Throughout my childhood we were taught about the importance of giving. My father and mother supported many members of our extended family and friends in every way they could. I witnessed that generosity daily and it made its impact.

My dad empowered me in so many ways. It was his encouragement that helped me fashion a career in professional speaking, his extroverted personality that cultivated my networking ability, and his adaptation of the motto, "it is better to give than receive", that influenced the direction I have taken in life. It also predisposed my successful path as an entrepreneur – the road he also chose professionally.

My dad lived a long vibrant life and throughout his seven-year journey with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, he taught me how important it is to live life to the fullest.

The Lamplighter Legacy Fund
In November 2008, while sitting vigil with my dad at Avow Hospice, one of the nurses encouraged me to spend some time in their chapel. My father's business was "lighting", so you can imagine my surprise when I opened a book in the chapel and read:

"The lamplighter is not gone; he has simply gone to another room. The way you can tell that is by the light he has left in the hearts of those he loved".

I have created the Lamplighter Legacy Fund in honor of my parents, and especially my dad, whose spirit continues to teach me that we are called "to be a blessing and bless others".

There is no better way to shed light.

Cynthia Mitchell, M.Ed.
Lamplighter Legacy Fund, Inc.
Founder & President