Niko’s Birthday is coming up, October 21. We always had a lot of fun in October because Brett and Brendan (his almost step-brothers!) also have October birthdays, so we would have a big party and usually a bonfire. This year will be having friends and family over to celebrate Niko’s birthday and say goodbye to Fanis, Niko’s Dad, who is leaving for Amsterdam at the end of October. WE will be erecting a beautiful handmade cross from Kyle’s Dad and planting chrysanthemum. Niko’s middle name is Chrisanthos- golden flower. Happy Fall to Everyone.
Nikos Birthday
2011 Scholarship Award Recipient
We were very excited to award this year’s scholarship to a very deserving candidate, Steven Gallwitz, from Vanguard High School. Stephen will be attending the Florida State Fire College in the fall of 2011, and has a backgound of volunteering and helping others. He participated in ROTC for 3 years, and many held other civic leadership positions too. Congratulations Steven!
Thanks Mom…
My Mom just came through again and donated $300 to Niko’s fund, at this rate we will be funding for at least 4 more years. Last year was a very strange year without Niko and it helps me to think that he has gone on a very long trip, far away. Probably like my Mom must have felt when I moved to Greece 30 years ago. Wow, am I that old? Time does fly. Today I heard from my Aunt in Connecticut and my Dad’s Cousin, Chuck, whom I have practically lost touch with over the years. Good to reconnect and share love.
Happy New Year to All Our Friends
Hello, it has been a while since my last post, I do want to make sure all our friends know that Niko’s Scholarship Fund is going strong, and will be presenting an award again this year. Instructions on how to donate are found on the Scholarship Fund Page.
Having Fun at Christmas
We had a lovely holiday season with the family at Grandma’s again. We all got a laugh when we realized Alex picked the same shirt for Christmas two years in a row (yes, he does own more than one dress shirt!). A lot of positive movement is happening for each of us, and overall, living with the natural loss that a family death brings has brought us an appreciation for the ones of us still here. I love you all!
Niko’s Birthday
Niko’s Birthday was yesterday, and to honor his life for all the beauty he brought others, I made that day, a day of Love. That is my mission now, to extend that day of Love into a life of Love, a mission which seems impossible at times, but brings with it, a promise of freedom.
My prayers are that this mission will not only enrich my life, but all those who come into contact with me, past, present and future, because in love there is no time and space.
Niko, I love you, my world, I love you too!
$1,425 raised so far!
And we have a winner! Brianna Word of NMHS submitted the winning application for the scholarship. She is going to study Nursing at Santa Fe in Gainesville and so, even though it’s not Fire College, its close enough and Brianna can use the money. Her mother lost her job at Taylor Bean and Whittaker and can’t help her with expenses. She has already qualified for (CNA) Certified Nursing Assistant through the NMHS program, and has been helping her grandmother get through a double mastectomy and diabetes. Brianna works part time at Arbys and still maintains a 3.5 and will be the first in her family to go to college. She has already been accepted at Santa Fe. Congratulations Brianna and good luck!
Installing Love
This is Awesome!
INSTALLING LOVE Author Unknown
Tech Support: Yes, … how can I help you?
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I’ve decided to install Love. Can you guide me through the process?
Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I’m not very technical, but I think I’m ready. What do I do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?
Tech Support: What programs are running?
Customer: Let’s see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge, and Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?
Customer: I don’t know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, “Error – Program not run on external components.” What should I do?
Tech Support: Don’t worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.
Customer: So, what should I do?
Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.
Customer: Okay, done.
Tech Support: Now, copy them to the “My Heart” directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?
Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.
new $100 donation
Another dear family friend, donated $100 this week, Aunt Dee and Bill Whalen. Aunt Dee has been my Mom’s best friend since my brother and I were kids, and our families had a lot of fun, in the good-old-days! Thanks Dee and Bill (Bill’s son is a Fire Chief, by the way!)
Senior Pictures
Stan Wilkinson Inc, the school photographer for NMHS has donated two full sets of senior pictures of Niko, his Dad and I each got one. If someone would like a 2×3 photograph, I have 9 available, please email me at the link on the right.
North Marion High, once again-the Best!
Today we received a donation from the students at North Marion High School, $64.35, you know that that was given from the heart, thanks Colts! The Niko Malidelis Scholarship Fund is alive and well and a senior from NMHS will be awarded the first installment this year for fall 2010. All of Niko’s friends have made this happen, thank you so much….
Niko got to be a Hero after all
Today I just got notification from LifeQuest, that Niko’s organs saved the lives of 3 people so far, who successfully received them and are on their way to recovery. It seems like the tears just won’t stop, but at least others have been able to live better lives because of Niko’s decision to be an organ donor.
Another $100 donation
Marcia Pichola, my Mom’s friend from Ohio has generously donated $100 to Niko’s fund. Next week I will update the total sent to the Foundation, I hear it’s around $900!
Another $100 Donation!
My long-time friend from horseback riding days, Cory (Jacobs) Boydston just donated $100 to the NM Fund, thank you Cory
$300 Pledge
Nikos’ grandmother, who held a special place in his heart, has pledged $300 each year to the scholarship fund, it looks like Niko’s dream is taking on a life of its own. Grandma’s dear friend Marcia also donated $100! Thank you everyone who has pledged and donated funds to help seniors from North Marion High School attend Fire College.
from Lauren Fender
I am mailing a check for $100, and I expect it will not be the last. I hope to save a little each month to set aside for donation. I would love for this scholarship fund to be able to go on for a very very long time. (see her comments on scholarship fund page)
Even $5 or $10
Any amount is going to help, Niko has so many friends, before we know it the fund will be up to $300! I will update often, Carin
Scholarship Fund Ready!
Thank you all for your patience, the Niko Malidelis Fire College Scholarship Fund is now ready to receive donations. Checks must be sent to:
PEFMC (Public Education Foundation of Marion County)
1239 NW 4th Street
Ocala, FL 34475
(352) 671-4167
write on bottom of check: for Niko Malidelis Fire College Scholarship Fund (or just Niko Malidelis)
Please post a comment on the scholarship page if you do send a check, donations are tax-deductible and we will be issuing receipts and thank you cards.
Gratitude
I was going through the kid’s art and school work that I have saved through the years and I found this essay, written by Alex on 1/8/02. “There are a lot of things that I am thankful for in this world, but the most important one of all is to have a family. A family will provide you comfort. A family will help you if you need help and best of all a family will teach you what’s wrong and what’s right.”
Well put Alex, through all of this, it is family that has brought the light back into the darkness. I especially want to give a big virtual hug to my Mom. She has been such a solid support, not only during this tragedy, but throughout my life, XXOO Mom, I love you, and all my family, thank you for being there, you make life rich with memories and laughter.
Nikos Video Posted
I finally got the video done, its also on youtube, Niko
North Marion High School Rocks
Once again Niko’s friends showed how awesome they are, yesterday at NMHS I saw a depth of community and feeling that I can only shed tears of gratitude for. Niko’s principal, Kathy Quelland, her staff and his friends organized a beautiful memorial service led very touchingly by Youth Pastor Jamie Morgan from Unity Baptist. Niko’s friends, one-by-one, got up and spoke about how he had brought laughter and fun into their lives, and how much he would be missed. A framed senior picture was presented to me along with lots of loving notes from his friends and a beautiful maroon and gold bouquet of flowers. NMHS Colts showed their true spirit yesterday, and it wasn’t about winning games, it was about friendship and touching each other’s lives and making choices that reflect that caring, thank you all.
Nikos Friends
Update: Scottie, Niko’s great friend has just collected $50 from Niko’s friends at JC Penneys (where Niko worked) for the Scholarship Fund, he brought the money over today, our first donation!!
Words Are No Use
There are no words, mine or yours, which we can exchange to mitigate or deflect the anguish we feel with the loss of Niko. An angel in disguise while here on earth, he has shed the earthly coil and I know he is on to bigger and better projects of adventure and altruism.
As an organ donor, he was even able to make his untimely passing into a helpful event to strangers who will never even know who Niko was. This website is a small token to express my love for Niko and share a little piece of that love out there.
We ask, as Niko’s family, that any appreciation you might wish to express towards Niko be directed to the Fire College Scholarship Fund. Niko wanted to become a firefighter, and devote his life to helping people. This fund has been organized to help those with limited financial resources gain the training to become firefighters, and in that fashion we wish to commemorate the much too short, but vibrantly lived life of Nikolaos Chrisanthos Malidelis,10/21/1991 – 01/14/2010
-
Niko's Album
More Photos -
- Theme: Neo-Sapien by WP Designer.
- Blog at WordPress.com.
