For Paul Foundation Hosts First Responder Dinner

The For Paul Foundation held its second annual Heroes Dinner June 5, 2021 at the Bonaventure Town Center in Weston, Fla.

The mission of the For Paul Foundation is to enrich the lives of first responders and their families through scholarships, appreciation, and support.

The For Paul Foundation found its origins after the 2017 ambulance rollover accident in Jupiter, Florida, that took the life of paramedic Paul Besaw and his partner, EMT Lahiri Garcia. Paul left a legacy of caring for his patients and developing up-and-coming EMTs and paramedics.

“I am overwhelmed by the amount of support we have had from the community,” commented Dawn Witherspoon, founder and president of the For Paul Foundation. “Paul was such an amazing husband, father, friend and flight medic. I was honored to be his wife and I am honored to be able to continue his legacy of making others happy and making a difference.”

In addition to the event, the foundation visited six Weston fire stations and one police station and provided about 200 responders with food. Four local graduating high school seniors were awarded scholarships of $1500 each to assist them in their career choice of becoming first responders: Rebecca Martinez, Justin Molinary, Brianna Turner, and Taylor Van de Car.

The scholarships were made possible through a partnership between the foundation and the International Association of Fire Fighters local 4321. Jason Smith, president of IAFF Local 4321, remarked, “To partner with an organization who not only cares about first responders, but to see a group that gives back to the community we serve with scholarships, was a no brainer.”

Visit www.theforpaulfoundation.org