My Friend Allen

I met Allen Cornell and his wife Cheryl at Camp Dennen in 1979. I was managing the campground and Allen's father was a camper. Allen & Cheryl and their family then became seasonals as well. Our lives were woven together through all the years to follow. Allen was part of my men's group for some of those years, but Marsha and Cheryl were in the same support group for thirty years. When the campground needed a quality presentation to get approval for a license from the Town of Plymouth Allen did it. When I had someone who needed detox but was outside the usual I called Allen. He was a good friend even when at times we didn't see each other very often. I knew I could count on him and he knew he could count on me. Like all of us he was not perfect, but he got on his knees every morning to ask for help to get through the day and every night to thank God for his help. He regularly worked at becoming a better man. Once he said to me that he didn't know what his ministry was. He struggled like many of us with what God wanted him to do. When I said he was already doing it he was surprised. Allen was a leader in AA for over thirty years, and God used him mightily to help people restore their lives and many to come to know God as their higher power. Allen died today and I don't think you'll find any headlines, but he lived a life that made a difference doing God's work. I'm sure today he heard "Welcome home my good and faithful servant." See you some day my friend.