Your Stories. Your Life.
"Local News With Heart" / Join Us In The Journey ©
Email: linda.MyPaperNow@yahoo.com
The prom and prom fundraiser at the Willis Peters Exceptional Student Center in Dover, Fla., each year features The Dennis Lee Show, headlined by a man who started as a mime and performer in clown makeup and now takes his brand of comedy and music on the road nationwide. More important, he "adopts" kids and the elderly with special needs and deep hearts. And he never forgets a name.
![Barbara Franques, center, retired in 2009 from the Hillsborough County School District after 38 years in education. Her last job was as director of Area 6 schools, including Durant, Newsome, Plant City, and Strawberry high schools, as well as Dover Elementary School and the neighboring Willis Peters Exceptional Student Education Center. With Franques is Peggy Ferro, right, center administrator, and her sister, Cindy Boss.
"We come to the prom and stand in the background and watch them have a ball," Franques said. "You look at these people and the problems they overcome and you say, 'What do I have to complain about?' "
Franques called Dennis Lee "a most remarkable gentleman." A perennial Strawberry Festival performer, Franques remembers the days when Lee first started out, as a clown with mime experience. For more than 20 years now, Lee has been performing and volunteering his time at both the center's annual fundraiser and prom. "When he performs at the festival, like he does here, he sees the students and he remembers every one of them by name," Franques said. "He sings to them and he brings them up on stage."
The fundraiser and prom, she added, was supported by Don Morris, who died within the past year and was an avid Elks member. "Don did whatever he could for the [Willis Peters] students," Franques said. His wife, Leslie Morris, is the former administrator of the Willis Peters Exceptional Student Education Center. She serves now as principal of Hillsborough County's Simmons Career Center in Plant City.](http://www.mypapernow.com/Other/Willis-Peters-Exceptional/i-hQKsgFq/0/Ti/DSC_2244-Ti.jpg "Barbara Franques, center, retired in 2009 from the Hillsborough County School District after 38 years in education. Her last job was as director of Area 6 schools, including Durant, Newsome, Plant City, and Strawberry high schools, as well as Dover Elementary School and the neighboring Willis Peters Exceptional Student Education Center. With Franques is Peggy Ferro, right, center administrator, and her sister, Cindy Boss.
\"We come to the prom and stand in the background and watch them have a ball,\" Franques said. \"You look at these people and the problems they overcome and you say, 'What do I have to complain about?' \"
Franques called Dennis Lee \"a most remarkable gentleman.\" A perennial Strawberry Festival performer, Franques remembers the days when Lee first started out, as a clown with mime experience. For more than 20 years now, Lee has been performing and volunteering his time at both the center's annual fundraiser and prom. \"When he performs at the festival, like he does here, he sees the students and he remembers every one of them by name,\" Franques said. \"He sings to them and he brings them up on stage.\"
The fundraiser and prom, she added, was supported by Don Morris, who died within the past year and was an avid Elks member. \"Don did whatever he could for the [Willis Peters] students,\" Franques said. His wife, Leslie Morris, is the former administrator of the Willis Peters Exceptional Student Education Center. She serves now as principal of Hillsborough County's Simmons Career Center in Plant City.")
!["This is a fabulous event," said Peggy Ferro, site administrator for the Willis Peters Exceptional Center, with her predecessor, Leslie Morris. "The Elks have taken Willis Peters students under their wing and it's been great for the kids."
The Elks connection started with Leslie Morris' husband, F. B. "Don" Morris Jr., who died in 2009 at age 78. A Marine veteran, he was a member of the Brandon Elks Lodge for more than 50 years, according to his obituary.
"I want people to know that [the kids at Willis Peters] are great kids," Ferro added, noting that of the center's 115 students, about 60 are considered secondary school students.](http://www.mypapernow.com/Other/Willis-Peters-Exceptional/i-HsZf9J5/0/Ti/DSC_2298-Ti.jpg "\"This is a fabulous event,\" said Peggy Ferro, site administrator for the Willis Peters Exceptional Center, with her predecessor, Leslie Morris. \"The Elks have taken Willis Peters students under their wing and it's been great for the kids.\"
The Elks connection started with Leslie Morris' husband, F. B. \"Don\" Morris Jr., who died in 2009 at age 78. A Marine veteran, he was a member of the Brandon Elks Lodge for more than 50 years, according to his obituary.
\"I want people to know that [the kids at Willis Peters] are great kids,\" Ferro added, noting that of the center's 115 students, about 60 are considered secondary school students.")
![Dennis Lee said he missed and had deep regards for Don Morris, the long-time Brandon Elks Lodge member who started the Elks connection to the Willis Peters Exceptional Student Education Center, where his wife, Leslie Morris, was site administrator. "Don and Leslie started the fundraiser that culminated into what it is today," Lee said. "They're angels on earth." As for Don Morris, who died in 2009, Lee added: "I feel him here tonight. He's everywhere."
Lee's affilitation with the center dates back some 26 years. "I knew somebody who knew somebody who asked me to do an impromptu show for these kids," said Lee, who started his career as a mime and dressed in clown makeup. Today, The Dennis Lee Show, billed as the show "where comedy and music collide," is a nationwide attracion and is always the main event at the Willis Peters prom and prom fundraiser.
"At the end of the day, the end result of a fundraiser like this is for the kids [from Willis Peters] to experience a real prom like kids at any other school," Lee said.](http://www.mypapernow.com/Other/Willis-Peters-Exceptional/i-Lrx4ZSc/0/Ti/DSC_2299-Ti.jpg "Dennis Lee said he missed and had deep regards for Don Morris, the long-time Brandon Elks Lodge member who started the Elks connection to the Willis Peters Exceptional Student Education Center, where his wife, Leslie Morris, was site administrator. \"Don and Leslie started the fundraiser that culminated into what it is today,\" Lee said. \"They're angels on earth.\" As for Don Morris, who died in 2009, Lee added: \"I feel him here tonight. He's everywhere.\"
Lee's affilitation with the center dates back some 26 years. \"I knew somebody who knew somebody who asked me to do an impromptu show for these kids,\" said Lee, who started his career as a mime and dressed in clown makeup. Today, The Dennis Lee Show, billed as the show \"where comedy and music collide,\" is a nationwide attracion and is always the main event at the Willis Peters prom and prom fundraiser.
\"At the end of the day, the end result of a fundraiser like this is for the kids [from Willis Peters] to experience a real prom like kids at any other school,\" Lee said.")
Dennis Lee calls it "a labor of love," his decades-long commitment to the students at the Willis Peters Exceptional Student Education Center in Dover, Fla. The center serves students, ages 3 through 22, with limited intellectual functioning and other disabilities, such as deafness and visual, language, speech, and physical impairments.
"I have a spot in my heart for these kids," said Lee, with Jerilyn Price Smith, 42, an attendee at the fundraiser held to benefit the center's May 8 prom. The prom and prom fundraiseer had been heralded for decades by Elks Don Morris, who died in 2009, and his wife, Leslie, who once served as the center's site administrator and still works for the Hillsborough County School District.
"Oh, I love it!" the newly married Price Smith said about the fundraiser. "I love, of course, the music and it's a good fundraiser for the school." And because of her own genetic condition, osteogenesis imperfecta, Price Smith said she holds a special place in her heart for the students at Willis Peters. As Price Smith put it: "I always think of the disabled."
The May 2 fundraiser was held at the Brandon Elks Lodge. The Elks donate the lodge event space for both the fundraiser and the prom.
Entertainment by The Dennis Lee Show featured the namesake himself and his five-member band: painist Leon Jacobs, fiddler Renee Riddle, drummer Dave Hughes, guitarist Stan Bozek, and bass guitarist Richie Hodge. A special, impromptu performance and speech by Jonathan Davis, who was born blind, caused Lee to comment that it was, for him, one of those "incredible moments blazed on your brain."
"I have a spot in my heart for these kids," said Lee, with Jerilyn Price Smith, 42, an attendee at the fundraiser held to benefit the center's May 8 prom. The prom and prom fundraiseer had been heralded for decades by Elks Don Morris, who died in 2009, and his wife, Leslie, who once served as the center's site administrator and still works for the Hillsborough County School District.
"Oh, I love it!" the newly married Price Smith said about the fundraiser. "I love, of course, the music and it's a good fundraiser for the school." And because of her own genetic condition, osteogenesis imperfecta, Price Smith said she holds a special place in her heart for the students at Willis Peters. As Price Smith put it: "I always think of the disabled."
The May 2 fundraiser was held at the Brandon Elks Lodge. The Elks donate the lodge event space for both the fundraiser and the prom.
Entertainment by The Dennis Lee Show featured the namesake himself and his five-member band: painist Leon Jacobs, fiddler Renee Riddle, drummer Dave Hughes, guitarist Stan Bozek, and bass guitarist Richie Hodge. A special, impromptu performance and speech by Jonathan Davis, who was born blind, caused Lee to comment that it was, for him, one of those "incredible moments blazed on your brain."
osteogenesis imperfecta, Price Smith said she holds a special place in her heart for the students at Willis Peters. As Price Smith put it: "I always think of the disabled."
The May 2 fundraiser was held at the Brandon Elks Lodge. The Elks donate the lodge event space for both the fundraiser and the prom.
Entertainment by The Dennis Lee Show featured the namesake himself and his five-member band: painist Leon Jacobs, fiddler Renee Riddle, drummer Dave Hughes, guitarist Stan Bozek, and bass guitarist Richie Hodge. A special, impromptu performance and speech by Jonathan Davis, who was born blind, caused Lee to comment that it was, for him, one of those "incredible moments blazed on your brain."" href="javascript:openLB(855518656,'',XLarge,'',1024,681);">
Dennis Lee calls it "a labor of love," his decades-long commitment to the students at the Willis Peters Exceptional Student Education Center in Dover, Fla. The center serves students, ages 3 through 22, with limited intellectual functioning and other disabilities, such as deafness and visual, language, speech, and physical impairments.
"I have a spot in my heart for these kids," said Lee, with Jerilyn Price Smith, 42, an attendee at the fundraiser held to benefit the center's May 8 prom. The prom and prom fundraiseer had been heralded for decades by Elks Don Morris, who died in 2009, and his wife, Leslie, who once served as the center's site administrator and still works for the Hillsborough County School District.
"Oh, I love it!" the newly married Price Smith said about the fundraiser. "I love, of course, the music and it's a good fundraiser for the school." And because of her own genetic condition, osteogenesis imperfecta, Price Smith said she holds a special place in her heart for the students at Willis Peters. As Price Smith put it: "I always think of the disabled."
The May 2 fundraiser was held at the Brandon Elks Lodge. The Elks donate the lodge event space for both the fundraiser and the prom.
Entertainment by The Dennis Lee Show featured the namesake himself and his five-member band: painist Leon Jacobs, fiddler Renee Riddle, drummer Dave Hughes, guitarist Stan Bozek, and bass guitarist Richie Hodge. A special, impromptu performance and speech by Jonathan Davis, who was born blind, caused Lee to comment that it was, for him, one of those "incredible moments blazed on your brain."
"I have a spot in my heart for these kids," said Lee, with Jerilyn Price Smith, 42, an attendee at the fundraiser held to benefit the center's May 8 prom. The prom and prom fundraiseer had been heralded for decades by Elks Don Morris, who died in 2009, and his wife, Leslie, who once served as the center's site administrator and still works for the Hillsborough County School District.
"Oh, I love it!" the newly married Price Smith said about the fundraiser. "I love, of course, the music and it's a good fundraiser for the school." And because of her own genetic condition, osteogenesis imperfecta, Price Smith said she holds a special place in her heart for the students at Willis Peters. As Price Smith put it: "I always think of the disabled."
The May 2 fundraiser was held at the Brandon Elks Lodge. The Elks donate the lodge event space for both the fundraiser and the prom.
Entertainment by The Dennis Lee Show featured the namesake himself and his five-member band: painist Leon Jacobs, fiddler Renee Riddle, drummer Dave Hughes, guitarist Stan Bozek, and bass guitarist Richie Hodge. A special, impromptu performance and speech by Jonathan Davis, who was born blind, caused Lee to comment that it was, for him, one of those "incredible moments blazed on your brain."
Copyright 2008-10. All Rights Reserved. My Paper Now.