April 21, 2007, was a beautiful spring day, the type of day promising that the best of spring will give way to a glorious summer. It was certainly not the kind of day that anyone would have guessed to be Peter Friedrich’s last day.

Peter Friedrich had a heart arrhythmia. It appeared he was having symptoms but did not share what he was experiencing. The result was his tragic death.

As parents, the greatest fear was that the wonderful young man Peter Friedrich had become would be forgotten. Life goes on, and he would become a memory to most people. However, the living owe it to those who can no longer speak to tell their story.

The Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin offered a way to honor Peter Friedrich’s memory with a scholarship in his name. The scholarship criteria mirrors the traits in him that made him so very special. And hopefully these traits can have an impact on the lives of the community’s young people.

Peter Friedrich’s scholarship is awarded every spring during the Community Foundation’s annual scholarship program. In the past it has been very exciting to meet the recipient and their family to learn about their hopes for the future and their plans for a life full of promises. It is rewarding to see the difference that Pete’s scholarship makes for them.

Peter Friedrich’s death taught that tomorrow is not promised to anyone and that every moment of life is a gift, a chance to appreciate, grow, connect and give back. He would be pleased he has been chosen to be honored in this way.

For more information on how to create a scholarship fund, contact the Foundation at 715-342-4454 or visit www.cfcwi.org/ online

Editor’s note: Barb Friedrich is the fund representative for the Peter Friedrich Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation.