A Life Lived by the Auburn Creed
September 30, 2020 - The 2020 Poultry Festival is upon us. Although the venue this year will be different, there will be one constant you can count on. Renamed in 2018 to honor his legacy as a leader in the Center Noon Lions Club, the Danny Foster Memorial Fundraiser is once again raffling off a vehicle and raising funds to give back to the local community. This year it is a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado Ext Cab Pickup to be given away on Saturday, October 3, 2020.
Over the last 30 years, the Center Noon Lions Club has raised and donated over $1 million to community projects. Dr. Alison Foster expresses, “I am proud my dad, Danny Foster, was a strong part of this annual fundraiser. My Dad lived life to the fullest, driven by his beloved Auburn Creed to be the best person possible. I wanted to share who is he was with those who may not have had the opportunity to know him, and to perhaps shed light on the role he played as the ‘truck guy.’”
The Auburn Creed followed by Danny’s life experiences told by his daughter.
“I believe that this is a practical world and that I can count only on what I earn. Therefore, I believe in work, hard work.
I believe in education, which gives me the knowledge to work wisely and trains my mind and my hands to work skillfully.”
When my Dad was 13, he was burned in a house fire over 45% of his body. He was told he would never walk again and never play sports again. Dad put in a lot of hard work to not only walk again, but he also played high school football and marched in the band. His hard work earned him a scholarship to Auburn University. He graduated in 1980 with a degree in Business. He marched in the Auburn University Marching Band from 1975-1979, a legacy that both my son Austin and I followed.
“I believe in honesty and truthfulness, without which I cannot win the respect and confidence of my fellow men.”
My Dad always told me growing up the only thing you can count on in life is your name: your character means more than many other aspects of you. I do not think I really understood this until I was older, but it is true. Maintaining integrity, respect and honesty made my Dad not only a great person, but an excellent salesman. Dad worked as a wood importer for Ihlo Sales and Import in Center for 25 years being promoted to Vice-President in 2003.
“I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.”
If you knew my dad, you were sure to be highly entertained. From interesting stories (yes, he did work one summer in a butter factory) to his knack for telling a great joke (Boudreaux and Thibodaux jokes are not quite the same anymore), my dad was always fun. Listening to him call the raffle tickets and tell jokes at the festival was always a treat. My brother Matt and I delighted in writing weird names to hear him try to read them (if you heard him call “Shamalamadingdong, you are a loser,” that was us).
He also never knew a stranger. I consider his ability to connect with anyone at any time his “human touch.” We moved to Center in 1993, and my dad was quick to make friends and learn what he could do to give back to the local community. His kind heart led him to the Center Noon Lions Club.
“I believe in my Country, because it is a land of freedom and because it is my own home, and that I can best serve that country by "doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God."
And because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and love it.”
The annual fundraiser was renamed after my dad, Danny Foster, in 2018 in his memory. His unexpected passing after the 2017 East Texas Poultry Festival was a huge blow to our family and the Center community. We are so glad and appreciative to the Center Noon Lions Club when they chose to honor his legacy of being “the truck guy.”
The Auburn Creed (http://www.auburn.edu/main/welcome/creed.php)
I believe that this is a practical world and that I can count only on what I earn. Therefore, I believe in work, hard work.
I believe in education, which gives me the knowledge to work wisely and trains my mind and my hands to work skillfully.
I believe in honesty and truthfulness, without which I cannot win the respect and confidence of my fellow men.
I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body and a spirit that is not afraid, and in clean sports that develop these qualities.
I believe in obedience to law because it protects the rights of all.
I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.
I believe in my Country, because it is a land of freedom and because it is my own home, and that I can best serve that country by "doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God."
And because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and love it.
-George Petrie (1943)
