by Mae Weston City-Times Staff

When fifth graders at McDill Elementary opened their equipment kits for a dissection project last week, they found outdated and rusty tools.

That is, until Michael Madigan stepped in.

Madigan, a veteran of both the health care and education fields, volunteers at McDill as a math tutor throughout the week. His wife is employed locally as a register nurse, and she helped him procure some equipment her office was no longer using.

“It’s no big deal,” said Madigan. “All I did was get (the students) some forceps and donate some money.”

“I knew the kids were short on the amount of forceps they had- those seem to rust the quickest,” he added.

McDill Principal Jeanne Koepke said she wasn’t aware of the equipment replacement, noting the school has discretionary funds available for such equipment, but was pleased with Madigan’s generosity.

“I think it’s awesome. He’s so invaluable,” she said of Madigan’s donation and volunteer work.

But she also pointed out Madigan’s was not the only donation significant to the school.

“From knowing the people around here, it happens regularly without a second thought,” she said, adding parents and teachers alike have donated various items recently for student use.

For Madigan’s part, the tools were a large part of squid dissection for the fifth grade science class, though the equipment is used for many different education projects at the school.

“That dissection stuff is really important to the kids,” Madigan said.
“So, whatever we can do to help.”