Don Coss Memorial Scholarship Fund Opened

Fund grants $8,000 in scholarships to Guernsey County students

Nelsonville, OH – Don Coss’s legacy will live on through ascholarship fund for players on the Post 84 Cambridge American Legion BaseballTeam. Through a bequest in Mr. Coss’s will, players can receive support to thepost-secondary studies through the new Don Coss Memorial Scholarship Fund, partof the Guernsey County Foundation Fund Family of Funds.  

This firstyear, the Fund awarded eight $1,000 scholarships to Guernsey County students. Awardswere granted to James Antalis, Charles Beaver, Quintin Fettes, BenjaminStandiford, and Dillon Sunnafrank of Cambridge, as well as James Luyster ofQuaker City, Zachary Roe of Lore City, and Ian Wildes of Salesville.

Mr. Coss wasvery involved in his community, serving on City Council, on the local schoolboard, and as city treasurer, but he was best known in Guernsey County as “Mr.Baseball.” Mr. Coss started the American Legion Baseball program in Cambridgeand was as passionate about baseball as he was about the young men playing it.When the Legion team started, Mr. Coss would drive 15 – 20 miles outside ofCambridge to pick up players who did not have the means to get to town.

In his will,Mr. Coss left money to start a scholarship program to aid Post 84 Legionplayers in pursuing vocational programs, associate degree programs, andprograms at four-year institutions of higher learning.

“He wanted tobe sure these kids get a helping hand as long as possible,” said Ron Antill,Post 84 Legion Team Manager and close friend of Mr. Coss. “His name will bearound forever. [Players] won’t know who he was, but that he spent his lifehelping out kids.”

Inestablishing the Fund with the Guernsey County Foundation Fund Family of Funds,held with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, Mr. Coss’s trustees and friendswere able to create a permanent legacy that would assist Guernsey Countystudents for generations to come.

“The money will be managed long after I’m gone. It should last forever,” shared Mr. Antill.

The Don CossMemorial Scholarship Fund is part of the Guernsey County Foundation Fund’sFamily of Funds. The Guernsey County Foundation Fund is dedicated to improvingthe quality of life for the Guernsey County community, both now and forgenerations to come. More information about the Guernsey County Foundation Fundcan be found at www.guernseycountyfoundation.org,where you can also make a charitable donation to the Don Coss MemorialScholarship Fund or any other fund under the Guernsey County FoundationFamily of Funds. For more information about the Foundation for AppalachianOhio, please visit www.appalachianohio.org.

 

From Left to Right:

Dave Wilson – Guernsey County Foundation Trustee; RonAntill – Don Coss Memorial Scholarship Fund Trustee; Ron Guntree – Don CossMemorial Scholarship Fund Trustee