During "The Great Hunger" in Ireland in the middle of the
19th century, the Henderson family, like so many of their countrymen, left
the Emerald Isle and immigrated to Canada, settling in Ontario. Many years
later, lured by the prospect of inexpensive, rich farmland, young Nelson
Henderson moved with two of his brothers to the Canadian heartland, settling
in the Swan River Valley of Manitoba.
Nelson's life was typical of his generation, marked by
service to his country in the trenches of World War I, and later by
marriage, the raising of a large family, and the constant toil that comes
with running a farm. Apparently he was a man of few words, too, but a few of
his words have resonated over the decades, preserved and shared with the
world by one of his sons, Wesley. On his graduation day, Wesley wrote that
his father gave him this piece of advice: "The true meaning of life is to
plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit."
Anyone who's ever cared about a child, a community or a
noble cause of any sort will appreciate this advice. Because, despite
humankind's selfishness and short-sightedness, occasional cruelty and
frequent folly, most people are decent, kind, hard-working, and committed to
creating a better future for subsequent generations. The many comforts and
conveniences, technological wonders and medical miracles that we all enjoy
are a testament to this commitment.
A decade ago, several electric cooperative leaders decided
to make an additional investment in the future of their communities. They
did so by creating an educational scholarship foundation to provide modest
but important financial aid to young people who wanted to attend college or
trade school, but in many cases needed just a little bit of help to make
their dreams possible. A key leader in this effort is the subject of this
month's cover story, Worth Hudson of Halifax County. Worth at that time was
chairman of the board of Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative and the head of
the education committee for the trade association that publishes Cooperative
Living and provides training, safety and governmental affairs support to
Mecklenburg and the 15 other electric cooperatives that serve more than
700,000 homes and businesses in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.
Worth is a remarkable individual, a true Renaissance man,
cultured yet down to earth, a career educator and perennial community
leader, an avid gardener, a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, and
someone who has worked tirelessly to promote educational opportunities for
young people. Thanks to his devoted efforts, and those of other electric
cooperative leaders, the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of
Electric Cooperatives Educational Scholarship Foundation has, since its
founding in 2000, helped 262 young people pursue their desire for higher
education.
In the context of today's high and higher education costs,
the funds awarded have been modest: the scholarship amounts of $500 and
$1,000 may not be transformational, but they have been very helpful in
boosting the spirits of deserving young people, and in putting their dreams
a little closer to reality. Thanks to tax-deductible contributions from
generous cooperative members over the last decade, the foundations ability
to help has grown steadily, as 2009 set a record both for total scholarships
(48) and total dollars awarded ($43,500). That's quite a move up from 2001,
when the first five scholarships were given out, each for $500.
There are many worthy causes out there, and many crying
needs, perhaps none greater than providing relief to Haiti following the
catastrophic losses inflicted on her people and her infrastructure by
January's earthquake. But whether we provide financial support for Haiti's
recovery, or volunteer our time to a worthy group in our own neighborhood,
our lives are infused with glowing meaning when we follow Nelson Henderson's
encouragement "to plant trees." And while we may never see these trees grow
to maturity, surely there's a sweet satisfaction in knowing that they will
shade and shelter generations we will never know, but with whom we will
forever be connected.
For additional information on the
Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives
Educational Scholarship Foundation, go to www.co-opliving.com or
www.vmdaec.com. You may download a scholarship application form from either
Web site; 2010 scholarship applications must be postmarked by April 1. If
you're interested in making a tax-deductible donation, please make your
check payable to "VMD Educational Scholarship Foundation" and mail it to:
The Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, 4201
Dominion Blvd., Glen Allen, VA 23060, Attn: Debbie
Swiderski. You may also call Mrs.
Swiderski at 804-968-4080, or e-mail her at
[email protected].
