PHILIPSBURG – It has been a little more than three years since Bryan Ennis died and although the world is not graced with his smile, laugh or hugs any more, his memory lives on in the West Branch community.
To memorialize the 11-year-old Philipsburg RD boy who died unexpectedly on March 8, 2005, family and friends of Bryan are determined his fun-loving spirit will live on. In honor of Bryan’s two loves – music and sports – his family has scheduled a benefit concert and memorial baseball tournament and carnival.
“This (the fundraisers) have been good therapy for us,” said Jeff Ennis, Bryan’s father.
The third annual benefit concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. June 7 at Gethsemane United Methodist Church in Allport, directly across from West Branch Area Elementary School, where Brian was a sixth grader. Jeff Ennis said 10-12 performers are slated to perform, offering something for everyone’s tastes.
Bryan loved to sing and had a special fondness for country music. He was a member of the elementary band and chorus, which was under the direction of his sister, Jennifer Sproull, and was scheduled to represent the school at a district band festival when he died.
There is no cost of admission to the benefit concert. A free will offering will be accepted, with all proceeds benefiting the Bryan G. Ennis Memorial Scholarship Fund at West Branch. Bryan’s father, mother, Miriam, older sister and older brother, Tim, started the scholarship fund shortly after Bryan’s death.
Scholarships are awarded to a graduating senior at West Branch in the music and art field, the medical or legal field and the trade or technical field.
Then on June 21 at the Lanse Little League Field at Martha’s Park, Bryan’s love of sports will be remembered with an all-day baseball tournament and family carnival.
Bryan was a member of the Lanse team, and each year there is a memorial tournament and carnival that includes all the Four Leaf Clover Minor League teams. But there is more than just baseball. The close-knit Ennis family wants the day to be a community-wide event that is especially affordable for families.
There will be games, a dunking booth, a speed pitch contest, not to mention a variety of food and a Chinese auction. In addition, Ike the Spike, mascot of the State College Spikes, minor league affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, will be on hand.
Festivities kick off at 10 a.m. and continue all day. As with the benefit concert, all proceeds from the baseball games and carnival benefits the memorial scholarship fund.
Also, anyone interested in donating an item for the Chinese auction is asked to contact Jeff Ennis at 342-1893 or Kris Kolesar at 345-6251.
