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WHO ARE WE?

THE CRUSADER PRAISE SCOTT SCHOLARSHIP FUND WAS BIRTHED FROM THE VISION AND TENACITY OF MYRTLE LEE SCOTT WHO WAS BORN ON MAY 20, 1921 IN GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

MYRTLE STARTED WORKING WHEN SHE WAS NINE YRS OLD. SHE SCRUBBED FLOORS AND DID LAUNDRY FOR AFFLUENT LAND OWNERS IN THE AREA. SHE HAD TO WALK FOR MILES TO GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THERE WERE NO SCHOOL BUSES. SHE WORE HAND ME DOWN CLOTHES. THE OTHER CHILDREN WOULD LAUGH AT HER BECAUSE SHE WAS SO TALL HER MOM WOULD ADD MATERIAL TO THE BOTTOM OF HER DRESSES SO THEY WOULDN'T BE TOO SHORT. MYRTLE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY STRUGGLED TO STAY WARM IN THE WINTER. SHE WOULD GO OUT AND GLEAM THE RAILROAD TRACKS PICKING UP PIECES OF COAL WHICH DROPPED OFF THE FREIGHT CARS. SHE WOULD TAKE THE COAL HOME TO HEAT THEIR HOUSE. HER CHILD HOOD WAS ROUGH AND SHE WOULD CRY AND PRAY THAT ONE DAY SHE WOULD HAVE A BETTER LIFE.  

SHE NOT ONLY WORKED HARD AFTER SCHOOL SHE STUDIED TO LATE AT NIGHT, MAKING SURE HER HOMEWORK WAS DONE AND SHE DIDN'T FALL BEHIND IN HER STUDIES. SHE BELIEVED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO ESCAPE POVERTY WAS WITH A GOOD EDUCATION. SHE GRADUATED FROM DUDLEY HIGH SCHOOL AND WAS ONE OF EIGHT TO EARN A SCHOLARSHIP TO A&T COLLEGE. WHEN HER MOTHER AND FATHER BOTH BECAME ILL, MYRTLE PICKED UP THE MANTLE TO SUPPORT HER FAMILY.

MYRTLE HAD NO ONE TO SUPPORT HER OR HELP HER ACCOMPLISH HER GOAL. SHE PROMISED GOD THAT IF HE HELPED HER TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE SHE WOULD REACH OUT TO HELP OTHERS LIKE HER THAT HAD A DESIRE TO EXCEL AND SUCCEED. MYRTLE MOVED TO WASHINGTON DC WITH THAT SAME COMMITTMENT TO BE A BLESSING TO YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WERE ECONOMICALLY DEPRIVED.

MYRTLE WORKED FOR THE DC SCHOOL SYSTEM AS A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, SUPERVISED THE BOOK ROOM AND HEADED THE "FREE LUNCH PROGRAM" FOR UNDER PRIVILEGED CHILDREN. HELPING CHILDREN TO SUCCEED BECAME HER HEART'S CRY. THIS IS WHERE SHE EARNED THE NAME "CRUSADER." SHE WORKED WITH PARENTS TO ORGANIZE FUNDRAISERS TO TAKE THE CHILDREN ON TRIPS THAT THEY COULDN'T AFFORD. THEY HAD YARD SALES AND BAKE SALES SO THEY COULD VISIT MUSEUMS, THE LIBERTY BELL IN PHILADELPHIA, THE LURAY CAVERNS IN VIRGINIA AND OTHER HISTORIC SITES. ADDITIONALLY, SHE PERSONALLY BOUGHT CLOTHES AND SHOES FOR NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN THAT NEEDED THEM. SHE NEVER FORGOT HER CHILDHOOD YEARS OF BEING LAUGHED AT AND HOW SHE FELT SO ASHAMED. SHE WAS GIVEN MANY AWARDS FOR HER OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO MANKIND. 

WHEN CRUSADER WAS 72 SHE RECEIVED A TUG IN HER SPIRIT TO WRITE HER BOOK "THE TREE OF LIFE". IT WAS QUOTED THAT THE RICHEST PLACE ON EARTH IS THE CEMETERY BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN US SO MANY GIFTS AND TALENTS BUT WE NEVER USE THEM AND THOSE GIFTS DIE WITH US. MYRTLE KNEW WRITING WAS ONE OF HER GOD GIVEN GIFTS AND SOMETHING SPOKE INTO HER SPIRIT AND SAID PICK UP A PEN AND DO IT NOW. SHE WOULD GO TO HER ALTAR TO MEDITATE, PRAY AND ASK THE LORD TO REVEAL TO HER WHAT TO SHARE WITH HIS PEOPLE THROUGH HER POEMS.

MYRTLE LEE SCOTT WAS A PIONEER AND A FORERUNNER. PLEASE, READ THE CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION FROM THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THAT WAS AWARDED ON HER 80TH BIRTHDAY AND GIVES GREATER INSIGHT INTO HER LIFE AND LEGACY. ONE OF THE LAST THINGS SHE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE SHE DEPARTED THIS EARTH ON SEPT. 02, 2013 WAS SETTING UP A SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND HELPING TO CHANGE LIVES. SHE WISHED SHE HAD SPENT MORE TIME AS A PHILANTHROPIST AND HUMANITARIAN. HELP US MAKE HER DREAM A REALITY! 

FINALLY, HER HEART'S CRY WAS HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS... BUT HER PASSION WAS FOR EVERYONE TO COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR LORD & SAVIOR AND BE FILLED WITH GOD'S SPIRIT. WE PRAY YOU MAKE THAT DECISION TODAY.

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