About the Benergy Bash

If you knew Ben for even one day, you know the energy, passion and comedy he brought to everything he did. As Steve shared at the memorial service, Ben was “ALL IN” in everything he did. That BENERGY, as we love to call it, is a spirit of fun, friendship (and feistiness!) that continues to bring us joy. We’d like to celebrate those gifts, in honor of Ben’s 10th birthday, through a BENERGY BASH that brings together the communities that shaped his life.
 
The Benergy Bash will kick-off with the sport that Ben loved most: hockey. He slept with a miniature hockey stick from the time he was two-years old, and lived and breathed all things hockey. Ben brought a determination and pure excitement to hockey that reflects the very best of the sport. When he struggled in school, hockey brought Ben confidence and joy, boosting his self-esteem through the deep camaraderie he shared with his buddies on and off the ice. We are thrilled that Orono Youth Hockey can benefit from the Hockey Fest’s Chuck-a-Puck, helping other young boys and girls become engaged in the sport. Whether or not you have a skater on the ice, we’d love to have you cheering in the stands.
 
When it came to school, Ben had the same determination, but not the effortless joy, that the ice brought him. Through many years of struggle, professional support and testing, we learned that Ben was profoundly dyslexic, and that even the seemingly simplest task in a traditional classroom caused incredible frustration. When we felt we were at the end of our rope – and watching our funny, confident, creative little boy truly believe that he was stupid – the miracle of Groves came into our lives. Groves is the only school in Minnesota, and one of very few nationally, that focuses solely on language-based learning and attention disorders. When we realized that this amazing resource was practically in our backyard, our entire lives changed. 
 
It is no exaggeration when we say that Groves gave us our son back. In less than two years, he was thriving academically and growing in confidence as a leader, diligent student, and loyal friend.  We will forever be grateful to Groves for allowing us to witness the very best of our son in his last two years of life. We look forward to supporting the vision, outreach, and impact of this remarkable institution for the rest of our lives. Your involvement in the Benergy Bash, and any contributions you make to the Ben Ruedisili Legacy Fund, will lead other children to fulfill their true potential through a different approach to learning.
 
As a family, our hope is that the Benergy Bash is a yearly celebration where Ben’s friends, schoolmates, sports buddies, and the many adults who touched his life, can gather for a day of true fun and fellowship. This will be deeply meaningful to us, especially as we head into the holidays. We can’t wait to see you!
- Anne and Steve

---

Core Organizing Team:

Jodi Lewis, Anne Harbison, Carrie Case, Jodi Glaser
Hockey Fest Team: Gina Hansen, Beth Anderson
Groves Bash: Katey Taylor, Jamie Prescott
Wayzata/Orono Community: Hilary Flynn, Jody Nyberg