Two Young Men Making a Difference

Without adversity and struggles, people never know how far they can push themselves or what they are capable of doing.

After Ryan Lee was struck and killed by a car in New York City last year, all of his friends and family felt lost and needed something to do.

Two of Lee's closest friends, John McNair and Tim Cote decided to do something in a big way to honor their friend.

"A couple of weeks after Ryan passed away, John and Tim talked to me about having a golf tournament," Ryan Lee's father Dan said. "They went down and secured the date right away at Timberlin. We had imagined just a group of close friends and family would get together but Berlin and Cheshire are great communities and we sold out the tournament. We got something from every corner of town, from tee sponsors to goods and products, the town really came through."

McNair and Cote were friends with Lee through basketball. Lee also had a very separate group of friends from golf and at Timberlin Golf Club. Ryan could talk to anyone, from 5 to 95-years old, regardless of background. That is why so many people gravitated towards him.

"You think about Tim and John and you can see it doesn’t take an adult to make a difference, change can be made by young people," Dan Lee said. "They rallied everybody and it was good for all of us. I see it often that sports mirrors life and a lot of the lessons you learn in sports transfer over to life. I think the lessons John and Tim learned in sports served them well. They weren't going to let any obstacles get in their way. They have brought the tournament a long way in a short period of time."

This year, the members of the Ryan T. Lee Foundation, Jim McNair, Rob Josephson, Dan Lee and Mike Rugens, looked for other ways to reach out to the community. It turned into Ryan Lee week with a number of activities.

There was a mini-golf outing at Safari Golf, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament at Berlin High School, a basketball clinic held at the New Britain Boys and Girls Club with each camper getting a backpack with back-to-school supplies and finally the golf tournament.

"At this point we have given about $20,000 to various charities and scholarships," Dan Lee said. "We give scholarships in Berlin and Cheshire (where Lee teaches and coaches boys basketball). The golf tournament has allowed us to raise that money to give back and it feels great to give back to two great communities."

Alyssa Scheyd was the first Ryan Lee Scholarship winner but the Foundation was able to give out three awards this year. Victoria Fagan, Trafford Underwood and Colin King all received scholarships this year.

"John and Tim never fail to impress me with all the work they do on behalf of the scholarship and the foundation," Dan Lee added. "They exceed my expectations every time and they want nothing out of the proposition except to remember Ryan. These are two kids who are juniors in college and I don't think you will find any finer kids than them. They are just the best and I'm so proud of them."