Dan made his living farming and driving a semi-truck. But life in rural Avon was not all work. Dan liked to hunt turkey and deer and was an avid outdoorsman and sports fan who loved to watch his kids play ball. He was very active in his community as a member of the Avon Lions Club, Avon Businessmen Association, and the Abingdon Jaycees. He served on the board for his community's Summer Ball and was an active member of the Avon United Methodist Church. He was a man devoted to his community and there was a place in his heart for all of its residents and the activities within it. Dan enjoyed a good tractor pull, so much so that he gave much of himself to a sport he loved. He volunteered at the John Deere Classic and was an ITPA (Illinois Tractor Pulling Association) judge and served on the Knox County Fair Board tractor pulling committee. It was his devotion to his family, friends, church, and community that drew Dan to give in other ways as well. Dan served with the Avon Volunteer Fire Department and was an Emergency Medical Technician in the Avon Ambulance Service for 20 years. When the Avon Ambulance Service disbanded he went on to join the Avon First Responders. The Responders were a group of local volunteers who provided care on the scene of emergencies while awaiting the arrival of a hospital-based ambulance 22 miles away. The weather on February 1, 2011 was quite bad, as a blizzard had battered the Avon area. That night the Responders were activated for a call in neighboring Greenbush for a child with difficulty breathing. Realizing that weather conditions would greatly increase the response time of the closest ambulance, Dan and another responder got in his car and went to provide assistance. The call was canceled and they began to return home. As the worst of the storm was bearing down on the area, Dan's car became stuck in the snow. While clearing the snow, Dan suffered a heart attack and was taken to the Avon fire station, the closest place to receive aid. Members of the Avon Fire Department performed CPR. Due to the harsh weather conditions, other agencies were unable to respond and at 1am, under medical control direction, 52-year-old Daniel Dare was pronounced dead. <br />
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Honored 2012<br />
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