REMEMBERING MIKE AND HONORING HIS LEGACY
Our Purpose
Mike was only 27 when we lost him, and he had so much planned for his future. The Mike Dickens Legacy Foundation was established to share stories about Mike’s life and passions while also supporting causes that were important to him to honor his legacy.
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Our goal is to support a few key organizations before expanding our outreach as we become better able to support even more organizations. Many have already given their support to our efforts, so we added a donation feature to our site to provide donation in memory of Mike for others who wish to support the foundation.
Our Focus
The Little Free Library - A Book for Every Reader
After college, Mike reclaimed his passion for reading and began volunteering with the Madison Public Library in Madison, WI. His duties included materials handling and assisting with events, but his main duty was to stock Little Free Libraries around the city. Mike often discussed how fulfilling this was since he got the opportunity to increase access to books.
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To keep this passion of his alive, our goal is to support the Free Little Library initiative by sponsoring and maintaining at least one Free Little Library per year. Our first library is designed based on Mike's favorite book as a baby, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, it is located in Buffalo,MN (image on left). It launched on October 25, 2024.
​2025 Results
Thanks to Mike's uncle, Steve Merfeld, our second library launched in Buffalo in September 2025. Steve used his creative and woodworking skills to create a School Bus library. We had fun adding images of characters from our favorite books in the windows!
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In our first year we gave out over 300 books! In 2026 we have big plans to give out over 1,000 books. More to come about that soon!
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Little Free Library® and its logo are registered trademarks of Little Free Library, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and are used with its permission.
Camp Discovery – Discovering Self-Respect and Dignity
When Mike was four, he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Growing up, the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM), specifically Camp Discovery, left a huge impact on Mike’s life. Through attending Camp Discovery, Mike recognized that his diagnosis did not define him but rather was just a description of how his brain worked. He began focusing on his strengths and how they could lead to limitless opportunities.
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2025 Results:
As of the end of 2025, $12,700 has been donated in Mike’s memory to AuSM. The donations were used to create two sensory rooms for Camp Discovery and to create scholarships for children who otherwise may not be able to afford to go to camp. We will continue to provide support to AuSM.
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In addition to our annual scholarship donation of $2000, we donated 5 portable hammocks for the camp. Mike loved to swing and the hammocks are one way we can give that opportunity to campers.
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Late in 2025 we were contacted by our friends at AuSM, like many charitable organizations, their funding was cut, threatening Camp Discovery and all the wonderful programs and services they offer to the Autism community. Thanks to the generous donations we received in 2025, we were able to send AuSM a check for $5,000. Thank you donors!
Other Projects & Future Goals
Mike had many other passions as well. Growing up, he was involved in Boy Scouts and earned his black belt in karate. For college, Mike attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison, where he was active in Geography Club, Anime Club, and Campus Kitchens, the campus’ soup kitchen that helped serve the Madison community. Post-graduation, Mike also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity.
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These passions and experiences shaped Mike into the strong, smart, and kind young man he was. In the future, we hope to raise enough funds to offer scholarships and donations to additionally support these passions.
Thanks to our generous donors, we have made the following donations:
2024 - $1,000 donation to the Dade County Habitat for Humanity
2025 - $1,000 donation to Hiles, Wisconsin Fire Department
$ 456 donation to Hopkins High School students for PRIDE shirts
