Sunday, January 20, 2013

St. Baldrick's: I have a dream! How it began



"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
~ Martin Luther King








That is exactly how St. Baldrick's started....a dream about giving back!  Here is a brief history of how St. Baldrick's started.  (This information is directly from their website and can be found HERE)



July 4, 1999
Tim Kenny issues a challenge to colleagues John Bender and Enda McDonnell: 
How will you give back in return for your own good fortune in business? 
Enda’s thick head of hair gives John the big idea—shave their heads for donations to raise funds for kids with cancer.



March 17, 2000
The annual reinsurance industry’s St. Patrick’s Day party, held at Jim Brady’s pub in Manhattan, becomes the first St. Baldrick’s event. The goal of shaving 17 heads and raising $17,000 turns into 19 bald heads and $104,000 donated to fund the research of the Children’s Oncology Group.







2001
After the 2nd event raises $140,000, John and Enda begin plans to expand beyond the reinsurance industry. When terrorists attack on 9/11, the founders lose hundreds of friends and colleagues.

Despite the tragedy, they decide to forge ahead, because kids with cancer are still fighting for their lives.





2002  FIRST MILLION RAISED!!!
With 37 head–shaving events in the spring of 2002, shaving heads has now raised more than $1 million!
This volunteer–driven event is catching on across the country.




2003
Firefighters, police officers and military troops have been a big part of St. Baldrick's from the very beginning. Thousands have added head-shaving to their public service, with events in police and fire stations across the US, and even military bases in Iraq and Germany!



2004
Founders make the leap—the St. Baldrick's Foundation is created to maximize this volunteer–driven effort. The priorities: spending as little as possible to raise each dollar, and making sure every donation goes to the best research to find cures for kids fighting cancer.



2005
In its first year as an independent foundation, St. Baldrick's continues to grow exponentially, raising more than $5.3 million. Proceeds go to the cooperative research of the Children's Oncology Group. The first St. Baldrick's Fellow is also funded to train one of the next generation of childhood cancer researchers.




2007
This year, $12.9 million is raised by over 18,000 shavees at 402 events. The slate of grants now includes hypothesis–driven research grants, scholar awards, and infrastructure support to help local institutions treat more kids on clinical trials, their best hope for a cure.



2010
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation hosts its first Research Priorities Summit, attended by 16 of the most respected pediatric cancer researchers in the U.S. The result is an even more well–rounded set of research priorities and funding types, including a new category to improve the quality of life for patients and survivors.


2012
St. Baldrick's volunteers raise more than $30 million in 2012 by shaving heads and raising funds in bold new ways. This year's record-setting fundraising efforts allow the foundation to mark a milestone—$100 million in childhood cancer research grants since 2005.

Let's make 2013 be the epic year for them.  You can register to help HERE to either be a shavee, volunteer or start an event!!!

If you can donate please donate HERE.  
Remember every dollar counts!!!  I support this organization because the money is used for the research NOT CEO's!  ONLY 2% of all monies raised goes to management and general use.  THIS IS HUGE!!!!  82% ACTUALLY goes to research!!  (16% goes to fundraising).  If you can give a $1.00 PLEASE DO.  If you can give more please do. 
EVERY penny is APPRECIATED!!!

All information and pictures are taken directly from St. Baldrick's Foundation website

Like Jimmy's Tavern on Facebook.

Located:

Jimmy's Tavern (click for map) 324 S McCulloch Blvd, Pueblo, CO 81007  
To read about Jimmy's Tavern upcoming event click HERE

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

St. Baldrick's

Is there anything more terrifying than hearing, "I'm sorry, your child has cancer?"  Watching a parent's world crumble around them when this diagnosis comes is heart wrenching.  

Click HERE and listen while you come back and read
 

  

I'm not sure if you have heard about St. Baldrick's Foundation so I'm going to tell you about them.  You see it on the news; people shaving their heads for St. Baldrick's fundraisers. One common confusion with this is you have to have "long" hair to be able to do this.  Don't confuse St. Baldrick's with Locks of Love.  With Locks of Love your hair is donated to a cancer patient.  Shaving your head for St. Baldrick's is one of the many ways they raise money.  Watch a video HERE.


 

 

 

 

 

 
You sign up to shave your head at an event that are held around St. Patrick's Day.  You ask your friends, family, strangers to pledge money for you to shave your head.  I have seen both men and women with hair of many different lengths do this.  This type of pledging reminds me of growing up when we would have walk/run marathons and we would be people to pledge per mile.  



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Childhood cancer: (Information provided by St. Baldrick's Foundation)




  • More children are lost to cancer in the United States than any other disease - In fact more than many other diseases combined.
  • 1 in 300 boys and 1 in 333 girls will be diagnosed with cancer before they turn 20 years old.
  • Worldwide there is a child diagnosed with cancer every 3 minutes.  From the time it took you to open this blog and read to this point...another child has been diagnosed!!
 

 
If you had been diagnosed with cancer in the 1950's chances were it was fatal. Today, with research 85% of children diagnosed with ALL children will survive.   


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ALL:  Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer. It is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Normally the bone marrow makes stem cells that mature into blood cells over time. InALL, too many stem cells turn into immature white blood cells (lymphoblasts) that don't mature into the normal blood cells (lymphocytes) that fight infection by attacking germs and other harmful bacteria.
 
 


 

  

This is huge strides for our children.  We still have bigger strides to go!

More children die of childhood cancer than any other disease—more than aids, asthma, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomolies and diabetes combined.


 

 

 

 

 

If you are concerned about where your money goes when you donate to a fundraiser...GOOD FOR YOU.  I have a problem when I donate and find out that only 17% (which is pretty high compared to many) goes to the actual organization you are wanting to help.  Let me tell you about St. Baldrick's and how their donations are used so you will feel safe and comfortable donating to them.


 

 


 

 
ONLY 2% of all monies raised goes to 
management and general expenses!!!!!!
ONLY 16% goes to fundraising!!!!!


 

Be assured that when you donate to St. Baldrick's YOUR MONEY IS GOING FOR THE CHILDREN!!!


 

I have been fortunate to be a part of these events and it is AMAZING!  Here are some local pictures of 2012 event I attended and for those who do not know him this is Paul Morales, owner of Jimmy's Tavern who hosted this wonderful event!


 

 









 

2013 St. Baldrick's Fundraiser at Jimmy's Tavern March 16th.  The fun starts at 11:00 am!!! Hopefully I will see you there.  If you don't live close to Jimmy's Tavern please find an event close to you!  Go to St. Baldrick's website and search for an event near you.

 

For those who are close to Jimmy's Tavern, Pueblo West, Colorado updates will be on their Facebook page or visit Jimmy's Tavern website for this event!

What Jimmy's Tavern has going on:
  • Facepainting
  • Live Music from 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM: 
  • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pueblo favorite Steve Dey
  • 12:00 PM until 12:30 PM Mr. Stan Higgins, singer songwriter will be be playing and singing!
  • 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM we have grade school kids from Pueblo West singing choir with us
  • 1:00 PM -  2:00 PM the one and only Bill Trujillo singing all your favorites!
  • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM The Cooper Sonics singing and playing tunes!
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Broken Angel performing also another fantastic duo who also plays with the band Krush!
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM The Fat Chance Blues Band performing great blues tunes the way it supposed to be played!
  • 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM The band Triple Threat another local rock band playing classic rock and more!
  • The music doesn't stop there, 8:00 PM til midnight your'e the star with Star Music Karaoke and Tony Ruiz your host.
Come in and get your head shaved OR support someone who does by donating to this wonderful organization.
Green beer, Green lemonade, food, fun and lots of prizes to win!! 

 

 
Like Jimmy's Tavern on Facebook.


 
Located:

 
Jimmy's Tavern (click for map) 324 S McCulloch Blvd, Pueblo, CO 81007