Giving Back
By Susanne Norgard, Executive Director
The Community Foundation of Mendocino County
Determination and Grit
Like most people who live in Mendocino County, I knew about the tragic loss ofJesse Pittman, a Navy SEAL who died on August 6, 2011 in Wardak Province, Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter that carried him and 31 other American troops (including Bart the service dog) was shot down. His hometown of Willits, along with people from communities throughout the county, mourned the loss of someone who was described as a bit wild, but also hardworking, respectful and funny. His father, J. Terry Pittman, is quoted as saying he was the kind of boy who "could squeeze a smile out of a rock."
In recent months, I have had the chance to understand a little bit more about Jesse, and also about the tight knit community that wants to carry his legacy forward through a scholarship fund at the Community Foundation. According to Ida Pittman, Jesse’s mother, the idea for the scholarship came from Jesse’s friends. “Barry Scott was the one to start it, along with Eric Hayes and Jeremy Treskon. Some of them went to BUDS (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training)together, and they have all been entangled in some way ever since. It’s a small community.”
The Community Foundation was the organization Jesse’s friends used to establish a scholarship fund that would honor both Jesse’s life and celebrate the qualities that made him special. Ida says, “Barry knew that I am an education enthusiast, and that’s how he presented it to me. The reason they picked a scholarship is that when he was killed, Jesse was looking at whether he would go back to school or continue to Seal Team 6. This is a way to see someone else continue the path he was unable to take.”
Of the many wonderful qualities ascribed to Jesse, the one that stands out is determination. His mother remembers he wanted to learn to ride his bike without using training wheels. When he joined the NAVY he was determined to be a SEAL even though he wasn’t a good swimmer. Through sheer determination and hard work, he passed the test.
“In school especially, Jesse had to be determined,” Ida recalls. “He had dyslexia, so everything was a challenge to him. His aptitude tests showed he was an over achiever. He would do beyond what he should have been able to do.”
Jesse’s friends and Ida have worked with the Community Foundation to design a scholarship for a young person that, according to Ida, is “cut from the same cloth; someone who doesn’t quit. We are looking for a student who may not get the best grades, and who may not be a natural born athlete, but who sees something they want to accomplish and doesn’t give up until they find away to reach that goal.” Character and humor are also important qualities. “We don’t want a sourpuss,” says Ida.
The Jesse Pittman Scholarship Fund is open to any graduating senior in Mendocino County, including homeschoolers. To apply, go to the scholarship section of the Community Foundation website, You may also make a tax-deductible donation to the Jesse Pittman Scholarship Fund through “Donate Online” button on the website.