(VOXtra) - The voice over community lost a great talent and friend on January 7 - and a wife lost a dear husband.

Brad Venable (pictured) passed away too young, at age 43.

For days on social media, friends talked about the man with a "big heart" ... "a sweetheart who would help you with anything you needed" ... and a voice actor of incredible talent, notably in video games, animation and anime.

Brad also enjoyed voice over coaching.

"Brad went to every class and workshop he could, searching for true peers and like-minded individuals," recalls friend Jay Preston. "He always wanted to be better and be around the best."

Jay himself is well-known in voice overs, including as founder of The VoiceOver Collective (VOC).

VOC voice talent/coach Scott Parkin reached out to Jay, along with voice talents Tim Friedlander and Rebecca Davis, with an idea to honor Brad and financially help Brad's wife, Katie.

The idea quickly became The Brad Venable Coaching Scholarship 2021.

The Scholarship receives money as donations that allow entry to a raffle, in which the winner will enjoy 10 hours of voice over coaching from 10 top coaches, who of course, are donating their talents to this cause.

The raffle drawing is next Monday, January 25, 2021.

"All donations will be collected and given to Kathryn Venable," Jay explains.

"This is 10 hours of coaching from 10 of the very best that Brad loved," Jay says, "and will be a massive game changer for whoever wins it.

"And as much as it will mean to the winner and all who donate, it will mean so much more to Katie and Brad's family," he adds.

An initial goal of raising $20,000 was recently reached - the maximum amount allowed at the initial Scholarship site on PayPal - so donations continue to be made at the Scholarship's new GoFundMe® site, where the opportunity to win the amazing prize continues.

To help Brad's family with a Scholarship donation, please click here.

"Every coach is one of the very best that our industry has to offer," says Jay. "They've worked with Brad in one capacity or another ... and jumped at the chance to honor Brad and support his wife, Katie, by donating their time."

The 10 coaches are:

PS: More coaches are invited to join the scholarship, which the founders hope to make an annual program. For details, contact Jay at: Jay@JayPreston.com

And to donate to the scholarship, please click here.