from staff
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 believe 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.
‘Rock’n Ride’ at Mavericks
More than 400 motorcycles took to the streets of Downtown for Daniel’s Rock’n Ride April 21, with riders and event sponsors collectively bringing in more than $79,000 to help local kids in crisis at Daniel.
The bikers departed from the Landing and went on a 60-mile ride around the city, which took them by Daniel’s Belfort Road campus, where Daniel kids held posters and waved to their benefactors.
“There is nothing like the sound of the roar of hundreds of motorcycles when the Rock’n Ride begins,” said Daniel President and CEO Jim Clark.
“But the most touching part of the event is the interaction between the bikers and the kids themselves as we ride past the campus. It reminds everyone what it’s all about – helping those children,” he said.
After the ride, bikers and other Daniel supporters gathered for an afterparty at Mavericks Rock’N Honky Tonk at the Landing.
One part of the afterparty was the live auction at which Richard Nunn offered to have his head shaved onstage if attendees collectively raised $1,000 for Daniel kids.
The crowd rose to the challenge and even rallied for a second time, when one of the event’s sponsors, Jennifer McCoy of Ballyhoo Mobile Marketing, offered to have her locks shorn if another $2,000 was raised.
Both Nunn and McCoy took turns shaving each other’s heads with hairdressers from Paul Mitchell The School helping to make sure they had a good final result.
The other memorable moment of the afterparty was the presentation of the winner in the Rock’n Ride motorcycle drawing. Lori Kaye’s ticket enabled her to choose from four new bikes supplied by First Coast Honda and Powersports of St. Augustine.
Publix partners with Second Harvest
Second Harvest North Florida and Publix Super Markets Inc. have announced the rollout of a store donation program that will generate thousands of pounds of food annually for families in Northeast Florida.
The program provides perishable and nonperishable items from 69 stores in the 18-county area served by Second Harvest, the region’s Feeding America member food bank. Second Harvest trucks have begun making pickups twice weekly from Publix stores, including 53 locations in Duval, Clay, Nassau, Flagler and St. Johns counties.
“We are pleased to partner and be aligned with an organization that has a substantial brand and track record of serving those in need at the grassroots level. We believe this program will allow thousands of families to receive nutritious food in a timely manner, especially during a downturned economy,” said Dwaine Stevens, media and community relations manager for Publix.
The Publix store donation program is also being enacted in other communities in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, providing eight Feeding America food banks access to donations from 242 Publix stores.
The company estimates it has donated thousands of pounds of food to Feeding America food banks since the program’s pilot and rollout more than three years ago. Grocery industry average donations range between 250 and 300 pounds of useable food each week per store, including foods such as milk, bread, meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables.
“This program is incredibly important to our mission of feeding hungry people,” said Karen Rieley, interim executive director of Second Harvest North Florida.
“We are grateful to Publix for providing this invaluable community service, which addresses a very real problem for our neighbors on the First Coast and beyond. These resources will translate into millions of meals for families experiencing hardship in North Florida,” she said.
A formal announcement of the program was held at the Second Harvest North Florida warehouse. Publix presented a $26,211 donation to Second Harvest as part of the Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger. The donation was the result of an in-store promotion where customers made point-of-sale donations to support local charities engaged in the fight against hunger.
Washington invited to Washington, D.C.
Local community leader and advocate MaliVai Washington was invited to the 2011 White House Easter Egg Roll. It is the largest public event at the White House and is held annually.
This year’s Egg Roll has incorporated a different spin by adding more physical activities to the itinerary. The event’s new theme, “Get Up and Go,” strives to promote healthy and active living among America’s youth.
Several sports professionals were invited to the White House to participate in the scheduled activities and to bring more awareness to healthy living among youth.
“It was a great honor to have received the invitation from President Obama and the first lady. I’m excited to participate in an event that has been a part of each president’s administration since the 1800s,” said Washington.
“I think it’s great that the first lady has such a huge passion for combating childhood obesity and getting America fit. I don’t know if I’ll have the chance to meet the first family, but if I am granted the opportunity, I would stress the importance of investing in our youth as well as after-school programs,” he said.
The MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation celebrates its 15- year anniversary this year. The foundation offers hope and opportunities to urban core youth.
Fishing to help children
Registration is open for the 22nd annual Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament, which benefits patients of Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
The event is at the City Dock in Palatka, the “bass fishing capital of the world.” Registrations will also be accepted from 2 a.m. until safe light launch the morning of May 19. The registration form is available at www.wolfsonchildrens.org/bass .
The Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament is the largest single-day bass tournament in the state of Florida. Thanks to sponsors and participants, the 2010 tournament contributed more than $140,000 to benefit the children of Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
The tournament also offers a chance to win a new, fully rigged 2011 Bullet Bass Boat with a 2011 Mercury 225 Pro XS OptiMax motor. A $10 donation to Wolfson Children’s Hospital provides a chance to win the boat May 21 at the tournament (you do not need to be present to win).
More information about the drawing is available at www.wolfsonchildrens.org .
If you are unable to participate but would like to help, donations are appreciated. Contact Vicki Watson at 360-4531 or Angela Holden at 202-1525 for additional information.
Wine-tasting at Urban Flats
“A Tasteful Event” is planned to benefit Hope Haven Children’s Clinic and Family Center.
The event is scheduled 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday at Urban Flats Flatbread & Wine Co. at 9726 Touchton Road in Tinseltown.
The event features food, fun and wine and a chance to win TPC tickets.
Tickets are $25 each and are available at Hope Haven and through its website www.hope-haven.org.
For more information, call 346-5100, ext. 250.
Girls’ Rights Week begins May 5
Girls Inc. of Jacksonville announced that Delores Barr Weaver, chair and CEO of the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, will support Girls’ Rights Week as honorary chair of the May 5 reception honoring local “Girls in Action” and “Women of Vision.”
Girls Inc.’s Girls’ Rights Week is an annual celebration of girls advocating for their rights and for positive change in the world.
In this spirit, the reception will honor “Girls in Action” in the community in the fifth, eighth and 12th grades as well as trailblazing women in the areas of academics, arts and athletics.
Tickets can be purchased for $25 each by calling 731-9933 or by visiting www.girlsincjax.org.
Proceeds from the event will support Girls Inc. of Jacksonville’s quality programs that inspire girls to be strong, smart and bold through educational and enrichment programs in our after-school and summer programs.