from staff
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.
MS Mud Run March 20
The North Florida Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will hold its annual MS Mud Run Jacksonville March 20. The event, presented by the Suddath Companies, will mark the second time the chapter has held the race which was one of its most successful fundraising activities in 2009, announced Jennifer Lee, President of NMSS-NFL. Last year’s inaugural event attracted more than 900 participants and raised more than $120,000.
The MS Mud Run Jacksonville is a 10K, military-style obstacle course race with most of the obstacles surrounded by or consisting entirely of mud. Individuals, teams of two and teams of five will compete for prizes and the satisfaction of a doing a dirty job very well.
The MS Mud Run Jacksonville is on a parcel of open property at Cecil Commerce Center, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Food and beverage vendors will be available and entertainment is planned throughout the day to provide a festival atmosphere for the event.
New this year is the Mud Run Fun Run for Kids event, which will be held at 2 p.m. Boys and girls ages 7-12 will run a three-quarter-mile course featuring three to five obstacles. The registration fee for the event is $30 per child and a signed notarized waiver by a parent or guardian will be required. Teens 13-18 may run the full course if accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. They will also be required to submit a signed, notarized waiver by a parent or guardian.
Complete information about the MS Mud Run Jacksonville is available at www.mudrunjax.com, where you may also register for the event. Registration fees are $45 per person and each participant agrees to raise a minimum of $100 for the charity. Registration closes at midnight March 18. One hundred percent of fundraising contributions are donated to the North Florida Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Volunteers will play a big role in the preparation and smooth running of the event. For infor-mation about volunteering or the event in general, visit www.mudrunjax.com, send an e-mail to [email protected] call 332-6810.
Camp Safe Haven helps children heal from loss
Teens who have lost a loved one had an opportunity to work through their grief and enjoy themselves at a day camp offered by Haven Hospice. Eight teens attended the event at Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran Church and School.
“Camp Safe Haven is designed to educate, encourage and empower young people to experience their grief in a healthy and safe environment,” said Vonceil Levine, bereavement specialist for Haven Hospice. “Pain is a real, natural emotional response to loss and teens are not immune. The goal is for the teens to have some fun while learning some tools to help them through the pain.”
The teens participated in a variety of activities throughout the day to help them deal with their pain, including counseling sessions and games. They also talked with others about their personal experiences.
Camp Safe Haven for children, ages six to 12, is coming up May 28 at Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran Church and School. For more information, contact Vonceil Levine at 352-692-5105.
Haven Hospice is North Florida’s expert in end-of-life and palliative care and is one of three 2008 Circle of Life Award® winners nationwide to be recognized as leaders in improving the care of patients near the end of life or with life-threatening conditions. Haven Hospice has also been recognized as a Florida Pacesetter for its leadership in promoting living wills. Haven Hospice has served nearly 50,000 patients and families since 1979 and has been licensed in Florida as a not-for-profit hospice since 1980. For more information, visit www.havenhospice.org or call 800-727-1889.
Black History Month at Tiger Academy
Nearly 140 Pre-K through second grade students recited poems, sang songs and dressed up as their favorite African American figure from history as they wrapped up a celebration of Black History Month. The assembly took place in the cafetorium at Tiger Academy.
The festivities included performances by 2nd graders reciting the “I Have A Dream” speech, pre-K children reciting a poem, a dance routine from the step group from Stanton High School, and songs by the Ribault Middle School choir. To conclude, Alexander Willis, a local animation studio owner, spoke to the students on the value of setting goals.
During the month of February, Tiger Academy students have learned about African American greats in various fields throughout history. Each day during the Tiger Academy’s morning news show (WTIG), a Black History fact was broadcast to inform students on the great impact African Americans have had both nationally and right here at home.
Also, Chef Robert Tulko, a food expert with Winn Dixie Food Stores, educated children on ways to make healthy food choices, how to prepare food and the long-term importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled the “Let’s Move” campaign to combat childhood obesity. The number of overweight children has tripled in the last 30 years. Even more staggering, those statistics include children living with diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
“Living in a busy society, it’s all the more important for families to take the time to educate their children on the importance of healthy eating and living an active lifestyle,” said Tiger Academy Principal Charles McWhite. “It’s our job as the adults to be role models of healthy behaviors and to encourage them to make healthy choices.”
Golfer supports Community Hospice Foundation
Jim Furyk, a 13-time PGA TOUR event winner, designated a check in the amount of $25,000 to Community Hospice Foundation. The contribution is a portion of the charitable proceeds generated from the Presidents Cup at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco, in which Furyk participated as a member of the victorious U.S. Team for the sixth time in his career.
The Presidents Cup is a unique golf event in that there is no purse or prize money. Players are not personally paid for their participation, but each competitor, captain and captain’s assistant is allowed to allocate funds to chosen charitable causes.
Furyk and his wife, Tabitha, have been longtime supporters of Community PedsCare, the pediatric palliative and hospice care program of Community Hospice through sponsorships at the annual Halloween Doors & More gala fundraiser. Each day, Community PedsCare provides in-hospital and in-home medical, nursing, psychosocial, spiritual, volunteer and other services to support, comfort and care for approximately 100 chronically or terminally ill children in Northeast Florida and their families.
More than $4.2 million was distributed to charitable causes from The Presidents Cup, a record-tying amount for this prestigious competition and part of the nearly $22 million raised since the inception of the event in 1994.
Community PedsCare was established in 2000 by Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, in collaboration with Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Nemours Children’s Clinic and the University of Florida–Jacksonville. The program is available to all children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses, diseases or injuries regardless of their financial status or insurance coverage who may benefit from hospice or palliative care. Families are never denied access because of an inability to pay. Most Community PedsCare services are not reimbursed by insurance and are provided without charge to patients’ families. Charitable gifts to the Community Hospice Foundation provide vital funding for this care.
Established in 1979 as the first community-based, nonprofit hospice program in Northeast Florida, Community Hospice of Northeast Florida helps nearly 1,000 patients live better with advanced illness each day in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties, through the support of approximately 700 employees and more than 900 volunteers. The nonprofit organization has served nearly 59,000 children and adults at home, in long-term care facilities, hospitals and through its four inpatient centers throughout Jacksonville. No one is ever denied care due to an inability to pay. To learn more about the support and services of Community Hospice, visit www.communityhospice.com.