STATEHOUSE (March 28, 2024) – State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) recently presented a Sagamore of the Wabash award to Father Dennis Blaney, a local retired priest and founder of the SHARE Foundation.
Pressel said Blaney has spent over 20 years helping Northwest Indiana families with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With the creation of the SHARE Foundation, a privately funded Christian nonprofit, Blaney has continued to serve and minister to others.
"Father Blaney has been a constant source of light in our community, always reaching out and helping others," Pressel said. "This much-deserved award reflects his trust, perseverance and commitment to God's call to serve others. I'm honored to have been able to present this award in recognition of all he has done."
Blaney served as a priest for over 60 years, ministering at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and running the Apostolate of the Handicapped for the Diocese of Gary for 30 years. After years of starting and facilitating family support groups, he founded the SHARE Foundation, providing activities, camps and resources for Hoosiers with special needs. He also founded Sharing Meadows, a residential community in Rolling Prairie, that provides services and support programs to other-abled adults.
Blaney continues to work closely with the organization as it grows. To learn more about the Share Foundation, visit sharefoundation.org.
Dating back to the 1940s, the Sagamore of the Wabash award was created by former Gov. Ralph Gates. It is the highest honor the governor can bestow and is presented to distinguished Hoosiers who have made significant contributions to the state of Indiana.
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State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) represents District 20,
which includes portions of LaPorte and Starke counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
PHOTO CAPTION: State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) (Left) presents a Sagamore of the Wabash award to retired priest and local servant leader Father Dennis Blaney (Right) Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Blaney founded the SHARE Foundation, which provides care and activities to help support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
