Crestview Kiwanis Honor Late Community Leader With Dale Rice Sr. Scholarship

08/12/2005

His qualities of fairness, community and family were what people remember most about Dale Rice Sr.

It is those characteristics that the Crestview Kiwanis Club wants the recipient of a new scholarship to emulate as the organization announced the establishment the Dale Rice Sr. Scholarship Endowment at Okaloosa-Walton College in honor of the late Kiwanis member, attorney, and civic leader.

"Our family is really touched by this recognition," said Dale Rice Jr., who along with his daughter Jade Rice and mother Judy Rice were present when the Crestview Kiwanians revealed the scholarship at the club's 50th anniversary founders dinner this summer. Darla Rice Martello, daughter of Dale Rice Sr., was unable to attend. "I know my dad would be smiling. He never really sought recognition, but I know he'd be very proud of this honor."

Rice commented that his father loved "his family, his church and the University of Alabama -- where he played football and baseball -- but he really loved his grandchildren and wanted to spend every minute possible with them." It is no surprise then that he also "fell in love with OWC when his first granddaughter Jade started attending and thoroughly enjoying OWC's Kids on Campus program." Rice noted that his father also enjoyed competing every year at the OWC golf classic in support of Raider athletics.

Kiwanians Scholarship Committee member Gail Kaltz said the Dale Rice Sr. Scholarship "is one of the most positive projects the club has decided to take on. We are already a quarter of the way toward the $12,000 goal and we've have received such a great response in the community from people who want to make it happen."

Kaltz noted that the Rice Scholarship becomes the third that the Crestview Kiwanis have created through the OWC Foundation. Earlier the club made contributions for the L.G. Staff Crestview Kiwanis Scholarship Endowment named after another longtime member. That was followed a few years later with the Stanford Scholarship Endowment, named for Crestview educators --a scholarship that provides for two years of study at O-W and two years at one of Florida's state universities.

"We believe that education is one of those things that can improve peoples' lives," said Kaltz. "You can measure success many ways, but when people have the opportunity to go to college, well, that can have a ripple affect through the community."

Dr. Bob Richburg, president of OWC, said the clubs decision to honor Rice through the scholarship "is an example of generosity and certainly a way to recognize an individual that so many in this community admired."

Richburg added that along with the Kiwanis donation, any individual or business gifts to the Dale Rice Sr. Scholarship is eligible for state matching dollars that will double the contribution.