Gary Millen Foundation

 

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PO BOX 627, CONWAY, NH 03818-0627 

CONWAY — The Gary Millen Foundation was formed shortly after the untimely death in May 2006 of longtime Kennett High school teacher and coach Gary Millen. Throughout his life, Gary accentuated the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, and commitment to excellence and leadership.

To commemorate 12 years, the Millen Foundation is inviting the public to join it “in a celebration of Gary Millen and the work that his legacy has inspired,” with an event at Zip’s Pub at Cranmore Mountain Resort on Saturday, April 13 from 6-9 p.m.

Author and longtime Kennett High football play-by-play announcer James Anderson will do a reading from his new book, “Tradition Never Graduates,” which is about the life and work of Coach Millen and his Eagles. The not-for-profit organization has raised nearly $1 million to enhance facilities and programs at Kennett High School, which include the Gary Millen Stadium, a competition field for soccer and field hockey, dugouts for the baseball and softball teams, two additional tennis courts, as well as literary and cultural events at Kennett High School.

In 2015, the Foundation was involved in the “Bridge the Gap” project, helping to improve access to several of the athletic fields by relocating and installing The Stoney Morrell Memorial Bridge over the gully between the school and the fields.

Most recently, the Foundation led the effort to purchase two solar-powered scoreboards for the field hockey, soccer/lacrosse fields.

“We are so honored to be able to celebrate the legacy of Coach Millen and to do good work in his name,” said Foundation member Lindsay Mayock.

Millen taught and coached at Kennett High for 30 years. As head football coach he took the Eagles to the postseason 19 times, winning six state championships and appearing in a total of 11 title games.

“But Gary was much more than a football coach,” the Millen Foundation states, “he was an enthusiastic supporter of all athletics, and he was involved in a number of community and school activities including serving as social studies department head, supervising Project Graduation since its inception in 1988, leading the Scholar Bowl, organizing the youth and government program, advising the National Honor Society, and serving as a trustee for Camp Huckins.”

The Gary Millen Foundation goals are “to encourage Kennett High School students to strive for, achieve and embrace the virtues of scholar-athletes; to generally support and promote sports programs and athletes at Kennett High School; to fund scholarship opportunities for Kennett High School students to pursue higher education; and to support teachers and coaches in acquiring facilities, equipment and other resources necessary to develop and promote academic, athletic and artistic excellence for all students of Kennett High School.”