Rich Hyams - Scholarship Fund - UPDATED

[HookdonWDW]

I exchanged messages with Lisa Hyams yesterday, and she shared some information with me, that she has now given me permission to share with the rest of Rich's DISboard "family".

For those of you who were questioning how Rich died, it was related to the aeortic heart valve problems he was treated for four years ago. Since Rich was diagnosed with a heart condition at age 38, he became uninsurable.

Rich and Lisa's daughter Jacqui is in the 11th grade, and the family has set up a scholarship fund for Jacqui's college education. The fund will be controlled by the family.

If you are interested in contributing to the scholarship fund, or want to send a personal message to the family, Lisa asks that you do so through the funeral home. Contributions should be made to: The Jacqueline Hyams Education Fund c/o the Hyams Family.

The address for sending things is:

The Hyams Family
c/o TM Ralph Funeral Home
371 NW136th Street
Sunrise, FL 33325

If you need further information, the phone number for the funeral home is (954)587-6888.

If you will be in the Sunrise area, and would like to attend the memorial, it will be held at the funeral home on Sunday, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm.

The funeral home has assured me that they will continue to forward letters that arrive for the family after Sunday.

Since the logistics of handling a group donation would be very cumbersome and could become a logistical nightmare, donations will be on an individual basis. It would be nice if people would put their DISBoard name with their contribution so the family knows that we are thinking of them during this time.

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

Thank you for taking the time to acquire this information.

I very much would like to contribute. Do you think there is a way we could do one big Dis Contribution?

If not, I'll still send something along personally. I just thought it would be nice if it came from the Dis.

Thank you again for finding this information out.

April

[POOH&PIGLET]

HookdonWDW - thank you for the information.

[wtpclc]

I second the thought of a group DIS donation. With all of the pages of people who miss him, just a little from each of us seems like it'd make a difference!

[mckryan]

I think one donation from the DIS would speak volumes. Just think what $5 from each of us that frequent the DVC board could do for Jacquline's future! I would love to contribute.

[Beca]

I would LOVE to contribute to this fund!!! Do you think the Dis could set something up like that? Do you think they would? If not, I can send them a check, but I would rather it be one unified group from here.

:wave:

Beca

[Muushka]

Ditto for us on the group contribution. I think that is a great idea.

[chris1gill]

Also interested in a group donation here as well... Has anyone emailed a moderator or anything?

[spiceycat]

thank you so much!!!

I don't think the Dis can - they have had other people die here - some were also very special.

So I think this is an individual thing.

Of course we need a moderator to say for sure.

at least now there is a place to send letters and things - someone needs to print out all the Rich things that are going around and send that too....

You can always write on your check - your name here and the dis.....

on the insurance things get me so mad - all of finanical advisiors tell you that you don't need insurance - yea - if you expect to be in perfect health until you die at an old age you don't - the rest of us do - I have insurance since I turn 22 and I intend to kept mind...

I am so sorry Lisa is going thought this!!!

[mckryan]

There are 22 pages of condolences in Rich's thread. If there are 15 messages per page, that's over 330 messages. If each person that posted sent $5 or $10, we could contribute over $2500 to Jacqueline's education fund. That's one lunch out or a cup of fancy coffee! I know we all can spare that much to help out a young lady that just lost her father and lift a small burden off a wife that just lost her husband. I know I will be sending in a check this week, and I hope everyone here will do the same.

[wtpclc]

I just e-mailed WebmasterPete regarding DIS participation. If he does not post here, I'll let you know what he says.

[HookdonWDW]

Doc is already aware of this issue, and is investigating it. I was waiting to respond until he had a chance to come up with an answer.

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

Maybe we could contribute through PayPal to WebmasterPete or Doc and then they could take the funds and convert it into a check.

Just a thought.


Thanks,
April

[TeresaNJ]

I will gladly contribute to this. Looking forward to hearing more as to whether we should send individual checks.

[kristielee]

Ditto on the contribution. I'd be more than happy to give. I love the idea of a group contribution and will participate in any way

[Mickmse2002]

Same here.

[mikesmom]

Ditto.

[Miss Jane]

Count me in

[jennymouse]

You can count me in too. I'll keep an eye out for a group donation thing, but if not, I'll send a check to Florida. You know this will mean so much to that family.

[JCW]

I am in too. I will keep watch to see if the Dis does one larger contribution. If not, I will send a separate donation.

Thank you for the information.

[jade1]

Just mailed a check to the fund today, should have waited maybe. Oh well.

May Rich's path to Heaven be as short as the halls at OKW.

[kingbilly]

Count me in as well.

[elgerber]

Count me in too.

Erika

[eva]

Count me in!

[disgirl]

Count me in too.

Patty

[WithDisneySpirit]

Just waiting to hear if I should send an individual check or contribute to the group fund::yes::

Lisa:sunny:

[chris1gill]

I got a message back from Pete that it was okay to do something from the Board, but it sounded like they were working on a plan.... I don't know any more than that... Sounds great to me though, whatever is planned....

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

I'm in too. I'll check this thread for a day or so, and then send my check to the funeral home directly.

[diskat]

count me in.

[lillasmom]

I'll stay tuned...:rolleyes1

[Bexx]

If needs be, can I send some money to someone who has a Paypal account, which they can then add on to their check?

[BarbR-Atlanta]

Count the Reardon family from Atlanta in. Just waiting to hear how we are proceeding....

[HookdonWDW]

Thanks so much to those who have already read and replied to this thread. I know that the contributions that members of the DISBoard family make to the scholarship fund will be deeply appreciated.

After much thought, and many conversations with different people, it has been decided that it would be best if people made individual contributions, and/or signed the online guestbook. The logistics of keeping track of all of the donations - even with the advent of Paypal could be a logistical nightmare. Individual donations will be quicker and easier in the long run.

[goofy4tink]

Thanks for letting us know. We're in too!! He shared way too much to let this pass.

[JimC]

Great idea. Thanks for getting the necessary information.

[DisneyMeMa]

Thanks for the addtional information, HookdonWDW. With your help, my note and contribution are ready to be mailed.

[jaysue]

Count us in too.....

Awaiting any group instructions

Thanks
Jason & Susan "jaysue"

[AdventurerKat]

I would also like to contribute and will check this board for information.

[JudyS]

I think contributing to the scholarship fund is a wonderful gesture.

I suspect there are many people here who would like to chip in a little something, even though they never met Rich in person. However, they feel awkward about sending a check for only $5 or $10. So, I'm concerned that if there is no way to do a joint contribution, many people will just not contribute at all.

I propose that some active person on the board use their own paypal account to accumulate a contribution that will be sent to the scholarship fund. I personally would have no trouble trusting a member of the "DIS family" to forward my contribution. However, for those who might be concerned, there are various ways to make sure that the money goes where it is intended. For example, a second active member here could be given permission to look at the paypal account and see how much was donated, and check with the family to make sure that they received the proper amount.

I am not that active here, so I don't think I'd be an appropriate person to collect the money. But, I hope a volunteer steps forward.

[ReneeQ]

I posted this last night on the "In Memoriam" Post, but got no response. Then I saw this thread was "updated," so thought maybe there was new information about sending donations, but that's not what it was. So I'm putting my original post here also:

I'm not sure exactly where to post this, with all the threads on Rich being consolidated into one. I sent a card and a donation to the address in Doc's post. It came back to me today with "Return to Sender, Undeliverable as addressed, unable to forward."

I mailed it on 9/10 and it is postmarked in Fort Lauderdale on 9/14. I double checked the address and I have it EXACTLY as Doc has it posted.

Did this happen to anyone else?

[klmnluvdis]

hi all
this is rich's sister lori...
let me just start off by saying THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!
I did check the info and what is posted is correct...
I will check on mon to make sure.. I hope this not happening to everyone please let me know..thank you:eek:

[Richyams]

...and I've heard from several people that they've had trouble sending to the funeral home address (returned to sender, etc).

If you'd like to send via mail, you can use this address:
Lisa Hyams
C/O Discovery Latin America/Iberia
6505 Blue Lagoon, 3rd Floor
Miami, FL 33126-2210

or via Paypal:
lhyams@quickstartconnect.com

Thanks once again for your continued support, thoughts and prayers. They are very much appreciated.

Sincerely
Lisa

[ReneeQ]

Thank you Lisa, for the updated information. I hope you, Jacqui and the rest of Rich's family are doing well during this difficult time. I think of you all often.