For members of the Gerstmeyer Technical High School Class of 1965, talking about old times at a 30-year reunion committee meeting evolved into the determination to help students in the future achieve their dreams. Class member Norm Lowery said committee members were discussing advantages and breaks that had come their way and therefore, making it possible to better their lives. By the time the meeting was over, they had decided to establish a scholarship fund.

The classmates approached the Wabash Valley Community Foundation and created an endowment fund to make the scholarship a reality. To fund the scholarship, the Class of ’65 held an annual golf tournament for many years. The tournament was named the Rick Titus Memorial Golf Outing & Dinner in honor of a beloved class member who was instrumental in starting the scholarship. Lowery said, “We’re trying to educate everyone in the class about leaving money in their wills and making memorial gifts for loved ones who passed away.”

Although the Class of 1965 no longer holds the golf tournament, individuals continue to send contributions to the Community Foundation for the scholarship fund. The Gerstmeyer Technical High School Scholarship is awarded each year to a student from Terre Haute North High School. “It’s our opportunity to give a student that extra break,” Lowery said.

Eligibility requires that:

• You are a graduate of Terre Haute North Vigo High School.