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Emily's Intro...
Summer is closing in on us, and our busy time is behind us. It can't be September without my reflecting on the fact that another school year is starting without Sophie. She'd be a sophomore this year; fifteen years old, taking drivers training, buying a homecoming dress and thinking of college...but, she never started kindergarten. This October it will be 11 years without her. Cliché as it sounds, I honestly can't believe so much time has passed without her. The hole in our family will never be filled; we know that. We'll never have her back with us, and that is why we have spent the last ten years trying to honor her memory and make a difference in her name.
At the end of June, we provided eight more grants to families which pushed our monies awarded to over $1,000,000. When we first set out on this mission, our goal was to award $1 million by the time Sophie would have been 18. We had no idea if it was doable. Marc and I knew the two of us couldn't do it alone, but guess what? With your help, we did it! And I say "we" because it truly was a team effort, supported by thousands of people, people like you.
10 years and 1 million dollars. How did we get here?
We are grateful to our donors, both new and old who have helped our vision become a reality. I wish I could show each and every one of you the thank you notes we receive from families whose lives you are affecting. Hundreds of fundraisers have been held in support of Smiles For Sophie Forever. Big ones, little ones, and those in between. Each one has helped us to raise critical dollars, so that our foundation can distribute them to the places that need them the most.
I've been reading about many research studies that are currently being funded by numerous non-profits around the globe. This brings hope to the idea that a cure for brain cancer could happen in our lifetime; but for a child diagnosed with DIPG today, the prognosis is the same as it was for us 11 years ago: a 9-12 month life expectancy, no cure, and no proven treatments. Millions of dollars in grants have been funded, but progress is slow. It takes a lot of time, and for kids with DIPG, time is not something they have to spare.
We support research funding and institutions that focus on finding cures, and we look for ways for our money to help as many as possible in the here and now. We support families who are searching the ends of the earth for treatment options and also those who have chosen
to make the most of the time they have with their children. Your money has helped us several times to provide funerals for children who have passed because of brain cancer. Often parents are so strapped financially due to the burden of the cost of medical care and the inability to work while caring for their dying child. You have made a difference in the lives of so many.
We are grateful and we appreciate you.
Here's to ten more years and a million dollars more funded!
Gratefully,
Emily Quayle
SFSF Board President
Sophie, Sarah, and Marie's Mommy
P.S. We are taking some time to celebrate these accomplishments and would love for you to join us. See "A Million Dollar Affair."
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A Million Dollar Affair
There's only
FOUR days left to buy tickets for the SFSF "10 Years, Million Dollar Celebration," set for Friday, September 14 at the Emerald Event Center in Avon.
SFSF claims it's party time --- time to celebrate not only SFSF's tenth birthday, but more importantly achieving the $1 million in monies given away to further its tri-fold mission.
Featuring a buffet, open bar, music and friendship, the event is one of fun and festivities.
Tickets are available on the
SFSF website, $100 each, or $800 for a table of ten.
We hope to see you there!
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One in five children diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. will not survive.
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Bash & Dash raises $66,000+
Despite the stifling heat, blazing sun, and high humidity, the 11th Annual Bash & Dash welcomed 873 registered walkers and runners and several hundred kids to Walker Road Park, all participating in the July 4th events, raising over $66,155 for SFSF.
All systems were "a go" with the traditional welcome by President Emily Quayle, who announced that SFSF had attained the million-dollar milestone in giving; FMU warm-up led by Coach Theo; the playing of the national anthem; and the singing of Happy Birthday to Sophie. Special guests this year were grant recipients, the Massey Family, who spoke about what receiving a SFSF grant meant to them during their son, Logan's, fight with brain cancer. Sadly Logan, 14, had just passed away weeks prior to the event.
The event is always much more than a 5K with kids' activities, raffles, silent auction, 50-50, complimentary photo booth (thanks to Dan and Mari Durbin of TapSnap), the SFSF store, a concession stand, and the camaraderie of friends, neighbors, family and SFSF supporters.
A highlight of the kids' activities this year was a slime-making station which was a big (and messy) hit.
SFSF thanks all who attended, volunteered, participated, and donated to this major annual fundraiser.
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Coach Theo prays before the race; the amazing "food crew" volunteers; The Massey Family sharing some thoughts; carnations for the flower drop.
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Bash & Dash is Best of the West
And once again the SFSF Bash & Dash was named the best charitable race in the Western Cleveland area by
West Shore live well's annual competition. Nominated numerous times since
2009, the Bash & Dash has secured the honors for the third time.
The Best of the West voting takes place each spring at La Centre Party Center in Westlake, where nominees are able to showcase their wares.
This year, there were 58 categories, with one nominee from each category named "Best of the West."
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| In the last 30 years, only three new drugs have been approved for childhood cancer. |
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Hats off! Hats on!
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Noreen and her SFSF hat at the 2018 Bash & Dash.
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Hats of to Noreen Woidke, who was responsible for the new, SFSF hat!
Noreen wanted (and needed) a hat for the Bash & Dash. She loves hats, especially since she had shaved her head for the St. Baldrick's event earlier in the year.
Enlisting the help of her friend, Jen Moore of EmbroidMe, just days before the July 4th event, Noreen and Emily both sported the hats. Great models they were, as the two had many inquiries and much interest in their black, Nike dri-fit hats, embroidered with a bright rainbow and Sophie's birth date.
Via FB, Noreen and Jen, promoted the hat and offered pre-paid orders to SFSF supporters.
Jen and Noreen also accepted the responsibility for securing the prizes for the race winners the last two years --- a race-logo embroidered red, white and blue beach towel this year and a race-logo decal on a Yeti cup for last year.
Along with the new hat, the new heathered, slate-blue SFSF unisex soft-style t-shirt, will be available soon on the
SFSF website. Hats are $30 and t-shirts are $20.
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The two annual SFSF Golf Outings each welcomed 24 foursomes and raised a total of $15,000 for SFSF.
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MI winning team: Jeff Stimac, Bill Tucker, Marc Quayle and Josh Witucki.
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The early June 11, 12th Annual Michigan Outing at Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc, MI, was once again organized by Bob and Brett Quayle.
In addition to the 18 rounds of golf, participants entered raffles and contests; an anonymous $3,000 donation was a welcome surprise.
The 7th Annual Ohio Golf Outing, despite the rain for the first three holes, featured a Chinese raffle and auction with a coveted Indians baseball package.
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Ohana Catering, all sporting various Bash & Dash shirts from over the years.
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Ohana Catering handled the food and donated a luau for 50 people as an auction item, won by Jenn Dunleavy. A special attraction was the debut of the monogrammed SFSF tent.
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Chances of your child getting cancer: 1 in 285.
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Party on for SFSF
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Sarah and her birthday guests at FMU.
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Sarah Quayle's last day of celebrating her July 7th, 12th birthday, was at FMU on Sunday, Aug. 11. The party was indeed a special one as Sarah asked her guests to donate to SFSF in lieu of bringing gifts.
The 17 boys and girls enjoyed an afternoon of games, dodge ball, obstacle challenges and relays, organized by Marc Quayle.
Emily Quayle was on kitchen patrol with hot dogs, fruits, veggies, cake and ice cream.
The afternoon party carried on into the next day as the nine girls came to The Quayles for a sleep-over.
Complying with Sarah's request, friends donated $330 to SFSF.
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Team SFSF prepares for St. Jude
The 17-strong team is registered and readying for the St. Jude Marathon Weekend in Memphis, Nov 30 - Dec 2, in more ways than one.
Both training and fundraising are in full swing for the 15 veteran and two newcomers to the St. Jude event.
Team members running the full this year are: Captain Emily Quayle, Karla Quinn, Kevin Samuels and Noreen Woidke.
Those running the half are: Evan Gillen, Rachel Gillen, Charly Miklaski, newcomer Callie Schulist, Jennifer Salter, Katie Slater, Sarah Smith, Heather Tinsley and Amy Wilson.
10K runners are: Newcomer Lisa Corwin and Sharon Lopata.
Rounding out the events, running the 5K are: Kelle and Travis Ilitch.
The team hails from six states: Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Over the past ten years, SFSF teams have raised $300,532 for St. Jude and aren't quitting now; they are currently at $12,168 and have a way to go before December 1, 2018.
To donate to any of the current team members visit the
team fundraising page and click on the runner of choice to make your donation
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A job well done
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Jill, Tiffany, Emily, Kaylie, Stephanie and Mike get storage in shape.
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Cleaning, sorting, and organizing the SFSF storage facility is always a daunting task, but thanks to the 5-strong team of Altria employees, the ever-growing storage room received a welcome workover, on June 21, just in time for the summer SFSF fundraisers.
SFSF thanks Marc's "direct reports": Jill Cesear, Stephanie Houston, Mike McCrystal, Kaylie Peduzzi, and Tiffany Powell, for a 3-hour, volunteer job, well-done.
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SFSF grants over $1M
Since June, the Foundation has helped 23 families and awarded $23,000 in grant money, half of that coming from Jenna's Rainbow Foundation, bringing the total amount of family grants awarded to $771,253. The grand total donated by SFSF, including donations to The Cure Starts Now ($107,000) and St. Jude ($143,047), is $1,021,300.
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 June, July and August are:
- Jacob, age 11 - DIPG
- Lumi, age 12 - ganglioglioma
- Shantell, age 6 - DIPG
- Aiden, age 14 - pilocytic astrocytoma
- Nora, age 3 - DIPG
- Joshua, age 3 - DIPG
- Evangelyn, age 9 - pilocytic astrocytoma
- Nicholas, age 18 - grade IV glioblastoma
- Colette, age 1 - PNET
- Erick, age 4 - glioblastoma
- Nevaeh, age 9 - craniopharnygioma
- Raegan, age 10 - anaplastic ependymoma
- Lauryn, age 5 - pineoblastoma
- Logan, age 4 - anaplastic ependymoma
- London, age 6 - medulloblastoma
- Luna, age 2 - hypothalamic optic pathway glioma
- Mackenzie, age 3 - DIPG
- Tyler, age 12 - medulloblastoma
- Charles, age 13 - astrocytoma
- Reece, age 6 - medulloblastoma
- Rachel, age 12 - medulloblastoma
- Travis, age 16 - grade II glioma
- Josiah, age 16 - ependymoma
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Winefest winner: SFSF
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Organizers, Jennifer Dalman and Charlie Sexstella, present the check to Emily and Marc Quayle.
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Once again SFSF was the $10,000 beneficiary of the Avon Lake Waterfront Wine Festival, set in Veterans Park on Saturday, June 23. Also a winner this year was Piper's Legacy, which was awarded $5000, in memory of Piper Samuels who passed away last August from Ewing's Sarcoma and whose dad, Kevin, is returning to St. Jude this December to run the full marathon.
The event is Avon Lake's welcome to summer and the awesome Lake Erie sunsets.
Although the weather this year began with a downpour and strong winds, by the time the festivities began the weather improved immensely providing wine-tasting, food trucks, and vendor booths for the hundreds of Avon Lake residents.
The SFSF booth, strategically located at the park's entrance featured 50-50 raffle tickets and brochures highlighting the foundation.
Winner of the 50-50 raffle was Heather Tinsley who generously donated her winnings to SFSF. Along with Heather's winnings, on-site donations, and business donations, another $1439 was added to the SFSF coffers.
FMU volunteers were on hand to help with the set up and tear down of the many tables and chairs which were fully occupied throughout the evening.
SFSF thanks the Waterfront Committee, FMU, and all those in attendance for the kick-off event to the upcoming, summer SFSF fundraisers.
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Retirement gifts benefit SFSF
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Kevin Ostby, with FANUC headquarters and Mt. Fuji in the background, during his last work trip to Japan prior to retiring.
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Many retirees begin their new life of retirement with dreams of a schedule dedicated to personal wants, wishes, and wanderings --- not so for Kevin Ostby, who retired this summer from FANUC America.
Kevin, a friend of Bob Quayle, Marc Quayle's dad, was unable to participate in this year's SFSF Michigan Golf Outing at Warwick Hills and "wanted to do more for this charity."
Kevin requested that retirement "gifts" be made to SFSF. A total of $440 was donated by friends and family who honored Kevin's wishes.
Kevin, a 36-year employee of FANUC America, held the position of vice-president for 28 years.
FANUC, headquartered in Japan, retrofits and rebuilds machinery for companies of all sizes, increasing productivity, meeting safety standards, reducing errors, and minimizing downtime.
SFSF thanks Kevin for his generous retirement request.
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Team FMU - And Grand it Was!
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Team FMU at the 2018 Bash & Dash.
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As the "Grand Finale" sponsor, FMU and its Team FMU raised $25,754 for this year's Bash & Dash, including the $3500 FMU donation.
Team FMU, adults and kids alike, worked together and independently to achieve the highest team donation to date.
In addition to using their personal fundraising pages, adults hosted a garage sale, a wine-tasting party, and a team T-shirt fundraiser.
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Some of the ladies enjoying the SFSF Happy Hour.
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Courtney and Brian Harrigan hosted a SFSF Happy Hour, a wine and cheese party, at their home in Avon Lake. Over 60 adults enjoyed the hors d'oeurves, a variety of wines, and the company of SFSF supporters, raising $3900. This was the second wine-tasting party hosted by the Harrigans.
Amber Theodore of FMU hosted a garage sale, June 2
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Theo and Amber in their FMU/SFSF shirts.
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1-22, with items donated by several FMU Team members. Kids joined in selling lemonade, donuts and treats, raising money for SFSF.
To show their unity, team members purchased Team FMU shirts with profits earmarked for SFSF. The combined FMU and SFSF logos and bright rainbow reflected the united effort. Together the garage sale and team shirt sales added $1130 to Team FMU's online fundraising total.
Let's hear it from the peanut gallery
Several kids from Team FMU got in the fundraising action too.
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Isabella and her bracelets.
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Isabella Lombardy, daughter of Jen Lombardy, who designed this year's St. Jude dream home, was inspired by her mom's work and Sophie's story. Originally, Isabella decided to make and sell rainbow loom bracelets; she took them wherever she went and began cust
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Keira and Isabella sing and dance.
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omizing the colors by request, mostly the colors of her brother's baseball team and/or his opponents. In total, Isabella raised $251.50 for SFSF.
Keira Sgro and Isabella (from the above bracelet fundraiser) traipsed the neighborhood singing and dancing for SFSF donations, and offering a FMU bracelet for a purchase. The duo raised $125.
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Isabella and Dominic presenting their donations to Emily Quayle.
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Not a bracelet-weaver by trade, but a weaver in name, Dominic Weaver, another FMU Team member, got into the fundraising action, selling sno-cones, raising $86 for SFSF.
SFSF graciously thanks all members of Team FMU for their united effort in truly being grand SFSF fundraisers.
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Such a fun, fundraiser for Cancer Awareness Month
Deb Meeks, a Spanish teacher at Riverview High School in Riverview, MI, from where Sophie's grandma, Susie Miklaski, retired in 2007 (and continues to sub), is holding a Color Street fundraiser to benefit SFSF.
Color Street just launched this special collection at the end of August in anticipation of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month which began on Sept. 1, and Deb will be running her own, special fundraiser through the end of September, making every day in Childhood Awareness Month count. Color Street will be donating $2 per strip to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for every "Hope,Love, Cure" strip sold, but SFSF supporters can double down in their support of childhood cancer funding, as Deb will be donating her entire commission for all items bought through this fundraiser to SFSF!
This fundraiser offers pretty nails, raises awareness, and benefits TWO foundations committed to fighting the battle against childhood cancer.
Join the group for more info on Color Street nail designs or start shopping today. Be sure to select "Fight Childhood Cancer Fundraiser" for the event so all orders benefit SFSF.
SFSF thanks Deb for her generous offer.
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Creating real Smiles during September
Meg Sherban, a friend of Emily Quayle and Nu Skin distributor, is running a September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month fundraiser on Nu Skin toothpaste, which promises not only whiter teeth and prettier smiles, but many smiles for two foundations: SFSF and Piper's Legacy in partnership with the 1 Million For Anna Foundation. Both foundations will reap the profits of the sale of all her toothpaste orders throughout the month of September.
To help achieve brighter teeth, with no bleach or harsh chemicals, order the no sugar, gluten-free, gentle, safe, and effective Nu Skin AP24 whitening fluoride toothpaste and create many happy faces and bright smiles.
SFSF thanks Meg for her "smiles" for Sophie.
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Every day 43 kids are diagnosed with cancer; every day 5 kids will die from cancer.
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RTC Rocks for SFSF
The first, Rock the Challenge, kids-style, was held in the "green space" next to the Avon Aquatic Facility on Saturday morning, August 11. Organized by FMU of Avon and Fitness Revolution of West Lake, the dual effort raised $5000 for SFSF.
The cool and wet early morning turned beautiful for the 182 youth racers, 20 fun runners, and the 20+ volunteers who came out in force.
Open to kids age 5-14, the event was the first official chip-timed, obstacle course event. Awards were given to the top three males and females in each of the five age divisions.
In addition to the obstacle course, the event included other kids' activities as well, including face painting, magic tricks by Nick Eaton Entertainment, Super Heroes to Kids in Ohio, a slime station, rock painting, food trucks, and a bounce house. Matthew Quinn, a FMU kids member, put together this amazing
video to sum up the event.
The various "booths" were housed under the new, SFSF-monogrammed tents, creating an obvious awareness to SFSF, who was the sole benefactor.
All participants received a T-shirt with their participation fee.
SFSF thanks FMU, Fitness Revolution, RTC sponsors, the vendors, the "added attractions," the volunteers, and of course, the kids who participated in the first-ever RTC, kids-style.
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Smiles for the Season has been published quarterly for the last ten years. As writers and editors, we are interested in the opinions of our readers as well as the newsletter's effectiveness as far as promoting the work of SFSF and its supporters, spreading awareness, and keeping workload to a minimum. Please take a few minutes to complete this
short survey. Thank you!
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