 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Colleagues honor Boca Ciega alumnus
By JON WILSON
© St. Petersburg Times, ST. PETERSBURG -- Two athletic scholarships and a life-saving device will honor a Boca Ciega High School alumnus who died a year ago after running a 50-yard dash for fun. Ten days before his 22nd birthday, Matt Bostic collapsed after racing a spontaneous, after-work challenge in the company parking lot. It was determined the former high school athlete had had a heart attack. Friends and paramedics couldn't revive him. Bostic was an account executive for Global Access Unlimited, whose employees wanted to honor their friend. Last year they took up a collection for a scholarship and built goal posts at Boca Ciega. But the company wanted to establish something permanently, said Robert C. Swift, Global Access's vice president of operations. It organized a fundraiser held in May, which raised $9,100. It has been decided the money will establish two $1,000 Matt Bostic Memorial Scholarships, to be given annually to a Boca Ciega football player and soccer player. Bostic played those two sports during his school days. In addition, enough money was raised to buy the school's athletic program a defibrillator, a device used to revive people who have experienced cardiac arrest. "Our goal is to (buy defibrillators) for other schools," Swift said. The first fundraiser "turned out as good as, or better than we hoped," Swift said. Plans call for the fundraiser to be held every year. This year's event featured food and entertainment, and a similar format will be planned for the next one. "We might try a mini-Taste of Pinellas," Swift said, referring to the annual food festival that takes place each year in St. Petersburg's Vinoy Park. The yearly fundraising goal is $10,000, Swift said. For information about plans, call 538-2528.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times South Pinellas desks |
