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Jersey Poff was a fifth grader at St. Marys.
ST. MARYS - Anyone who has driven through the downtown area has seen scores of pink ribbons and window paintings on local storefronts.
The colorful displays are evidence of the community's support for the Poff family, whose 11-year-old daughter, Jersey Poff, passed away Sept. 3 after a brief illness. The parents have chosen not to disclose the illness.
Poff is survived by parents Alison and Jody, and her siblings Tanner Rutschilling and Morgan, Jada, Roman and River Poff.
"Jersey was an amazing little girl," her father Jody said. "She was very kind, very personable, very loving, probably the best big sister her siblings could ask for."
Jersey was a fifth grader at St. Marys Intermediate School where she was involved in soccer, wrestling, dance, golf, singing and competition diving, according to her obituary. She was also a very active member of the Wayne Street Church.
She loved to give back and always gave without expectation of return, her father said. For example, when officials started raising funds for the All Abilities Park near the splash pad in St. Marys, Jersey ran a lemonade stand in order to raise money for the project.
Kids wear shirts and carry signs in Jersey Poff's favorite color - pink. The shirts encourage others to "live like Jersey."
The community's reaction to her death was nearly instantaneous. Signs in front of businesses and store front windows read "Live like Jersey" and "Love Like Jersey" on pink poster board and pink paint, her favorite color.
"It's been amazingly overwhelming," Jody said. "It makes me feel really proud as a dad because she's not forgotten about. People actually saw her for who she was. I've seen our church grow, and people are actually living up to (the saying) 'Live like Jersey.'"
Rod and Barbara Carpenter were a couple of residents inspired by Jersey. The husband and wife began what they call "mission work" in 2016 and have raised a little over $500,000 for various local nonprofits.
"We did not know the family at all," Rod said. "But when Jersey passed away, I was out on a run and it just kind of laid on my heart that we need to try to do something."
The Carpenters contacted the Poff family, and learned that, in collaboration with the St. Marys Community Fund, the family created the Live Like Jersey Scholarship in her memory.
The family initially planned to donate the money to the All Abilities Park in her memory, but the project was fully funded so they decided to create a scholarship, Rod said.
"She was 11-years-old, a fifth grader, but for a child like that, everything I've read, everyone I've talked to, this girl was absolutely phenomenal and giving," Rod said. "It became kind of a no-brainer for us to get involved in this and try to help the family out with this scholarship."
The Carpenters fundraise for the scholarship online via the Running For Jersey Facebook page. They also pledged to donate a 10% match up to $30,000.
The page is named Running For Jersey because Rod recently ran the Grand Lake Half Marathon in September in honor of Jersey.
Rod solicited donations for the race and carried a photo of Jersey, as well as an American flag during the race that he later gave to her parents.
"Live like Jersey" is on the door of Kristina's Dance Escape on West Spring Street in St. Marys.
The Live Like Jersey Scholarship is available to graduates of St. Marys Memorial High School that plan to attend college. Candidates for the scholarship should be kind, compassionate, generous and selfless, Rod said.
As of last week, the scholarship has raised $31,207.
Apart from the scholarship, Jersey's family and friends plan to continue her legacy through philanthropy.
"We are starting a Live Like Jersey Foundation, which is going to be separate (from the scholarship)," Jody said. "We're not sure of the details, but we have a couple more members and what we're going to do is come up with ways to continue to remember Jersey, and continue to raise awareness."
Local eateries have made it easy to contribute to Jersey's legacy. Buffalo Wild Wings of St. Marys will donate 15% of a customers' total bill to the scholarship when they mention the St. Marys Foundation from 4-9 p.m. Nov. 15 dine in or carry out, and Biggby Coffee of St. Marys and Celina will donate $1 for any drink sold on Nov. 24.
