On Sunday, May 31, the Forum ran an ad featuring all the Dollars for Scholars recipients from the FM area, and noted that since its beginning, Fargo DFS has awarded over $1 million to local students. These ads have been appearing in local papers around the state to honor local students in many communities that have benefited from Dollars for Scholars.
It was striking to also see the death notice for Bob Alin that appeared on the same date. Bob, along with support from Fred Scheel, is the reason these students received these local awards. Bob traveled the state and started 51 local chapters that benefited their local students. At the time there were few local scholarships available in North Dakota. Bob and his wife, Doris, were tireless in their support to help North Dakota students. I encourage these families, and any other local citizens, to honor Bob’s memory by donating to their local chapters or the state organization in his name. I’d also encourage past recipients to consider paying back what they can to their local chapters, so the funds can keep paying it forward. I believe this would bring honor to Bob and Doris Alin.
Bob worked with a special grant from the national organization to grow more chapters and find a permanent home for this effort in North Dakota. When he visited with Bank of North Dakota's president Eric Hardmeyer, he was so grateful for the opportunity to find someone to share his vision for scholarship in North Dakota. Local scholarships for local students, whether you go to a technical program or college, is the NDDFS mission as well as Bob’s vision and BND partnered to keep it going today.
The first thing I remember Bob saying at the very first state organizational meeting was this: “The good Lord put us on this earth to serve, and not to be served.” Bob was a servant leader, a caring and persistent man, and it was my honor to serve with him. I witnessed how an honest and kind person can lead by example and accomplish great things without expecting any credit beyond the personal satisfaction and joy of serving his Lord. May his memory always bring smiles to those who knew him, and may we all seek to be the servant leader that he modeled.
