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Every once in a while, someone utters words that change history and their impact is felt for generations. John F. Kennedy invited all Americans to "ask not what your country can do for you." Winston Churchill vowed "we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender." Martin Luther King inspired millions when he said "I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But we as a people, will get to the promised land."
And it was Bob Dorn suggesting to his accounting class one day "Let's do a pool."
That was in March of 1988. Thirty years later, the vision of one accounting teacher & football coach, who wanted to do a little gambling with his students, lives on in the Skylark Classic.
Steve Rhoads took control of organizing the pool, and eight of us in the class, along with Mr. Dorn, filled out our brackets. We threw a dollar each into the pot. As the games unfolded, we all intently wanted to win. But everyone noticed that Mr. Dorn seemed especially fixated on the cash prize - nine dollars. We joked that "maybe if he wins, he's going to buy that new Skylark." And the pool had its name.
This is recalled with a smile, but this particular year, it's also recalled with sadness. Bob Dorn passed away last April (2017) at the age of 74. This marks the first Skylark since then. Bob Dorn left many legacies— He was an assistant coach on the Oconomowoc football team of 1987 that went to Camp Randall and the state final. He was a husband and a father. He had a good sense of humor and was easy to relate to. And we're not ashamed to say that we also like the fact he wasn't above trying to win a few bucks from his students. Mr. Dorn, this year's Skylark is for you.
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