Procrastinet

Nicole duFresne Scholarship Fund

filed under: Hey, What's The Big Idea

Our faithful Despatcher, Nick Seeley, sent an email to his friends today addressing the murder of Nicole duFresne and the scholarship fund that has been set up in her name at Emerson College, her alma mater. I asked Nick for permission to reprint it here.

Friends,

Well, after major hacker attacks, Procrastinet is back up; there's a new despatch from me, plus all sorts of other cool stuff, like how you can get your very own neuroprosthetic implant scavenged from a cadaver.

That's the good news.

I'm sad to have to add a depressing note to preface what was supposed to be a light and funny column, but the world is not known for cooperating with the plans we make. By now, I'm sure many of you know about the murder of Nicole DuFresne last Thursday. For those who don't, there is plenty of information available on the web, and I don't really have the heart to go into the details further.

She was an amazing artist, and a really remarkable person. It's not often you meet someone as smart, determined, and electric as Nicole was.

Now, according to the papers, the police have caught and charged the people who shot her. The oldest charged was 19 years old, the youngest, 14. I suppose I really ought to hate them, but all I can feel is sad and disgusted. We've all seen too much of how tragedy will follow on tragedy.

I guess I hope that Nicole's tragedy, and that of the stupid fools who killed her, will encourage you all to go out and do something nice for someone. Not someone you know, or a friend, but someone who really needs it.

Also, we know my prayers aren't much use to anyone - cause, hey, atheist - but for those of you who believe there is someone watching, I hope you can spare a few words for Nicole, her family and friends - particularly for Jeff.

I am including at the bottom of this e-mail some information from Liz Blocker about the fund being set up in Nicole's honor. Thanks for everything you've done, Liz. While a reward fund for Nicole with Crime Stoppers in New York is no longer necessary, I'd also encourage you all to find out something about your local Crime Stoppers, Neighborhood Watch, and other civic crime-fighting organizations.

I've had enough of cops who can't offer us anything but more bullets. And for Michal Goodwin, of the New York Daily News, and anyone else who would like to use Nicole's murder to encourage cops to shoot teenagers: (Link)

...and anyone else who feels like dragging out this particular ugly crime for their neoconservative cause of choice, I have this to add: There are times when being an atheist really bugs me. It would be a great comfort to me to believe there was a Hell for you, Mr. Goodwin - though not nearly as much as it would to believe there was a heaven.

This is from Liz Blocker (thanks Liz, and Julie, for everything you've done):

"We no longer need to collect donations for a Crime Stoppers reward fund, as was previously stated. Instead, by the wishes of Jeffrey and Nicole's family, we have set up a scholarship in Nicole's name at her alma mater, Emerson College.

For those wishing to make donations, checks or money orders should be made out to Emerson College, with the memo line reading 'Nicole duFresne Scholarship', and sent to:

Nicole duFresne Scholarship
Emerson College
120 Boylston Street, 7th floor
Boston, MA 02116-4624
Att: Amy Meyers

It is also possible to make a donation with a credit card online.

I don't think that the College has finished setting up that link, so if you would like to make a donation online, please give it a day or two. I will speak with Ms. Meyers and make sure that is working as soon as possible.

This information has been - or will shortly be - released to the press, so please, please, spread it far and wide. Post the link on websites, send the information to anyone you would like; we hope that we can raise a substantial amount of money, and thus enable this scholarship to be a real and lasting honor to Nicole's name."

Thank you all for reading.

Nick

Posted by rjt at February 3, 2005 04:09 PM