April 3, 2008
This is the speech that was given at the dedication of a basketball court in the City of Chandler under Scott's name:

Good Afternoon Everyone, Thank you for coming…..

Today, we gather at a basketball court that exists because of the drive, vision, and perseverance of Scott Detherage, Housing Youth Program Coordinator. This location is one of our four family public housing sites. Many of the families that live in Public Housing lack financial resources and most families consist of single parents. It's sad to say, but some of our families are dysfunctional, disadvantaged and lack many parenting skills. Within our housing programs we offer some supportive service programs to help families to become self-sufficient. One of our key support programs is our Public Housing Youth program. Scott Detherage worked in, and eventually directed Chandler's Youth program in Public Housing.

Under Scott's direction, our after school programs offered a wide range of activities with a tendency toward athletics. Over the years, 1000's of kids participated in football, basketball, softball, soccer and swimming. Many youth had the opportunity to watch the Cardinals, the Diamondbacks, and the Suns play. Many more had the opportunity to participate in sports camps. Scott took the kids on field trips to Payson and Tucson to hike and in the winter went snow tubing in Strawberry. Some kids got the opportunity to see the Circus, Ice Capades, and other cultural events. Scott was particularly proud of CHAMPS camp that taught kids the lesson of teamwork and leadership, commitment and sportsmanship.

Scott wanted every child to participate in our programs. Many times Scott went door to door getting parents to sign permission slip, or getting kids ready for practice, taking them to practice, or registering our youth for camps. There were reading programs, poster competitions, break dancing, day camps, skating parties among others. Scott was involved in it all.

Scott was a surrogate father to almost every child in Public Housing. He knew their names… he knew their families. He made a significant difference in the lives of the people he touched. He was a mentor, a motivator, a coach, a cheerleader, a teacher, and most importantly…someone who cared. He was selfless and many times took it upon himself to help others over come obstacles in life to become successful.

I was recently asked if Scott came from a disadvantaged background. I said a far as I knew; Scott came from a pretty typical middle class family. Do you want to know a secret? The Detherage family is far from typical. Over the years, the Detherage family has consistently and quietly supported our Public Housing Programs. At the beginning of the School Year, they have financially or otherwise supported the gift of clothing and school supplies for kids. They have made sure that our public housing families have had a nice Thanksgiving dinner. For Christmas they have adopted families to ensure they have a joyful Christmas with gifts under the tree. Without fanfare or recognition, the Detherage parent families have supported our programs.
That says a lot. While it doesn't explain why Scott was so special, it does show what having good parents can do toward playing a positive role in making a difference.

Scott was a competitor. He liked to win. Let me repeat that… Scott liked to win. His sports teams were always competitive and well disciplined. Scott believed that if you could teach a child to be successful in sports and other non-traditional curriculum that success on the field or court would translate also into academics. While Scott and our staff were great coaches, I think one of Scott's most endearing qualities, was that of a parent/cheerleader. Scott was always going to games to watch "his Housing Youth kids" play. He always wished that other parents would attend and watch their kids play, but if they didn't, they always had Scott in the stands, or more often on the sidelines cheering and recognizing their efforts and achievements. I know when I was growing up and playing sports that winning the game was important, but having my parents and family there was even more important.

Scott was special. He had charisma. He was just someone that you wanted to be around and associate with. Scott had the ability to make everyone he met feel special and like you were his buddy. He knew your name, remembered your family members name and took an interest in what was going on in your life. He always took the time to say hello in the hallway, but rather than just say hello and walk on by, like most of us do, he stopped to chat and really see how you were doing.

When Scott's medical condition got to the point were he was unable to return to work we had a retirement recognition party for Scott. It was pretty much your typical retirement event where we had cake, punch, people said nice things about Scott and we gave him a plaque and other gifts. Once we had finished Scott, in typical Scott fashion, had a few words to say. Scott said that he was appreciative of our recognition of him and the gifts. He went on to advise us of what a great City that we worked for and the nice benefits that we had. But what he said next, just kind of blew me away. I'm paraphrasing, but Scott said that the medical battle that he had waged over the last year is not something that he would change. Because of his illness, it had afforded him the opportunity to spend more time with his family, Carmen and particularly his children Steffen and Kaylee. Without this life-changing event, he would not have been able to be involved to the extent that he was to help in raising his children. Talk about turning lemons into lemonade. Unbelievable!
Scott's leadership, optimism and can-do attitude are examples for all of us. Scott took a great deal of care, passion and pride in his work. He was a family man who loved to talk about his wife and children and share the fun they had together.”

At a glance, Scott Detherage's life was like many others. Those who knew Scott understood that he was a man who took normal activities and did them bigger and better than most.
Scott gave of himself, never seeking praise or recognition. Scott was a tireless worker for the youth of the Public Housing Program and through that work he created an unbelievably large extended family. Scott practiced and believed that given the opportunity any individual, provided with a sense of belonging, would grow from an individual to family to friends and neighborhood; a sense of belonging that then ripples outwards again from work, school, church and community and eventually outwards far beyond our city to define our nation and country as a society.
So this 3rd day of April, 2008 we recognize and celebrate Scott Detherage, a person that believed he could inspire other young lives by showing them their potential. He truly cared for our public housing youth in a positive, nonjudgemental and uplifting way. Bit by bit, child by child, Scott used sports and recreaation to change our public housing neighborhoods into a place of hope, solely because he believe it was possible.

Scott, like other "change makers" made a commitment to change and service to others. As Martin Luther King's words say, everybody can be great because everyone can serve. Scott served.
By dedicating this basketball court and multipurpose room in Scott's name we are celebrating Scott's life and the contributions he has made to our community. It is my hope that this participative sports mememorial, is used, respected, and reflected upon and will encourage many more of us to understand that we can make a difference in peoples lives, like Scott has done. We each can contribute toward building the "good society" where each of us asks what we can give and how we all can make a difference.

On behalf of the community of the City of Chandler, Housing Programs I want to thank Scott Detherage, and his extended family for enriching each of our lives and the lives of those that Scott touched in his 13 years of service to the Public Housing Youth Programs.