U.S. Marine Bret Poklar's Family Creates Scholarship in His Memory

Susan Poklar figures establishing a scholarship fund for others is the only thing to do nearly six months after the death of her son, U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Bret Michael Poklar.

"Bret was our world," she said. "He was everything to us. We don't know what to do with ourselves. We said, 'let's do this and see if we can help somebody who loves sports as much as Bret did.'"

Bret died Feb. 28 from injuries sustained during a fall from a tower in North Carolina while working as an air traffic controller for the U.S. Marines. He attended Lake Catholic High School before moving to California, where he graduated from Maria Carrillo High School in Santa Rosa.

The family is hosting a scholarship benefit in his memory from 2 to 10 p.m. Sept. 21 at East Island Marina in Eastlake. Proceeds from the event will go two toward scholarships for a male and female student athlete from Lake County or the surrounding area.

"Growing up as an only child, I never knew what it was like to have a blood brother/sister. Bret was the closet thing I had to that," Ashley Ours, a Mentor resident and cousin of Bret, wrote in an email.

"I believe athletes who work hard, not only physically but academically, deserve a scholarship to a school of their choice ... Bret would be absolutely honored by this scholarship in his memory."

Along with Susan, Bret's father, Terry, and brother, Jesse Selby, are among the family members organizing the scholarship fund. They will select the beneficiaries following the event.

The event will include food, drinks and prizes. Tickets cost $50 and $35 for high school and college students. Susan said the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, local attorney Tim Misny and Burgers -N- Beer are among the people and businesses donating to the food, merchandise and tickets to the cause.

Bret was a star baseball player at Lake Catholic and once led a Willoughby Football League team to a national championship as a 12-year-old. Susan said organizing the benefit to help a student athlete go to college is a bright spot of what remains a trying time.

"It's the only thing that keeps me going right now because every day is a bad day," Susan said. "I want to get together with all his friends and hear stories.

"It's such a void and we just wanted to do something now."

To contribute to the scholarship fund or learn more about the benefit event, call Susan at 702-624-9869; Terry at 440-342-1613; or Jesse at 440-342-5903.

Tickets can be picked up at Burgers -N- Beer in Downtown Willoughby.