Open Letter

Dear friends:


With great sincerity I wish to inform you that my father, Corporal Calvin Coolidge Hill, Jr. has passed this Psalm Sunday, April 1, 2007. He would have celebrated his 53rd birthday this April 4th just two days before my older brother's birthday on April 6th. On Sunday morning my father, a retired Oklahoma City firefighter, died on impact from a head on collision while riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle just 1 mile from home. The story aired locally every 30 min. on cable, all three local major TV network stations and the AP wire.

Just before learning the news from my brother, I had suffered a laceration to my hand while cleaning in the kitchen. My roommate asked if I believe in signs. I would have to say 'yes.' In addition my right hand was accidently cut while in the kitchen; so I have to go to the doctor to get it treated. So I am trying to cope with the loss since I don't have any family in the area; everyone is in the South. So I will need to take some time off to handle family affairs.

I plan on setting up a memorial fund in honor of my father. I would like to get support from Harley Davidson, OKC Fire Dept, City of Oklahoma City, Firefighter groups, Oklahoma State University Fire Protection School et al to establish a scholarship and promote diversity in fire protection and community service. I want the policymakers to pass a resolution in honor of my father and provide a letter of support to designate April 4th in honor of my father.

So I am focusing my energies on a project in his honor called Plant HOPE. He was a humanitarian who was always giving and helping others. Originally HOPE stood for 'having optimism, peserverance and enthusiasm' in life. Now it has taken on a special meaning 'helping other people everyday'...which he embodied at the Oklahoma Election board, as an OKC firefighter and a community activist. His spirt now lives through me...which is ‘helping other people everyday.’

Just last week I took the right hand of fellowship at Shiloh Baptist Church and became a member. Every Sunday service spoke to me and I believe God was preparing for a moment like this. And that' why I feel like I have had a sense of urgency of doing the projects and starting the nonprofit (Creative Cause),which will focus on providing outreach to nonprofits and create campaigns on public health and social causes. The nonprofit would have had its first Board meeting on April 1st.