For more than four decades, listeners to local Americus radio station WISK/WDEC have been able to immediately recognize the distinct, familiar voice of Thurston Clary. Sadly, that voice has been so terribly missed since his passing on March 9. While a vital part of the radio station, Thurston was equally important to both the Rotary Club of Americus and Georgia Southwestern State University.

To remember their dear friend Thurston, the Rotary Club of Americus, in partnership with the GSW Foundation, created the Americus Rotary Club’s J. Thurston Clary Memorial Scholarship Endowment. This new scholarship benefits undergraduate students majoring in Music or Communications and Emerging Media now and for generations to come. 

This scholarship endowment is established as a lasting tribute to Thurston's love and lifelong service to and support of his community, the Americus Rotary Club, and GSW students. It will be a permanent fund providing scholarships to enrolled undergraduate students with preference given to Southwest Georgia residents and RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) students. 

Thurston was also very involved in Rotary at the district level as well, having served as Assistant District Governor and Disaster Relief Chair. If anyone would like to contribute to the Americus Rotary Club’s J. Thurston Clary Scholarship Endowment, contact the GSW Foundation Inc. at (229) 931-2014. All donations are tax deductible.

Checks can be made payable to the GSW Foundation Inc. (Note: J. Thurston Clary Scholarship in memo) and mailed to P.O. Box 926, Americus, GA, 31709. If you prefer to pay online, visit https://www.gsw.edu/giving/general-giving, select "other" for designation, then type in J. Thurston Clary Scholarship in the space provided.