2014 Dream & Believe Accomplishments

2014 Dream & Believe Accomplishments
2014 Dream & Believe Accomplishments

During my battle with Stage IV head & neck cancer in 2010, I was blessed to be surrounded by amazing family, friends, doctors, nurses, caregivers and even strangers offering their prayers, love, support and providing me with HOPE. David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation was forged on those very principles of: kindness, generosity of spirit, faith, hope and love that were ever-present during my cancer journey. An overwhelming desire to “Pay it Forward” crystallized the “Dream” and a group of friends ‘Believed” in that Dream. We set out to offer financial assistance and ignite HOPE in the hearts of a couple patients per year…Fast Forward 4 years…

As of December 31st 2014 (4 years), we have supplied financial assistance and provided HOPE to 325 families!

2014 proved to be a momentous year for the Foundation with a multitude of significant accomplishments as listed in the attached summary but none more important than our mission to provide financial assistance, services and HOPE to our families affected by a cancer diagnosis. All of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation want to thank our patients for inspiring us each and every day. We lost several inspirational members from the DDBCF patient family in 2014 but want your families to know, we carry their spirit with us every day!

Thank you to the many businesses, sponsors, auction donors and volunteers!

Thank you to the parents and kids from our youth group, Generation Dream. This motivated, talented and compassionate group of kids are determined to make a positive impact in the lives of our patients and their families.

A special thank you to our Board of Directors (Tim Hall, Melanie Magaziner, Kelly Powers, Kevin Price, Kim Manzella, Kristin Panzone, Jillian Elsasser & Danielle Corso) who serve the mission of the Foundation on a 100% volunteer basis!

Please take a minute to look back on 2014 with us in the attached summary of accomplishments. Please know that if you attended one of our events, donated an auction item, sponsored an event, volunteered or just made a donation – YOU are responsible for providing HOPE to a family diagnosed with cancer that needs our help. THANK YOU!

We HOPE that you will continue to Dream & Believe with us!

David

 2014 Dream & Believe Accomplishments

Comedy for a Cause presented by Rotary Club of Barnegat

Comedy for a Cause
Comedy for a Cause

We are less than one week away from “Comedy for a Cause!”

The Rotary Club of Barnegat will Host “Comedy For A Cause” Saturday, January 24th at the Holiday Inn on Route 72 in Manahawkin. The event runs 6-10 pm and includes comedy entertainment from Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club, dinner buffet, cash bar, live and silent auctions!

Proceeds from the event benefit:

For Ticket Information: Call Luann Ford at (732) 278-3126 or Stacey Halliday at (732) 642-1069

Reminder … Adult Humor 18+

 

Informed Mortgage

All of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation are excited to announce our “First” recurring monthly donation from our friends at Informed Mortgage. Our local mortgage specialists will be donating $25.00 to David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation for every loan closed by their Manahawkin office!

We must thank the staff at Informed Mortgage for their personal investment in the mission of the Foundation. Informed Mortgage has made a commitment to bring HOPE to our patients affected by a cancer diagnosis!

A special and heartfelt thanks to our newest director Dani Corso and her company Volatile Media Management for fostering the vision for this new partnership and making it a reality! Thank you Dani!

Generation Dream

Generation Dream 1st Meeting - 6/25/2014
Generation Dream 1st Meeting – 6/25/2014

We want to take a minute to thank the Amazing Kids & Parents from our youth sub-group of David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation called “Generation Dream.”

The picture to the left was taken at our first meeting on June 25th 2014 with 23 kids. We currently have 74 kids registered to be a part of this amazing youth movement within David’s Dream & Believe. The children are committed to generating a ripple effect of Kindness, Love & Hope for NJ families living with a cancer diagnosis.

In one year, the kids have been responsible for several fundraising projects including a Lakewood Blueclaws Game, Thundering Surf Funday, Kids 4 Change, Project Dream & Holiday Cornbread Sale with our friends from Shore Fire Grille. Some of the kids have created their own fundraisers: Domenick Crisalli asked his mom to do a wear your jeans to work day and he also sold some of his own clothes online to raise money for DDBCF. Hadley Magaziner raised funds for DDBCF with a couple of lemonade stands during the summer and Cuade Deely created our very stylish Generation Dream Socks which can be found on our website by clicking the Shop Tab.

Generation DREAM Socks

All of the kids & parents volunteered at a variety of David’s Dream & Believe events throughout 2014 including: 6th Annual Jetty Coquina Jam, Night at the Lakewood Blueclaws, Rocktoberfest, TGI Friday’s Regional Competition & Survival of the Mills.

Most importantly, the kids from Generation Dream planned and hosted a Holiday Party at SOMC for the Oncology Patients & their families. This was the culmination of an incredible inaugural year for Generation Dream and we could not be prouder of each every member of this group. A Huge thank you to all the parents of these amazing kids. We know without your commitment to the Foundation in driving the kids to meetings, events and fundraisers – none of this would be possible.

Lastly, we want to recognize one of our newest Director’s Kim Manzella who currently serves as our youth Director and is the creator of Generation Dream. Kim leads Generation Dream with her Huge Heart and is a wonderful example to the kids and to all of us of what it means to lead a “Pay it Forward” lifestyle! A special thanks to Melanie Magaziner, Kristin Panzone Jillian Elsasser and Dani Corso for their help with Generation Dream projects throughout 2014!

 

 

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays!

All of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation want to wish everyone Happy Holidays from our family to yours! We want to thank our tremendous donors, sponsors and volunteers who afford us the opportunity to offer Hope to our families.

Thank you to the parents & children from our youth service group “Generation Dream” who remind us: “Giving begins with the person in the mirror & together we can create a tidal wave of Kindness, Love and Hope!

A very special thanks to the patients and families that have touched our lives this year.  You inspire us on a daily basis by sharing your indomitable spirit with us on a daily basis and you continue to do more for us than we ever could do for you!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Wizard of Oz

Wizard of Oz
Wizard of Oz

David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation is proud to partner with our friends at The Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven NJ for a special Holiday presentation of The Wizard of Oz for local families battling cancer.

On Saturday December 20th at 2pm, approx. 15 families battling cancer  will be treated to an Amazing Show! The Wizard of Oz at The Surflight Theatre  are receiving rave reviews like the one below from BroadwayWorld.

We have additional tickets for the same show on Saturday December 20th at a very discounted price. Please message David Caldarella: david@davidsdreamandbelieve.org for more information!

Project Dream

Project Dream
Project Dream

“Project Dream” is a Holiday Fundraiser created by our youth Director Kim Manzella and the children from our youth sub-group called Generation Dream! This Holiday Season, Generation Dream is focused on paying it forward and specifically to the patients and families living with cancer in our community. There are so many families right now that need our help and the goal of Project Dream is to make that happen with your support!

Generation Dream is asking you to give the Gift of Hope this Holiday season and they have made it very easy for you to do that.

You can write a check made payable to DDBCF, PO Box 1199, Manahawkin NJ 08050 and note Generation Dream on the check.

You can also visit our website at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation:

  1. Click on the Donate Tab
  2. Scroll down to option Donation Events
  3. Click on drop-down and choose Generation Dream
  4. Under NAME, you can write the name of a specific child from Generation Dream for who you are making a donation or simply leave blank.

“Only By Giving Can We Receive More Than We Already Have!”

Project Dream

SOMC Oncology Holiday Party

SOMC Holiday Oncology Party
SOMC Holiday Oncology Party

We have a special relationship with our local hospital Southern Ocean Medical Center (SOMC) in Manahawkin, NJ and the majority of our patients come directly from SOMC. We work very closely with the nurse navigators, nurses, doctors, administration and ultimately the patients from SOMC. We believe a unified effort between SOMC and David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation will greatly benefit the journey for our local cancer patients.

“You Have Cancer” are the dreaded words nobody ever wants to hear but it’s our mission to bring COMPASSION, LOVE and HOPE to our patients and families battling a cancer diagnosis.

Our youth group Generation Dream is responsible for every aspect of this event and we couldn’t be prouder of this group of inspired kids who continue to make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families.

We are inviting the patients of SOMC and 1 guest to join us for our 1st Annual SOMC Oncology Holiday Party on Friday December 12th between 4-7pm. Please RSVP by emailing david@davidsdreamandbelieve.org or 609-548-3382. 

 

 

 

Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday

We try to emulate Giving Tuesday every day of the year at David’s Dream & Believe and we appreciate your continued support throughout the year.

We would like to ask you to think about supporting our mission of providing Hope for our families battling a cancer diagnosis (300+ families served in 4 years).  You can make a difference simply by purchasing some of our branded Dream & Believe Gear created by our friends at Jetty.

Please enter code DREAM on orders of $50.00 or more to receive a $10.00 discount on your order!

Please enter code BELIEVE on orders of $100.00 or more to receive a $25.00 discount on your order!

 Let’s Save Lives By Fighting Cancer Together! 

Thank you!

 

Giving Tuesday

Ship Bottom Christmas Parade “Rocking Through The Years!”

Generation Dream
Generation Dream

 

All of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation are excited for the upcoming Holiday Season and it’s going to be a very busy one for our youth group Generation Dream. Generation Dream will start things off this Saturday December 6th at 1:00pm along Long Beach Boulevard from 5th Street to 25th Street by participating in the 35th Annual Ship Bottom Christmas Parade. This year’s theme is “Rocking through the Years” and Generation Dream will be the masquerading as our “Rocking Superhero’s!”

Our very dear friends at Reynolds Landscaping & Garden Shop have generously supplied a trailer and truck to tow our float. A special thanks to David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation Directors Kim Manzella & Kristin Panzone!

As an organization, parents and friends; we have learned so much from the youth in our Generation Dream group this year and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for these Dreamers & Believers. Stay tuned for exciting news about the SOMC Holiday Party on Friday December 12th presented by Generation Dream for the oncology patients of SOMC. The Wizard of Oz at Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven on Saturday December 20th at 2:00pm presented by Generation Dream for local families affected by a cancer diagnosis. Lastly, we will update you very soon on the Generation Dream fundraiser called “Project Dream!”

See you at the parade this Saturday!