Nicholas James Murphy will not be forgotten. Thank you, Nick, on this Memorial Day for your service to this country and the sacrifices you made and the bravery you showed. We will never forget. We are happy to report that the 2018 Fairways for the Armed Forces golf outing to be held on June 11, 2018 at Mt. Hawley Country Club will again be one of the premier golf outings in Central Illinois this summer.

It is unbelievable to me how much we can do and how we are doing it.

We are going to exponentially expand what help we can give over the next year. Once we get everything worked out properly from a paperwork standpoint and from an ability to properly apply for grants, we will be hiring full time attorneys and staff for Nick’s Foundation and pro bono clinic and will be taking it statewide. No one else can offer free or reduced rate family law legal services to veterans and active duty military like we can. That is our future at the Foundation.

So when I say we can save lives, I mean it.

In just this short period of time, we have undertaken 39 family law cases and donated over $153,000.00 worth of family law legal services. To say I am proud and honored is an understatement. No one that we know of in the entire United States is doing what we are doing.

It feels good.

The Nicholas J. Murphy Foundation is proud to announce that two educational scholarships will be granted to one male and one female senior who have been a student-athlete at Dunlap High School. These awards will be given out at the end of this school year and announced on June 11, 2018 at the 2018 Fairways for Nick’s Foundation golf outing.

On May 17, 2018, Dunlap High School will be hosting the dedication of the Nicholas J. Murphy Memorial Press Box during the Dunlap home baseball game vs. Morton. Please join us!

Dunlap High School and The Children’s Hospital of Illinois present the 2nd Annual Gameball Run this Saturday, February 10 at the Dunlap vs. Washington boys’ basketball game. All proceeds from the event will be directed to the Nicholas Murphy Memorial Fund at the Children’s Hospital of Illinois in honor of former Dunlap student and athlete, Nick Murphy.

Pediatric cancer is an ugly disease. The scars, both physical and emotional, are deep and can last a lifetime. Today, roughly 80% of kids survive their cancer diagnosis. It’s amazing! But it is only half the story. It’s no longer enough to just fight the cancer cells. The Heller Center for Kids with Cancer is dedicated to making sure these children and families don’t just survive, but thrive.

This month and the next two weeks will be a little sad without you here. But it would be that way even if you were on a ship away from home as well. Obviously we all miss you and wish you were here. I miss that wonderful Nick Murphy smile and laugh.