The Designer
The Logo for the Michael J. Dunleavy Foundation was developed by Beverly Waring who was Michael's teacher at the Tara Montessori School prior to his transfer to public school in Winchester. In addition to being an excellent teacher Beverly is also a very talented artist. Working closely with family and friends she developed the logo based on Michael's values, accomplishments, love for his family and friends and his hopes for the future.
The Logo
The Logo is multifaceted and is made up of several distinct segments each with its own meaning or significance. The segments are the base, arc, family and seven key elements in Michael's life.
The Base
The base represents the solid foundation that all of us depends on, The strength and security of the family. Its what gives us the courage to go forward and accomplish great things.
The Family
The Child being raised by the parents, legs springing toward goals without fear and with full trust in their guidance and assistance helping him to gain independence.With one arm outstretched the child reaches for dreams, knowledge and goals. The other arm bent and down shows the effort the child is exerting in his forward and upward movement toward his dreams and goals. The parents are joined in their effort to raise the child. Their almost dancing like posture reflects their joy in raising the child which appears effortlessly due to the childs will to attain his dreams.
The Arch
The arch represents all the things in life that children aspire to or dream about. It is the goals of knowledge and sucess and the wonder of the world around them. It is the rainbow that sometimes follows the rain and the dreams of what all the tomorrows will bring.
The individual elements within the arch reflect some of Michael's favorite things in life as well as his thirst for knowledge, generosity and caring for others. Each element is explained in the next column.
Seven Key Elements
Abstract Sun:
The sun, abstract and child like, represents life not only for earth but beyond our solar system to the stars. Stars represent our dreams which give us something to reach for.
Books & Knowledge:
The open book represents our quest for knowledge. Michael's love of school and enthusiasm for learning was a large part of who he was.
Karate - Peace:
The Karate symbol is combine in an unusual way with a dove of peace. While Michael loved Karate and worked very hard to earn his black belt, he also believed in peace. The discipline, strength, self control and purity of movement learned from Karate teaches that there are peaceful ways to conduct our lives.
Infinity:
The infinity symbol reflects mans immortality. While we live for only a brief moment in time, time itself is forever changed by our existence. Those things that we are and the things that we accomplish change the future and are preserved forever in our history.
Oceans & Nature:
One of the most significant attributes of our "Blue" planet is its vast oceans covering three quarters of its surface. From their depths the oceans have given rise to all life as we know it and we in turn are bound to them for our very existence. Michael loved the oceans and the myriad of life they contained. He was concerned about the plight of whales and dolphins and keeping our oceans clean for future generations to enjoy. He loved boating and fishing and was eager to learn about the plants and animals that inhabit our waters.
Sports:
This unusual icon is a combination of the balls used in football, basketball, soccer and baseball. Michael loved sport both playing and watching. He was particularily fond of the Boston teams like the Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots but also enjoyed playing when he got the chance.
The Titanic:
Michael was very much interested in the events surrounding the sinking of the HMS Titanic on April 14, 1912. He was eager to collect articles and was deeply moved by the tragic loss of more than 1500 lives.