Nelson E. Hopkins Junior was a 17 year-old young man with lots of promise for himself, his family, and our community.  He worked at Anthony’s, he played in a band, and he applied himself at school to where he would have been the salutatorian of his graduating class that spring.

   But on December 1, 2009 he was senselessly murdered while on the Rockhurst campus walking home from the Plaza Library with a college application in his pocket.

   As a result of this tragedy, his family started Operation Promise Land to help other families and neighborhoods try to avoid the pain and suffering they were forced to endure and the Nelson E. Hopkins Scholarship Fund, which provides college scholarships for students at Alta Vista, Nelson Junior’s alma mater.

   Both of these organizations are not-for-profits, which accept tax deductible contributions and are funded by those contributions, as well as charitable events like the Hopkins 5K Run each September at Rockhurst University.

   If you would like to make a contribution, both organizations have accounts at the Commerce Bank at 6100 Troost  Kansas City, Mo  64110. 

   And if you’d like to participate in events or make a contribution of your time, please visit the Operation Promise Land FaceBook page.

   Nelson Junior had every gift but the gift of time.  Your contribution to a fitting legacy of this young man  both honors him and builds a better community for all of us.