Dancing Like Dennis
November 25th would have been Dennis Lin's thirtieth birthday if he had hadn't died last September from the complications of Prader Willi, a genetic illness Dennis battled all of his life. But that didn't prevent Dennis' friends and family from coming together to celebrate him. After all, Dennis had always loved parties and his contagious joy was known for its ability to eclipse almost any obstacle.
Shortly after Dennis' well-attended memorial service last fall, I was contacted by three people who had been close to Dennis during his time at CCHS: Joe Hehm, a retired earth science teacher who asked Dennis to be his teaching assistant, Thomas Keane, Director of Pathways, the alternative education program Dennis had attended at CCHS and Celeste Hall, a fellow 2010 CCHS graduate and a friend whose entire family had also come to love Dennis. Joe, Tom and Celeste wanted to find a way to honor and remember "one of the brightest lights in our school and our community" who was truly "a friend to all".
The day after Thanksgiving last year, Joe, Tom, Celeste and I gathered with Dennis' parents, Officer Scott Camilleri, the resource officer at CCHS, who continued to offer Dennis rides whenever he saw him in town and Pat and Jane Fleming, long-time members of WCUC and Sunday Fellowship who know all too well about life with Prader Willi. Although it took almost a year to determine how best to honor Dennis, it was within this group that the Dennis Lin Fund first began to take shape and eventually inspired an anonymous donor to match all funds raised up to $6000!
The mission of the Dennis Lin Fund is to provide financial support for the continued development of Sunday Fellowship and ministries like it so that more adults with disabilities can enjoy the kind of heart-warming, fun-producing and spiritually inspiring community Dennis enjoyed so much.As of 11/27 the Dennis Lin Fund has raised over $4300 and there is still plenty of time to reach our $6k goal! Donations can be given online here or mailed to West Concord Union Church (memo: Dennis Lin Fund) until December 31st.
« Bring Forth: Celebration
A Special Thank You »