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Emily's Intro...
Greetings Loyal SFSF Supporters!
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| | Emily and newborn Sophie, sporting an "I {heart} my mom" onesie. |
It is that time again! So many people have asked me, "How are the race plans coming?" Usually I have been answering with some version of "Slower than usual, but we know what still needs to get done, and we will." After eight years, we should have this down pat, but there are odds and ends that always seem to creep up as the race draws near. We just celebrated Marie's fourth birthday, and that takes me back four years when we were finalizing all the race plans with a newborn. If we could do it then, we can do it now!
Before I say more, I am going to give you two links and encourage you to click on them and consider signing up for one way (or both ways) to help at the Bash & Dash this year. While we take care of the planning, we certainly cannot run the event without tons of dedicated volunteers. I would be so grateful if you could share your time and talents with us for the benefit of "Freedom From Pediatric Brain Cancer." The first link is for the bakers in the group; we need cookies for our cookie walk. The second link is for those of you who are willing to help at packet pick up on July 2, or at the race on the July 4. "Remember, many hands make light work." (Or something like that.)
Cookie walk volunteer link
Packet pick-up and race day volunteer link
I can't write this intro without stopping to reflect on the years without Sophie. It still hardly seems possible that she has been gone almost eight years, and that she would be --- should be --- turning twelve. I can't even imagine what she would look like as a pre teen, and I wonder what her interests would be, and of course how she would be as a big sister and oldest daughter. To say I miss her seems so redundant. It never goes away. Life continues without her here with us, and we find reasons to smile, but the hole in our hearts will always be there. We strive to honor her memory by holding our biggest fundraising event on her birthday, with the ultimate goal of raising and awarding $1 million dollars by her 18th birthday. Eight years ago that goal may have seemed lofty, but as of today, we have awarded almost $590,000 and we aren't stopping anytime soon!
With our race just weeks away, both our successful 2015 Golf Outings are already in the past (more details coming in our next newsletter). We are raising money as a foundation, and we have also benefited from many of our supporters' fundraising efforts as well (You can read about them in the newsletter.). We thank you and all our dedicated supporters, both young and old, for inspiring us to continue the fight in making a difference in the lives of kids with brain cancer.
We continue to receive grant requests from families who cannot pay their bills while providing for their child's medical care. We do our best to support the DIPG Collaborative which has received research grant requests this cycle in the amount of $4.5 million dollars. We so desperately want to change the outcome for families with children newly diagnosed, but we just can't do it without you. In our biggest fundraising season, I thank you for your past support, and make this plea for your continued support. We ARE making strides, but there is so much to be done.
Thank you again,
Emily Quayle
SFSF Board President
Sophie, Sarah, and Marie's Mommy
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Off to the races...and the activities...and the fundraising
The 8th Annual SFSF Bash & Dash at Walker Rd. Park in Avon Lake, is a little over two weeks away, but importantly the deadline for early bird registration is just two days away ---this Thursday, June 18, 2015. Early registrants are guaranteed a race logo T-shirt and the option to upgrade, for $5.00 more, to a soft-style tee, available in both a men's and women's cut; upgrades are not available in children's sizes.
While SFSF Board members and the gang of volunteers are finalizing their "assigned" duties and responsibilities, it is the hope of SFSF that runners will make a concerted effort to fundraise on the provided, customizable page. Just $50-$100 in donations from each of the expected 700 pre-registered runners will help The Foundation reach its $50,000 goal. Of course, non runners and late registrants are also encouraged to fundraise.
Fundraisers of $100 or more (by midnight July 3) will receive a commemorative dri-fit shirt; Those raising $500 or more will be entered in a drawing for three special, but secret, prizes.
Registration will remain open online until July 1; mail in entries must be received by June 29. Late registrations (after June 18 - July 4), at an additional cost, will be taken at packet pick up on July 2, at Holy Spirit Church, and on the morning of the race at Walker Rd. Park. Shirts are not guaranteed, and will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis.
Pre-race activities will include a warm up led by Paul Theodore of Fit Me Up, the distribution of flowers to runners to drop off in front of The Quayles' home on the race route, the playing of The National Anthem, and the singing of "Happy Birthday, Sophie."
Following the race, the park will be buzzing with --- the kids' activities, the raffles ---Silent Auction, Chinese, and 50-50 --- the Awareness tent, and the concession stand. Offering hot dogs, chips, lemonade, and water, at a minimum cost, the Concession stand should satisfy those who didn't fill up on the after-the-race, birthday cupcakes, fruit, and goodies.
Bounce houses, a cookie walk, sidewalk chalk art, an obstacle course, an age-category 50-yard dash competition, complete with awards, kids' crafts, and corn hole games are just some of the kids' specialties offered for the younger crowd. All registered children will receive a wrist band which ensures participation in all activities. Non-registered children may make a donation to receive a wrist band. All wrist-band wearers will be entitled to snow-cones and cotton candy.
Because of the limited parking at Walker Rd. Park, approximately 120 preferred parking passes may be secured at packet pick up for a $5.00 donation, and if not sold-out, at the entrance to the park on race day. All other participants must park at Holy Spirit Church at Walker and Lear Rds and be shuttled to the park. A separate van will transport strollers, wagons, etc. to the race site.
The Bash & Dash will end with the announcing of raffle winners, race winners, and the release of the balloon arch starting line.
Ending at noon, the event guarantees that all participants will have plenty of time to observe the rest of the July 4th holiday with family, friends, and of course, more food.
SFSF is still looking for volunteers to help make this year's event a success. If you can help with packet pick-up on July 2 or any time on race day, sign-up here for a shift or two. We are also still looking for bakers for the cake walk, so if you'd like to donate a dozen treats, sign up here.
SFSF is happy to sponsor this activity, celebrating our nation's freedom and racing to "freedom from pediatric brain cancer."
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Alayna Segedi's essay convinces classmates
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| | Board Secretary Susie Miklaski with Alayna Segedi and her classmates. |
Alayna Segedi was so excited to announce that Smiles For Sophie Forever was the winner of her class' "penny jar" donations, collected throughout the school year.
Alayna and her 20 classmates in Ms. Sitek's grades 4-5 split class at Hedke Elementary School in Trenton, MI, were challenged to research a charity of their choice and then write a persuasive essay, convincing their classmates to choose their charity to receive the donations. Alayna's charity was Smiles For Sophie Forever, and it won after Alayna read her essay to the class and showed the class the video, "Sophie Quayle ---Just Memories." Among Alayna's reasons mentioned in her essay were:
1.) "...they (SFSF) give money to people and hospitals.... In fact they gave $378,258 (currently, $428,252) to families who had similar brain tumors as Sophie's.
2.) "They also donated to St. Jude" (where Sophie was treated)."
3.) "300 kids each year are diagnosed with brain tumors (DIPG)."
Her classmates were convinced and cast their final votes on Wednesday, May 27; Sophie's grandmother, Susie Miklaski, (Grandma Susie) spoke to the class and accepted the donation of $232.72, rolled and counted by the students, on May 29.
Although Alayna researched SFSF, she was quite familiar with the charity, established by her godmother and Sophie's mother, Emily Quayle. Emily and Alayna's mother, Andrea Segedi, friends since high school and beyond, will attest to Alayna's connection to Emily from birth, as Emily served as Andrea's birth coach during Alayna's delivery. She and Sophie, born just months apart, were pre-school playmates.
The entire Segedi family has supported The Quayles from Sophie's diagnosis in February, 2007. In fact, Andrea's family and her parents planned one of the very first fundraisers for The Quayle family in June, 2007, at Carrabba's.
No stranger to fundraising, helping others, and the diagnosis of cancer, the Segedi family are regulars at the annual SFSF Bash & Dash, held annually, each July 4th (Sophie's Birthday) in Avon Lake, OH, The Quayles' hometown.
Last year, Alayna took first place in the 5K at the Bash & Dash, in her age division. According to Alayna, "I just think about Sophie the whole time I'm running." Her younger sister, Annika, took third place in her age group. Yes, it's a family affair.
SFSF thanks Alayna for nominating SFSF; Ms. Sitek for assigning the task and encouraging her students to give to charity; and the entire class for their vote and their donations.
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Miles Grahl goes the extra mile
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| | Miles Grahl with Board Secretary Susie Miklaski at Seniors Honor Night at RCHS. |
Senior Miles Grahl of Riverview High School, Riverview, MI, received the $1000 SFSF Scholarship at Senior Honors Night, May 7. Selected for the award from several candidates, Miles met more than the basic requirements; his accompanying essay sealed his receiving of the award. Miles' love of learning, reading good books, and doing volunteer work highlighted his essay entry. "My most memorable and influential experience...being a counselor for a group of fifth grade boys at the YMCA Sorer camp, teaching them all about nature."
No stranger to volunteer work, (a major criterion for the award), Miles surpassed the bar. He and his family are all involved in fundraising for Lexys Lamp, a kindergartner at Duvall Elementary School in Dearborn, MI, and the daughter of his mother's co-worker. Lexys was also diagnosed with DIPG, in September of 2014. Miles has worked the spaghetti dinner fundraiser, the cupcake sale, and the auction for Lexys' family. He has become quite attached to her, and is well aware of the perils of DIPG.
Planning to attend Central Michigan University in the fall, Miles hasn't determined his major, but favors the liberal arts, especially journalism and writing. Perhaps he will one day tell the story of the cure for pediatric brain cancer.
The SFSF scholarship, awarded each year since 2008, is funded by Sophie's grandma, Susie Miklaski.
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Freedom is nothing but a chance
to be better.
~ Albert Camus
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Girls on the Run, on the right track
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| | The Avon YMCA Girls on the Run at their 5K in Akron, OH. |
The Avon YMCA Girls on the Run team, part of the Summit County Chapter of Girls on the Run held a bake sale outside Wal-Mart, in Avon, Monday May 18, donating their $268 profits to Smiles For Sophie Forever. The national organization, with chapters in 200 cities across the US, "...inspire(s) girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident, using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running." The bake sale fundraiser and charitable donation corresponds and complements several of the organization's core values: 1.) to "lead with an open heart and assume positive intent;" 2.) to "recognize our power and responsibility;" and 3.) to "stand up for ourselves and others."
Led by over 100,000 volunteers and serving over 150,000 girls, Girls on the Run teams, meet twice a week in small groups where life skills are taught. "Dedicated to creating a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential, and to freely pursue her dreams," the 501C3 charity continues to grow nationwide.
Running is used to inspire and motivate girls, encourage lifelong health and fitness, and build confidence through accomplishment. The Avon YMCA team joined all the other Summit County teams in Akron, OH, on Sunday, May 31 for the annual 5K run, culminating and celebrating the end of their school year's activities.
Sarah Quayle, Sophie's sister, Sklyar Haibach, Sarah's friend and Savannah Stobe, daughter of SFSF Board Member Kristin Stobe are members of the Avon YMCA team and were all instrumental in suggesting and choosing SFSF to be their "Community Impact Project's" charity of choice.
The team members and coaches decided to "not price the items, offering their goods (buyer's choice) for a donation." This innovative method demonstrated skills learned and resulted in a very lucrative event. The girls passed out race flyers, golf outing brochures, and literature about SFSF. The team's "running buddy," Hollis Bailey, also provided a lot of help to the girls in running the bake sale.
SFSF thanks the Avon YMCA Girls on the Run team and its coaches, Chrissy Snider, Keri Haibach and Jayne Gest, for their efforts and donation and invites all girls and their families to The Eighth Annual SFSF Bash & Dash, July 4, 2015, at Walker Rd. Park, in Avon Lake, where they all can demonstrate their running ability.
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| | Girls on the Run at the bake sale in Avon, OH. Kneeling: Shayla Terry and Vivan Anagnostos; standing: Kelsey O'Toole, Maya Austerman, Maddy Howard, Sydney Haibach and Katie Bly. |
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Spirits soar at Liberty Elementary
Liberty Elementary School in North Ridgeville, OH, held a week-long Spirit Week, May 11-16, with local charities reaping the benefits of the spirited and generous student body. Each weekday students could dress in a designated fashion if they made a $1.00 donation to the five, selected charities.
Monday, May 11, Career Day at Liberty, was earmarked for SFSF, and began the week of giving with $221 raised for SFSF. In one week's time, the students donated over $1000, with each charity receiving at least $200.
Spirit Week ended on Saturday, May 16, with a Liberty Beautification Event, when students and staff met outside the school to plant flowers and spruce up the school grounds. Ms. Heather Kama-Starr, a second grade teacher at Liberty, has continued to promote and plan SFSF fundraising activities. Remember the Pumpkin Auction and the Rainbow Loom Sale in previous years? Those fundraisers at Liberty also benefited SFSF.
Ms. Kama-Starr, Liberty Student Council co-advisor, attended Eastern Michigan University, in Ypsilanti, MI, with Marc and Emily many years ago.
SFSF is grateful for the monetary donations and for the staff at Liberty for instilling in the students the spirit of helping others.
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Golfing, more than just a favorite pastime
Just in time for the start of summer, 28 golfers from the Cleveland area will play 54 holes of golf (from sun up to sun down) in the Summer Solstice Outing, June 19, to raise funds for charities of their choice; eight golfers have chosen SFSF as their benefactor. The literally, all-day affair will be held at Catawaba Island Golf Course on Catawba Island in eastern Lake Erie.
Founded in 2010, the Summer Solstice Foundation was established in Baltimore, Maryland, for the sole purpose of raising funds for childrens' charities, by playing as many holes on or around the longest day of the year. That original foursome began a foundation which has raised over $200,000 in less than five years.
Avon Lake resident Ryan Brown established the Ohio outing in 2013. Ryan decided to play for SFSF this year after his wife Katie sponsored a yoga fundraiser last fall at Fit Me Up to benefit SFSF. Sharing Sophie's story and the mission of SFSF was convincing enough for Ryan. "Living in Avon Lake and experiencing the tight-knit community, I wanted to raise funds for a local charity that impacts the community," claimed Ryan.
As the vice-president of Epic Health services, a pediatric home health care company, Ryan claimed: "I see first-hand the impact medical challenges can pose to families and feel strongly about supporting these families and caregivers. I am honored to support SFSF and look forward to becoming more involved in The Foundation."
SFSF supporters are encouraged to support the Summer Solstice Foundation, especially the eight golfers: Ryan Brown, Greg Robinson, Shawn McCormick, Kevin Clere, Michael O'Donnell, Matthew Kennedy, Mike Ramella and Tim Weyer, who represent SFSF. To donate to any or all of the eight SFSF golfers, visit the event page and select the participant's name.
SFSF wishes all the golfers many hours of sunshine and much success in their charitable endeavor.
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| | Catawaba Island Golf Course |
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SFSF grants approaching $590,000
Since February, 2015, the Foundation has helped 27 families and awarded $27,000 in grant money, bringing the total amount of family grants awarded to $435,253. The grand total donated by SFSF, including donations to The Cure Starts Now ($82,000) and St. Jude ($70,000), is $587,253.
Every month, the SFSF Grant Committee approves applications for financial assistance for families of children with brain cancer. The children of the families who received grants in March, April and May 2015 are:
- Anonymous, age 9 - low grade glioma
- Maleea, age 4 - PNET
- Jude, age - diffuse astrocytoma
- Chloe, age 14 - passed away April 2015 from a glioblastoma
- Triniti, age 12 - medduloblastoma
- Anonymous, age 10 mos - anaplastic ependymoma
- Jameris, age 7 - anaplastic ependymoma
- Jonathan, age 4 - brain stem glioma
- Odin, age 3 - DIPG
- Azalea, age 3 - passed away January 2015 from a DIPG
- Bianka, age 5 - PNET
- Hunter, age 13 - medulloblastoma
- Peyton, age 6 - DIPG
- Jacqueline, age 3 - ATRT
- Kitra, age 14 - ependymoma
- Joeb, age 7 - gliomatosis cerebri
- Autumn, age 8 - juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma
- Martina, age 5 - ependymoma
- Layla, age 5 - medulloblastoma
- Eli, age 16 - bifocal germinoma
- Sydney, age 13 - cervical spinal cord tumor
- Mirella, age 6 - PNET
- Anonymous, age 14 - gliomatosis cerebri
- Timothy, age 17 - medulloblastoma
- Jared, age 13 - anaplastic astrocytoma
- Destiny, age 4 - DIPG
- Kyra, age 6 - optic nerve glioma
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Riverview's C3 tradition carries on
For the sixth consecutive year, Riverview Community Schools chose SFSF as one of its charitable causes for the 2014-2015 school year. The SFSF C3 Day (Casual Clothes for a Cause) this year was held on April 19, 2015, and raised $971.75, the largest amount thus far.
The C3 days are held the third Friday of the month (September-May); faculty members at each of the five Riverview schools are permitted to dress casually, for a $5.00 donation. Some of the schools also include the students, for a smaller donation.
Over the course of six years, the C3 Days, earmarked for SFSF, have raised a whopping $4,880.58 for SFSF coffers. SFSF thanks the staff and students for their participation, especially the staff which continues to place SFSF among the eight charities chosen, and especially since there are so many charities to consider.
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| | Jen Budziak, Deb Meeks, Board Secretary Susie Miklaski, Sandy Meeks and Kris Meeks supporting C3 day in their SFSF shirts at Seitz Middle School. |
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SFSF tallying results of golf outings
Details of the two SFSF Golf Outings, held on Saturday, June 6, at Legacy 18, in Avon Lake, OH, and just yesterday, June 15, 2015, at Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc, MI, will be featured in the next issue of Smiles For the Season. It's much easier tallying golf scores than tallying income and expenses , so look "fore" them come September, when hopefully golfers will still be out on the greens. SFSF thanks all volunteers, donors, and golfers for their support and participation in these two events.
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| | SFSF Volunteers, Board Member Kristin Stobe, Sophie's Great Aunt Margaux Hamilton, Sue Miller, Andrea Kilroy, Jill Cabranes and Board President Emily Quayle keep warm on the brisk OH Golf Outing day. |
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| | SFSF Volunteers, Sophie's Nana Kathy Quayle and Sophie's Great Aunt LeeAnn Thal selling raffle tickets at the MI Golf Outing. |
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True independence and freedom can only exist in doing what's right.
~ Brigham Young
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Amy Quayle practices what she preaches
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| | Amy Quayle at the Gazelle Girl Half Marathon |
After attending a leadership conference, The Michigan Renaissance Conference, presented by Josten's, with her students and listening to the keynote speaker, Mike Smith, on March 27, at St. John's High School, Amy Quayle, Clarkston High School ELA and Leadership teacher knew that her example would be the best motivation for her students' desire to take the purpose and the message of the conference to heart.
"As adults we are constantly challenging our students, but are we also challenging ourselves?" questioned Amy. Motivated herself, she decided to "walk the walk," and not just talk the talk. And she did!
Amy is Marc and Emily Quayle's sister-in-law, and has actively supported SFSF fundraising efforts. Extremely involved in organizing the Michigan Golf Outings and participating in the annual Bash & Dash, Amy has created some awesome SFSF tie-dyed shirts for various events and family teams.
After committing to her mantra: "I will Run With Purpose," Amy decided to "fundraise for a different charity or non-profit for each race she ran." And she did!
Running her first "Run-With-Purpose" race, the Gazelle Girl half marathon, in Grand Rapids, April 19, 2015, Amy raised $360.23 for Smiles For Sophie Forever. "I have found a passion in running and bringing awareness/raising funds for charities that are in dire need of help, so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to unite the two." And she did!
SFSF thanks Amy for her donation, for living a newly-discovered mission, for running with purpose, and for practicing what she preaches. It's not surprising that Amy was named Clarkston's Teacher of the Year!
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DIPG Symposium Heralds DIPG Research
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| | Attendees at the DIPG Symposium heard from many experts in the research for a cure for DIPG. |
SFSF President Emily Quayle and Treasurer Kristin Stobe attended the Annual DIPG Symposium, sponsored by the 28-member DIPG Collaborative, of which SFSF is a foundation partner at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago, April 24-25.
The goal of the symposium is "to increase collaboration within research and foundational partners, thus ensuring an efficient, productive, and transparent search for a cure to DIPG and the global lessons this research may offer in a homerun cure for other cancers." www.DIPG.org.
Friday's morning and afternoon sessions featured a review of several of the Collaborative's previously-funded research grants. Since its inception in 2011, the DIPG Collaborative has funded 23 grants, totaling over $2.4 million.
Friday's working lunch included six, four-minute presentations of progressive, novel research protocols, vying for $50,000 in grant funding; the Collaborative's Medical Advisory Board , in fact, awarded grants to both Michelle Mongee Deisseroth of Stanford Cancer Institute and Amanda M. Saratsis of Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago.
Saturday's schedule included closed sessions for medical personnel, as well as an opportunity for members of the Collaborative to meet and share individual progress and concerns of their respective foundations.
SFSF is both happy and proud to be among the organizations dedicated to funding more cutting edge research dedicated to a cure for DIPG, which totals $2.5 million for this year alone.
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Leslie Farmer keeps collecting for SFSF
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| | One of Leslie's KEEP Collectives that she created and wears in honor and memory of Sophie. |
Leslie Farmer, KEEP Collective designer and consultant, is hosting an online fundraiser, donating 100% of the profits to SFSF, with all hostess rewards used to purchase KEEP Collective merchandise and gift certificates which will be donated to the auction at the Eighth Annual SFSF Bash & Dash, held July 4th, at Walker Road Park, in Avon Lake, OH.
Leslie, the sister of Marc Quayle, Sophie's dad, is no stranger to raising funds for SFSF. Having volunteered for many of the SFSF events and fundraisers, Leslie says, "This is my special way of honoring the memory of my beautiful niece, Sophie."
KEEP Collective is a new, personalized jewelry line, offering bracelets, bangles, pendants, and watches designed by the buyer (with the help of the consultant) and adorned with accent charms that "tell your story." A Stella and Dot company, launched in January, 2015, this venture is an excellent source of gifts for summer brides, graduates, and all occasions.
The entire KEEP Collective line and Leslie's online SFSF party are available now and the online party runs through July 4, 2015. Leslie offers excellent and creative designing assistance for those who are unsure of how to personalize their jewelry purchase. To date, the online event is already at $710.50. Half will be a cash donation to SFSF and the other half will be used to purchase KEEP items and/or gift certificates to be used in the Bash and Dash raffles!
Friends and supporters of SFSF may be added to the FB event by contacting Leslie at 248-895-1666 or by email.
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Marc Gonyea creates personal challenge
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| | Marc Gonyea, with his daughter, Claire, and son, Andrew at the Trenton elementary schools fun run. |
In an effort to support charitable causes, secure donation pledges, and lose some weight, Marc Gonyea, former schoolmate of Emily Quayle at Trenton High School, created a FB event. The event , was made on Labor Day, 2014, and ran until Memorial Day, 2015. Marc requested that his friends and family members pledge an amount per pound for each pound he lost during the eight-month period. Marc selected SFSF and Melanoma Research Foundation (in honor of his mother-in-law, Marcia Warner) as the two charities that would share the donations.
Quite coincidentally, Marc received a total of $21.00 per-pound-lost in pledges, and he lost 21.5 pounds, making the total pledged $451.50, with each charity receiving $225.75, plus $7.50 additional for a $15.00 donation, not recorded as a pledge.
Marc provided his donors with two options: sending the pledge money to him or making the donation direct to each charity's online donation site. According to Emily Quayle, besides Marc's collected donations, several online donations have been made in his weight-loss honor.
SFSF thanks Marc for his innovative and considerate fundraising event and all those who donated.
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This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.
~ Elmer Davis
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Seitz students ... on the cutting edge
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| | The Kuts For Kids "Smiley Face Rainbow" at RCHS. |
Sarah Quayle, Sophie's younger sister, was invited to cut off the pigtails of Mrs. Megan Frost's hair at the First Annual Seitz Kuts for Kids fundraiser, on June 11, 2015, the Seitz students' last day of school. While at the event, Sarah also cut off the pigtails of Riverview School Board member Amy Wright, a former student of Sophie and Sarah's grandmother, Susie Miklaski.
Seitz Middle School, in Riverview, MI, hosted the event, where sixteen-student and six-adult "Rapunzels" donated 213 inches of their tresses to Children With Hairloss, at an all-school assembly. Mrs. Frost, who teaches Spanish at Riverview Community High School, made the hair donation in Sophie's memory and, she along with EGAD (Everybody Gives a Darn), the club she sponsors, "sold" smiley faces to students at RCHS for $1.00. Students signed the faces and they were posted on the rainbow arc on the school's main bulletin board. Mrs.Frost who requested that Sarah Quayle snip off her pig tails, donated the $145 profit from the smiley face sale to SFSF.
Deb Meeks, a Seitz Spanish teacher, whose husband, Kris Meeks, a Seitz eighth grade math teacher, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in November, 2014, and deemed cancer-free in February, 2015, organized the event in honor of her husband. Mrs. Meeks also donated her own hair; Mr. Meeks, with a fresh growth of hair, following his strenuous chemo regimen, cut her hair as well as that of many Seitz students. Those donating were allowed to choose their hair cutters. The highly-emotional event drew lots of happy tears from students, staff, participants, and visitors. Regina Villemure, the founder of Children With Hair Loss, was a guest speaker; she said, "This event was one of the most moving events I have attended."
Sarah, who lives in Avon Lake, OH, made the trek to Michigan with Grandparents Frank and Susie Miklaski for the event.
Mr. Meeks said losing his hair, "...was a very small price to pay for a clean bill of health." And planning and organizing this event, which Mrs. Meeks hopes to do each year, "...was just a very, small token of her appreciation for her husband's health."
Participants were encouraged to solicit money and/or pledges for their hair donations. In addition to the pledges ($250), more donations were collected when the group held a flip-flop day on Friday, June 5, when students donated $1.00 for the privilege of wearing flip-flops to school. In total, $849 was raised by this first, annual event. One-half of the monies collected will be given to Children With Hairloss; the other half will be used to establish a fund to make "Sunshine Baskets" for Seitz students who may be faced with a grave illness. All hair donors received a tie-dyed T-shirt honoring not only the Seitz Kuts for Kids, but also Children With Hairloss.
SFSF thanks Ms. Megan Frost for donating her hair, having Sarah do the cutting, for the donations she received from the high school students, Mrs. Meeks and her " krew" of girls from Seitz for organizing the event, and for all those ladies who parted with years of hair growth.
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| | Kuts for Kids bulletin board of honorees and Donors Megan Frost and Amy Wright with Board Secretary Susie Miklaski and Sophie's sister Sarah Quayle. |
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~~~ Sympathies ~~~
to the family of Morgan Savage, who passed away May 22, 2015. SFSF was honored to feature Morgan in the last issue of Smiles for the Season. Morgan celebrated her heavenly 7th birthday on June 1, 2015 with angels and the music of harps.
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Stay connected
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Save the Date: Sat., August 1, 2015*
3on3 SFSF Basketball Tourney
Avon Lake High School
Avon Lake, OH
Grades 4-8, both boys and girls teams
Registration: $100 per team
4-person teams
*Brainchild of Kayla Bucci
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