CLINTON, Iowa — On Thursday May 9, Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz will speak at the Duke Slater Memorial Statue & Scholarship fundraiser kick-off event.
The event will take place at The Church at Lyons in Clinton, Iowa, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. where there will be a short program on Duke Slater's life and the statue.
Duke Slater, a former Iowa Hawkeye and NFL football player, lived in Clinton as a teenager and led Clinton High School to two state championships in 1913 and 1914. Slater passed in 1966.
“The goal for this scholarship is to have a four-year scholarship for a student. Ideally, this would grow into a $2,500 per year scholarship. This event is to kickoff the scholarship fundraising campaign so we can set the financial amounts. I’m thinking about an annual golf outing named after Duke,” says Ryan Veenstra, committee member.
The event will also highlight a bronze Duke Slater statue that is currently being created. The statue is set to be completed this summer, and an unveiling is set for the first Clinton High School home football game this fall.
“For whom the scholarship will go to, we are focusing on trailblazing leaders who excel in and out of the classroom and the athletic fields. The scholarship will require students to reflect on Duke’s legacy and show why their life story and their trajectory reflect Duke’s story,” said Gary Delacy, committee chair.
Tickets are $25 and a table is $200. To purchase tickets and a table visit Clinton Schools website or email Deb Deters at debra.deters@csdkq.org or call 563-243-7540, extension 7022.
For more information about the statue and the scholarship visit Duke Slater Statue & Scholarship.
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