​Dennis Shearin 04/18/1948-02/08/2018

Dennis Shearin was an active BPRO member who we lost this year. We would like to honor Dennis with a celebration of life event at the spring conference.
Dennis was a Navy Veteran who started his second career at Lynchburg Social Services. Dennis was at Lynchburg for over 21 years, from 1989 till 2010 retiring as the Chief of Financial Assistance. Actively participating in BPRO as PD 11 President, Technology chair and also being tasked by the state on numerous committees, he was a poster child for BPRO. Dennis was a joy to be around and those who were fortunate enough to know him under-stand that.
We will have a short memorial for Dennis at the business meeting and then please join us later to share in our “Dennis” stories in the hotel during hospitality hour.
We hope to see many of our lifetime members stop by to offer their short stories of Dennis, I know I have a few to share, do you?
 As you know, BPRO always likes to do a “give back” to the community during conference. We had previously decided on Union Mission but with the passing of a dear lifetime member Dennis Shearin, we have changed our “give back” to the Fisher House in his honor.  

Please take a moment to look at their website and also think of contributing to this wonderful organization in honor of Dennis Shearin. https://www.fisherhouse.org  
Being in a hospital dealing with a terminal illness or recovering from a major surgery can be an emotional and frightening time. Zachary Fisher first established the Zachary and Elizabeth M. Fisher Armed Services Foundation in 1983 to boost the spirits of patients by providing families of military members and individuals cared for by the Department of Veterans Affairs the opportunity to be near loved ones during their stays at a military treatment facility.
 The Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Fisher House is one of more than 60 houses donated to the government by the Fisher House Foundation, which are designed to care for the families of patients who may be injured, wounded, sick or terminally ill while in medical treatment facilities. The foundation provides grants to families, allowing them to stay in a “home-away-from-home” near the treatment center.