The Amy and Lisa Fund

We decided that we would use these funds to contribute something back to the Ann Arbor community that has been so helpful and supportive of us during this time.

Those of you who knew Amy knew that reading was one of her main loves in life. We considered ways in which we might remember and honor her in relation to that subject. We purchased a reading island which is currently in the library at Eberwhite school. We provided each child in Amy's class with gift certificates for the annual book fair so they could have just a little bit more spending money when they were choosing the books they wanted to read.

With the Ann Arbor District Library, we developed the Amy Fedel Reading Program the first round of which was presented in 2000.This program provides books and supporting materials for libraries, schools, churches to use to encourage kids to read books about people who took responsibility for their lives.

We will want to solicit ideas and also aid from local businesses which might have ideas or suggestions on literacy programs we may be able to interact with in a way to that reflects Amy's love of reading and helps the Ann Arbor community in general.

Amy was also aware of substance abuse issues from an early age (age 3 when she saw a man stumbling about in a San Francisco BART station and asked us what was wrong with him?). Part of the legacy we envision for her will involve awareness programs and our involvement in promoting legislative changes to try and protect her friends and other Ann Arbor (and Michigan) children from anything like this happening in the future. We may not be able to prevent it from ever happening, but maybe we can make it happen one less time. That will be worth the effort.

Finally, Amy was a musical kid. Every night, we'd play bedtime songs and she'd sing along, sometimes making up verses when we were swapping songs. We have some very premature ideas about annual concerts both in Ann Arbor and Petoskey.

I hope that gives you some idea of the things we think about when we look at the Amy and Lisa Fund and our lives and the future of Ann Arbor and our part in it.

- Mike Fedel