Every day, we can take the time to honor fathers and fatherhood.
The Wall of Fathers is an online forum for men to submit pictures with their fathers, pictures with their children as well as contribute any personal sentiments related to fatherhood and fathering.
The Purpose:
To hold high in reverence that which was handed down to you from your father, your father’s father, your father’s father’s father – whatever that is
To faithfully bring forth those gifts in the way that best reflects your identity and most respects those who have gone before.
To honor a legacy; to live a legacy.
Andrey Edrev – Smiles of the kids are the best gift for the fathers. From the left: Alexander, Borisa and Andrey. Tom Golden – He was Thomas S. Golden and I am Thomas R. Golden. The picture was taken over 30 years ago. He was a remarkable man whom I admired and loved. I will never forget his teaching me how to saw a piece of wood when I was very young and I was furiously trying to saw it as fast as I could to impress him… What did he do? He said in a calm voice, “Let the tool do the work.” Not, don’t do this, don’t do that, just a simple idea of a way to solve the problem without judgement. That was very typical for his way of being, and it stuck with me ever since. I laugh and think of him each time I saw something. He was way ahead of his time and had sayings that became family guidelines. One was: “There is no event that is as important as your attitude towards that event.” This was in the 1950’s and 60’s, which were the dark ages when it came to psychological understanding. I cringe when seeing woke folks these days and think to myself, “If only they had had my father.”Bill Horning – Exploring the wild world together with my sons. Fathers lead the way to adventure! Father Bill and sons Mason and Ian.Jim Ellis – One of the few pictures that include me and my father. It reveals a picture of my dad up front, his father behind him, flanked by his sister Amy on his right and his wife (my mom) Pat on his left. And then there is this little precocious, mischievous, always lurking, constantly observing little tyke whom many may have missed. Though prayerfully, not for long …Frank DeCarlo – This is my father, Frank DeCarlo Sr. Here he and I are sharing favorite musical influences with one another from the 50s and 60s while killing time. My father and I took guitar lessons and shared many laughs together.Paul Nathanson – As for me, I like to think of myself as a father. After all, I had a fine example to follow. I never married and had children, so my children are my books and my former students. And yes, I expect my family and friends to wish me a happy Father’s Day.Willy Holt – Standing with father Bill a few decades ago. I am honored to call Bill Sr. my father. Coincidentally we broke our right legs around the same time period. Him at a tennis tournament. Me, during a skateboard and bum sidewalk incident.Willy Holt – My kids were raised in the Tony Gwynn / Trevor Hoffman era, which means they held high values of hard work and loyalty. Marissa, Lauren and Alex.Willy Holt – My kids were raised in the Tony Gwynn / Trevor Hoffman era, which means they held high values of hard work and loyalty. Marissa, Lauren and Alex.Willy Holt – My kids were raised in the Tony Gwynn / Trevor Hoffman era, which means they held high values of hard work and loyalty. Marissa, Lauren and Alex.Dan Galler – My dad Mark passed away at the age of 90 in December 2023. It really meant a lot to me and my family to have him there as he was not very mobile anymore. But my wife drove him to and from his home in Montreal to the wedding in Toronto in August. We didn’t know at the time that this would be the last family event he would be celebrating with us, making it that much more important and special a memory.Dan Boe – My dad asked, “What position are you?” I responded, “Left field; the players that aren’t good play outfield.” I was five years old and just came home from my very first baseball practice ever. Ten years later my Dad was overwhelmingly elected as President of the local Little League as a write-in, over two other coaches who were campaigning for it, even though he wasn’t running and said he didn’t want it. The reason the parents all wrote his name in is that when he was a coach, he didn’t put the worst players in the outfield. He made pitchers out of them, infielders, and hitters. Since then, I have never seen a better coach. I honor him for being an example for me. I will try and live up to it.Jeff McDonough – Being a father is the best thing to ever happen to me. My son Eddie and I attended a monster truck rally together! It was a blast.Jeff McDonough – Being a father is the best thing to ever happen to me. My son Eddie and I attended a monster truck rally together! It was a blast.
THE BIG PICTURE: The Living Legacy Project Captures Success & Wisdom
The Wall of Fathers is one of seven aspects of a larger project called the Living Legacy Project, outlined in the story here.
The Purpose of the Living Legacy Project
To keep alive, in archive, the wisdom of the men, the success stories of the men and the legacy of our men so that future generations can benefit from and be uplifted by the men who have gone before.
Those MDI men who have taken the Legacy Discovery may recall a ritual in which they were to keep a flame flickering above a match, as they shared what they believed would be the legacy they left behind.
As men, we do not know how long we have here in this life, as we grow, as we push for our success, and as we create a legacy for future generations. Like a candle that glimmers for a flicker of time before it goes out, we embrace whatever limited time we have.
Knowing this, now there is a way to capture the success stories, the acknowledgments, the eulogies, and the wisdom of the men.
It is THE LIVING LEGACY PROJECT, where MDI men can contribute content to populate a living legacy through their valued experience within our circles.
Stan Snow, MDI Executive Director, said, “The Living Legacy Project is an effort by MDI to connect men in our organization to the stories that are meaningful to them, and through that connect to men out in the world who need to hear about us.”
The Legacy Magazine, active since 2013, shifts gears in 2024 by introducing an online portal – found HERE and on the opening page of the MDI Membership Site – where members can submit content that covers such departments:
The Wall of Fathers – A Thank You page for Dad – a gallery of pictures, prose and memories.
The Chamber of Success – Inspiring success stories of men winning, or being the man they’ve always wanted to be.
The Wing of Wisdom – Wisdom of the Men, lessons learned in life, shared for the benefit of others.
Funny Shit – Jokes, gags and satire … not necessarily in that order.
The Hall of Legacy – MDI men who have made a difference for the organization, to include the Legacy Magazine Man of the Year, the Rick Russell Award, the Hall-Of-Honor nominees from the past, etc.
The Mausoleum – Honoring a man who has passed away.
The latter replaces the challenging-to-manage “THE BOOK,” created in 2008 by Rod Greene of the then Southwest Region, after the death of MDI veteran Kurt Thorne, as a “way to remember men who dug the well.” Said Greene, “We must be missing 100 men. If we can get more men acknowledged by doing it digitally, then so be it.“
Of the overall Living Legacy Project, Fred Tomasello Jr., who has consistently contributed articles to the Legacy Magazine, said, “How do we as humble human beings leave something of value when we pass on? I am hoping men will use the Living Legacy Project to pass on wise advice from ‘lessons learned.’ THAT is golden.”
Former MDI President Ian Kennard said, “I look forward to reading the men’s stories. I am excited that our grandsons will one day be able read those same stories.”
Said Legacy Magazine Producer Justin LaBarge, “We cannot afford to allow the lessons we’ve earned fall to a forgotten neglect. It’s here we take our stand – to contribute to future generations through embracing past accomplishments.“
According to Jim Ellis, Legacy Editor, men can also contribute to the project by acting as “scouts” on the lookout for valuable stories and wisdom from the men.
“Have you ever been in a circle, heard a story or a piece of wisdom and thought ‘Damn that was powerful’ and then wanted to somehow have a way to other men could benefit from that story?” he asked. “Now we can.”
The steps for a scout would be to notice a man revealing something of value, and then respond to that man with a newmeme – “That should be put into legacy” beforedirecting him to LegacyMag.org where the Living Legacy Project and submission button resides.
With such a steady collection, not only will the Legacy Magazine populate a monthly periodical – broadcast out to the largest global audience possible – but it will also create a location where men will LIVE IN LEGACY. This is an opportunity for men to document a journey and the wisdom they have gathered along the way.
Said Ellis, “For those who don’t plan to live forever on the planet, they most likely have considered the desire to have a legacy live on beyond them. Those things matter to men. We wanted to create a place for them to document a journey and keep alive a spirit and legacy he would normally allow to pass by, like a flickering flame on a match.”
