On Saturday June 10th, the community will be gathering to celebrate the life and legacy of Matthew Farrell, a supporter of the Arts, Education, and C-U community. A two-part event and fundraiser will take place to continue to support the causes that meant so much to him, and to celebrate with those who were brought together through his passions.
Read on for more information on the events, and how you can donate to the cause:
In memory of our dear friend, Matthew C. Farrell, who was a long time supporter of the Arts, Education, and the Champaign-Urbana community, a two part event has been organized to take place June 10th, 2017.
There will be a family-friendly gathering at Blair Park (1406 S. Broadway) in Urbana, from 2PM-4PM. with a 3PM unveiling of a permanent memorial within the park. Please join us to reunite, share memories, and celebrate Matt and the park he loved.
The evening event will take place at Sipyard (204 W. Main) from 6PM-10PM. DJ Belly (Kevin Miller) will be spinning tunes throughout the night that pay tribute to all the music that Matt loved. At this time, we will be raising funds for The Matthew C. Farrell Memorial Fund via $1 proceeds from each drink purchased during the event and proceeds from a silent auction. In addition, there will be an ipad setup for those who wish to donate any amount, large or small, to the the Memorial fund directly.
The Matthew C. Farrell Memorial Fund is a scholarship in Matt’s name that’s mission is to give a graduating UHS student who plans to study the Arts, a full ride to Parkland College. The scholarship will be further supported outside of this fundraiser and online donations by way of an annual 5k in Urbana set to take place the first weekend of June 2018.
The scholarship was inspired by Matt’s love for the Urbana-Champaign community and his experiences within the community, including his Art Education at Parkland, which proved to be a pivotal experience for him. Moreover, he had a passion for running and strived daily to live a healthier lifestyle. He brought people together through his interests and will continue to do so for years to come.
A special thanks to the Urbana Park District for appreciating the importance of this memorial and taking special steps to ensure its timely placement. Also, thank you to Matt Cho of Sipyard and Sipyard Staff for contributing their time, space, and a generous donation from the evening’s bar earnings.
We hope to see as many people as possible at either or both of the day’s events. Spread the word by mouth, email, social media, etc.
THANK YOU in advance to all who plan to attend and support the legacy of an amazing artist, brother, and friend to many.
Here are links to the Facebook event page as well as the Memorial Fund website.