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. 

 

 

 

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!

Survival of the Mills presented by Ocean Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine Wellness Center

Survival of the Mills
Survival of the Mills

It’s always difficult to come up with the words to describe a new event because you cannot just say, “You had to be there.” It feels like we’ve been saying that a lot lately with last weekend’s Sing for Hope and now today’s Survival of the Mills! We try to maintain a healthy balance of diverse events so there is something for everybody while not wearing out our welcome. We are always mindful that your support comes directly from your hard work and we NEVER take that for granted!

Survival of the Mills was created by my friend and our race director Ross Reynolds. Ross and I had a conversation about doing an event together about a year ago when I saw Ross and his wife Marissa having dinner at Mud City Crab House. 12 months of planning and hard work by Ross resulted in an amazing day for the participants. Ross worked so hard on every aspect of this event to ensure it ran smoothly, was challenging and safe for everybody, and the participants all had fun. Mission accomplished! Thank you so much Ross!

However, Ross and I both know that an event like this one does not just happen without the incredible efforts from a Team of Volunteers! Since our inception as a Foundation in 2010, we have maintained that our David’s Dream & Believe volunteers are simply the best and today only confirmed that fact. Not only do we preach to the public that we have the best volunteers but we practice what we preach. President Tim Hall volunteered all weekend helping with set-up and breakdown in between competing and placing 16th overall in the triathlon! Our secretary Kelly Powers competed in the 5K today! Our event Directors and Survival of the Mills Sponsor Kristin Panzone and Jillian Elsasser (Panzone’s Pizza) and communications Director Danielle Corso managed the cycling turnarounds! Our youth Director and Main Event Sponsor Kim Manzella (Ocean Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine Wellness Center) and her family managed the water stations! Our Directors serve the Foundation on a completely volunteer basis and their efforts are extraordinary on a daily basis not just event days! Thank you!

Thank you to our youth group Generation Dream families that manned the water stations & managed some of the race logistics for us today! We appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedules to support the Foundation & we love the kids who continue to “Pay it Forward!”

A special thank you to Ross’s wife Marissa for all her efforts supporting today’s event. Thank you to Tommy Craig for assisting Ross with all the race set-up and logistics.  Thank you to our sponsors for their ongoing generosity and to Fusaro’s for the incredible after-race spread which so many participants raved about.  A special thanks to our host, Wells Mill County Park and their staff, who delivered an incredible experience taking us off the beaten path of typical triathlons, duathlons, and 5k races.

Thank you to all the participants for competing today! We heard from cancer survivors participating in the event throughout the day and your courage inspires us!

The end result of a successful race is that our patients will be the ultimate winners! Thank you from all of us at David’s Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation and see you next year!

 

 “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have!”

ROCKTOBERFEST Wrap-Up!

Rocktoberfest
Rocktoberfest

 

We were approached by some members of the Beach Haven Moose Riders last night while we were putting the finishing touches on an absolutely beautiful and amazing 2nd Annual Rocktoberfest! The sentiment was the same and it was one of shared disappointment with the final $ total. Our friends at the Beach Haven Moose Riders have set extremely lofty goals for themselves and their partnership with David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation. Their lofty goals can only be matched by their enormous hearts! We informed our friends rather quickly that they’re making a HUGE impact in the lives of our families battling a cancer diagnosis! A tank of gas to and from the doctors/treatments can be a heavy burden for a family battling cancer! Rocktoberfest presented by our friends at the Beach Haven Moose Riders to benefit David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation raised approx. $9,000.00 yesterday, which will not only provide gas cards for our families battling cancer but also: medical bill assistance, rent/mortgage assistance, utilities assistance, grocery gift cards & incidentals.

The physical and emotional toll on the cancer patient and their caregivers are relentless. However, it becomes even worse when you consider the financial burden of a cancer diagnosis.  A recent study in the Journal of Oncology Practice titled: Impact of Financial Burden of Cancer on Survivors’ Quality of Life?, concluded Increased financial burden as a result of cancer care costs is the strongest independent predictor of poor quality of life among cancer survivors! It’s clear that financial strain has a very powerful impact on a cancer patient’s perception of well-being. David’s Dream & Believe is only able to support our families battling a cancer diagnosis because of events like this one!

We could not be happier or more proud as an organization to partner with an amazing group of individuals dedicated to giving back to the community like our friends at the Beach Haven Moose Riders! We would also like to thank: Beach Haven Moose Lodge #175, The Dutchman’s Brauhaus, Shop Rite Manahawkin, Party Crashers, Wealth Management Group, The Wandering Gypsea, Fritz Electric, The 559, Wildcard and Generation Dream. Generation Dream is the youth sub-group of David’s Dream & Believe committed to supporting our families battling cancer and generating a ripple effect of kindness, hope & love!

Last but certainly not least, thank you to our incredible supporters who attend our events and make the decision time and time again to donate your hard earned money to assist our families battling cancer. This is a gesture that never goes unrecognized in our eyes and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

 

ROCKTOBERFEST presented by Beach Haven Moose Riders

Rocktoberfest
Rocktoberfest

 

Please join us this Saturday September 20th at the Beach Haven NJ Moose Lodge 1575, 120 Rt. 72 East, Manahawkin NJ 08050 between 1-6pm for the 2nd Annual Rocktoberfest presented by Beach Haven Moose Riders to benefit David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation with special guests: Fritz Electric, Wildcard and The 559!

$25.00 per person and kids 12 & under are free! There will be a bouncy house, video game trailer and face painters for the kids. Food, beer, wine, incredible auction items and LIVE Music! You can purchase tickets in advance at the Beach Haven Moose Lodge or purchase tickets day of event!

Our youth group called Generation Dream will be at the party selling t-shirts. Please join us on Saturday for a fun-filled family event that benefits our local families battling a cancer diagnosis!

Thank you to our friends with the Beach Haven Moose Riders for their continued support with Rocktoberfest and throughout the year!

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

 

I’ve been messaged and called repeatedly over the past week leading up to Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. “AWARENESS” has become an embattled word lately but I would suggest any awareness that brings attention to the lack of funding for Childhood cancer research is a VERY good thing. We only need to look to the most recent “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” to see the positive results from a successful awareness campaign. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge not only raised awareness for the disease “ALS” but raised an incredible amount of donations to fund future research.

All of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation (DD&BCF) have personally felt the unyielding grief from Childhood Cancer with the loss of some of our dearest friends: Samantha, Rebecca, Gabby, Hannah and Miranda! There’s not a day goes by that I do not think about these amazing and beautiful souls that touched my life in such a special and meaningful way. I understand that sharing a gold flyer on your Facebook page, painting your nails gold for the month or wearing a gold pin may be viewed by some as meaningless or less than effective but I would propose those same ACTIONS could spark a discussion that leads to increased funding for Childhood cancer research. I feel comfortable saying with a high degree of certainty that the families for Samantha, Rebecca, Gabby, Hannah and Miranda believe any discussions or raising awareness that lead to increased funding for Childhood cancer research is not a good thing but a critically valuable tool in eradicating the words Pediatric Childhood Oncologist from the dictionary! AWARENESS brings your attention to a subject that you may not normally be exposed to and in this case it could result in saving the lives of children battling this deadly disease. My Facebook profile picture will be Gold this month as a way for me to raise awareness for the lack of funding for childhood cancer research but it’s also a way for me to remember and honor my friends that I miss so much!

Our youth sub-group called Generation Dream is dedicated to generating a ripple effect of kindness, hope and love for our families in NJ battling a cancer diagnosis. They will also be writing their local, state and federal representatives this month to ask them for increased funding for Childhood cancer research!

 

Sincerely, David

 

Boardwalk Fun Day!

Boardwalk Fun Day
Boardwalk Fun Day

 

We want to thank American Cancer Society of NY/NJ for entrusting Boardwalk Fun Day with David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation. We readily accepted the invitation to take over this event for families battling a cancer diagnosis. We want to thank the Seaside Heights Business Improvement District for making the event possible & Seaside Heights Boardwalk businesses that participated in the event.

We were so excited going into this event and our excitement was only confirmed when the first few families showed up to check-in. The kids had a sparkle in their eyes and the parents repeatedly told us that their families looked forward to this event every single year. For some, they attended Boardwalk Fun Day for almost 10 years and others it was their first time but the joy was present in each and every family.

David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation and Generation Dream are already looking forward to next year’s Boardwalk Fun Day!

 

Generation Dream

We were excited to hear that a small group from our youth group Generation Dream were busy last night hand-painting sea shells so they could accept donations today on behalf of David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation. Cuade, Collin and Cuinnie shown in the picture below were busy outside of Peal Street Market in Beach Haven, NJ today raising awareness and donations to help our families battling a cancer diagnosis. Please keep an eye and ear out for our Generation Dream group which was created by one of our newest directors Kimberly Manzella! These kids are dedicated to Making A Difference in our community and world!

Generation Dream (Cuade, Collin & Cuinnie)
Generation Dream (Cuade, Collin & Cuinnie)

6th Annual Jetty Coquina Jam Wrap-Up

It’s obvious that Mother Nature and David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation (DD&BCF) need to have a sit-down to iron out our differences. However the rain, wind, flooding and rough ocean didn’t stop the positive vibes emanating from the 6th Annual Jetty Coquina Jam yesterday! We had an amazing turnout and cannot thank everybody enough for their support!

A few special thanks need to be handed out and it has to start with Chief Executive Officer from Jetty Jeremy DeFilippis. Jeremy has been linked to DD&BCF from day one and Jeremy served on the Board of Directors for 3+ years. His tireless efforts on the Coquina Jam are geared towards not only running a surf contest on LBI that spotlights incredibly talented female surfers and local businesses but also raises money for a Foundation near and dear to his heart that directs the donations back to local breast cancer patients in need. We thank Jeremy and the entire Jetty ownership team for being committed to our partnership in the Coquina Jam. We look forward to many years working together for the benefit of our local breast cancer patients!

Dani Corso, Mike Eiche and the Jetty Interns deserve special thanks as well. Dani handled doubly duty for managing tasks including social media, email blasts, marketing, sponsors and various other aspects for this event for both Jetty and DD&BCF. Her commitment and dedication to both organizations are a credit to her unfailing Pay it Forward Spirit! Many of you may not know the name Mike Eiche from Jetty but you should – Eiche is the guy always behind the scenes getting the job done. Whether its printing hurricane sandy relief shirts for 16 hours a day or setting up/breaking down Coquina Jam – Eiche will always be there getting the job done! Thanks to the Jetty Interns for braving the elements and supporting the cause.  Thank you to Super Volunteer Matt Mancini for braving the elements from start to finish!

Thanks to Jon Coen for handling the mic duties all day long in very difficult conditions. I know we all look forward to hearing Jon narrate the Coquina Jam Event each year! Thank you to our Judges and support staff that manages the event for us! A special thanks to Randy Budd & Bill Machotka! We want to thank Mark Keeler from MK Productions for giving us sound all day.

Thanks to our amazing Sponsors and Beach Vendors! We have to mention those beach vendors that braved the weather yesterday: Liquid Bliss Yoga/Eden Eco, Farias Surf & Sport, Rodeo Bird, Living on the Veg, El Swell, Black Whale, Naked Juice and Red Bull!

Thank you to the Amazing and Incredibly Talented Female Surfers that came from as far as Costa Rica and as close as our event home in Beach Haven, NJ to participate in our 6th Annual Jetty Coquina Jam. These women hold a special place in our hearts because they represent the beautiful fighting spirit of our female patients battling a breast cancer diagnosis!

A special thanks to our Generation Dream Team that manned the DD&BCF tent today selling pretzels, water and Generation Dream shirts! Thanks to our director Kim Manzella for managing the tent for us today with Generation Dream. Thank you to Brie Fagan for bringing some of her beautiful handmade jewelry and flower crowns from her company The Wandering Gypsea to sell under our tent!

Last but certainly not least, A Very Special Thanks to our Supporters who continue to amaze us on a daily basis! You battled floods, traffic, rain, and chilly temps – all for the benefit of our local families battling a breast cancer diagnosis. Our patients currently fighting this horrible disease and those we have lost give us our daily inspiration. Our supporters give us the fuel to continue our mission.

Thank you to everybody that participated in the 6th Annual Jetty Coquina Jam from all of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation! See you next year!