August 30, 2013
Fellow Haverford XC and Track Teammates, Greetings from Marmot and Boo Boo!
We are excited to unveil The Iain Wilson Character Through Competition Award, a cash prize to be given to exceptional young athletes in memory of our friend and teammate, Iain “Dawg” Wilson. Of course, such an award requires funding, and we are humbly writing to ask for your support.
It seems like just yesterday that we were lacing up our shoes for a relaxing Scenic Seminary loop. Perhaps you remember that unmistakable grunting noise over your shoulder. That, of course, was Iain. Maybe he even threw out a “Roll Tide!” to keep you fighting for the lead in the fall leaf-catching challenge. And as we approached the locker room, Iain was always the last one to stop running.
Sadly, Iain’s life was tragically cut short in 2008. We, in collaboration with Iain’s family – his wife Silvia, father Graeme, and sister Kate – want to honor his legacy. And, more importantly, support the journey of young athletes who embody the spirit that made Iain the person he was. This spirit can best be illustrated in Iain’s sport of choice: orienteering.
Orienteering is an extraordinary sport suited for only the steeliest of athletes. Competitors are given a map just seconds before a race begins, containing checkpoints placed throughout unfamiliar, sometimes rugged and wild terrain. But the route taken is theirs to navigate. Orienteers as accomplished as Iain must have the fearlessness to plunge into unknown terrain, the humility to discern which paths best match their capabilities, and the perseverance to keep the mind focused.
Like many great athletes, Iain absorbed the strengths he honed in sport, and practiced them in every arena of life. In addition, Iain’s family has stressed how much he valued the friendship and support he received from other runners at Haverford College. The family strongly believes in the value that sport in an educational environment brings to the development of a well-rounded adult. Those of us who witnessed the leadership, integrity, and selflessness that Iain displayed in competition were watching not just the growth of an athlete, but also the development of a persona able to live a balanced life and contribute to the well-being of society. It is this complex and somewhat mystical process that we hope to encourage in other young athletes.
The $1000 Iain Wilson Character Through Competition Award will be presented each year to two junior orienteers who embody in life the virtues cultivated in training and competition.
If Iain touched your lives the way he touched ours, please consider honoring his memory with a donation (via the enclosed donation form) to help bring this award to life. The first $5,500 received will be matched dollar-for-dollar by fellow teammates, doubling the impact of your gift! Our partner, Orienteering USA, the sport’s national governing body, will mail you a receipt for your tax-deductible contribution. Our goal is to raise at least $10,000 to support this program for many years to come.
Thank you for your attention. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Roll Tide!
Marc “Marmot” Balcer, Haverford ‘96 Anthony “Boo Boo” Belber, Haverford ‘95
marc.balcer@gmail.com 202-362-6112
610-389-0912
The Iain Wilson Character Through Competition Award 