Summer was diagnosed at the end of her Junior year of college at Southern Illinois University. During her treatment at St. Jude, she enrolled in remote classes and continued to pursue her degree.
Even when feeling at her worst through treatment, Summer never gave up on her schoolwork… We hope the images and stories of Summer continuing her higher education while going through chemotherapy illustrate how important her studies and dreams of a future were. I hope this gives others the motivation to push through anything that seems impossible.
As her parents… We have been motivated also… We finally can say that we have a scholarship fund started and ready to roll for students in our area. As I write this, the Scholarship fund has been running for a few weeks.
The Deer Creek-Mackinaw Education Fund
PO BOX 621
Mackinaw IL 61755
Add “Summer Stahl Scholarship Fund” to the Memo section of the check
Receipts are now being sent to anyone who donates because this fund is now tax deductible. (See the second document at the bottom of the page for an example)
I would be remiss if I did not mention that donations to St. Jude are completely acceptable as well. Just this week we got a letter from St. Jude Hospital in Memphis that Saint Joseph Church in Pekin had donated in Summer’s name. This means so much to us as well.
St Jude Children’s Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105
Add a note that you are donating in “Memory of Summer Stahl”. It does not change any of the funds or how they are used at St Jude… But it may add up to a “brick” or memorial at the hospital if it reaches a certain amount.
Towards the end of the GoFundMe… I stated we were taking donations for this fund with really no idea what to expect. Those donations in the final weeks and the funeral amounted to over $10,000 for the fund. Angela set up a savings account in Mackinaw at the community bank and we realized that we now have a decent-sized endowment to donate back to the community. In the meantime, we flailed around looking for resources and ideas on what to do. Luckily, we made contact with Bill Embry at the Mackinaw Community Fund.
Since then, we have gotten a donation area set up with the Mackinaw Community Fund. We met with the board of directors and all came to an agreement that they would manage the fund. (no cost of course)
So, below are the form letters that give information on the account. Everything donated to this project is tax deductible. The Fund will go as long as we want to manage it… And it can get as big or little as we want it to be.
As it stands… We will start off the 2024 school year with one $2000 scholarship to a student from her hold High School… Deer Creek Mackinaw. We can sustain this for 10 years as the fund stands. But we would love to get a few more years or schools involved. If the fund gets to a larger state… We have a green light to share it with other communities or multiple students as we see fit. That seems a little grandiose… But I never thought we would be this car into the project. The sky is the limit.
Summer, Grandma loves you.