Shannon Melendi Safety Day

Today at Felix Varela Senior High School all seniors were honored to listen to a presentation by Congress Woman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Miami Dade Commissioner Javier Souto, Honrable School Board Member Ana Rivas-Logan,the Shannon Melendi family, Special Agent Joe Fonseca,and Shannon's Soccer Coach and Honors Goverment Teacher, Angel Dominguez.

If you are not familiar with Shannon's story here is an exerpt from The Vanishing of Shannon By Diana Montané.

The 19-year-old Emory University student was last seen taking a lunch recess from her part-time job at the Softball Country Club, where she was keeping score at one of the games. And although there were at least a thousand spectators on the field that day, March 26th of 1994, no one seemed to know what happened approximately at noon on Saturday.

Few presentations I have ever witnessed has kept an auditorium of 780+ high school seniors so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The Varela family collectively appreciates the courage of the Melendi family to stand before us and share such a difficult time in their life. Thank you to Congress Woman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen who has spearheaded the call to bring Shannon's message to our youth and the fight to keep the kidnapper,rapist and murderer behind bars; Commissioner Javier Souto who wrote and passed the Shannon Melendi Act requiring that all coaches, umpires and volunteers who will have direct contact with children show proof of official statewide background checks for substance abuse, family violence and crimes of moral turpitude; Honorable School Board Member Ana Rivas Logan for her words and message of awareness; Special Agent Joe Fonseca who flew to Miami today from Atlanta to share his insight and wisdom; Coach,teacher and mentor Angel Menendez for his heartfelt words and moving tribute to Shannon's life; to Luis and Yvonne Melendi for having the courage to share their pain in the spirit of keeping Shannon in our hearts and lastly to Monique Melendi, Shannon's little sister for her brave words, her fortitude and how proud she is to fight for what is right.

It is my hope that the students listened and took away the message of being aware of their surroundings, if it could happen to Shannon it could happen to them.

It is also very important to make sure the kidnapper, rapeist and murderer Colvin "Butch" Hinton stays behind bars. On July 17th he confessed how he kidnapped, brutally raped, and murdered Shannon. He said that he burned her body in his back yard and scattered the ashes.

When it is time for Hinton to go before the Parole Board in 2011, they will look at his file. Letters in his file asking to keep him behind bars, and serving his full life sentence for the murder of Shannon Denise Melendi will be looked at during the analysis.

Below is where you need to write and help us keep him off the streets so he may never hurt another family.

All correspondence must reference:
GDC ID#0001201616
(Colvin C. Hinton, III)

PETITION TO DENY PAROLE

Yvonne Melendi, Shannon's mother says that every time she goes by Shannon Melendi Drive she thinks of how much her daughter loved her school, and how she always looked for the good in people. "And she tried to show people that there are not just weeds on the side of the road, that there are flowers that grow in between. And they are really pretty."

Shannon is now among the flowers. As poet Edna St. Vincent Millay says in Dirge Without Music: "…she has gone to feed the roses." And in honor of her parents, Luis and Yvonne Melendi, we dedicate the last line of that poem to Shannon: "I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned."

The Varela Senior High School family is not resigned either and stands side by side the Melendi family in keepings Shannon's Legacy alive in our hearts.

It is with sincere apprecaition and a saddened heart that I thank every one who participated in the presentation. The Melendi family would like to thank everyone for their continued support.