Categories: EventsUncategorized

Valentine-A-Thon Sweethearts Raise $700,000 for CCA

15-year-old Nathalie Traller, picks the winning raffle ticket in CCA’s “Win the Keys to Our Heart” car raffle, as Kent Van Arnam, Dick Hannah Dealership’s Director of Marketing, FOX 12 Oregon’s Mark Nelson, 105.1 The BUZZ’s Daria, Nathalie’s Chemo Pal mentor, Charae Gibbs, Nathalie’s dad Nathan, and her sister Kelly look on.

Portland, February 14th, 2015. The Portland metro community showed some serious love for CCA this Valentine’s Day. 15-year-old Nathalie Traller, picked the winning raffle ticket in CCA’s “Win the Keys to Our Heart” car raffle, as Kent Van Arnam, Dick Hannah Dealership’s Director of Marketing, FOX 12 Oregon’s Mark Nelson, 105.1 The BUZZ’s Daria, Nathalie’s Chemo Pal mentor, Charae Gibbs, Nathalie’s dad Nathan, and her sister Kelly look on. Highlighted by the nonprofit’s annual two-day Valentine-A-Thon on FOX 12 Oregon and 105.1 The BUZZ, all festivities this year raised more than $700,000 to support CCA’s mission of Joy.

Andrea Lauer, Product Data Quality Director at Nike, Inc., talks to FOX 12 Oregon’s Wayne Garcia about her family’s journey with daughter Maddie and her first-hand experience with CCA.

FOX 12 Oregon’s Andy Carson welcomes Northwestern Mutual’s Gay Davis, Financial Advisor, and Cory Mahaffey, Managing Partner, to the studio to present CCA Founder and CEO, Regina Ellis, with a $25,000 check. Davis was this year’s recipient of Northwestern Mutual’s Community Service Award for his philanthropic efforts on behalf of CCA.

Betsy Reed, Business Developer, and Allison Clarke, President Allison Clarke Consulting and CCA Ambassador Board Co-Chair, add two purple heart tattoos to Fox 12 Oregon’s Andy Carson’s cheeks to fulfill a viewer request in exchange for a $2,000 dollar donation.

CCA’s power three: Clare Hamill, VP Global Growth Initiatives, Nike Inc. and Founding Board Chair and current Board Member, Regina Ellis, CCA’s Founder and Chief Joy Officer, and Andy Lytle, Division Vice President at Jackson Family Wines and CCA’s current Board Chair. During the final two hours of the Valentine-A-Thon, Clare and Andy both offered up matching hours so donors could double their gifts.

From left: Fox 12 Oregon’s Wayne Garcia, Amy Troy, and Shauna Parsons, 105.1 The BUZZ’s Daria, Mitch, and Ted, and FOX 12 Oregon’s Mark Nelson, proudly display the total at the close of the Valentine-A-Thon.

CCA’s Director of Development, Jenny O’Bryan, FOX 12 Oregon’s News Director and CCA Board Member, Corey Hanson, and CCA Founder and Chief Joy Officer, Regina Ellis. Corey and the FOX 12 team make so many good things happen for CCA.

Kent Van Arnam, Director of Marketing for Dick Hannah Dealerships, with Regina Ellis, CCA’s Founder and Chief Joy Officer. For the fifth year in a row, Dick Hannah Dealerships has donated the car for CCA’s “Win the Keys to Our Heart” car raffle.

FOX 12 Oregon’s Mark Nelson got funky for a donor who said she’d pledge $1,000 if Mark would do the chicken dance on air. There wasn’t a second’s hesitation – he simply threw off his jacket and got down!

Regina Ellis, CCA Founder and Chief Joy Officer, presents FOX 12 Oregon’s Pete Ferryman with a tiny birthday cake with five lit candles, each representing a $1,000 donation. Also pictured are: Allison Clarke, President Allison Clarke Consulting and CCA Ambassador Board Co-chair, FOX 12 Oregon’s Andy Carson, Kimberly Maus, and Tony Gonzalez.

In honor of her daughter, Caitlyn, a CCA Community Hero in 2012 who died from cancer in 2013, Shawna Higgins-Buscher, and her sister, Tiffany Higgins, volunteered at the phone bank.

The two-day Valentine-A-Thon was complemented with various other fundraising activities to reach this fundraising record:

Dick Hannah Dealerships donated a brand new car for CCA’s “Win the Keys to Our Heart” car raffle
More than 100 retail locations, including area Elmer’s, Papa Murphy’s, and Joe’s Burgers, sold paper “Hearts of Joy”
Nike employees once again pitted the women vs. the men to see who could raise the most for CCA – and the women won, again.
10 kids became young philanthropists in CCA’s Kids Calling for Kids project

CCA believes joy matters and music heals. Learn more and get involved at JoyRx.org and MyMusicRx.org.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.