Hello Rod & Desma,

 

Once again, I have the honor of providing you with the pictures of our award winner.  Mark Parrell is indeed a very deserving recipient.  You and Desma should be proud of Mark and I’m sure that in more ways than one, Mark emulates those wonderful characteristics of Matthew that you both enjoyed for such a short time.  I hope knowing that Matthew’s spirit lives on in people like Mark might help you and Desma in some small way.  Mark and his family were bursting with pride as we presented the award to him.  He accepts it with pride and humility.

 

Thanks so much, Aubrey

Hi Rod…the ceremony went very well; it was very emotional as you can appreciate.  I was keeping my eye on the winner as I was reading the criteria to the audience and then I continued to do so as Mrs. Porter announced the winner’s name and described a bit about how Robyn deserved the award.  There was not a dry eye in the house I assure you.  I watched a young eleven year old girl suddenly grow ten feet tall and towered over us like a giant as her self-esteem and pride rose to levels never seen before.

 

Robyn’s father remarked to me after the ceremony was over that he was reflecting upon the criteria that you and Desma had selected for the award and thought to himself, “yeah, that fits Robyn for sure!” never expecting that her name would be called.  He also concurred with what you had said about how extra-hard Matthew and others like him had to work to succeed – again, he felt this was an apt description of Robyn.  Both of Robyn’s parents were bursting with pride as she accepted her award. Aubrey