My Buddy Todd Day of Service
May 18, 2004

Here are some of the wonderful things people did in their own communities in honor of Todd on his 28th birthday.

Marie Reilly volunteered with Project Sunshine at the New York Foundling Hospital, working with developmentally disabled children.

Dee Desara helped cook dinner for the overflow homeless shelter at Central Unitarian Church in Paramus, New Jersey.

Lisa di Prima held a wood sculpture extravaganza at the Nystrom school in Berkeley, California, which serves underprivileged children.

Jan Logozzo visited an assisted living/skilled nursing facility near her home in Niantic, Connecticut, and offered to visit with residents who get few or no visitors.

Sandy McGarry in River Edge, New Jersey, cooked and delivered a dinner so that a parent caregiver could have a rest and drove a partially blind woman to a “celebration of a life,” which she otherwise would not have been able to attend.

Renee Deslauriers dedicated to Todd all of her volunteer activities during the month of May in her son Lucas’ school in Saunderstown, Rhode Island: playground cleanup, planting, a yard sale and a wine-tasting fundraiser.

From Jenn Salvo, Long Branch, New Jersey:

James and I both did lessons in our classrooms. James (4th grade) did a great lesson on working through challenges and understanding each other’s differences. He talked about Todd and the challenges he overcame in his elementary school years. Then the class talked about things that are really hard for them to accomplish and used Todd’s success story to help them set goals to try to overcome their challenges.

I did a lesson on a much more primary level since I teach 1st grade! We read a story about heroes. I explained how Todd was my hero and my friend. I talked about how he overcame his fear of going to school when he was younger. We made a list of qualities that heroes have, then each student wrote a short story about his/her own hero.

Faith and Seth Kaufman participated in Mitzvah Day at Temple Beth Rishon in Wyckoff, New Jersey. They helped package clothes and personal hygiene items for families in shelters and made crafts for the children. They also helped plant flowers around the temple grounds.

Bonnie Waldron proctored an exam on a volunteer basis at Boston College.

Evelyn Tari visited two friends in the Andover Nursing Home in Sparta, New Jersey. They talked, watched television, joked around, and remembered Todd and all the others who lost their lives on September 11. Evelyn says she greets each person she sees since they love having company and many residents never have any visitors.

Susan Twiggs helped start a mentoring program called Pathway Partners at her high school in Marshfield, Wisconsin, five years ago, and over 100 volunteers now participate. This year she dedicated her annual Ropes Course field trip, which teaches participants about group efforts and decision-making skills, to Todd.

Susan Mengers was traveling through Spain and on May 18, on a tour bus from Madrid to Spain, she remembered Todd by speaking about him with a couple from England and a woman from Finland.

And to those of you who celebrated Todd’s life in your own special way but are not included here, we thank you most sincerely.