July 7, 2014

What started out as a lunch conversation in Court Administration one day turned into a wonderful tribute to our friend and co-worker Alvin “Danny” Sylvester.    Danny worked with us in detention for ten years before retiring.  Those of us that worked with him knew him as a kind, caring, selfless man that did so much for so many others in his life.  Each day when he came to work at 3:00 pm we would hear his tales of what he had already accomplished that day.

We all wished him well at his retirement party that was one of the best in youth center history.   We knew we had something special in “Mr. Sylvester” and missed his daily presence.    It came as a great shock to us all to hear that, in his retirement, Danny had come down with what was eventually diagnosed as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Our lunch conversation was about how Danny had done so much for so many people in his life and we should really do something for him at his time of need.   Well, that is all it took for our fiscal clerk Marisa Garmon.   She began raising funds and coming up with ideas on what we could to help.   Many of us have kept in touch with Danny since his retirement and Marisa begin speaking to Gayle, Danny’s wife.   We came up with a plan to raise funds to paint their home.   

As Marisa began her fundraising, she approached Eddie Bexley, our maintenance department supervisor who said he may be able to help out with the project.   Eddie was able to enlist his church members from Tanner Williams Assembly of God to paint the Sylvester’s home.   Funds were used to purchase the paint and supplies, with the remaining funds for Danny.   

At the same time that this project was coming together the ALS walk was held on May 3^rd, 2014.   As you can see from the picture there was a huge turnout in support of Danny’s Dream Team.    I was proud to see how many employees from the youth center, both past and present, turned up to show their support for Danny.   

So what started out as a simple lunch conversation turned into a chain of events that connected people together to help a friend and co-worker.  Above all else, the youth center family has always rallied together for good causes but I have never seen such an out pouring of support, love and compassion for one of our own.   This is truly an indication of how so many people will come together to support a man that has had such a significant impact on our lives.

I would like to recognize Ron, Becky, Bobby, Matthew, Lamar, Chip, Eddie, Griffin and Bruce from the Tanner Williams Church of God; Marisa Garmon; and the staff of the Strickland Youth Center for their generous support.  Our fundraiser is over but let’s keeps Danny and his family in our thoughts and prayers.   He is truly one of a kind. 

Submitted by Geoff Tynan