The One Square Mile of Hope Committee has announced that a portion of the proceeds from its Sept. 13 event will be donated to the Foundation for Upstate Medical University, the only hospital caring for adults and children with cancer in a 20-county area.
$10,000 of the proceeds will benefit breast cancer research at the Upstate Cancer Center at University Hospital and another $10,000 will be directed toward pediatric cancer care thru the Clara Condie Fund at Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital. The major beneficiary for this year's event, which hopes to reach $100,000 in total donations, is The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
The One Square Mile of Hope Committee has been in discussion of how best to direct some of the funds raised through One Square Mile closer to home. Kiwanis Club of Central Adirondacks and One Square Mile committee member Penny Stuart, also a Kiwanis member, initiated the first discussions with Toni Gary of The Foundation for Upstate Medical University. Penny has worked with Toni Gary for more than 10 years raising funds for children's cancer research. This began the discussion and process of mutual support between the two organizations. It was then discovered that Kristin Condie and The Clara Condie Fund had an affiliation with The Foundation for Upstate. Bruce and Kristin Condie were the parents of Clara Condie. Bruce and Kristin are the daughter and son in law of Ray and Nancy Schoeberlein of Old Forge. Ray has been a long-standing member of Kiwanis Club of the Central Adirondacks; Ray has served as President and today serves on the Board of Directors of the Club. Ray's service to Kiwanis and family connection to The Foundation for Upstate were instrumental in the decision process of where these funds would be donated. The Schoeberlein and Condie families have been long time supporters of One Square Mile of Hope supporting both past and current record setting attempts.
Mike Griffin, President of Central Adirondack Kiwanis stated, "Our club is honored that the One Square Mile of Hope Committee has chosen to support The Clara Condie Fund. Kiwanis Club of the Central Adirondacks has a line item in its budget for this purpose, but we would not be able to donate such a significant sum of money. We want to thank the One Square Mile Committee for this thoughtful gesture in support of one of our club members, his family, and children's cancer research".
The Clara Condie Fund, Clarabug's Quest for a Cure, has funded a private room in the Golisano Children's Hospital and a family therapy room at the newly opened outpatient Upstate Cancer Center both located on the campus of the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. This year's donations will help support children undergoing cancer treatments at Upstate.
This year the Kiwanis Club of the Central Adirondacks is partnering with the One Square Mile of Hope Organization to regain the Guinness World Record for the "Largest Raft of Canoes and Kayaks". If you would like to participate, go to http://www.onesquaremileofhope.org/index.html for information and registration.
(Posted August 20, 2014)
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