We really do wish to make a difference in this world in Rees’ name.  The 40,000 ReesSpecht life Cards that are circulating around the globe are certainly helping us achieve that goal, but that is really only a small part of what we are all about.  Our real goal is to get ReesSpecht Life Scholarships into as many High Schools as we can.  Last May, we awarded our first two Scholarships and we thought it would be nice to check in with the recipients and see what they are up to:  Over the next two nights we will showcase each of our award winners and share with you what they are doing thanks to the help of a little Rees Specht…

“My name is Adam Hammer. I am a freshman at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. I’m majoring in Music Education (on trombone) and Music Theory. It’s an honor to be a recipient of the ReesSpecht Life scholarship. Without this scholarship, I would not have been able to attend Crane. It has been tough, financially, for my family since my dad passed away. Although I don’t know the pain of losing a child, I do know how it feels to lose a loved one. I think it is amazing that the Spechts have turned this tragedy into a way of giving back to others. It honors Rees’ memory and continues his legacy. Although I’ve had pain in my life, I have done my best to have a positive outlook and to make my father proud. I’m proud to be one of Rees’ Pieces. I do my best to perform a random act of kindness everyday and encourage people around me to do the same.”

The winners of our scholarships are chosen based on their commitment to their community, compassion and respect for others.  We sorted through hundreds of applications for the scholarships and were amazed at what Adam, and his co-recipient Rebecca, had done for their communities during their time in High School.  It warms our heart to know that Adam is able to achieve his goal of attending the Crane School of Music because of the help of our movement.  It is our sincere hope that Adam and Rebecca are the first of many, many students who can count Rees as a guardian angel who helped them achieve their dreams.