Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
August 25, 2025

Nonprofit Launches $200K Fund to Honor Poet Laureate's Legacy

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TLDR

  • The Creative Happiness Institute's $200,000 endowment campaign offers donors a chance to gain recognition by supporting arts education and preserving Dr. Axelrod's influential literary legacy.
  • The Creative Happiness Institute will raise $200,000 through donations and grants to fund poetry programs, mentoring, and publishing via the newly established David B. Axelrod Memorial Endowment Fund.
  • This initiative honors Dr. Axelrod's legacy by promoting creativity and arts education, fostering community well-being and enriching cultural life in Volusia County for future generations.
  • Dr. Axelrod collaborated with Nobel and Pulitzer winners like Robert Frost and authored 25 poetry books while mentoring thousands of poets over his six-decade career.

Impact - Why it Matters

This news matters because it highlights the enduring impact of the arts on community well-being and education. Dr. Axelrod's legacy through CHI provides vital mentorship and creative outlets for young poets, seniors, veterans, and residents, fostering mental health and cultural enrichment. In an era where arts funding is often scarce, this endowment ensures continued access to poetry and artistic programs, empowering individuals and preserving local culture for future generations in Volusia County and beyond.

Summary

The Creative Happiness Institute (CHI), a Daytona Beach-based nonprofit founded by the late Dr. David B. Axelrod, Volusia County's co-poet laureate, is launching a $200,000 fundraising campaign to establish the David B. Axelrod Memorial Endowment Fund. This initiative aims to sustain Axelrod's legacy of promoting poetry and the arts through CHI's programs, including the Young Poets Mentoring Program, poetry slams, readings, and publishing via Writers Ink Press—a five-decade-old imprint now transitioning to CHI's control. The campaign will be unveiled at a tribute event on September 6 at the Dr. Noble 'Thin Man' Watts Amphitheatre, located at 322 S. Clara Ave in DeLand, featuring an open mic, live music by jazz guitarist Jim Graves, and emceeing by Axelrod's son and Dr. Rajni Shankar-Brown.

Dr. Axelrod, who passed away recently, was a prolific poet, educator, and mentor with a six-decade career that included authoring 25 poetry books, winning three Fulbright awards, and serving as poet laureate in both Volusia County, Florida, and Suffolk County, New York. His work, described as populist and focused on universal themes like family and current events, influenced countless poets and collaborated with literary giants such as Robert Frost and Allen Ginsburg. CHI, funded by donations and grants, continues his mission to enhance lives through creativity, with President Anthony Ehrlich emphasizing Axelrod's dedication to using poetry for happiness and healing.

Source Statement

This curated news summary relied on content disributed by citybiz. Read the original source here, Nonprofit Launches $200K Fund to Honor Poet Laureate's Legacy

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