Honoring a Coyote Supporter: Jon Cole Gymnasium
When the time came to decide on a name for the basketball court at the new high school, Tate Cymbaluk, our Coyote Foundation board vice president, had the perfect person in mind—long-time Williston sportscaster Jon Cole.
Cymbaluk set out to collect letters of support from past coaches, players, teachers, and administrators, receiving over 50 in agreement that it would be the perfect way to honor the dedication and loyalty Jon Cole has shown to Williston sports.
At the November 14th school board meeting, many of those former coaches and players filled the room as Cymbaluk made the pitch for naming the basketball court the “Jon Cole Court.” After some deliberation and discussion, the board voted unanimously to name the entire gymnasium after Cole.
So on December 16th, between the girls and boys varsity basketball games, the court and gym was dedicated to the man who has been the face of Williston sports since 1981.
Jon Cole has been named North Dakota Sportscaster of the Year 5 times since he began his tenure in Williston—1983, 1998, 2003, 2006, and 2007. He has also received other awards in the region. He was given the Western Star Award in 2005, He was selected for the Award of Merit from the ND Coaches’ Association in 2001, and he also received the Distinguished Service Award from WEA (Williston Education Association) in 1995.
For the decades of covering youth sports with enthusiasm and passion for the games and the kids who played them, the new gym will fittingly be named “Jon Cole Gymnasium.”
At the dedication, Cymbaluk read a letter from a man named Rich Kahn, a former mentor and college instructor of Jon Cole’s. He announced that he had donated the seed money for the Jon Cole Scholarship Fund, to be awarded to a student looking to pursue a degree in broadcasting, communications, and/or public relations. If you would like to honor Jon Cole’s life-long efforts and support of Coyote athletics, please consider donating to this scholarship fund. As always, we are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and your gift is tax-deductible.
Watch the Jon Cole Gymnasium naming ceremony.
Annual Newsletter
Gifts to the Foundation:
Noel and Geri Hanson
Gay and David Williamson
Floyd Stewart
Michel Fischer
Larry Hanson
Donna Rosenberg
Rod St. Aubyn
Larene and Dennis Grondahl
Garvin and Sandra Stevens
Mona Ziegler
Lorraine Braaten and Kathy Johnson
Wayne and Jean Fretland
Karla Miller, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Julie Wrolson, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Rhonnie McCauley, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Barb D Langerud, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Marcella Everson, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Darla Betting, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Gloria White Olson, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Melinda Adducci, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Denise Rall, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Ruth Stieg Smith, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Murphy Lund, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Randy and Kathy Waitman, for the Waitman Memorial Scholarship, in memory of Oliver Bekkedahl
Jamie Quinlan, for the Bud and Neva MacMaster Memorial Scholarships, in memory of Rolf Olness
Michael and Lynne Edstrom, for the Rita Anseth Memorial Scholarship
Fred and Coral Whisenand, in memory of Oliver Bekkedahl
Sandra and Roger Kohlman, in memory of Rolf Olness
John and DaVee MacMaster, for the Bud and Neva MacMaster Memorial Scholarships, in memory of Jim Gion and Rolf Olness
Lois and Edward Nelson, for the Taylor Nelson Memorial Scholarship
Williston Volunteer Fire Department, for the Williston Volunteer Fire Department Community Scholarship
Hagan Elementary Staff, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Ken or Darci Kjos, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Gwen and Brad Vassen, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Lowell and Carol Jean Sandvick, in honor of Jon Cole
Rick and Janet Tangedal, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Dennis, Holly, and Jason Engeberg, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Richard Helm, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Deb Kemp, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Miles Mortenson, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Rebecca Knutson, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Landis Rosenquist, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Class of 1996, in memory of classmates Nick Voller, Josh Schmitz, Mike Gress
Deb Kemp, for the George Amsden New Teacher Grant, in memory of James Gion and Alvin Lafontaine
Carol Nelson, in memory of Charles C. Nelson and Lois Hendricks Nelson
Bonnie Anderson, for the Bud and Neva MacMaster Memorial Teacher Scholarships, in memory of Rolf Olness
Pete and Laurie Furuseth, for the Norm Furuseth Memorial Scholarship
Patrick and Tammy Sogard, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Jerys and Tami Enget, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Lynn and Shirlee Leininger, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Brian and Kathy Engberg, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Shane and Barb Peterson, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Gary and Doreen Knutson, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
1st National Bank, in memory of Leslee Bublitz
Randy and Leslie Hanson, for the Ron Martin Memorial Baseball Scholarship
Wanda and Marty Hanson, for the Ted and Lois Schmitz Memorial Scholarships
Peggy Nelson, in memory of Bob Miller, Class of 1951
James and Carol Anderson, for the Taylor Nelson Memorial Scholarship
M & J Kaiser Foundation, for the Class of 1980 Memorial Scholarship
Christy Miller, for the Aric Quarne Memorial Scholarship
Laurie and Bill Carl, for the Cathy Carl Gendreau Memorial Scholarship
Laurie and Bill Carl, in honor of Gordon & Charlene Strand, John & DaVee MacMaster, and John & Yvonne Suess
John and Cathy Schmitz, for the Ted and Lois Schmitz Memorial Scholarships
Orell Schmitz, for the Ted and Lois Schmitz Memorial Scholarships
Cathy Mae Schmitz, for the Ted and Lois Schmitz Memorial Scholarships
Dick and Marg McKennett, in memory of Tom Culpepper
George Munyer, in memory of Class of 1971 deceased classmates
Barbara Gravgaard, for the Henry Ceglowski Memorial Scholarship
Rollis or Leiha Larson, in memory of her brother Vernon A. Russell
Julia McBride, in memory of Rolf Olness and Oliver Bekkedahl
John and Kit Creasy, for the Jack and Eleanor Snyder Memorial Music Scholarships
Troy and Lana Bratcher, for the Rita Anseth Memorial Scholarship
Rolf and Mary Gjorven, for the George Amsden New Teacher Grant
Isabelle Hughes, for the Janet Hughes Laqua Memorial Scholarship
Marty and Arlis Haug, for the Martin and Arlis Haug Memorial Scholarship
Bruce Nelson, in honor of his Godfather, Jim Haugen, for the Jim Haugen Memorial Scholarship
M. Heather MacMaster, for the Bud and Neva MacMaster Memorial Scholarships, in memory of Rolf Olness
Lynn Caruthers, for the Jack and Eleanor Snyder Memorial Music Scholarship
Alumni Deaths:
Lois Hendricks Nelson, Class of 1963, died 12/5/2016, in Buckeye, AZ
Warren Hedlund, Class of 1971, died 12/7/2016, in Sterling, CO
David Rockstad, Class of 1974, died 12/7/2016, in Williston, ND
Andrew Oyen, Class of 2000, died 12/1/2016, in Bismarck, ND
Dana Ebel, Class of 1997, died 12/22/2016, in Williston, ND
Vernon Russell, Class of 1949, died 7/28/2016, in Bloomington, MN
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