Honoring the Spirit of Darren

The Darren FUNd was created in 2007 with one goal in mind—to spread happiness and fun for people served by Pathlight. After welcoming Darren Harrington into their home, longtime care providers Anne Marie Corrieri and John Perrin found daily inspiration in Darren’s optimistic outlook on life. They created The Darren FUNd to “pay forward” the joy he brought to their family. Through the years it has helped many individuals served by Pathlight’s Shared Living and Adult Family Care (AFC) programs have experiences they would otherwise not be able to afford. 

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Darren’s Fund. Left Image: A man with a medium skin tone is driving a vehicle. In the passenger seat, a man with a disability and a light skin tone is laughing and smiling toward the camera. Center Image: Two men with light skin tones sit beside the Boston Red Sox mascot statue, Wally the Green Monster. The man with a disability seated on the left is wearing Boston Red Sox fan gear while squinting and smiling. The man sitting on the right is smiling. Right image: A woman with a disability and light skin tone stands in front of a short stone wall; behind it is a waterfall surrounded by greenery. The woman is wearing a T-shirt that reads Take A Hike, North Quabbin Trails

Keep the Fun Going

The Darren FUNd supplies individuals with classes, games and other necessities for fun

Pathlight’s vision statement is “We want to live in a world where people with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and autism are recognized for their full human potential; where they are empowered to build an engaged and connected life, made up of the people and activities that they choose and that are meaningful to them.”  The Darren FUNd helps this vision come true year-round, as individuals make requests for experiences they choose, and what they feel would enrich their lives.

Individuals have used funds toward once-in-a-lifetime trips, around the United States as well as to places such as Peru, Cape Verde, and Japan. Other people have attended camps for people with disabilities, caught their favorite band in concert, pursued hobbies such as puzzles and games, and improved their health with gym memberships. Fun in groups is also part of great experiences, as the fund has helped people have a blast at a Halloween party or a special birthday party. 

Kurt Leichsenring, an AFC member, was able to enroll in several of Milestones’ online recreational classes with the help of The FUNd.  “Kurt loves attending the Men’s Group,” said Brianna Kring, Kurt’s placement coordinator. “It’s allowed him to interact with others and has been a positive experience for him. He looks forward to the class every week.”

The Darren FUNd is the embodiment of Darren’s sunny disposition and loving spirit as it continues to brighten the days of those served by Shared Living and AFC. Even through tough times, let’s remember to ask ourselves Darren’s favorite question, “How ’bout be happy?”

Darren Fund Stories

2024 Red Sox trip
Gerry and Edwin go to Lake George
Jerrills Takes Flight
Michael Goes to the Sunshine State
An Adventurer Helped by theDarren FUNd
2017 Red Sox Roadtrip
Rose and Mama

2024 Red Sox trip

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Thanks to the Darren FUNd, a group of Red Sox fans and Pathlight participants enjoyed a special day at Fenway Park in September 2024. Felicia, a Shared Living participant, drew the lucky names of those who won the raffle to make the trip, and soon the bus was packed with excited fans, volunteers, and caregivers.

On the way to Fenway Park, each participant was surprised with their own Red Sox t-shirt to wear to the game. People who didn’t get lucky in the raffle weren’t left out; they also received t-shirts!

Once at Fenway, the group dove into the game day experience, singing “Sweet Caroline” with the crowd and enjoying classic ballpark treats, including hot dogs and popcorn.

“Best job ever,” said Pathlight individual support specialist Danielle Monnier as she walked toward the park with the group.

The Red Sox may have come up short, but spirits stayed high, and everyone had an unforgettable time.

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Gerry and Edwin go to Lake George

A man with a medium skin tone is driving a vehicle. In the passenger seat, a man with a disability and a light skin tone is laughing and smiling toward the camera.

 

With help from the Darren FUNd, Gerry and Edwin enjoyed a trip to Lake George for a relaxing weekend in early September. While they were there, they visited the lake of course, but also a car show (they’re both really into cars!) and went out for a nice dinner. Take a look at Gerry’s infectious smile!

Edwin, a middle-aged man with a medium skin tone, smiles at the camera while he takes a self-portrait with Gerry, a man with a disability and light skin tone, who smiles while holding a glass of soda.Gerry, a man with a disability and light skin tone, smiles as he looks at the camera while holding a glass of soda. Gerry, a man with a disability and light skin tone, stands in a grassy field while smiling. Gerry, a man with a disability and light skin tone, stands on a sandy beach with rows of beach recliners. A lake and mountains are in the distant background.

Jerrills Takes Flight

 

When Jerrilis heard that her caregiver may go skydiving, she quickly decided she’d like to skydive too. However, after trying without success to get her physician to sign off on the idea, she was offered alternatives. One of them was a beautiful plane tour over the Pioneer Valley. Thanks to the Darren FUNd, Jerrilis was able to take flight on a perfect fall day!

Jerrilis, a woman with a disability and a medium skin tone, sits in the cockpit of a plane in flight over the Pioneer Valley. She is wearing headphones and looking toward the other side of the cockpit.Jerrilis, a woman with a disability and a medium skin tone, stands in front of a lightweight plane named the Warrior Two.Jerrilis, a woman with a disability and a medium skin tone, looks at an older man wearing a blue vest. Behind Jerrilis is another young woman looking at both of them.Jerrilis, a woman with a disability and a medium skin tone, stands in a grass patch of a small airport. In the background are several white, light-weight planes.Jerrilis, a woman with a disability and a medium skin tone, looks out to the Pioneer Valley from the cockpit of a lightweight plane.

Michael Goes to the Sunshine State

Two men with light skin tones sit beside the Boston Red Sox mascot statue, Wally the Green Monster. The man with a disability seated on the left is wearing Boston Red Sox fan gear while squinting and smiling. The man sitting on the right is smiling.

A crowd looks at Boston Red Sox players in JetBlue Park, Florida.

Michael, a man with a disability and a light skin tone, sits at a table in front of a hotel pool. He is smiling and wearing Boston Red Sox merchandise.

Michael, a man with a disability and a light skin tone, relaxes at the edge of a hotel pool in Florida.

 

Darren FUNd brings Sunshine and Smiles

 

“Michael really enjoyed it! He especially liked the baseball game.”
-Chad, Michael’s Alternative Care Provider

The Darren FUNd enables individuals from Pathlight’s Shared Living and Adult Family Care Programs the opportunity to have fun and memorable experiences they wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise. It was Darren’s positive attitude and never-ending smile that inspired Anne Marie and John to create the FUNd. They wanted to pay forward the overflowing love and joyfulness he brought to their lives by giving others the chance to create meaningful memories too. Plain and simple-The Darren FUNd is there to support whatever it is that makes people happy.

Over the years that happiness has taken many forms. For Michael and his Alternative Care Provider, Chad, happiness came in the form of a getaway to the Sunshine State. With the help of The Darren FUNd, the pair was able to enjoy a 4 day, 3 night trip to Ft. Myers, Florida.

As could be expected of dedicated Red Sox fans, the two made sure to attend one of their games at JetBlue Park. Aside from the excitement generated by the BoSox taking home a win over the Orioles, the boys hit the rest of their vacation out of the park as well with an amazing itinerary. They visited a reptile museum, went to the beach (a must-do activity in Florida), and went to the movies. Even back at the hotel they had fun taking frequent dips in the pool and indulged on the free continental breakfasts.

The combination of laughter, smiles, and memories that Chad and Michael garnered from their experience is what The Darren FUNd is all about. It helps others answer a resounding YES to Darren’s favorite phrase, “How ‘bout be happy!”, and furthers the rippling effect his happiness started so many years ago. Since his passing, Darren’s sunny disposition and loving spirit have manifested through the FUNd as it continues to brighten days and be a ray of sunshine to those served by Pathlight. His legacy of joy continues on.

An Adventurer Helped by theDarren FUNd

 

Michelle Gallien had a dream: add a few more states to her growing list of visited places and get to one of the national parks. This past summer, with help from Pathlight’s Darren FUNd, Michelle notched two more states and got to hike at Grand Teton National Park with a group of fellow adventurers with disabilities.

Michelle, who is served in Pathlight’s Adult Family Care (AFC) program is no amateur when it comes to traveling. She has been to more than 15 countries (including China, Costa Rica and Italy) and 17 states (including Alaska and Hawaii).

About her trip to Grand Teton, in Montana and North Dakota, she says, “I had never been on a trip that went to a national park before. We went to the mineral baths, a lot of hiking trails and stuff and those big mountains…Grand Teton. We saw waterfalls. Wild horses…tons of them. I’d never seen wild horses in the wild. I made some friends.” With regret Michelle adds, “But we didn’t see a bear.”

The Darren FUNd enables individuals from Pathlight’s Family-Based Living programs the opportunity to have fun and memorable experiences they wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise. Grants to other recipients this past year have paid for music lessons, vacations, trips to ball games and concerts, to name just a few. Doreen, Michelle’s mother and fellow travel enthusiast, filled out the Darren FUNd application for Michelle and is very grateful for the financial assistance they received.

When asked why she loves to travel so much, Michelle explains: “I can see all different places in the world. [I want to do more trips] to get wiser.”

2017 Red Sox Roadtrip

Three people with light skin tones sit on a commercial bus to Fenway Park. The woman in front is laughing with a big smile. Sitting next to her is a smiling woman adjusting her baseball cap. Behind the two women is an older man who is smiling gently.

 

A bus load of exuberant Pathlight participants, along with friends and family, took a dream trip to watch the Red Sox play at Fenway Park on September 8, 2017. This fun adventure was organized by Dennis LaFleche, Pathlight placement coordinator, and supported by the Darren FUNd, which enabled several ball fans to make their dreams come true.

An amazing trip was made even better when the Red Sox won!

Two older men with light skins in a profile angle wave their hands in the upper stands of Fenway Park during a Boston Red Sox game.Portrait of two men with disabilities and light skin tones smiling at the camera in front of a fence. A man and a woman with light skin tones are smiling at the camera while sitting in the Red Sox Stadium. Three women with disabilities and light skin tones pose together for a photograph. The woman on the left is wearing a red Red Sox top and taking off a blue sweater. The woman in the middle is wearing a navy blue BoSox top while smiling wide with her hands around the shoulders of the other two women. The woman on the right is smiling and holding her hand on her hip while wearing a Red Sox top and baseball cap.Four men with light skin tones pose for a photo in a parking lot. The man with a disability in front is smiling and wearing a red baseball T-shirt and blue sweater. Behind him on the left is a man holding up the peace sign with his hands while smiling; next to him is a man holding a blue jacket. In the back on the left is a man wearing a blue shirt while carrying a grey coat.

Rose and Mama

Rose, an older woman with a disability and a light skin tone, is holding two Havanese and smiling while sitting in a blue recliner. The photo frame is surrounded by a yellow heart filter.

 

Rose loves her care provider, Deb, and they get along great, but Rose was very sad that there was not a dog in the house. Wanting to please Rose, Deb searched for the best dog for her. The two of them decided that they wanted a Havanese, a small dog with no shedding and limited barking. They found a dealer in New York, who was interested in finding a good home for two (male and female) four year old dogs that were done with their breeding duties. The dogs were given to them free of charge. The initial vet bill was more than anticipated and Rose was not able to pay the bill completely on her own, but thanks to the Darren FUNd, her bill was taken care of. The female, named Mama, is owned by Rose. Life in the home is busier with the addition of the two dogs, but they have made a huge difference in Rose’s life. Rose has a degenerative condition that limits her ability to walk on her own and causes her back pain. Sometimes, if Rose comes home from her day program in a bad mood, the presence of the dogs can turn her frown into a smile.

Give Happiness

How ’bout be happy

It was Darren’s never-ending smile and happiness that filled the hearts of Anne Marie and John with joy when they welcomed him into their family. That joy led them  to establish the Darren FUNd in 2007 at Pathlight.

The FUNd’s purpose is to afford others served by Pathlight’s Shared Living program opportunities that are fun and bring them joy. As Darren was fond of saying, “How ’bout be happy!”

Over the years, the FUNd has fulfilled this intention in a variety of ways, including vacations trips to Disney World, Arizona, and New Hampshire, therapeutic horseback riding lessons, classes at the Jewish Community Center, membership at the local YMCA, a week at Camp Horizon, music lessons, and the purchase of iPads.

Since Darren’s death in 2014 from Early Onset Alzheimer’s, the FUNd has taken on a new meaning. Sadly, it is now a tribute to his life, and a way to honor his spirit.

Please join us in remembering and honoring Darren’s memory and ensuring that others will receive the gift of happiness and fun.

Darren Harrington

 

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Thank you to Vermont Mutual Insurance Group’s Charitable Giving Fund!

We want to say a big thank you to Vermont Mutual Insurance Group’s Charitable Giving Fund for awarding $5,000 to The Darren FUNd! Over the years, The Darren FUNd has helped many individuals in Pathlight’s Shared Living and Adult Family Care programs have experiences — ranging from once-in-a-lifetime trips, to the everyday kind like a membership to the local Y — that they wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise.

Plain and simple, The Darren FUNd is there to support whatever it is that makes people happy. With the help of this grant, we can now bring joy to even more men and women. Thank you once again, Vermont Mutual for spreading smiles!