Lori Conlon
2650 Juan Street
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 295-5868
lorconlon@aol.com

Dear Family and Friends:

As many of you know, I was blessed with having grown up with two very special individuals, my twin brothers. B.J. and Mark came into my life 28 years ago and although at that time I could not comprehend the impact their existence would have on my life, it has been greater than I could ever put into words. B.J. was born with cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheel chair. At the age of 2, Mark developed a tumor behind his right eye. As a result of radiation treatments conducted to terminate the tumor, Mark developed severe autistic-like tendencies. B.J. and Mark resided in my parent’s home for 22 years. My parents devoted most of their day, everyday to their care and nurturing. B.J. and Mark have taught me more about life than any other individuals I know. They are remarkable human beings.

After much deliberation and many heart-wrenching decisions, my parents and I came to terms with the fact that it was time for B.J. and Mark to leave the nest. In the interest of their progress and individual growth, we decided to place B.J. and Mark in assisted living homes. Since their placement, B.J. and Mark have made great strides and are becoming increasingly independent. B.J. and Mark currently reside at Lower Fairfield Center in Norwalk, CT., a campus-like facility with 12 separate apartments each housing 6 residents who are physically and/or mentally challenged individuals ranging in ages from 18 – 55 years old. Many residents have no family or family involvement. The residents eat together, take field trips together and socialize with each other on a daily basis. LFC is a state run facility but as many of you know, state funds are limited. There is far from enough money to ensure that each and every resident is receiving the most of what life has to offer.

To improve the quality of life at LFC and ensure the comfort and happiness of its residents, various parents, family members and friends formed a group called Parents and Friends of Lower Fairfield Center. Parents and Friends is a volunteer advocacy group, no one receives a paycheck. All funds and grants obtained by the group go directly to the Residents of LFC. The residents of LFC are the top priority and primary focus of Parents and Friends. Parents and Friends utilizes its funds to pay for every day essentials, furniture and clothing as well social outings for those who live at LFC. Since their inception they have organized dances, built greenhouses on the campus, hosted parties and ensured that each resident receives a Christmas gift each year. They also do all they can to ensure the safety of the residents and to make sure that each resident is afforded the same rights as every other citizen. Parents and Friends have become in a way, the guardian angels of these residents. You see, not every resident is as fortunate as B.J. and Mark. Some of these residents have no family to visit, pick them up on weekends or even to make sure they have a bed to sleep in. This is where Parents and Friends steps in. Since my brothers have lived at LFC I have witnessed the hard work and dedication this group has had to improving the quality of life of the residents. The efforts of Parents and Friends have allowed these very special human beings to live happy, rewarding and comfortable lives.

On June 2, 2002 Chris and I will be running the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, a 26.2 mile run in San Diego. We will be doing this in honor of the residents at Lower Fairfield Center. We are hoping to raise enough money to help Parents and Friends in their crusade to improve the quality of life for these very special people, many of whom have no one else who will do this. Please help us in our efforts. You can donate a lump sum or donate money per mile. You can donate a little or a lot! I assure you that every little bit will truly make a difference in the lives of the residents at LFC. I ask that you make the checks out to Parents and Friends of LFC. Please send all donations to me at the address at the top of the page. We will keep you all apprised of our fundraising progress and the results of our race. I have plenty of pictures of the residents at LFC as well as some information regarding Parents and Friends that I can send via email if anyone is interested. Should you have any questions regarding LFC or our race you can always call or email us. Thank you and we hope 2002 is off to a good start for all of you.

Lori and Chris Conlon