The Mark Madsen Memorial Fund, a collaboration between the nonprofit Friends of Staunton State Park and Madsen’s family, was created to raise funds for a “track chair” — a special all-terrain wheelchair — that would be available to disabled visitors at Staunton.
Madsen was such a regular sight at the park that board members for Friends of Staunton wanted to honor his memory after he died suddenly of a pulmonary embolism while visiting Colorado last summer. Madsen, 65, left behind two sons, numerous family members and many students and friends.
“Mark passed away on Aug. 10 last year, and in lieu of flowers we set up the Mark Madsen Memorial Fund, and people made donations to Friends of Staunton. … Mark had been in the park frequently and we said, ‘Let’s get a track chair in his memory, start this program and have a celebration for accessibility,’ ” said Wayne Parkinson, president of Friends of Staunton.
Once the chair is purchased, any disabled person can reserve it at no charge. Parkinson also said the chair will be available to those of all ages who are unable to visit areas in the park because of a disability, including people with multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injuries, as well as the elderly.
