As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this feature 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. Email to: [email protected].
We also encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
The GATE Foundation supports children’s charity
Following its 2011 Charity Golf Tournament, The GATE Foundation presented the proceeds of its 16th annual event to Art with a Heart in Healthcare last week.
The donation, totaling $75,000, will bolster the organization’s mission to provide professionally guided personalized fine art experiences to enhance the healing process of pediatric patients and their families at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, as well as Nemours Children’s Clinic and Ronald McDonald House.
“We greatly appreciate the nearly 300 golfers and more than 120 companies for their participation in this year’s golf tournament and supporting our mission to sponsor programs that nurture and protect the well-being of family and community,” said Hill Peyton, chairman and president of The GATE Foundation.
During the event, attendees had the opportunity to hear from Catherine Warren and her 17-year-old daughter, Emily, who has a rare form of Long QT syndrome, a heart rhythm disorder.
“When the artist enters the room, I can just see her face light up. I can see that she is expecting to have a great time with whoever is there. They will ask, ‘what kind of supplies do you want today, Emily? Would you like to use pastels? Would you like to paint? What would you like to do?’ She doesn’t have a choice about the medications or the procedures but she has a choice about art and it makes a difference,” said Warren of her daughter’s experiences.
“I speak for the hundreds of new patients our artists will now be able to serve in saying thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this most significant donation,” said Tayloe White, executive director of Art with a Heart in Healthcare.
The GATE Foundation, the philanthropic entity of Gate Petroleum Co., supports efforts and services that nurture and protect the well-being of family and community.
Gate Petroleum Co. is a privately held diversified corporation headquartered in Jacksonville, the 11th largest in Florida in 2010.
Since its inception 16 years ago, the annual golf tournament has generated more than $1 million for charitable organizations.
Tournament raises record $1.8 million
Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. Chairman, CEO and President Peter Lynch announced that this year’s Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters Nationwide Tour raised $1.8 million, breaking the previous record of the $1.6 million raised in its inaugural year.
With the help of the PepsiCo TICKETS Fore CHARITY program, the 2011 event raised the record amount for charity.
“To give more money to charity than we gave last year and provide even more financial support to charities in our area is something we’re thrilled at Winn-Dixie to be a part of. We could not have done it without the incredible support of our sponsors, media partners, volunteers, spectators, and the local charities selling our tickets through the PepsiCo TICKETS Fore CHARITY program,” said Lynch.
“This is why we partnered with the PGA Tour to bring the Nationwide Tour to our hometown of Jacksonville. Charity is the real winner here,” he said.
Salvation Army needs turkeys
The Salvation Army has issued a call to residents of North Florida to remember the needs of the less fortunate this Thanksgiving.
The Salvation Army is making a plea for immediate donations of turkeys to supplement the Thanksgiving food boxes and Thanksgiving homeless meal on Nov. 24.
The Salvation Army is accepting turkeys purchased from local supermarkets or cash donations to purchase turkeys.
“We are so grateful to those friends in our community who have stepped forward with faithful support for families and individuals struggling to make ends meet,” said Maj. Dean Hinson, area commander for The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida.
“But unfortunately the number of people needing help keeps escalating and the amount of public support is just not keeping pace,” he said.
In the past, The Salvation Army relied on turkey donations from a large food-service vendor, but learned the company would not be donating turkeys this season.
“Everyone has been affected by the economy. Many companies just can’t donate the way they have in the past,” said Hinson.
The Salvation Army is currently accepting turkeys purchased from local supermarkets or cash donations.
Donors can deliver purchased turkeys to The Salvation Army Towers Memorial Social Services Center (open 24 hours), at 900 W. Adams St. Call 301-4780. The entrance gate is on Lee Street just south of Adams Street.
To make a cash donation, call 301-4855
Gym raising funds for autism
Bailey’s Powerhouse Gym is opening its doors to the public for a fundraising event to benefit children with autism.
Fundraising rides will be held at two Bailey’s locations Nov. 18-19.
Indoor cyclists will ride from 5:45-7:45 p.m. Nov. 18 at 9550 Baymeadows Road and from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Nov. 19 at 11740-2 San Jose Blvd.
“One hundred percent of the proceeds go to benefit DOSA Camps, a special summer camp for children with autism and other disabilities. There are three camps that these children participate in,” said benefit coordinator Michele Weyer.
Camp Promise, Camp Care, and Camp I Am Special are five-day recreational and residential summer camps for children, teenagers and young adults. The camps offer a care ratio of one-to-one in order to provide the utmost attention and benefit for each camper.
DOSA is the Diocese of St. Augustine.
All camps cater to special needs children of different ages and levels of disabilities. The camps do not turn any child away due to level of disability or ability to pay.
“Michele came to us over four years ago about coordinating a fundraising event for these autistic children after we did an indoor cycle ride to ‘simulate’ the MS 150. She is a cycling instructor for Bailey’s who volunteers to lead these charity rides, but actually has a personal interest vesting in this ride – her own daughter is autistic,” said David Bailey, Bailey’s vice president and owner.
In the past three years of the event, Bailey’s has raised more than $48,000 for the cause.
Register for the event or donate at www.spinforautism.com. For more information on Bailey’s 4th Annual Cycle for Autism, contact Weyer at [email protected] or 424-5029.
Halloween party for seniors
This Halloween, more than 80 senior residents of Aging True’s Cathedral Residences participated in a fall festival hosted by costumed volunteers from the United Way and marketing consulting and communications firm Burdette Ketchum.
Volunteers led rounds of bingo and raffle drawings, prepared treats and delivered Halloween goodie bags to homebound seniors.
Aging True was this year’s recipient of HeartStrings, Burdette Ketchum’s community service program.
Through HeartStrings, Burdette Ketchum created the brand concept, identity, and marketing and online pieces to rebrand Northeast Florida’s largest and oldest nonprofit organization serving seniors – Cathedral Foundation of Jacksonville Inc. and its service division, Urban Jacksonville Inc. – as Aging True.
The HeartStrings initiative has provided pro bono marketing assistance valued at more than $500,000 to 30 local nonprofit organizations since its inception in 1998.
The Cathedral Residences is an apartment community for seniors in Downtown Jacksonville. Residents have access to amenities and activities specifically designed to promote senior social and physical interaction and encourage healthy lifestyles.
Cathedral Residences is owned and operated by Aging True (formerly Cathedral Foundation of Jacksonville), the area’s largest and oldest nonprofit provider of senior services.
Cathedral Residences consist of three housing facilities: Cathedral Towers, Cathedral Terrace and Cathedral Townhouse.