When former Greenville High student Ceddrick Mack passed away suddenly last month, school officials wanted to do something to commemorate his life. What they decided to do was set up the Ceddrick Mack Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The scholarship will grant $500 per year to a graduating senior who plans to attend Auburn University and meets the Mack Scholarship Committee’s scholarship and community involvement criteria.

The committee members are Committee Chairman Todd Henderson, Dr. Kathy Murphy, Magoo Hamilton, Athletic Director Alvin Briggs, Billie Faulk and Tomeshia Cheeseboro.

Despite an initial flow of donations in the weeks following the scholarship’s announcement, fund managers report that those donations have slowed to a trickle.

&uot;Since we set up the fund, we have received approximately $1,200 for the scholarship,&uot; Committee Chairman Todd Henderson said. &uot;That’s not nearly what we anticipated, but it’s a good start. We have had a couple of clubs and community organizations that have made donations, but we are hoping to get more people involved so the fund will grow, and we can do more for the students who receive it.&uot;

Henderson said the scholarship committee had met and currently is receiving applications for the scholarship.

&uot;The guidance office now has the applications, and we are encouraging students who plan to attend Auburn to apply,&uot; he said. &uot;We have had four or five students who have shown interest.&uot;

Henderson said that not everyone is happy about the scholarship fund.

&uot;There have been those who didn’t like the scholarship, because they didn’t want us to limit the scholarship to students who plan to attend Auburn,&uot; Henderson said. &uot;But we wanted to make this a legacy for Ceddrick, and Auburn was important to him.&uot;

Henderson said that there were some potential contributors who wanted to give a one-time gift, and never have to donate to the fund again.

The educator wasn’t sure they would be able to work the account that way.

He wasn’t sure the fund could achieve an endowment fund status, because he wasn’t sure it would receive that kind of donation.

&uot;Right now I don’t anticipate anyone giving us a million dollars, so that we can perpetually give out scholarships from the interest – which is what one-time gifts are usually intended to do,&uot; he said. &uot;It would be great if that happened. What we are looking at is raising money through fundraisers each year to keep the fund going, and awarding the scholarship from those monies.&uot;

Principal Murphy has committed to holding a scholarship fundraiser each year at the school.

&uot;This will give us a way to insure that we raise the money needed for the scholarship each year,&uot; Henderson said. &uot;I think this will be the primary way it’s funded annually.&uot;

The main thing, Henderson stressed, is that the scholarship should be something the memorializes Ceddrick.

&uot;I think that with that in mind, we will all work hard to make sure this scholarship is successful,&uot; he said. &uot;Ceddrick reflected GHS in such a positive way. I know there are people who would like to help out, but so many things come up that make us forget that this is going on. It’s easy to drop the ball.&uot;

Henderson said that the committee will be announcing its fundraising plans soon. The committee is also planning a letter-writing campaign, asking community leaders and organizations for their help.

Anyone interested in contributing can send their gift to the Ceddrick Mack Memorial Scholarship Fund, Attention: Todd Henderson, 100 Tiger Drive, Greenville, AL 36037. For more information, call 382-2608.