Dick Marshall was a long time member of our UConn Aphasia Groups. Aphasia made it hard for him to communicate but it didn’t keep him from constantly cracking jokes and having a great time. Even if you didn’t understand the joke, exactly, HIS laugh made us laugh!

He has been sorely missed since he passed in January of 2022 but his family have kept his memory alive. Each year they host a corn hole tournament, charging for entry, and they donate all of the proceeds to our aphasia programming fund. These funds pay for books for our aphasia book clubs, binders and materials for our language groups, and for a luncheon at the end of the fall semester. They also supplement some of the special events we offer including theater trips, basketball games, special trainings on technology, and newsletters written for group members.

This year’s event, held on the first weekend of October was their most successful yet and they raised nearly $2,500. We are so grateful to them for these donations. Aphasia tends to result in isolation. People want to hide away after a stroke. Our aphasia groups provide a bridge back to those critical social networks and funding makes it possible to provide several opportunities to practice first with support! THANK YOU very much to the Larson Family, the Bentley Family and all who contributed!!!