Friends of Patrick Fund |
The Friends of Patrick Nilsen Fund was started in 2000 as a suggestion from Marianne’s brother Tom. It gave people a place to donate money to help cover the expenses that had arisen during the months of the Kidney Transplant. The fund was depleted over those months but the account was never closed. When Patrick became ill will encephalitis in October of 2005, the fund became used again. The generosity that people showed during his illness and upon his death still overwhelms us. It has been a great lesson in giving and receiving. We were able to establish three gifts because of this. The first is The Patrick Nilsen Memorial Tuition Fund at Bergen Catholic High School. Bergen was very supportive of our family during the eight years our sons attended. We wanted to give something back as well as establish a lasting memorial to Patrick. It was started with an initial amount. It is endowed funds which will help Bergen Catholic continue on for the second fifty years. Donations can be made directly to Bergen Catholic or to the Patrick Nilsen fund and we will get it to Bergen. Starting this June, there will be a Patrick Nilsen Christian Service Award to a graduation senior from Bergen Catholic who displays attributes of Christian Service. The amount will be for $1500 and we hope to make it an annual gift. Last June, we had more time and we able to start an award at St. Therese School in Cresskill, where Patrick and his brother and sister graduated from. It is also a Patrick Nilsen Christian Service Award given to a graduating student who exhibits Christian Service. The amount differs if the student is attending a Catholic High School to help with the expense Patrick was forced to do altar serving in fourth grade as a way of giving back to the parish for all that we have. From then on, it was all his own choice. His decisions to teach Confirmation, Coach Basketball, Chair the Basketball Program, become a Eucharistic Minister at Bergen Catholic, Seton Hall University and St. Therese Parish, spend a week on a Navajo reservation and attend a Focus conference in Denver his freshman year at college, were all his own choices which we were proud and please to support. We hope we can continue his spirit by these gifts. Thank you all for making this possible for us to do. Contributions are made to Patrick Nilsen Fund and letters will recognize your donation for tax purposes With deepest gratitude, Norm and Marianne |
Please address your check as follows: "Friends of Patrick Nilsen"
Please place the letters FOP on the back of the envelope. Thank you for all of your help and support during this time. We have learned over the years that it is indeed true that it takes a village to raise a child and no time is that more true than when physical health is challenged.
Thank you for being part of our village! Marianne and Norm |