The scholarship was founded to honor Don Jakeway, a life-long resident of Johnstown, Ohio. Mr. Jakeway was a highly decorated World War II paratrooper who earned four Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts along with numerous foreign decorations. Don parachuted behind the lines into Normandy the night before D-Day and later fought in both Holland and the Battle of the Bulge, when he was wounded. He returned to Johnstown in August 1945 to a life that revolved around his community and his wife, Rene. He became involved in his community through Kiwanis, Village Council, and the athletic boosters, is credited by the community for bringing youth baseball to Johnstown, and was honored in 2008 as a local hero. According to a Columbus Dispatch article from that year, Mr. Jakeway is quoted as saying, “I’ve traveled all over the world. And I can tell you there is no more beautiful place than Johnstown, Ohio, because of the people.”