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Sanibel Sea School dedicates original building in honor of Dick Kennedy

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Richard C. Kennedy
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Dr. Bruce Neill, Blair Kennedy, Henry Kennedy, Nancy Kennedy, Sam Kennedy, BJ Kennedy and Evelyn Neill. PHOTO PROVIDED

A special dedication was held at the Sanibel Sea School Saturday, Dec. 10, to honor a winter resident who initially provided a helping hand after the nonprofit organization began 10 years ago, as well as the many years following.

The building, The Richard C. Kennedy Building – The Heart of Sanibel Sea School” sits at 414 Lagoon Drive. During the dedication, Kennedy’s family received an engraved frame of the building.

“Dick (Kennedy) came to us soon after Sanibel Sea School was founded and offered to help,” Dr. Bruce Neill, executive director and co-founder of the organization, said in a prepared statement. “He offered support and advice, and adamantly insisted that we succeed. We would not be where we are today if he had not shared his wisdom and experience with us.”

The trustees of the Sanibel Sea School voted unanimously to honor Kennedy with the naming of the organizaton’s original building shortly before he died in June of this year.

Sanibel Sea School Director of Communications Leah Biery said about 40 people attended the celebration of life. Some of those individuals spoke in his honor, which included Neill and his wife, Evelyn, Henry Kennedy, Dick’s son, Nancy, Dick’s wife, Sanibel Sea School Board Member Chip Roach and Rev. Dr. Ellen Sloan of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church.

“This building, with its creaky floors and sandy buckets, perfectly captures Dick’s spirit and his desire to help kids discover their potential,” Neill said in a prepared statement.

Biery said the original Sanibel Sea School building was the perfect building to name after Kennedy because he always helped kids understand they can achieve all of their dreams and overcome any fear of the ocean.

Biery said his concept went hand-in-hand with the Sanibel Sea School’s mission.

“It’s the building that helps kids overcome fears . . . it happens there,” she said.

Since Kennedy was such a hands-on person, Biery said he would show up at the door and ask them what was going on. That initial question, she said resulted in helping the organization do grant writing, side-by-side with Kennedy. She said they sat down together and wrote the grant.

“He wanted to get to know people on a deep level,” Biery said smiling.

Kennedy, as well as his wife, Nancy, also provided housing, home-cooked meals and emotional support to many of the young Sanibel Sea School staff members.

Kennedy, and his family, founded the Kieve-Wavus Camp and Leadership School in Maine.