34 Perseverance

The perseverance Will lived often paled in comparison to what his friends and teammates had to face. His recognition of what other kids were dealing with became a part of this character. The Scholarship Fund will be sustained by investing the financial donations and awarding proceeds in the form of financial scholarships. Each recipient will be eligible for additional scholarships as long as they are in good standing at the 2 or 4 year institution. Additionally, each recipient will have access to mentoring to help them navigate their college experience. The intent is for Opportunity 34 to live on for many years in honor of Will’s memory.

34 Process

High School students (boys or girls) who play basketball for at least one year would be eligible for a financial scholarship. The school will administer a simple application process which opens in February each year. Applicants will be evaluated by the school's Scholarship Committee. Opportunity 34 is guided by a board of directors with funds managed by Klaas Financial. Kristin & Brian Kellerman will administer the fund allocation to scholarship recipients after being notified by the school.

“Will never gave up.” It’s that mentality that Will’s parents are now taking on, with the plan of creating a scholarship program for kids who need a lift. “He had opportunities,” Kristin said. “Every kid needs those opportunities.”

In that way, Will has never really left the court.

34 Donate

On March 12, 2019, the Internal Revenue Service determined the Opportunity 34 Foundation is exempt from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). In short, this means all donations to Opportunity 34 are tax deductible, including those back to December 28, 2017.

The foundation’s tax exempt status is a major benefit to all donors, but especially to those over 70½ looking to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution. To begin making a difference in a kid’s life, please click below.

34 Progress

Since it's creation in November 2017, Opportunity 34 has exceeded all expectations. It has become a source of tremendous healing. We intend to "pay it forward" while we continue to fine-tune and shape our vision of providing opportunities to as many kids as we can.

First and foremost, we are committed to kids in Verona. However, we are aware that Will's friendships knew no boundaries. We would like to see the Opportunity 34 Foundation do the same.

Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers, and support. Will is giving all of you a standing ovation.

Visit our News Blog for updates.