43
Concert for a cause
Photo
Hawk Nelson bassist Daniel Biro (left) kept the beat at the concert benefitting the Nick Avery Role Model Scholarship on March 24.
Photo
Hawk Nelson guitarist Jonathan Steingard (left) and singer Jason Dunn (right) rocked the house at the March 24 concert.
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Before the Hawk Nelson concert benefitting the Nick Avery Role Model Scholarship, the Avery family took a short break from their busy day. The family are, from left, Kelsey Avery (front), Wendy Avery, and Alisha Avery-Brownlee, and Josh Avery (back), Steve Avery, and Jay Brownlee. Kelsey and Jay are new additions to the family, having married Josh and Alisha, respectively.
By SARAH FOOR
Nick Avery’s favorite shirts were ones that spelled out in bold letters the words “Role Model.” Even though his shirt said the words, Nick’s mom, Wendy Avery, knows that he would have resisted being dubbed an actual role model.
“Nick’s favorite secular band was Simple Plan, who make T-shirts under the brand ‘Role Model Clothing.’ He was famous for wearing the shirts, but he was a humble guy. He would have hated being tabbed with that title — he preferred to be silly and make everyone laugh,” Avery remembered of her son.
The Avery family lost Nick to Acute Myeloid Leukemia in August 2006, but since his passing, have worked to honor his legacy by starting the Nick Avery Role Model Scholarship Fund for Heartland Christian School in Columbiana.
The $1,000 scholarship is offered to a graduating, college-bound senior of Heartland Christian School, and recipients are nominated by their fellow classmates for being positive role models.
To raise money for the fund, Wendy Avery said the decision was an easy one for her family.
“Nick loved music so much, it seemed like the obvious choice to raise money was through a concert. We celebrate a wonderful cause in a way that Nick would have loved,” Avery shared.
This year welcomed the fund’s fourth fundraising concert on March 24, and it’s biggest, welcoming Christian rock band Hawk Nelson to a 600-strong crowd at Crossroads Church in Austintown.
“Hawk Nelson was Nick’s favorite band. They’re fun and upbeat, and really make the show a blast. We’re always thinking of next year, of course, but welcoming Hawk Nelson is a great honor on Nick’s behalf.”
Although the scholarship fund is new, the Avery family already has a comfortable sum ready for future recipients. They even hope to expand into other projects that will continue to teach the power of being a positive role model.
“Before Nick died, he wrote in his online journal, ‘I’m really scared, but I know that God has an awesome plan for me.’ Since his passing, I find that more true every day. Everything our family does is part of that puzzle, making sure Nick’s spirit lives on in a positive and uplifting way,” Avery shared.