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Don was a kind, caring, generous person whom we lost way too soon, but one of the things about Don that we don't want to lose is his youthful enthusiasm for life, sports and having fun. Don was especially happy when he could share his joy of sports or other hobbies with everyone around him.
In order to carry that spirit forward and to honor his memory, Don's family has created a scholarship fund that will go to the South City YMCA for their summer camp program each year. This fund will allow children who would otherwise not be able to go to a sports camp or other camp the opportunity to attend. That way these kids can experience the joy of finding a new talent or getting better at something they already enjoy while making new friends along the way.
Note: You can also donate to Don's Scholarship Fund via the YMCA Giving Page (click on Theresa Yorker) for the donations to be made directly to the YMCA making them eligible for employer gift matching and tax deductions (updated for Summer 2026):
2025 Update: We are again very grateful for the many donors and to the Megan Ann Mahon Memorial Fund whose combined generosity of $4,028 allowed us to award summer camp scholarships to sixteen kids ages 5-13 to attend one or more of these camps: Aquatics, Arts/Humanities, Rangers, Sports, and Traditional Camp. We were also able to help all the campers with cold treats and a science program from Mad Science. We were invited to visit with the campers at their Hometown Heroes Event in July along with area first responders. Here is the link to the video from the 2025 Hometown Heroes Event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqBLiFF7H1w
2024 Update: Thanks to the generous donations, and again to the Megan Ann Mahon Memorial Fund, we were able to help the YMCA award $2304 in scholarships for nine boys and girls ages 6-11 to attend Traditional, Sports, Aquatics, and Arts/Humanities Camps! We were also invited to visit with the campers at their Hometown Heroes Events along with area first responders. Here is the link to the video from the 2024 Hometown Heroes Event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R1Mc5rkwQI
2023 Update: Due to the generosity of many friends, family, and neighbors and especially to the Megan Ann Mahon Memorial Fund, we were able to donate $2313 to the South City YMCA. These funds allowed eight boys and girls ages 5-13 to attend Aquatics, Traditional, and Art/Humanities Camps. We were also invited to attend the Hometown Heroes Event in July where we talked to the campers and met three of the scholarship recipients. Don's scholarship fund was recognized again with a banner displayed in the South City YMCA lobby. Thank you for your continued support! Here is the link to the video from the 2023 Hometown Heroes Event: https://youtu.be/L_9us2AJHEU
2022 End-of-Season Update: Thank you to the many donors who allowed us to donate over $1500 to the South City YMCA. This was divided evenly among seven boys and girls, ages 5-10, allowing them to attend the Traditional Camp, Arts & Humanities Camp or Affton Camp Cougar (extended camp care) Programs. We were also invited to attend the Hometown Heroes Event in August where we talked to the campers and met two of the scholarship recipients. Don's scholarship fund was recognized again with a banner displayed in the South City YMCA lobby this year.
2021 End of Season Update: Due to many generous donations, we were able to contribute $2,000 this year to the South City YMCA directly impacting six children ages 5-13 so they could attend anywhere from 1-11 weeks of camp. Their financial need ranged from $30 to $440 and the kids were in a variety of camps including the traditional camp, aquatics camp, sports camp, and Outdoor Rangers camp. In appreciation, the YMCA invited me and Don's mother to their Hometown Heroes Camp Event at the end of July and they paid tribute to Don, as well as the first responders in attendance. We also had the opportunity to meet a few of the scholarship recipients. The Y put together a short video of the event https://youtu.be/YXEYtce2vN0 In addition, the scholarship fund was recognized with a banner that will be displayed in the lobby of the South City YMCA throughout this year. Thank you for your kindness! We are looking forward to being able to help more children attend summer camp next year.
