by Shawn Nowlin
Founded in 2016 by former NFL player and current Roanoke Director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Servants of an Omnipotent, Omniscient, Unchanging Love (SOOUL) Foundation is a faith-based organization that connects all parts of the community through education and service.
The team behind SOOUL consists of Kendrick Gholston, President and Executive Director; Nicole Gholston, Treasurer and Secretary; Karen Sanders, Associate Vice Provost for College Access at Virginia Tech; Bruce Speight Jr., Manager of Social Engagement; Roman Oben, SEC Associate Commissioner for Football; and fellow board member Tamara Davis.
“We look to serve in whatever manner a community may need us to,” its website states. “We encourage, sustain, motivate, and push forward the people that cannot see a future beyond their immediate grasp.”
On May 7, local officials, residents and business owners gathered at the Salem Civic Center for the inaugural Waymaker Honors Dinner. The four individuals honored for making a difference in the community were: entrepreneur Doug Pitzer, Read Mountain teacher Brad Collins, William Byrd Football Coach Brad Lutz and William Fleming Girls’ Basketball Coach Richard Wilson.
It should come as no surprise that each recipient had proud family members and friends present.
In addition to being the founder of Strokes of Genius, LLC., Pitzer is also the President of Blacks in Technology in Southwest Virginia. When Collins graduated from William Byrd High, he was the VHSL all-time leading soccer goal scorer with 120 career goals. At Virginia Tech, he participated in four NCAA Tournaments.
Lutz, who has guided the Terriers Football program since 2019, was nominated for the prestigious Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award three years ago. Battle-tested on the sidelines, Wilson guided the Lady Colonels to a Class 5 State Championship runner-up finish last year. One of his star players, Amari Worsham, will be a freshman at Liberty University this fall.
UVA head football coach Tony Elliott served as the event’s keynote speaker. He emphasized the importance of mentorship beyond athletics to all in attendance.
“At the end of the day, coaching is my job, but it’s not who I am. It’s not where my identity lies. But with my job, there’s a tremendous amount of responsibility,” he said. “Anytime you have an opportunity to give back, especially to pour into the youth that are so desperately seeking guidance and direction, it’s really a blessing.”
Wrote Kendrick on Facebook afterward, “Jesus is faithful…so much prayer and trusting that the Lord would guide and use me to help my community. These men honored are an example of what can happen when people take responsibility in their space.”
