Lockport, N.Y. (WBEN) - It was a hot, but perfect opening tee time for golfers and others taking part in the inaugural Lt. Aaron Salter Memorial Scholarship Celebrity Golf Tournament at the Lockport Town and Country Club.
Monday's golf tournament and gala was held to honor the life of Buffalo Police Lt. Aaron Salter, and kick-off fundraising efforts for a scholarship in his name. A total of 10 scholarships will be given to kids located in Buffalo who meet the established criteria and represent high ethics, morals and civic duty.
Salter served as a Buffalo Police Officer for three decades, then worked as a security guard at the Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue after he retired from the force.
On the day Salter was killed during the mass shooting on May 14, the 55-year-old was outside when the shooting began before re-entering the store to try and help others. Salter was able to exchange gunfire with the shooter, but was unable to cause damage due to the tactical armor the gunman was wearing.
Despite losing his life, Salter was seen as a hero that saved many more lives that afternoon in the East Buffalo community.
"We wanted to get something that would continue his legacy. Aaron was a hero," said Earl Perrin, Jr., President of the Board of Directors for the Lt. Aaron Salter Memorial Scholarship. "Because of his heroism, there's a young girl that was a college student at Canisius College that was able to get away. ... Those are the type of reasons that we decided to create a scholarship in his name, because we wanted that legacy of hard work, community service, civic mindedness to continue on, and we figured what better way to do it than by having a scholarship to try to lift some young kids up and teach them the right way."
It was Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame pass rusher Bruce Smith who hosted Monday's event in Lockport, as he says it was all about supporting the community when putting this golf tournament and gala together.
"Some of the earliest lessons that I learned in life was from my father, where he talked about, 'There's good people in the world, there's bad people in the world, and there's evil people in the world.' As a result of that, I learned the lessons of love, I learned the lessons of hate, and it takes a lot more energy to hate someone than it does to love someone," said Smith ahead of Monday's tournament. "We want to show our love and commitment to the East Side of Buffalo. 5/14 cannot be a day that is just an afterthought. It has to be a conscious thought, a constant thought to keep strengthening this community, to provide this legacy of this hero, Aaron Salter Jr., Lt. Aaron Salter Jr. That's why we're here today. It was a collective effort by these men that you see here, and I'm just happy to be a part of it."
"When they first started this, I always told Bruce, 'You know what, if you want to go ahead and do this then start, because I'm doing enough stuff in Buffalo right now. I wouldn't have time [to do this myself]. And it gives you an opportunity to come back here and to lead this off, and to be part of this, I'm fine with that,'" said Bills Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas, just after teeing off for the morning. "As you can see, Darryl [Talley] coming back and Leonard Smith, and obviously Jim [Kelly] lives here. So it's great that Bruce is doing this, and hope we can keep doing it for a number of years. That's what it's going to take to get this neighborhood back up."
Also in attendance for Monday's golf tournament included Steve Tasker, while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was set to make an appearance at the gala on Monday night in Niagara Falls.
Smith was among the Bills Legends that were in Buffalo shortly after the May 14th shooting took place, and was visibly emotional as he visited the site. He later visited the makeshift mobile Tops location, helping distribute goods with other notable Bills and Sabres Alumni.
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As soon as Smith had heard about the efforts with the Lt. Aaron Salter Memorial Scholarship, he immediately stepped in, looking to help anyway he could.
"We believe in the rule of exponents, that if we can help one, then they help one and then it spreads. Buffalo is the 'City of Good Neighbors.' This is why Bruce stepped up. He's not even a native, but he picked up on the spirit of Buffalo," Perrin said. "I met with him and we talked over what he wanted to do. He wanted to make a change, not just the scholarship portion, but the community. So when you ask him about community, we're lightyears ahead of you. We're trying to make this an all-inclusive, all-around organization that has community services for mentoring."
In addition to Smith stepping up to help the cause, Duane Paddock - President of Paddock Chevrolet - also contributed with a $100,000 donation to the scholarship that will go a long ways towards the future of many young adults in Buffalo.
"Honestly, I went to [Erie County] Sheriff [John Garcia] and I said, 'Listen, I really want to do something, I want to be involved in something, I want to support it.' The Sheriff had brought up this foundation... It was a perfect fit, because we want to be able to have an impact on our youth as they grow older in the memory of Aaron Salter. That's so very important," said Paddock on Monday. "These kids have to realize that they have an opportunity beyond what they may think in their own minds. We have to show them that there's more opportunities that are out there for them. To be a part of this, a small part, but it's a start, and this is what we need to grow on. I'm just proud to be able to be a part of it, a small part of it."
When Perrin and Smith approached the Salter family with the idea for not only the scholarship but also the golf tournament and gala, they were in full support of the cause.
"Kim, [Aaron's] wife; you can imagine she's still having some tough times. It may seem like years ago to everybody else, but it's like yesterday to her. We spoke with her Saturday and she was going to try to make it, but anytime we have these events it kind of brings it fresh and new in her mind. She's still going through it," Perrin said. "See, people forget about, she's still fighting the fight. We're here, but she's still fighting the fight. It's not over for her. So they're here, we have her son-in-law here, his and her daughter will be at the Gala as well to show their support for us, because they believe in this."
Going forward, the plan is to continue on with an annual golf tournament and gala in honor of Salter, while also raising money for the scholarship on a yearly basis. It is the sentiment of many taking part to never forget what happened in Buffalo on May 14, while also honoring the victims and educating the future of the Western New York community.
"Now that the national media is gone, now that some of the national leaders that have come to pay their respects and pray for the families are gone, here we are. We plan on being here to support Aaron Salter Jr.'s legacy, supporting his scholarship fund, because the first way we can help change the community is through education," Smith said. "I'm just so happy to be a part of this, along with these men that have put this golf tournament, this scholarship and this night's Gala and making it a reality."
Hear more from Monday's celebrity golf tournament available in the player below:
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