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| Emily Joy Averill |
Emily Joy Averill was the kind, talented, beautiful, joyful, fun-loving and cherished daughter of Katie and Tim Averill, and the sister of Megan and Jimmy Averill. On June 19, 2011, a few weeks after graduating from St. Edmond High School, she and four friends were in a car accident. Emily did not survive. Her family and community were shocked and grief-stricken. She was a much-beloved and treasured girl who had touched the hearts of many.
The outpouring of support to the Averill Family was heart-warming and overwhelming. This support helped to sustain the Averill Family through the difficult minutes, hours, days, weeks and months following the accident. Many members of the community provided donations to memorialize Emily, so the Averill Family decided to establish a fund with the Fort Dodge Community Foundation in Emily’s name. Through the Foundation, Emily’s life will continue to positively influence lives of many people for years to come.
There are numerous initiatives the Emily Joy Averill Fund supports, top among them are projects that support literacy.
The "Joy of Reading" program provides financial support for projects and projects that advance youth reading and literacy. The main goal of this initiative is advance the joy of reading to children of all ages, with a priority of supporting reading with 2nd grader students. The Joy of Reading program also support the "Joy Mobile," that is children's library on wheels.
The JoyMobile travels around the community to events that involve youth and provides free books for children to read.
An annual scholarship is also given to an All State cheerleader who represents a true love, passion for and commitment to the sport of cheerleading. Emily was selected to the All State Cheer Squad in her junior and senior years of high school and truly enjoyed to cheerleading and the opportunities it provided her to meet other people and make an impact on children.
Emily was often a helper in St. Edmond’s 2nd grade classroom and had planned on becoming a teacher. It seemed natural to the Averill Family to promote literacy and education through the Emily Joy Averill Fund.
Please visit the Emily Joy Averill Foundation website at www.emilyjoyaverillfoundation.com.