In Memory of Rich Zolecki
Richard Francis Zolecki, lovingly known to his family as Dad and Papa lived a life defined by faith, family, service, hard work, and love. Born on January 28, 1933, in Lemont, Illinois, and passed away peacefully on June 7, 2026.
The greatest blessing of Rich's life was his family, including his great-granddaughter, Courtney, an ESP Athens member.
More than his accomplishments, people will remember Rich for his generosity, dependability, and selflessness. If someone needed help, he showed up. If something needed fixing, he fixed it. If family needed him, there was never a question—he was there. Rich leaves behind a legacy of love, sacrifice, hard work, and family devotion. He showed those around him that success is measured not by titles earned or money accumulated, but by the lives touched, the memories created, and the family nurtured.
Read more about Rich's life and legacy here.
Join Us in Our Mission
At ESP, we're celebrating 40 years of creating places of no apologies for families of people with disabilities—where squeals are celebrated, hands are high-fived, and adults proudly put on their Java Joy aprons to head to work with purpose.
At ESP, we currently support more than 1,450 individuals with disabilities and their families through our communities. We have 4 communities in Georgia (Athens, Metro Atlanta, Rome and Savannah), 1 in North Carolina (High Point) and offer virtual programming to people across the country.
What makes ESP unique is our commitment to never turn away anyone due to their disability, their age OR their inability to pay. This is all made possible because of the support of our donors and more than 2,000 volunteers.