Leaders 4 Life Fellow Wade McDonald Recognized

2013 Leaders 4 Life (L4L) Fellow Wade McDonald was recently featured in the Women of Sugarmill Woods' newsletter, highlighting his accomplishment of receiving a L4L scholarship.  Leaders 4 Life is a scholarship program within Take Stock in Children (TSIC) funded by the Asofsky Family Foundation that provides scholarships to five Florida students each year. Wade was onboarded as a TSIC student in 2008, and the Women of Sugarmill Woods are the sponsors of his TSIC scholarship. Below is an excerpt from the glowing newsletter article that features Wade's accomplishments:

Several local and state dignitaries were present for the [Leaders 4 Life] awards ceremony. State Representative Jimmie Smith told Wade that he now has an opportunity to change the world. Superintendent of Citrus County Schools, Sam Himmel, added that Wade comes from great stock and that he is a great representative of our county. Sheriff Jeffrey Dawsey said that in his job he sees both the best and the worst of our young people today, and all too often only the bad ones make the front page of the newspaper, but Wade represents success and his story belongs on the front page of the paper. (Wade’s award was indeed the front page story on the January 31st edition of the Citrus Chronicle!)

Sheriff Dawsey added that Wade had a vision, had goals, and he created a path to reach his goals. His passion will get him where he wants to go. Bob Allen, Wade’s mentor in TSIC during his four years at Lecanto High School, remembered a shy, introverted young boy when he first met Wade. But they hit it off well. Bob has seen how Wade has developed and matured into a successful young man with a great sense of humor, positive values, good self-image, and good work ethic. He’s polite; he’s prompt; and he helps others. He’s a special young man. Both Ginger Bryant, chairwoman of Citrus County School Board and Pat Lancaster, Citrus-Levy TSIC coordinator, echoed Bob’s description of Wade, and they both appreciate what Wade has done to help other students in the TSIC program.

We join the Women of Sugarmill Woods in congratulating Wade, and we are so proud of all of his accomplishments!

Wade McDonald at the Leaders 4 Life Award Presentation

Wade's brother Shane, father Blaine, Wade, and mother Joan