Family tragedies inspire parents
PENN TWP - Josh Connor would be 24 now. His sister, Carrie, would be 31.
But tragic accidents 10 years apart - a car accident and a house fire - ended the lives of Pete and Judy Connor's only two children.
Yet memories of Carrie, 17, and Josh, forever 20, will never die. Now their legacy is being born.
Pete and Judy Connor are among initiators of the nonprofit Carrie and Josh Memorial Fund established to pay for a community center in Butler.
The organization's first fund-raising effort, a golf outing at Lakevue Golf Course on June 11, is intended to pay for a study of the idea.
Similar concepts have met with varying degrees of success in the past. But the Connors hope by studying first they'll put together a plan that will last.
"We are a blank piece of paper," said Pete Connor.
Organizers know only they want to give the community someplace to go that is free of drugs and alcohol, and they want it to be open and attractive to all age groups.
"Young people and not-so-young people," Judy Connor said.
Think along the lines of bicycle outings, volunteer projects, cards, a pool table, dancing and trips to the ballpark.
The Connors admit by attaching their children's names to the idea, they might be planting the idea that Josh and Carrie died of drugs.That's not the case.Carrie, a high school junior with dreams of becoming a veterinarian, wrecked her car in a freak snowstorm as she drove to school on April 4, 1990.Josh, a budding trim carpenter who enjoyed playing hockey, was one of two men killed in a Virginia Avenue house fire Feb. 5, 2001. Officials believe Josh died trying to save others in the home.Pete and Judy Connor said the connection between their children and the community center is less obvious and more personal.During their mourning, the Connors received huge support from the community. Now, they want to give back to the community in a form their children would take pride in."When you lose a child it is devastating. Your kids are your whole life," Judy said. "When you lose both of your only two children it is like, 'Where do you go from here?' "Butler County Detective Pat Cannon, who will be golfing in the kick-off outing, supports the community center idea.Cannon, who heads up the county's drug task force, said a major element to getting and keeping the county's drug problems under control is giving people who are in recovery positive outlets.
GOLFERS WANTED
Golfers still can join the Carrie and Joshua Connor Memorial of Loved Ones golf outing on June 11.
Proceeds will go into a nonprofit fund and will be used to study the idea of opening a drug- and alcohol-free community center in the city.
The golf outing will be at Lakevue Golf Course on Route 8, beginning with coffee and doughnuts at 7 a.m. A shotgun start is at 8 a.m.
Cost for 18 holes of golf and a cart for four is $70.
For information, call 724-586-2561.
If you are not a golfer, but want to help, monetary donations can be mailed to 1271 Lakevue Drive, Butler, PA 16002.
Donations are tax deductible.
