Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Davie Community Foundation congratulates the three winners of the Diana Springer Scholarship – Daisy Espinoza, Maddie Kulis and Riley Little.

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2022, ten Davie County high school seniors put their names in a bucket for the luck of the draw as required by the will of David Springer. Parents and students waited as trustee, Diane Foster, gave the history of the scholarship.

An alternate, Owen Fender, was drawn if any of the three recipients choose not to attend UNC Chapel Hill.

The Diana Springer Scholarship is awarded to students accepted to UNC Chapel Hill in the first round. The scholarship covers tuition and fees for four years.

David left the scholarship in his will as a tribute to his wife, but the Diana Springer Scholarship is a gift from David and Diana Springer to graduates who attend UNC Chapel Hill.

The Springer’s met in Australia while serving in the military. He enlisted in the Coast Guard, and she happened to be one of the military drivers who met his entourage. After a year of courtship, the couple married in the Philippines where David was stationed. A

fter many travels and adventures, the Springer’s landed in Winston-Salem. They purchased 100 acres of land in nearby Farmington for Diana to start a business breeding Shorthorn cattle.

The success of this endeavor led to the couple’s purchase of Point Farm, a 400-acre tract where the Big Yadkin and the South Yadkin rivers meet.

Throughout her life, Diana continued to expand her cattle operation and was often seen on horseback wearing her outback hat with two dogs in tow.

For Diana’s 80th birthday, David gave her a bulldozer to clear more land for pasture.

Scholarship trustee, Diane Foster, spent 20 years of friendship getting to know the Springers.

“In listening to their story, I gained a deep respect for two people who were adventuresome, daring to be the individuals they were meant to be, and loving life and each other to the fullest,” said Foster.

The Springer’s had no children.

“So, you, the recipients of this gift, are the children of their ideals and love of life. You should not just be educated, but love learning and never be afraid to change directions when you are on the wrong path.”

The foundation congratulates all the Davie students accepted in the first round at UNC Chapel Hill.