Gainesville Police Lt. Corey Dahlem was laid to rest Monday, but his memory lives on at the University of Florida.  The U.F. Student Government presented a $21,000.00 check to the Gainesville Police Department for Dahlem's two children Tuesday night.

    "There is no larger sacrifice that a man can make or a woman than to give up their life for their fellow man or woman," G.P.D. Lt. Lonnie Scott said as he accepted the oversized check.

    Lt. Scott said he did not give importance to the amount as much as the faces around him and the life lessons the students learn at the University.

    "It's not just about the piece of paper that you put up on the wall, it's about what you develop in your heart and your mind and soul," he said.

    While Lt. Dahlem's heart, mind and soul may have belonged to the Florida State Seminoles, students said he will always be a Gator in their hearts.

    "He must have met thousands upon thousands of students, and they all remembered him," U.F. Student Government's Jason Lutin said.

    Lutin was the brains behind the donation drive, which started at the N.C.A.A. Championship Rally in the O'Connell Center last Friday and spread to local nightspots.   Lutin said it was not difficult to raise money for the Dahlem family, he just organized it, Lt. Dahlem did the reast.

    "They say a picture's worth a thousand words," Lutin said.  "And when people saw his picture, people were like 'oh, I remember that guy.'"

    Lutin set a goal of $10,000.00, but after one weekend of collecting the tally was more than double that amount.

    "21 thousand dollars, I was blown away this morning," he said. 

"More money than I've ever seen."

    Still, according to Lutin they can do better.  The Student Government will continue to seek donations and make every effort to ensure something like this does not happen to another one of their "friends."

    Lt. Scott said he has never taken more pride in being a Gator or the men and women he has seen come out of the University of Florida.

    "I've always been proud to be a Gator, and today, this just shows why."

Ted Latiak, WCJB, TV20 News