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Lunch with Ernest
By helping others, they honor their son
By ERNEST HOOPER
Published September 9, 2005
The most difficult task for parents is to bury one of their own children, but Ron and Sandy Knight have found a way to turn tragedy into a triumph.
Matthew Knight was 19 when he died in December 2001. A cadet at the Air Force Academy, Matthew was home for the holidays when he lost control of his car in Ruskin. At his memorial service, friends and family members spoke of his enthusiasm, generosity and passion for flying.
Those words, and a message found on Matthew's computer at the academy, inspired Ron and Sandy to start the Matthew A. Knight Foundation. Over lunch at Panera Bread in Brandon, we talked about the foundation, their other charitable efforts and Ron's plans to open a new bank in Ruskin.
Pull up a chair and join us.
ERNEST: You're involved in a lot of charitable efforts, including Matthew's foundation. What are the goals of the foundation?
SANDY: It's basically about recognizing people who are out there doing the good things, who are making a difference in the world. So often, those people who do it purely voluntarily don't want any fanfare. They don't get in the limelight. Very often, they're taking funds from their own pocket to do whatever it is they're doing. We wanted to recognize those people. I t has spread the gamut in terms of the kind of people we've made awards to.
RON: They mostly don't have a clue that we're coming. There was a guardia n ad litem lady that someone had nominated. I went down and talked to her supervisor downtown. He scheduled her to come to work that day, and I was there. She had not a clue. She thought she was going to get a new kid. Instead, she got a check for $1,000. There's quite a few people out there who say, "If you give me the money, I'll do it.' But there are few people who do it and find a way whether they have the money or not. That's who we look for.
One of the people you're helping is Ed Lockett, a missionary in Haiti. Tell me about that.
RON: Ed Lockett has been dragged out of his car and had a gun held to the back of his head - and he still lives there. One of our board members, Dr. Hal Ott, goes down once or twice a year. He's a Rotarian, and he represented both our Rotary Club and Matthew's foundation. We bought enough kitchen equipment to open two new kitchens, one at one school and one at another school. Then, we bought enough food, beans and rice for a year.
SANDY: But it has to go down in shipments because if they ever find out that you have a large quantity of food, they take it.
What are your long-term plans for the foundation?
SANDY: Hopefully, what we did is set it up so it will go on in perpetuity. We're trying just to spend the interest off the money so it can continue.
RON: My personal goal is to get it to a point where we can give away $10,000 a month. Right now, we give away about $3,000 or so. I would like to get enough money so the interest will generate $10,000 a month.
I understand you also did some charitable work in Oregon this summer.
SANDY: Usually in the summertime, we have a motor home, and we travel. Ron is kind of hyperactive, so we tend to do one-night stands and just go, go, go. I said I would really like to spend some time out ther e in Oregon, plus I have a friend who is director of the Royal Family Kids Camp. I've been hearing about that, and I said I would really like to be involved. It's for abused children in Oregon.
It sounds like it was rewarding.
SANDY: It started in California and it has been going for about 15 years. The actual name of it is Royal Family Kids Camp because they treat the kids like royalty for that week. They have a one-on-one counselor who is with them 24 hours a day. They really work at making those kids feel special and loved and cared for just as they are.
RON: My best story is there was an 11-year-old girl, and on Monday she just sat there. There were skits and puppets and stuff. They would sing songs and do hand gestures. On Tuesday, I sat with her again, and she still wouldn't sing . But she was laying down and her mouth was moving. By Friday, she was jumping up and singing and doing all the hand movements. I think these kids have been hurt so much it took them a few days to figure out that we didn't want anything. Ron, I understand you're also opening a bank. What's it going to be called?
RON: South Shore Community Bank. We have seven or eight businesses, and I like to do business on a personal basis. We've been walking into the same bank since 1976. The name changed a few times, but it's still the same bank. They don't have a clue who you are. And with the variety of businesses, we use three or four different banks. And there is not one of them that is any better or any worse. Originally, nine of us - now there are 12 - got together and said we're sick of this. So we decided to start our own bank. We've got FDIC approval and the state charter approval. Next week will be the final audit from the state. We expect to open, officially, Sept. 13.
It seems like the two of you believe in solving problems instead of just shrugging your shoulders. Certainly you did that with Matthew's foundation.
SANDY: Well, you have to figure out a reason to keep on living and growing.
RON: He said he wanted two things: to love as he had been loved and to make a difference with his life. If you die at 19, it's hard. He wrote a poem that I read every day. His death makes absolutely no sense. I'll never understand it, but you can't quit.
What's your power source?
SANDY: I think ultimately, you have to believe God is in control. We don't understand it, but he's in control.
RON: It might sound corny, but the thing I would like to do is get rid of two words: I and me. If we would use we or us or they or you, we all would be a lot better off.
DESSERT: A postscript from Ernest
In addition to the foundation, Ron works as a liaison admissions officer for the Air Force Academy. Each year, he helps more than 900 students at 42 high schools, primarily in Manatee and Sarasota counties, prepare to apply to the academy.
Sandy reaches out in a different way, devoting time to the Hillsborough Literacy League. One of Ron's companies is a biotech unit that may have developed a chemical that can help with dysentery. He hopes to use it to help in New Orleans.
To nominate someone for the Matthew A. Knight Foundation, write to 12902 US Hwy 301 S, Riverview, FL 33569. Or send a fax to 813-672-8635. Ernest Hooper also writes a column for the Tampa & State section of the St. Petersburg Times. Lunch With Ernest is edited for brevity and clarity. To suggest lunch partners, call Ernest at 226-3406 or e-mail hooper@sptimes.com
[Last modified September 8, 2005, 10:42:04]
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