About Samsmile
Samsmile is a non-profit organization founded by friends of Sam Dewey. Sam was a son, brother, teammate, and so much more to so many people. Sam was outgoing, understanding, mischievous, dapper, charming, positive, and bold. Sam brought joy, love, laughter, and kindness to everyone who knew him, and he always had a smile on his face. Sam was raised in Rochester, MI. He went to Holy Family Regional School and Rochester Adams High School.
The Samsmile foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization founded to honor the life and spirit of Samuel J. Dewey, whose life ended by suicide in January 2019. The mission of Samsmile is to support mental health advocacy and education in our local Rochester community. Our work provides essential services, supports programming, and funds resources in schools and for the larger community.
Rather than focusing on the end of his life, we want to focus on the way that he chose to live. In order to move his memory forward, as his classmates head off to college, we created the Samuel J. Dewey Memorial Scholarship at Michigan State University.
About the Scholarship
The Samuel J. Dewey Memorial Scholarship is an endowed scholarship that is maintained and invested in by MSU. It will be a lasting legacy and continue in perpetuity to honor Sam’s memory. This scholarship will be awarded to Oakland County students who embody Sam’s spirit and whose lives at Michigan State will commemorate his own. See the Apply page for more information.
Board of Directors
John Dewey, President
Rick Bone, Vice President, Finance
Stacey Dewey, Secretary
Bruno Petrella, Accountant
Mary Petrella, Accountant
Sheryl Bone, Co-Founder, Senior Advisor
Kristin Potestivo, Co-Founder, Senior Advisor
Craig Potestivo, Senior Advisor
Anne McClain, Mental Health Consultant L.P.C.
Founding Families
Bruce and Joanne Boardman
Rick and Sheryl Bone
John and Stacey Dewey
George and Lisa Grobar
Mike and Debbie Newman
Bruno and Mary Petrella
Craig and Kristin Potestivo
Advisory Board
Will Beesley
Clayton Bone
Ella Bone
Mitchell Bowery
Kelly Boyd
Hannah Hepner
Matthew Lobdell
Paul Petrella
Alexis Potestivo
Anthony Potestivo
Marie-Amelie Potestivo
Zachary Potestivo
Kristin Redoutey
Gracie Sink
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” Psalm 100:4
