https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/events daily 0.75 2022-02-16 https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/events/palm-harbor-spring-fling-5k-race-2022-pxt6y monthly 0.5 2022-02-16 https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/events/palm-harbor-spring-fling-5k-race-2022 monthly 0.5 2022-02-16 https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/events/palm-harbor-spring-fling-1-mile-fun-run-2020-6xee7 monthly 0.5 2020-01-31 https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/events/palm-harbor-spring-fling-1-mile-fun-run-2020 monthly 0.5 2020-01-31 https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/blog daily 0.75 2026-02-26 https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/blog/2016-library-donations monthly 0.5 2020-02-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580848250120-R70BBDIL2QNWNUXP12UP/image017.jpg Elisa's Impact - 2016 Library Donations https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/blog/005azuz524ivd7relznnk3p8rf3i9y monthly 0.5 2020-01-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580490098467-MN087PGU81I0UIK2R3DX/Reading_nook-2.jpg Elisa's Impact - Elisa's Memorial Dedication https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580490150447-LEA5D1E32GA6IPMNQPUU/Reading_nook-3.jpg Elisa's Impact - Elisa's Memorial Dedication - Time Capsule The events of last year or so have enabled our family to go through some boxes that we had kept in the attic for over 30 years. It was quite literally a “time capsule” for a very hazy time for us that we didn’t want to remember because it was too painful. But getting that small amount of closure enabled us to start talking about “Elisa the person” rather than “Elisa the victim.” Unfortunately, because of the circumstances surrounding her death, the only memorial we had was thanks to the Palm Harbor Middle School PTA in the library and the plaque that they had installed at the old Middle School. Going through the old boxes, I found a newspaper article from 1981 about the dedication and letters from School Board members and community leaders about having a more “fitting” memorial once the new school is opened with ideas ranging from dedicating the library to naming the new school after Elisa. I was a kid back then and I had forgotten about all of that and I thought ‘well, its been over 30 years now and nobody really cares anymore so the time for that has passed but maybe I can get the old plaque since it is sitting in an abandoned library.’ When my request got to Superintendent Grego and he became aware of the history, he said “we are going to do more than that” and they started planning ‘this.’ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580490098444-PRPYTEF5UXJCE1B5Q9JC/Reading_nook-4+%281%29.jpg Elisa's Impact - Elisa's Memorial Dedication - Mural Artist When they started talking about a mural I thought it was a great idea but I had real concerns about finding the right artist because we didn’t want something abstract or impressionistic, we wanted something the kids could look at and know what they were seeing. After a brief search, Sue Castleman said they had found the right artist and we needed to meet him. In the mean time, our friend Carolyn Homer had met an artist at a local art show and called us up and said “I found the guy.” She said his art was beautiful, the perfect style for what we were trying to do and as a kicker, he had the same birthday as Elisa. “It’s a sign” she said, “you have to use him.” Carolyn had recently lost a brother and we had spent quite some time discussing the loss of a sibling and whether or not they would send us ‘signs.’ So now we’re thinking ‘how do we choose between these two artists not to mention that we (I) had a specific vision and who is going to accurately portray that vision. Imagine our relief when it turned out they were talking about the same guy- Steve Spathelf or locally known as Spat’s Splats. You have probably seen his work on the sides of many buildings in downtown Dunedin. We met with Steve and talked about Elisa and the things she loved and tried to convey our concept of what we wanted. What Steve took away from that conversation was nothing like I had envisioned. I am glad that it wasn’t because after seeing Steve’s vision, I think mine was kind of lame. You can see from the some of the items that Elisa was a typical little girl of the 70’s- unicorns, butterflies, tie-dye rainbows but there is a lot more here too- https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580490097969-LPRYNEXRLQ7WFTW0GHIR/Reading_nook-5.jpg Elisa's Impact - Elisa's Memorial Dedication - Girl Scouts You can see in the upper left corner that she was a Girl Scout. She was brave and adventurous, a member of Troop 712 of the Suncoast Council. I know that there are several of Elisa’s troopmates here, if you were in her troop, would you please raise your hand? Thank you for coming. The Girls Scouts have announced that they are going to make Troop #712 a “Legacy Troop #” so all future troops # 712 will get a special patch that is going to be made from the artwork in this mural. A few months ago the scouts dedicated a memorial brick at Camp Wai Lani and we are working on some other things at the camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580490097744-913871TBKOXRZYTXBUM3/Reading_nook-6.jpg Elisa's Impact - Elisa's Memorial Dedication - Books & Libraries That’s why we are in here. She was fearless and loved all types of adventures, either in person, through Scouting or through books. She would always go to the library whenever she got the chance. She also loved to play teacher (she had a chalkboard where she would conduct class with neighborhood kids). She would often take those who were struggling to read, down to the neighborhood library and check out books for them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580490097181-XTN37XE43P7PNRDHBM1T/Reading_nook-7.jpg Elisa's Impact - Elisa's Memorial Dedication - She was an Athlete Any softball players here? Back then there were no girls’ softball leagues in Palm Harbor so she played Little League Baseball and was one of the best on her team; probably because I taught her how to play. Any cheerleaders here? She loved to cheer and when we used to go to the Bucs games her favorite part was to watch the cheerleaders Any gymnasts here? She went to Apollo, which is still open and some of you may go there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580490096235-IMESSAZ1ZK1B6H17BU3K/Reading_nook-12.jpg Elisa's Impact - Elisa's Memorial Dedication - Singers & Dancers Singers and Dancers? Elisa loved dancing and studied Jazz, ballet and tap at the Little Miss School of Dance. She also loved Music. Don’t judge me because it was the late 70’s and early 80’s but we’d pop in the 8 track (ask your parents about that) in and listen to- KC & the Sunshine Band Barry Manilow Olivia Newton John Grease (our version of High School Musical) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580490096064-BDHKC1BCFB9V6B63A51D/Reading_nook-14.jpg Elisa's Impact - Elisa's Memorial Dedication - Generosity MDA Elisa was VERY generous. Always thinking of ways to help others. She was trying to save her money to buy a 10 speed bike but could never quite get there. She would work to raise money by washing cars or cleaning her father’s office then donate all the money she earned to the MDA telethon. But my parents didn’t know it until a bill came in the mail for $17.23 because that’s all she had in her piggy bank. She always wanted to help others especially if they were kids. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580490707749-54UKLQH5LEPNDEM5QVC1/Reading_nook-17.jpg Elisa's Impact - Elisa's Memorial Dedication - Greeting Cards She loved to send cards. When I was going through the boxes in the attic I found one that she meant to send to a friend who invited her to a sleep over. It said “Dear April, Thank you for inviting me to your wild and crazy slumber party. I had a great time! Thanks again. Elisa.” I was able to track April down and send her the card. She loved to make people happy and she thought that giving them a card would let them know that someone was thinking about them and that would make them happy. About a year after Elisa died, our mother was going through some old magazines and tucked away inside of a National Geographic were 3 signed and sealed Christmas cards that she had planned on giving us. Elisa passed away in early November. Almost two full months before Christmas. She was always thinking ahead about how to make people smile. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580490095647-3Z997UMCF7Z0IELISWM9/Reading_nook-16.jpg Elisa's Impact - Elisa's Memorial Dedication - Animals If you haven’t noticed, Elisa loved animals. Any other animal lovers here? If we put all of the animals in the mural like the cats and goats and pigs, there wouldn’t be room for anything else. She would take in every stray pet or injured animal she found. Some of the more famous animals she had are here- Bugs Bunny (a wounded baby, abandoned by her mother) Houdini the Hamster (he got his name because he always escaped and the game was to find him before the cat did) Harry the Guinea Pig Her dog named “Pretty”If you read the background then you know the story but assuming you haven’t, I’ve got to tell you, Steve was very kind to the dog’s appearance. For those of you who don’t know the story it goes like this-One time she found a dog. He was kind of mangy looking and not very bright. He was the color of dirt, in fact, the same color as the dirt road we used to live on. In the middle of the afternoon we’d hear horns honking and the dog would be taking a nap in the middle of the road. Everyone in the neighborhood would yell “get out of the road you stupid dog.” It happened so often, he started answer to the name “Stupid.” However, no matter what that dog did, Elisa would never call him Stupid, she thought he was pretty so she called him “Pretty.” She would paint his nails and put bows in his hair but I always thought you can’t name a boy dog “Pretty,” but when we took him to the vet we had to compromise, so we combined the two names and called him “Pretty Stupid”. https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/blog/cashmeres-wish monthly 0.5 2020-01-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580489392803-FDFK4BAJ72Q60EJ4K8JD/Cashmere-1.jpg Elisa's Impact - Cashmere’s Wish https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580489327883-NOPZ7ZLC4V8A4V0MN03Z/Cashmere_disney.jpg Elisa's Impact - Cashmere’s Wish https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/home daily 1.0 2026-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1579226324934-524WOU48RWIG2NP6O7ZM/Elisa_sm.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1579226325127-BZIYMQO85O0R5EGKV0Q3/Elisa-Cheerleader-2.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1579226325178-HRFJPQ2QZJCG6A1NJ89D/Elisa-last-school-picture-2.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1579226325235-ZKE6OATZJ79Y8RKZ8W4T/Elisa-Baseball-2.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1579226325354-524DWWL4UJIGFX7YKO7M/Elisa-baby-1080x734.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1579224453807-FQOFE2GHF46NEI15GOWL/Elisa-michigan-house.jpg Home https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/donate daily 0.75 2026-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580850367478-J9I0N9ZXQJDLZ0LDUWJX/Elisa-Baseball-2.jpg Donate https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/about daily 0.75 2022-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/435d78d1-d563-44b5-a980-66118ce43a64/PEF.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/5bba6b0d-bf02-4c46-9e01-788c40d77fd6/autism+inspired+academy.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/99439876-09c9-42f0-a789-40e11721f906/fundraiser-for-therhappy-summer-camp-program-cover.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/806b1aca-5b1b-4518-aae6-f7688865f35e/beth+dillinger+foundation.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1b661b88-f564-4f69-92ae-a5163c8d0635/childrens+cancer+center.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/d3634421-58b8-493f-822c-731a3ae3a5a5/make+a+wish.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/22bf6f0c-ef93-4b93-a67d-f794d3489efd/MDA.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/b052f538-abda-4edb-9451-15c7434ba752/gotr-tampa-logo-1_orig.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/78f08278-9d5f-4388-9739-f6b1d9eb8c13/suncaost+animal+league.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/a459158c-89dc-4133-8c8b-6754b1875759/pinellas+animal+found.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1f3246d5-0140-4417-8cb4-143732ebf4ff/GS_W+CENTRAL+FLORIDA_servicemark.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/62609b32-6cdc-4d67-a031-443841da4b2b/hug+help+us+gather.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/778f29a3-bfff-4af1-a376-048589838ac5/ozona-es.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/2f826ffb-42f0-438f-97b2-d9f82492847e/Childrens_Dream_Fund_Logo%28F%29.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/50c8d915-e3e6-4fc3-b678-30c33c643628/00000002018-PHMS.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1cebfd52-ab43-44a0-aa54-c70d3a5bc255/JDRF-Full-Color-Logo-PMS.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/975cf5f5-f25c-4209-8dda-435c34b50fb6/PHUHS_Crest.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/17055a3a-bf48-4b9a-bac5-9c05219ffbba/JPEG-Medium-Wheelchairs-for-Kids-logo4220202_md2.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/d7ce26cd-5327-48dd-995c-f39ebd0ac52d/LONG-LOGO-BANNER-HIGH-RES-1.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/dc4a8179-ac59-4490-bd6d-f7ba0d488992/CSA+palm+harbor.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/658dc535-a3b1-4784-9445-9047d00c1844/PCSD.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/e14b4b5b-6393-405d-9cb5-122e8559e9db/000000nelson-es.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/341729e0-e8c8-4406-8f29-55a62f8109eb/suncoast+voices+for+children.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21085e9ae7fc473d40e5fb/1580850669611-71U5GCNVFFZJ2H5C8ZFU/Elisa-Cheerleader-2.jpg About https://www.elisasgreatestwishes.org/privacy-policy daily 0.75 2020-02-05