Saying thank you.

During his abbreviated high school career, Joey Hekkema loved being a drummer in the Mona Shores Marching Band. When he passed away six years ago, his family and friends created the Joey Hekkema Memorial Fund to help other Mona Shores band students.

Recently, we received an online gift from Kennedy Berry, a 2016 graduate, with this message:  “I was so blessed to be one of the recipients of the Joey Hekkema Memorial Scholarship my senior year of high school. I’ve been working hard and saving my own money to be able to contribute to this memorial. I will never forget Joey, seeing as he was only a year ahead of me in school. I am so proud of this memorial and scholarship. Thank you.”

Ruth, Joey’s mom, said it made her day to hear of someone showing their appreciation for the fund. She’d been missing Joey more than usual, and “knowing this student has never forgotten Joey and is grateful for the scholarship is so healing.”

Through Joey’s fund, each of these women experienced the joys of both giving and receiving. We share in that as well. It really is an honor for the Foundation to play a role in the keeping of a legacy.

You can give to Joey’s fund or any of the 860+ others that people have created to support the things they love in Muskegon County. Or contact us to start a fund of your own.