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R.I. man continues to give back with dollhouses
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By Stephen Elliott, selliott@qconline.com
By Stephen Elliott, selliott@qconline.com
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Each one has a purpose, and number 40 is no different. Rock Island resident Dan Begyn struggles with Parkinson's Disease, but the blue eyes show defiance, reminding others there's still a fight left, and maybe a little bit of a kid left in his 58-year-old body. Mr. Begyn was at Hillcrest Elementary School in East Moline on Friday, signing another dollhouse away for another good cause. He built his first one in 1997 for his mother. Number 40 is for the victims of the Haiti earthquake and for the children at the East Moline grade school. The school is holding a raffle May 21 at the Soul Bowl for the dollhouse. The raffle will be part of a school celebration. The proceeds from the dollhouse raffle will be split 50/50 between earthquake victims and the school. "Dan's a good man," said Hillcrest principal Jim O'Brien. "He has sold quite a few tickets himself." Mr. Begyn has a special interest in Hillcrest. His grandson, Andrew Serpa, is a fourth-grader there. Tagging along with his grandpa, Andrew gets to run the band saw Mr. Begyn uses to build the dollhouses. He watched his grandpa for two months cut and measure pine and cedar woods to create another work of art. "He's my apprentice," Mr. Begyn said of his grandson. Mr. O'Brien said the school and Mr. Begyn have raised more than $300 so far. The principal said the school would like to use the money to help purchase a SMART Board. "In fact, we've had some events here where we have sold tickets," Mr. O'Brien said. Some of those events included a movie night and book-fair night. Mr. O'Brien said the school will send out a note this week, "for all of our families to purchase tickets." Mr. Begyn enjoys the response he receives from people. He has crafted dollhouses for Gilda's Club, the University of Iowa Children's Hospital in Iowa City, and for people with disabilities, among others. "Kids love the heck out of them," Mr. Begyn said once. "I like to watch the kids open and close the doors." On May 21, he'll get to see the fruits of his labor become reality when a lucky ticket is picked and dollhouse number 40 leaves the school grounds. As he speaks about the dollhouse at Hillcrest, Andrew tells of the time his grandpa made him a Frankenstein monster out of wood. "I found this little chopped up log outside in the backyard," Andrew said. "He (Dan) painted it a little bit green, put some legs, arms, a channel changer from the TV on his back. He put little bolts in the side of his ears." Grandpa Dan laughs as Andrew tells the story. They look like two kids standing next to one another, the grandpa being the bigger, but no more grown up, of the pair. Some of Mr. Begyn's enthusiasm and skill seems to be rubbing off on his little shadow walking alongside him in the school hallway. Although he moves a little slower than he once did and he shakes, Mr. Begyn said he will keep going on until he no longer can handle the saws and the work. Dollhouse number 41 is in the works, he said. Where it will go still is to be decided. It's something Mr. Begyn still has control over -- his ability to help others. To purchase raffle tickets or for information on the raffle, contact Hillcrest Elementary at (309) 755-7621 or Mr. Begyn at (309) 716-0782. 
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Today is Friday, May 24, the 144th day of 2013. There are 221 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: A military escort will be at the square at 9 a.m. tomorrow forthe funeral of Lieut. Joseph Eaton. The county judge is absent in Chicago, which willaccount for his not being in the procession.
1888 -- 125 years ago: Rock Island's City Council last night appropriated $95,000 forexpenses for the 1888 and 1889 fiscal year.
1913 -- 100 years ago: Mrs. F.W. Reimers last night was re-elected president of the RockIsland Musical Club at a meeting in the New Harper Hotel.
1938 -- 75 years ago: Seven members of Boy Scout Troop 21 got their Eagle badges lastnight. They were Ralph Hurt, Robert Nelson, Howard Schersten, Cecil Nelson, RobertFryxell, Clarence Stone and Rollin Hurt.
1963 -- 50 years ago: Mayor Morris Muhleman has resorted to a form letter in an effort toanswer objections to the wheel tax increase. "It was my hope that I could, in some way,restore the faith of the citizens in our city. In order to do this I knew I must face the factthat I would become very unpopular."All they are trying to do is protect the citizensproperty and build their town.
1988 -- 25 years ago: RICCA, the Rock Island County Council on Addictions, inconjunction with the Quad City Downs, will hold its annual "Night at the Races" June 2.The benefit "Night at the Races" will raise funds locally to assist in maintaining the twohalfway houses, New Hope Lodge (for women) and Beacon House (for men).
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