Several crossed the hanger to shake my hand and tell me how your dad had made a difference to them in some way. It was important to them that I understand that he was the kind of man that for decades would kinda gather all the little A licensed ducklings together and teach them, slowly and carefully bring them up to speed and into the fold.

One of the Jerry's Kids called me about a week later just to talk about him. What she said surprised me.

"Jerry wasn't loved and respected because he was a great skydiver.

He wasn't.

At least, not by today's standards. There's a bunch of folk around here that could fly circles around him. He was loved because he never tired of teaching and giving and helping young skydivers love and understand the sport. He did it for decades, and never tired of giving just a little bit more the next day."

That was the reason I applied the Scholarship towards the coach rating rather than, say, tunnel time. I felt it honored the spirit of the man for whom the scholarship commemorates. A man I never met. Who still managed to help me through the actions and comments of those whom he'd taught.

It seemed that he not only spent a lot of time helping out the new jumpers, but he sorta set a tone of giving-back that others emulated in kind. There's no doubt in my mind that some of those that have, and continue to help me, are doing so in order to pay-forward what Jerry had done for them.

I'll follow Skyfest wherever you want to take it J. Partially because it's a great boogie, partially because you're a good person and I categorically like to support the efforts of good people, but also because I like the idea of embracing a boogie whose profits fund a scholarship that commemorates the memory of a man who was not known for winning medals, but for honest act of giving back to the people that loved the sport.

Your dad's been gone several years now, but every few months I'll still hear someone mention his name. He touched a lot of people at SDD. There's a lot to be said for that.

Anyway. I'd been meaning to mention that to you for months, but as you keep moving your silly ass back and forth to Florida, I never seemed to get around to it.

I hope this has brightened your day just a little bit, and answered your question of hat it felt like to get the scholarship...

And I'll see ya in Houston.
Robin"

Hope I am not out of line here but SF is my passion. Sometimes when things get tough and I ask myself why do i keep doing this? Its folks like Robin that keep me going.
Thank you ALL
J Schrimsher

[ACMESkydiver 0]

Very cool, thanks for sharing that.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.