“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” –Joseph Campbell

Donald E. Laster made significant contributions to the Talawanda City Schools’ athletic program not only through his record as an athlete in football and track, but also through encouraging Talawanda athletes in all sports—the records of which efforts are sometimes only found in the hearts and memories of his schoolmates at Talawanda.

Donnie was an asset as a defensive tackle through all four years of his time in the Talawanda football program. And thanks to Donnie’s freshman-year participation on the varsity team, the Class of ’74 is the only class in Talawanda history that can claim participation in three championship wins and one tie in the Mid Miami League Conference.  He also made outstanding efforts in track and field, shining in the discus and shotput events.

Always positive and reassuring, Donnie’s leadership was so respected by his teammates that he was elected to be one of the tri-captains his senior year. But Donnie’s most unique talent was being a constant supporter of all Talawanda athletes during his time there, rooting for his friends and schoolmates in all sports. He was not only found at football games and track meets, but he could also be found cheering on the wrestlers at matches and the players at the basketball games.

While circumstances took Donnie away from Talawanda to the east coast, he continued to display his love of athletics and desire to help others by coaching at many levels of high school football, often as a volunteer receiving no recompense. All while spreading the lore and achievements of Talawanda Athletics. And his professional career corroborates his reputation of supporting others, studying organizational management and working in crisis intervention.

As past, present and future Talawanda champions and fans, we do not want to nurture pride in our school’s athletics program by inducting only those individuals who accumulated noteworthy stats in the past; we want to spread the message to present and future Talawanda athletes, staff members and supporters that athletic contribution is about helping everyone advance, not just ourselves and the members of our own teams.  And in consideration of that definition, Donnie Laster is the paradigm of athletic contribution at Talawanda.

Given that so many of Donnie’s significant contributions were made in off-record constant commitment, please view our above statement as documentation. We are honored to rally and unite behind Donnie as he rallied and united all of us at Talawanda. We, the undersigned, request, endorse, and plead the committee to elect Donnie to The Talawanda Athletic Hall of Fame.