ABOUT US
"KINEKS" is a word filled with meaning, and some meanings are more obvious than others.
OUR STORY
On March 7th, 2017, at the youthful age of 21, our world lost the kindest, most energetic, talented, adventurous, and selfless person to ever make their mark on this Earth. He was a man of many talents and passions, and he always had an insatiable desire to learn new things and take new risks. He lived his life without limits, and in his absence, it was realized that the love he had shared with everyone in his life was limitless too. When those that loved him realized that the powerful, eternal force of good he had left behind would never expire, the KINEKS Foundation was formed to continue his great legacy of leadership, perseverance, and giving. This man was Jeffrey James Thimgan, and he was a brother, son, friend, and inspiration.
MAKING THE CONNECTION
Jeffrey's desire to connect with other people became a trademark trait of who he was. He always strove to make others feel included and listened to, whether it was by making them laugh or taking a genuine interest to learn more about them. He believed that if he could make a difference to just one person, it would be enough.
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The words that make up the KINEKS name are derived from languages that describe Jeffrey’s heritage, and embody the passions he had in his life and the characteristics that defined him. Spanish is the language of his mother’s country, Ecuador – which, thankfully, also happened to be where his dad had been assigned for his service in the Peace Corps. German pays homage to his father’s family, a long line of Thimgans who migrated from Germany and Poland to call America home. And finally, Japanese words represent the love Jeffrey had developed in the last decade of his life for the humor and beauty of the culture he had loved so much; his dream was to visit Japan one day.
KOMMEN
German for "Reach," this word, which was also the name of Jeffrey's first high school marching band show, reminds us to reach for our brightest dreams...even if they seem as far as the stars.
INSPIRAR
In Spanish, inspirar means "to inspire"; if we do what's right, even when we think no one’s looking, not only can we inspire ourselves- we can inspire the next generation of dreamers.
NAVEGAR
Another Spanish word, navegar means "to navigate"; whenever we feel lost on the journey our lives take us, we must remember that our truest compass resides within our hearts.
EDEL
In this German word for "noble," we strive to embody the relentless desire to do what's right and noble, even if it's not easy.
KIND
This word might be English, but when we choose to show our neighbors kindness, we create a change that resonates across every country and every language.
SUKI
This Japanese word for "plow" represents the determination with which we must forge through the challenges set before us, as our endeavors may plow the way for those who may come after.