A Resident's Story
A long-time supporter of The Samaritan Inn, Kary Barth, visited with me several weeks ago to deliver a contribution. As we talked, she shared with me the story of her two sons; both grown men living in the Chicago area and as different from one another as any two people could be. Brian, the oldest, is introverted, intense and serious. Justin, the youngest; was flamboyant, outgoing and social. Two years ago Justin was diagnosed with a rare and terminal cancer. He struggled to work during treatment, but it simply wasn't possible and so Brian stepped in. Quietly and without fanfare, he took care of his brother. He paid for all of his living expenses, took him to sporting events, and on fabulous vacations right up until he passed away last November.
Kary had come to see me because Brian had also made a contribution to The Samaritan Inn. As we talked about her son's and The Samaritan Inn's needs, it occurred to me that the perfect way to use Brian's gift was to build a basketball court. We have always wanted to provide this for our residents, and Kary's boys were huge basketball fans, often playing together at local parks.
The proposed court will be used by our children and adults, and especially as the weather gets nicer, will give our residents some place to go outside of our facility. We have a very good start for this project but will need additional funds for painting the court and installing posts and baskets. The court will be called the Justin and Brian Barth Recreation Center, in memory of Justin and in recognition of Brian who chose to take care of his brother; which is precisely what we do at The Samaritan Inn.