Memorial Bench for Samuel Mudiwa Juru

Hello all,

On 19 December 2014, Samuel Mudiwa Juru passed away and the world became a darker place. Sam's life was a reflection of his character: ebullient, affirming, joyous, and inspiring.

In honour of that very life, and in recognition of the immense impact Sam had on the lives of those lucky enough to have known him, we would like to create something to honour Sam's memory and influence at St. John's College and beyond.

After jumping through hella administrative hoops, and settling on an idea that hits the mark in terms of 1) meaning and 2) permanence; we have received the go ahead to have a memorial bench custom-built and installed in Sam's honour, right in front of the College hall next to the Interact pond.

The total cost of the bench* would be $750 (including a bi-annual maintenance guarantee): it will be made from amazing locally-sourced teak wood, water-treated; with a beautiful copper-brass plaque - the type of bench that will last forever. (I've attached a few model pics so you all have an idea of what the bench will look like.)

Also, though this is a shareable link, we are trying to keep our fundraising efforts relatively private. By so doing, the idea is that Sam's family won't hear about it until we've raised all the funds: I doubt it will revelatory for them to hear that Sam had such a positive impact on people's lives, but hopefully the gesture itself will be a pleasant surprise confirming what they, and we, all know to be true - Sam was dearly loved, and is dearly missed.

Anyway: please donate what you can! And please share/send this link, privately, to anyone who had the privilege of knowing Sam during his all-too-short life. And in the process, help us create a monument to a young man who made the world a brighter, better place - a beloved son, brother, and friend, remembered for his infectious laugh, brilliant smile, and his unwavering committment: to St. John's, to his friends, and above all, to his family.

God bless, and thanks in advance for your kind help.

(*NB: sourcing the bench and having it designed would not have been possiblewithout help from Alex Machado - thank you for giving your time and energy, Alex)