Robert & Anthony Dudchik SUN Memorial Fund
The Purpose
On April 28th 2022, a cherished and beloved Alumni of SUN, Robert Dudchik, tragically passed away in a car accident along with his younger brother, Anthony Dudchik. Robert was one of the very first students of SUN Scholars Inc. and a beloved member of our community.
At SUN, and with the blessing of the Dudchik family, we aimed to establish a legacy for Robert and Anthony by establishing the Robert & Anthony Dudchik Memorial Fund. Robert was an avid traveler, and had recently begun a wonderful career as a flight attendant at Avelo Airlines. The Robert & Anthony SUN Memorial Fund brings this joy and world humbling experience of travel, the spirit and legacy of these brothers, and the importance of community and volunteering for our students at SUN.
At SUN Scholars Inc., we work with foster and adopted students throughout their college experiences, as only 3 percent go on to receive a degree. Many of our students come from backgrounds of serious trauma, remarkable resilience, and a willingness to succeed in life despite their adversity. The Robert & Anthony SUN Memorial Program directly benefits these foster and adopted youth by breaking boundaries and exposing them to life outside of Connecticut, strong community building activities, adventure, volunteering, and an emphasis on the lives of Robert & Anthony.
We believe this program has the power to build a legacy for these beloved brothers through changing the lives of other foster and adopted youth here in Connecticut. With the support of our donors, we are hopeful of providing this program for many, many years to come.
2024 Trip to Peru
Following a successful first trip in January of 2023 to Florida, SUN Scholars Inc. is planning a 2024 trip to Peru on behalf of the Robert & Anthony Dudchik SUN Memorial Fund. In high school, Robert was able to save up money through odd jobs, mowing lawns, and family support to take a remarkable trip to Peru - we want to honor this destination in 2024.
SUN is working diligently with a partner college to establish a premiere study abroad program, effectively allowing a longer, more rewarding, and restorative period of time that students will be engaged with the Robert & Anthony Dudchik SUN Memorial Fund. Additionally, this path will allow us to take significantly more students than in 2023, thus expanding the impact and outreach.
We appreciate and welcome all support from the community in fundraising for this program. Here are some ways to help!
1. Donate!
There is no such thing as “too small” of a donation. This is a grassroots effort with contributions from more than 200+ people so far.
2. Re-occurring donations.
Re-occurring donations, of any size, help us establish a reliable baseline for the memorial fund.
3. Facebook Birthday Fundraisers!
This is a fantastic way to crowdsource and support the memorial fund. If everyone that visited this page established a community Facebook Fundraiser, the total memorial fund would almost definitely double by the end of the year. If interested, please contact our Executive Director: chris.scott@sunscholarsinc.org or Secretary, tyler.fabian@sunscholarsinc.org
4. Mailing List.
Stay in the loop on all progress and next steps regarding the Memorial Fund. All donors are automatically added to the list - you can also subscribe at the bottom of this webpage.
The Robert & Anthony Dudchik SUN Memorial Fund - In the News
