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Highlighting Jacksonville’s Philanthropic Community
As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this page that will each week chronicle the efforts of local nonprofit organizations. Bailey Publishing & Communications invites all members of the local nonprofit community to submit news, announcements, success stories and any other information they feel would be of interest to our readers. E-mail to: [email protected].
We also encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they try to continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
Fighting breast cancer with chocolate
26.2 with Donna Foundation has new partner, Peterbrooke Chocolatier of Anastasia Island. In celebration of the partnership, Peterbrooke has created an all-new lineup of Donna chocolate bars. Peterbrooke has also pledged to donate 100 percent of the proceeds from the Donna chocolate bars to the 26.2 with Donna Foundation. The Foundation raises money for breast cancer research at Mayo Clinic, and for financially challenged women on the First Coast with breast cancer through The Donna Foundation.
“Breast cancer is very personal to me because it has touched both the maternal and paternal side of my family as well as many of my close friends. One of my aunts is a proud survivor while, ironically, another aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer this week and I want to help her and many other women fighting this battle,” said Karen Nasrallah, owner of Peterbrooke Chocolatier on Anastasia Island. “When I approached Donna, who is also a distant cousin and former classmate at Bishop Kenny, I told her that my knees would no longer allow me to run, but my hands could certainly make the chocolate to help support the research for a cure and I wanted to be a participant in this effort. I salute Donna for her strength and perseverance that will benefit so many lives.”
“It’s a sweet deal for the race all the way around,” said Donna Deegan. “It’s great to partner with this outstanding First Coast organization to bring us closer to our goal of finishing breast cancer. Karen’s experience and mine mirror those of so many. It is only in connecting with each other that we have the power to make a real difference. Cure by chocolate. I love it!”
The bars are available in creamy milk chocolate, sweet white chocolate and decadent dark chocolate and also come in sugar free chocolate and 72 percent super dark chocolate. They retail for $9.95 and are sold exclusively at Peterbrooke on Anastasia Island, located at 1011 A1A Beach Blvd. No. 3 in St. Augustine.
To place your order or for more information call 904-471-2830.
Calendar raises money for The Bridge
Twelve women from Springfield put on retro swimwear, flirty lingerie and sexy vintage shoes as models in the 2010 “Women of Springfield” calendar to benefit local charities.
One woman appears each month in the calendar. Each lady supplied her own costume and Hollywood hair and makeup artist Renee Parenteau styled each shoot. Parenteau owns a local photography studio and took the girls’ pictures for the calendar. Ave One Studios, another Jacksonville-based photography company, laid out the calendar giving each photo a unique graphic background. The calendar was produced by 9th Street Charities, a Springfield organization dedicated to helping the neighborhood’s less fortunate residents.
The majority of proceeds from the calendar benefit The Bridge of Northeast Florida, located on 8th and Pearl streets in historic Springfield. Remaining profits go to the charity selected by the model who sells the most calendars.
From insurance adjusters to real estate agents and stay-at-home moms to attorneys, the calendar girls are all dedicated to helping the underprivileged of Jacksonville.
The 2010 calendar is the second produced by 9th Street Charities. In 2008 the organization created and sold a calendar featuring 12 different women which raised nearly $2,500 for The Bridge.
Calendars are $25 each and are available at www.9thstreetcharities.org. More than 350 calendars were produced and are available for purchase until they sell out.
Gate Foundation: $75k to PAL
Local sports and after-school education programs supported by the Police Athletic League (PAL) of Jacksonville and St. Johns County can better serve youth thanks to a grant from The GATE Foundation, the philanthropic affiliate of the GATE companies.
The GATE Foundation raised $75,000 for PAL of Jacksonville and St. Johns County during GATE’s annual charity golf tournament held at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club.
At the tournament, Sheriff John Rutherford discussed the impact PAL programs have on today’s youth and thanked the GATE Foundation for its valuable contribution.
Hill Peyton, president and chairman of The GATE Foundation, presented the gift to Lt. Rob Schoonover, executive director, PAL of Jacksonville and Sgt. Rob Gober, executive director, PAL St. Johns County.
The GATE Foundation was established to support efforts and services that nurture and protect the well-being of family and community. For more information on The GATE Foundation, call 448-2979.
Dinner and Auction to benefit JRDF
A Chinese Auction & Dinner is on the calendar for Oct. 22 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Maggiano’s Little Italy Restaurant at St. John Town Center. Hosted by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Northeast Florida Chapter, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the North Florida Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Tickets for the event are $35 for HSMAI members and $40 for nonmembers. Tickets are available online at www.hsmai-nefl.org. For additional information call 460-9577 or e-mail [email protected].
Wachovia executive joins March of Dimes
More than 1,900 of Jacksonville’s babies will be born premature this year, but local business leader Scott Coble, along with his wife Lisa, is working with the March of Dimes to change this.
Coble has joined a group of business leaders hand-picked from across the country by the March of Dimes to help lead the nation in the quest for healthy babies. Coble, who is serving as the First Coast March for Babies Chair, said, “As a business leader, this campaign gives me a unique opportunity to help the community that I love. And as a father, I can’t think of a more important cause than our babies. One in seven of our babies here in Jacksonville are born premature, and that’s just not acceptable. Our goal is that every one of our babies is born healthy. It can be a reality, but it takes leaders in our community working together to make it happen.”
Coble is the North Florida Regional President for Wachovia Bank and has pledged, along with his committee, to raise $235,000 in new revenue for the First Coast March for Babies.