Gilligan Family Memorial Fund resurrected - September Reporter: Shannon Samson Channel 14 TV. Evansville Indiana New Media Producer: Rachel Chambliss It was 1980. Patrick and Theresa Gilligan and their two children returned to their Vanderburgh County home in the middle of a burglary. High on drugs, the intruder, Donald Ray Wallace, tied up the family and shot them execution style.
Wallace made headlines again when he was put to death in 2005, but not enough attention was given to the Gilligans and their legacy according to a group of University of Evansville seniors. So, they set out to change that. For their final project, Dr. Tamara Wandel assigned her communications class to resurrect the Gilligan Family Memorial Fund. It had been established in 1980 to prevent future tragedies by keeping young people from using drugs and alcohol. Joseph Setnor, UE senior, says, "The problem was that there was just this fund that was completely dormant, and we wanted to know how to bring it out into the open. And the best thing we thought of was just to gather information and make it easily accessible to people."
But first, students had to do their homework. "No one knew anything about them except the murder," informs UE senior Dustin Wallace. That was the goal - to divert focus away from the murderer, Donald Ray Wallace, to the victims, Patrick, Theresa, Lisa and Greg Gilligan. Caitlin Carnes, UE senior, explains, "The fact that they're individuals - that they were four lives that were taken - has been lost in the process. So, that was something we constantly tried to remind ourselves of, that this is not just a no-name client. These are real people."
They launched a full-scale media campaign, writing brochures, news releases and producing public service announcements for radio and TV. They even designed a logo for the Fund. Students showed that PSA at a news conference they organized where they invited distinguished guests to speak. Stan Levco, Vanderburgh County Prosecutor, says, "It's an honor for me to be here today [Tuesday] not just as one of the trial prosecutors along with Judge Pigman, but as a representative of the Gilligan family." Students hope the attention will entice the public to replenish the Gilligan Fund namely to pay for "Afternoons R.O.C.K."
The Youth Service Bureau program aims to keep kids off drugs and now will also keep the Gilligan family name alive. You can help by sending a check to the Youth Service Bureau and writing "Gilligan Memorial Fund" on the memo line or donate online by going to the Youth Service Bureau's Web site.
If you send a check via snail mail, mail to: The Youth Service Bureau 734 Delaware Street, Suite 206 Evansville, in 47710-1630
