Michael excelled in basketball and baseball at Margaretta High School. If the TV was on, it was ESPN. He never met a sport he didn’t like — and he never met a kid he didn’t want to see smile. This page carries his name forward.
Michael was Noelle’s younger brother and the second child Keli Clark lost to the opioid epidemic. He passed away on September 1, 2021, the same day his mother was in Orlando hosting Overdose Awareness Day for families just like theirs.
He was a Margaretta High School graduate, a son, a brother, and a friend to many. His loss deepened Project Noelle’s mission and made its urgency impossible to ignore.
Michael’s Place exists because of him. Through the Play It Forward Sports Equipment Drive and other programs held in his name, we make sure the children Project Noelle serves have the chance to play, to compete, and to feel like kids — even when the circumstances at home are anything but ordinary.
Michael excelled in basketball and baseball at Margaretta High School. He was an avid sports fan who never met a sport he didn’t like — and he loved nothing more than playing with his many nieces and nephews. Every May, Project Noelle collects new and gently used sports equipment in his name and puts it directly into the hands of the children we serve.
We welcome all sports equipment kids can use — starting with Michael’s favorites:
Drop-off locations are announced on our social channels each May. If you’d like to host a drop-off site at your business, school, or organization, reach out — we’d love to bring the drive to your community.
August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day. It is the day Michael died. Project Noelle observes this date every year with community events that bring together families, survivors, and supporters to honor those we have lost and stand with the children left behind.
Events vary by year and location. We have hosted gatherings in Ohio and Florida. If you’d like to participate, submit memorial photos, or help sponsor an Overdose Awareness Day event in your community, reach out through the link below.
This day is for Michael. And for Noelle. And for every parent, sibling, and child who has lived through what our families have lived through.
“Every time you hear of an overdose, you know that an awful lot of them had kids. It’s just a growing problem.” — Keli Clark, Founder