Buddy's help needed for this choice

The pressure is overwhelming.

It’s keeping me up at night. I really want to do the right thing, you know? Regardless of my decision, someone will be disappointed.

Three-plus years into Just Wright Citrus, and I’m pretty sure this is the most challenging situation yet.

---

No, I’m not referring to my recent struggles with the Citrus County power elite. That’s child’s play compared to this task.

Time to award the Buddy Bandana Scholarship.

A little recap:

I was driving one early morning through Floral City and saw this mutt wandering in the road. He was wet and dirty, and I could tell something bad was going to happen.

So I brought him home and named him Buddy. He was older, not all that healthy, but he sure loved his new life. Buddy became an instant hit with readers, who constantly told me to knock off that political stuff and write more about Buddy.

I also brought Buddy into Crystal River High School for its veterinarian assistant program. Teenagers fawned over him. If only his old friends could have seen that.

It wasn't to last. With little warning, Buddy developed a blood clot and died in July. Weeks into my grief, I knew I wanted to give something back to the community in Buddy’s name. 

The Buddy Bandana Scholarship came from that idea. We sold Buddy Bandanas for $10 each and raised enough for a $1,000 scholarship for a student headed into a veterinary-related field. (I have a few Buddy Bandanas still left; message me if you’d like one.)

I have never participated in any avenue of scholarships. I wasn’t exactly scholarship material in high school (all these years later, I’m still surprised I have both a high school diploma and college degree). Other than Anheuser-Busch, I didn’t think anyone knew I existed.

So, it’s pretty cool to find myself in a situation where I can award a college-bound senior with a scholarship to pursue his/her academic dreams.

I sat a few months back with Tiffani King, director of Student Programs for the Citrus County Education Foundation, and we went over the criteria. It’s somewhat basic: minimum 2.0 grade point average, attending one of the three public high schools, and planning a college major in the animal-care realm.

“Sounds great,” I said. “Who chooses the recipient?”

She looked at me. “You do.”

Tiffany sent me the applications — 10 in all. Ten kids seeking scholarships to attend college in the medical or animal field. 

I read each application carefully. So impressed with their knowledge, community involvement, and a caring attitude that reflects their success. Students included essays that told of personal struggles and challenges, combined with a positive outlook on how they can make the world a little better.

I interviewed the eligible applicants by phone on Wednesday. Most — nope, all — are much smarter than me. They have a pretty good idea of where they want to go and how to get there. Hard work and determination are not an issue.

Thursday was my deadline to get the recipient’s name to Tiffani. I know people in these circumstances always say it was a very tough choice…but it was a very tough choice. 

You’ll read all about the Buddy Bandana Scholarship recipient after it’s announced in May.

I’m smiling, thinking about my Buddy helping a student reach his or her dream of a career to help other Buddys or Bunnys and all their furry friends.

What goes around, comes around.

Have an exceptional weekend, friends.

​Join the discussion on our Facebook page.

Enjoying the blog? Please consider supporting it at Venmo, PayPal, or Patreon.