Jetty & Nardi’s have joined forces to run a “Half-way to Summer” party on January 28th, 2012. The $10 cover charge provides for a fun night, free pizza and some great sounds compliments of The Rock Lobsters! Now for the best part, a portion of your patronage benefits David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation! We’ll see you there as all of the Jetty events are always a good time!
Dear Friends,
David ended the year with a Winter Wrap Up. I’d like to piggy back on his Wrap Up with a look forward into 2012. However, let’s take one final glance over our shoulder at 2011 to reflect on what we accomplished together in the first year of David’s Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation. We closed the year with over 75% of funding going directly to cancer patients and research. In addition to this giving, your support helped us become established as a fully accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was able to plan and execute four significant fundraising events that generated charitable donations in excess of $45,000. Thanks and congratulations to all who had a hand in these accomplishments.
Looking forward, I refer to David’s “2012 Call to Action”.
David made the following request:
“I’m asking YOU (our supporters) to get creative and hold your own fundraising activities on behalf of DD&BCF from now until our 2nd Annual DD&BCF LBI Summer Kick off BBQ in June 2012 (Exact Date TBD). The Foundation will lend as much additional support as needed including our 501(c)(3) documentation, informational flyers, t-shirts and wristbands.”
Here in Kentucky, Ashley, Janice and I are going to accept David’s challenge and plan a Bonfire Barbecue event for the last Saturday in April (4/28/12). This is the Saturday before the Kentucky Derby and the Saturday when the Derby Festival Mini-Marathon is run. If all goes as planned, the Bonfire Barbecue will be a celebration of a 13.1 mile trek that Dave and myself will have made that day. If you are inclined to join us in Kentucky for the race or bonfire, mark your calendars now. Stay tuned for more details.
The Bonfire Barbecue is our response to David’s Call to Action. Our vision for this event is to generate relationships with new supporters to help advance the DD&BCF mission. Some additional ideas to think about as you consider David’s Call to Action . . . bake sales, garage sales, car washes, pancake breakfasts, dinners, racing (run, bike, tri), Super Bowl party, silent auctions, bowl-a-thons, classrooms collecting Coins for a Cure, dress down days/jeans to work for a contribution/fee, sports cap/jersey to school/work for a contribution/fee, email/letter campaigns, etc.
If you decide to organize an event, Please email us at info@davidsdreamandbelieve.org so we can help you realize your unique vision for supporting the mission of DD&BCF. We have T-shirts, adult/kids wrist bands and we are developing an informational flyer for ease of communicating the DD&BCF mission. Lastly, David hopes to be able to join you at your event whenever it is feasible.
We look forward to 2012 and partnering with you to bring Hope and Faith to those ready to Dream and Believe.
Sincerely,
Tim Hall
Vice-President
It has been an extremely busy year and we want to take this opportunity to provide a few updates regarding David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation (DD&BCF).
As an aside, this blog and all additional DD&BCF information can now be found on our newly revamped website at https://www.davidsdreamandbelieve.org/ . We want to thank Michael Schratz and his team of designers as well as Jeremy Defilippis from Jetty for all their support with the redesigned website.
Charitable Gift Contributions:
There was no question in my mind as to where we would start this final update for 2011. I’ve been very fortunate to have given a few speeches at Bristol Myers Squibb and American Cancer Society throughout this past year as well as visiting many individuals/families affected with a cancer diagnosis. I’ve recited this quote from author Kahlil Gibran each time “Kindness is the shadow of God in Man”! This was never more evident than during my battle with stage IV oropharyngeal cancer last year. It occurred again this year by the selfless giving of the many donors, sponsors, volunteers and supporters of DD&BCF. I’m humbled to announce that in our first year of existence, YOU have made it possible for DD&BCF to deliver $15,000.00 to cancer research and an additional $30,000.00 has gone directly to individual cancer patients and their families fighting this dreaded disease.
These charitable donations have reached individual patients in NJ, NY, PA, CT, FL, IL, OR, TX and Costa Rica. We have been recommended to patients by Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Patient Advocate Foundation and Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
DD&BCF Organizational Item:
We want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of Meigan Kelly, Kevin Price, Carmelo Malatino, Pat Manzi and John Shamsey over the past year. We would not be where we are today as a foundation without your selfless dedication and we look forward to your continued support of DD&BCF. Today, Timothy A. Hall serves as Vice- President & Treasurer and Joan Caldarella is the secretary for the Foundation.
DD&BCF “2012 Call To Action”:
It has always been my goal to hold only one DD&BCF event per year and now with the help of Jetty and Mud City – that has become a reality. I’m asking YOU (our supporters) to get creative and hold your own fundraising activities on behalf of DD&BCF from now until our 2nd Annual DD&BCF LBI Summer Kick off BBQ June 2012 (Exact Date TBD). Please email any ideas and proposed dates for future events to info@davidsdreamandbelieve.org. I will try to attend as many of these events as possible. The Foundation will lend as much additional support as needed including our 501c3 documentation, informational flyers, t-shirts and wristbands. You can always just show up at the BBQ and make a donation! The weekend of April 28th is booked for Louisville, KY. I will be attending a “Bonfire Benefit BBQ” put on by 8th grader Ashley Hall.
DD&BCF, Jetty & Mud City Crab House:
I was asked by friend and co-owner of Jetty (Jeremy DeFilippis) for DD&BCF to be a part of the Coquina Jam in August. The Coquina Jam is an all-female surf contest that raises money for breast cancer. Jeremy and co-owner Cory Higgins wanted DD&BCF involved so the money raised could go directly to 3 local and courageous women at various stages of their battle with breast cancer. The event went off flawlessly with some incredible surfing, positive vibes all day and most importantly a wonderful turnout regarding donations. Thanks to Jetty, its sponsors and over 500+ people on the beach that day – we were able to fundraise 7 times the amount from the previous year bringing the total donations to over $8,000.00.
See you August 2012 for the 4th Annual Coquina Jam.
On or about October 1st, I was having dinner at Mud City Crab House with Jeremy, Melanie and Eric Magaziner who are co-owners of Mud City Crab House. Jetty and DD&BCF just completed a successful joint venture for the Coquina Jam and I wanted to share my thoughts on the future for DD&BCF. Melanie and Eric expressed their interest in creating an event to benefit DD&BCF because they had a dear friend battling cancer in need of financial assistance. Not to mention, Eric is a fellow survivor and I had many conversations with Eric about our shared but different battles with cancer. He and Melanie have first-hand experience with not only the physical assault on your body that takes place after a cancer diagnosis but the emotional trials that are just as formidable a foe during a cancer battle. We agreed to put on a tri-sponsored (Mud City, Jetty and DD&BCF) event at Mud City with the help of co-owners Ginna and Bob Nugent. The 1st Annual Crabbin For A Cure event took place less than 30 days later. Thanks are due to the co-owners of Mud City especially Eric/Melanie who were dealing with some unexpected and serious health issues of Eric’s right up until days/hours before the event; despite these circumstances, Eric was in the kitchen the entire night of the event. The staff, volunteers, sponsors and attendees who made this event a reality, with only 30 days’ notice, are responsible for over $17,000.00 in donations. See you November 2012 for the 2nd Annual Crabbin for a Cure.
The union of DD&BCF, Jetty and Mud City Crab House proved to be an unstoppable and positive force of energy. We cannot thank you and your staffs enough for supporting the Foundation and our mission. We look forward to “Saving Lives by Fighting Cancer Together”!
Personal Note:
Lastly, I want to personally thank the individual patients and families affected by cancer that have welcomed me into their homes and I’ve talked to on the phone over the past year. Your Courage, Hope, Love and Faith inspires me on a daily basis.
Dream and Believe,
David Christian Caldarella
President and Founder
David’s Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation
www.davidsdreamandbelieve.org
A Note from Tim Hall:
I am amazed by what David and the supporters of DD&BCF achieved since December 2011. From the kick off gathering to the most recent Crabbin for a Cure event, the foundation has been able to make a difference in the lives of many people. With the contributions received, we have had a chance to witness Dave and DD&BCF provide Hope to people in what some might consider hopeless situations. Without Hope, giving in comes too quickly. With Hope, people are inspired and battles are won!
I feel blessed to be so close to something that is touching the hearts of people in need. We hope you will join us in maintaining the momentum that is behind DD&BCF. We will strive to be the “shadow of God in Man” as we pursue our mission, Saving Lives by Fighting Cancer Together!
In 2011, we partnered with Jetty & Mud City Crab House to create a fund raiser called Crabbin’ for a Cure. At our first event, on November 2, 2011, we raised nearly $17K which was donated directly to local cancer survivors in need. The local business sponsorship & support of our Long Beach Island-area community was so great that we will surely make this an annual event!
Dear Family and Friends,
Hope you are well and back into your fall schedules!
I would like to start off by apologizing for not reaching out to you sooner. This lands directly on my shoulders and I can only promise to do better in the future personally and as a Foundation. DD&BCF is truly my passion but it is nothing without your support, volunteerism and generous donations.
Thanks to those donations, DD&BCF has been able to distribute charitable gifts in excess of $20,000.00 since our last update. We have supported several cancer patients within our community, a woman in upstate New York, and a gentleman in Florida. We have more people who are battling cancer that we want to help in the coming months. I would also like to thank Jack Ennis from the Patient Advocate Foundation for supporting our organization by having his case managers from across the country reach out to our Foundation for help. Lastly, as we have reached out financially, I have been able to spend time on the phone, via email and in person with several cancer patients and their families helping them navigate their way through this terrible disease. Your generosity and Foundation’s Mission have enabled this to happen.
DD&BCF has continued its community outreach in earnest over the past few months and I’m beyond excited to announce a few partnerships within the community that we expect to last a very long time. As some of you know, DD&BCF participated in the Jetty Coquina Jam in August. Jetty is rapidly becoming a strong force within the surf/skate industry. It’s owned by Jeremy Defilippis and Cory Higgins. I’ve known Jeremy and his family a long time and it’s not surprising to me at all that Jeremy and Cory make it a priority for Jetty to give back to their community. The female surf contest was an incredible event, but most importantly, it enabled DD&BCF to donate over $7,500.00 to three local women at different stages of their breast cancer battles. See you at Coquina 2012!
DD&BCF and Jetty have found a perfect match within our community to add to an already formidable team. I’m very pleased to be participating in the 1st Annual “Crabbin’ for a Cure” with Mud City Crab House. I’ve known co-owners Eric/Melanie Magaziner and Gina/Bob Nugent a very long time. My sister (AKA: mookie) worked summers at Ship Bottom Shellfish with Bob, Gina and Eric. This cause is extremely personal to Mel and Eric as Eric is a Survivor of neck lymphoma. Some of you have seen a Facebook page created for this event (thanks to Melanie) and Jeremy and the Jetty design teams are putting the final touches on the logo.
The following information has been confirmed: 2 seatings at 5:30 and 8, auction will take place between 7-8 so both seatings can be present, $35.00 per ticket includes family style appetizers, soup or salad course, and a crab cake or non-seafood dinner, there will be a cash bar available of beer & wine, tickets will be on sale at Mud City starting Monday Oct. 17th, this is a family style seating event-try to fill a table of 4, 5, 7, 8, or 10!
I realized while typing this update that my next PETscan is scheduled for October 24th and my results will be given to me by Dr. Cognetti during my office visit on the morning of the “Crabbin for the Cure” event at Mud City on Tuesday November 1st. A reason to celebrate!!!
DD&BCF will be having the 2nd Annual LBI Summer Kick-off BBQ!
Please tentatively mark your calendars for June 16th and stay tuned for exciting news in our Winter Blast 2011 prior to the holidays.
The Foundation continues to evolve but our mission remains the constant:
“Saving Lives by Fighting Cancer Together”!
On August 7, DD&BCF partnered with Jetty in the 3rd Annual Coquina Jam. After a successful event, we visited three, local homes to donate the $7681.57 raised at the event. The recipients are all at different stages in dealing with Breast Cancer, but the common ground here is that they needed our support. On Sunday, August 7, 2011 over 500 people joined Jetty & David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation on 110th Street in Long Beach Township to make this possible. Thank you so much to all of the surfers, volunteers, sponsors and attendees…we all, together, wish these three wonderful people a strong and healthy fight toward full recovery! Check out The Coquina Jam video by Tony Coon on our Media Page!
Dear Friends,
I hope this latest update finds you healthy, peaceful and enjoying the summer.
I asked my friend Sari McGovern to write a brief description of David’s Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation’s latest individual gift contribution experience. Sari and her daughter Mikaela took the ride with me to visit Liz, Becky and Angie. Sari and Mikaela are personal friends to this family and I thought it would be a better perspective for all of you to hear Sari describe the experience as opposed to me this time.
DD&BCF has once again made an incredible impact serving its mission statement and this time it was for a very important family in my life. Liz, Becky and Angie have had a rough (to say the least) year and a half. Becky who is starting high school was diagnosed with Leukemia November 2009. Angie (starting the 5th grade and one of Mikaela’s best friends from my preschool) is waiting for a diagnosis dealing with super high fevers for years. Liz the incredibly strong mom who is raising her 2 girls ALONE now has lost their home (through no fault of her own), been laid off (how do you keep a job while bringing your kids to the doctors all the time and having to be in the hospital for months at a time while your daughter is fighting for her life?) Liz has been dealing with MANY other obstacles along the way as well. Both girls were students in my preschool.
David heard about my friends and knew his help and friendship was needed ASAP. We took a ride to North Arlington, NJ on June 16th. We surprised the family with a bouquet of flowers, 2 gift cards for the girls and a gift contribution for Liz. While delivering the gift contribution, David told the family that he was only the messenger and that 300+ individuals wanted them to feel the love, support and to know that there is always hope!!! I don’t know how to describe the feeling in my heart and stomach at this point of the night but it was one of the most incredible moments I have ever had. The bond that David and Becky shared was immediate and so much more than the money. I think it was so mentally healing for Becky to have someone who understands exactly what she is going through. I hope Becky realizes that David will always be there for her to talk to whenever she needs – that is the type of person he is and I am so proud to say he is one of my very best friends in this world. David, thank you for the amazing experience, thank you for helping people that are very dear to me, and thank you for fighting like hell to beat this horrible Cancer – I don’t know what I would’ve done without you in my life! You hold your head high my friend for you are making a great difference in this world!
Much Love and Admiration,
Sari McGovern
Thanks and love you Sari! As you can read above in Sari’s description – WE are truly making a difference!
Please continue to support or start supporting DD&BCF today because no donation is too small. Please visit our website at www.davidsdreamandbelieve.org to make a donation via paypal or send a check made payable to: DD&BCF, 28 Magnolia Road, Manahawkin, NJ 08050. ALL donations are tax-deductible.
Dream and Believe,
David C Caldarella
President and Founder
David’s Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation
Dear Friends,
I want to take a few minutes of your time to provide you with an update on the very successful Manahawkin Relay for Life event and Saturday LBI BBQ.
The American Cancer Society is still tallying the final statistics but numbers will not change that drastically from today. I couldn’t be more proud of our teams and the outstanding accomplishments listed below.
The Saturday BBQ on LBI was fantastic. The positive vibe that surrounded the bbq could only be compared to the feeling I’ve gotten prior to a race. It was a tremendous celebration with family, friends and even some of my medical team. Dr. Cognetti and his wonderful family made the trek to LBI and I even got to do a lap with him on the track Friday night at the Relay. Dave Romanofski (Cell Block B guard) and radiation therapist was in attendance at the Relay with his wife Lora and Dave served as the “Grill Master for the entire BBQ! Guy Calcerano, Executive Director of Development at Kimmel Cancer Center, TJUH attended the Relay festivities and stayed to enjoy the BBQ. Ivette Giordano attended the bbq with her daughter Jenn. Ivette was my amazing nurse during my first kidney stone bout at SOCH.
Thank you to the volunteers that helped make the entire weekend an overwhelming success. Thank you to all our supporters and very generous donors who came from near and far (NJ, NY, PA, MD, VA, KY, NC, SC, FL, AZ, IL, CO, OR & TX). Lastly, Thank you for your continued support for DD&BCF!
The Foundation already has an individual recipient lined up for our next gift contribution. The gift contribution will be made next Thursday and more details to follow later next week. The Foundation is alive and kicking stronger than ever. We truly are “Saving Lives by Fighting Cancer Together!”
Dream and Believe,
David
Hello Everyone,
It has been a very busy couple of months and I wanted to take the opportunity to provide a few updates both personal and with regard to David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation (DD&BCF). In addition, I am including guidance for upcoming events in June to support DD&BCF.
First and foremost, my most recent PETscan results were all clear!
As some of you know, I just returned from a brief trip back to Florida. To say it was just what the doctor ordered would be incredibly understating the importance of my time there. I want to specifically thank my Florida family (Arias, Bruno, Iervolino, Linden) as well as the Scatchard and Brustas family. You all made my return that much more special!
Also, I want to take this opportunity to update you on a few DD&BCF activities surrounding contributions made on behalf of the foundation. As previously blogged, the foundation has provided contributions to 11-year-old Molly Zahner battling osteosarcoma and 2 funds at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH). The most recent contribution was given to 74-years young Rita Gold. Rita showed her support to me during my cancer battle with cards, prayers and love even though she had never met me. Rita was diagnosed with lung cancer this past January. I was able to surprise Rita with a contribution from the foundation to help out during her cancer battle thanks to the generosity of many of you over the past 6 months. Please visit our website and click on the tab Media for pictures of Molly, Rita and my donations to TJUH. You will also find thank you letters under the recognition tab from various TJUH staff.
As all of you may know from past updates, I have been designated “Honorary Survivor Chairperson” for the 2011 American Cancer Society (ACS) – Relay for Life in Manahawkin”, NJ on June 3rd& 4th 2011. I have been asked to provide a brief speech as part of the opening ceremonies to kick off the events on June 3rd at 7:00PM at the Southern Regional High School Track in Manahawkin, NJ. This is a great honor and I look forward to sharing my thoughts on my experiences over the last year and motivation as a cancer survivor.
As an acknowledgement and appreciation, I have set up teams to participate in the Relay for Life under the David’s Dream & Believe name. Please join me and the other team members in support of this very special event. The ACS/Relay requires someone to be on the track for the entire event. My goal is to walk all 12 hours, and I would be so grateful if anyone considered joining me for even just a portion of the time. You will be signed up for the event by simply responding to this email by May 25th. Please list names of all participants. DD&BCF will then enter you on the designated teams.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the ACS Relay for Life Event.
Regardless of whether you are participating in the ACS Relay for Life event or not,
Please join us for a BBQ at 13 Anderson Drive, Spray Beach NJ following the relay event on Saturday June 4th from 11-7 to welcome the summer and catch up with old friends. Please RSVP to this email by May 25th if you will be attending the BBQ and how many people.
I am so excited for all the great things that are happening as we approach the summer of 2011. The board and I are meeting on a regular basis. I look forward to sharing with you additional updates and plans for the second half of 2011.
I look forward to seeing everyone soon.
Dream and Believe,
David
Dear Friends,
I am thrilled & humbled to announce I have been designated “Honorary Survivor Chairperson” for the “2011 American Cancer Society (ACS) – Relay for Life/Manahawkin” (this June 3rd & 4th). To kickoff the events on June 3rd at 7:00PM, I will deliver a brief speech at the opening ceremony (located at the Southern Regional High School Track in Manahawkin – NJ).
I am also extremely proud to announce that “David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation” (DD&BCF) is raising funds in conjunction with this ACS event. The local Manahawkin Relay is allowing DD&BCF to accept direct donations with the understanding that all funds raised will be split 50/50 with the Relay. I/we are asking you to consider participating in one of 3 ways:
Lastly, the ACS/Relay requires someone to be on the track for the entire event. My goal is to walk all 12 hours, and I would be so grateful if anyone considered joining me for even just a portion of the time. The Opening Ceremony, Survivors Lap & Luminaria Ceremony are all “must-see” events, & the idea behind the Relay is that “cancer never sleeps”. Together we fought and DEFEATED Stage 4 Cancer – we were an ARMY that also didn’t sleep! I believe that our faith, hope and love were the cornerstones of my victory, and we intend to bring that same spirit to this event!
3PM Campsite Set-Up: David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation will prep & set up campsite. The theme for the Relay is Mardis Gras.
5PM Survivor Dinner: I will be attending the survivor dinner with my parents.
7PM Opening Ceremony: Honorary Survivor Chairperson Speech & Survivor Lap David Caldarella speech during opening ceremonies & the ACS/Relay begins with a Survivors Lap. This is an inspirational time when survivors are invited to circle the track together and help everyone celebrate the victories we’ve achieved over cancer. The Survivors Lap is an emotional expression of how Relay participants are creating a world with more birthdays – like those of each individual on the track.
10PM (Nightfall) Luminaria Ceremony: After dark, ACS/Relay honors people who have been touched by cancer and remember loved ones lost to the disease during the Luminaria Ceremony. Candles are lit inside bags filled with sand, each one bearing the name of a person touched by cancer, and participants often walk a lap in silence.
Please email us the name of someone touched by cancer, or lost loved one that you would like to honor during this ceremony.
11PM Fight Back Ceremony: Lastly, the Fight Back Ceremony is when we make a personal commitment to save lives by taking up the fight against cancer.
6:30AM Closing Ceremony: Closing ceremony takes place at SRHS track.
Saturday afternoon DD&BCF “Post Relay LBI Beach BBQ” Exact location and time for the BBQ are still being determined, but please stay tuned for details. The Foundation will provide food and refreshments so please think about staying for the afternoon down on L.B.I.