As the sun set on the warm, balmy Saturday night of Homecoming 2008, a young couple stood out on a dock on the east shore of Big G Lake, holding hands, enjoying the reds, oranges and yellows of the sunset, a perfect view of campus, and a special moment in their lives as students at Graceland. Both freshmen, they met this fall and they have developed a friendship that could last a lifetime, as do so many friendships that begin on "the Hill."
A new floating dock that stretches out into Big G is going to be a favorite new spot for strollers to pause and reflect. There are many such spots on campus. You see alumni revisiting them when they are back at Graceland. President Sellars likes to call these special places "sacred ground," and he is right. Thousands of memories have been sealed at these sacred places.
This newest addition to our glorious campus was presented and installed by Chad Dailey and his wife Shannon (Kent) Dailey, both from the Class of 1998. The dock will honor Chad's late father, Paul Dailey, from the Class of 1967, who for 20 years was leader of the Ontario, Canada delegation to SPECTACULAR. Paul and his wife Nadine worked together at SPEC and for Canadian youth. They always championed Graceland, and now Chad and Shannon do the same. They were at Homecoming 2008 for their 10th reunion and they posed for this photo on the dock. They live in Mississauga, Ontario. Graceland is proud to always have a large presence of students from Ontario and from all across Canada.
Chad, his dad, and Paul's two brothers, Don and Glen, put together a family business in Ontario that sells and installs EZ Docks. Since starting the company in 2000, sales of the docks has increased by 1,000 percent. Chad runs the company and he also handles the IT needs for the Canadian East Mission of the Community of Christ. Paul served for many years as a pastor and youth minister.
During a recent phone conversation Chad talked about how much his dad cared for Graceland. "SPEC is where we as a family fell in love with Graceland and what it means for us," he said. With Paul and Nadine's combined love for Graceland and SPEC, and Chad and Shannon's affection and appreciation for what Graceland did for them, Chad said it was just a natural to create this new ‘sacred spot.' He also hopes the floating dock will offer Gracelanders and area residents a place "to sit and relax, to fish, to just enjoy the view."
Already, retired faculty member and consummate Gracelander Hal McKain has been spotted fishing from the dock. Hal had a chance to thank the Daileys before they departed after Homecoming. "That was rewarding," Chad said. "We have heard that people are using it as place to read a book or simply sit and feel the sun on their face."
From our students, who are enjoying the peace and quiet and the beautiful view, and from all Gracelanders and Lamoni residents, thank you Chad and Shannon for creating a lasting legacy for Paul, and a wonderful new ‘sacred spot' at Graceland.
