Wonderball Raises $1.27 Million for Children’s Cancer Association

Wonderball Raises $1.27 Million for Children’s Cancer Association

by | Oct 12, 2019 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. The Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) raised $1.27 million at its 19th annual Wonderball gala on September 28th. It was CCA’s biggest event of the year, which helps fuel its mission to prescribe joy to seriously ill children through free innovative programming that leverages music, friendship and nature. Founder Regina Ellis, who is pictured with friends and family, welcomed more than 950 supporters to the Oregon Convention Center for the gala. A Joie de Vivre theme celebrated French culture and the joy of life.

Cedric Berry, Board Member, CCA and Insurance Agent, State Farm; Sarah Berry, Vice President and Director of Business Development, McGee Wealth Management; and Campbell Kidd, Managing Partner, Red Hills Acquisitions, LLC

Kristofor Lofgren, CEO and Founder, Sustainable Restaurant Group

Ron Penner-Ash, Board Member, CCA and Winemaker 

Clare Hamill, Founding Board Chair, CCA and VP, Nike Growth Initiatives and Judi Davis

Scott Burton, Vice Board Chair, CCA and Director of Revenue Management & Portfolio Positioning, Cambia Health Solutions; Allison Clarke, Co-Chair, Ambassador Board, CCA and President, Allison Clarke Consulting; Brian Dickinson, CEO of Asset Protection Partnership; Regina Ellis

Ed Kinateder; Andy Lytle, Board Chair Emeritus, CEO, At the Joy, and Co-Founder Lytle-Barnett; Tara Kinateder, Board Treasurer & Finance Chair, CCA and Executive Vice President, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management

Kevin Dodson, Vice President/CFL, Global Basketball Footwear, Nike; Susan Dodson, Partner, Right On Accounting LLC; Jim Ford, NIKE SuperCore Footwear, DVP; Greg Smith, Category Footwear Leader, Men’s Training Footwear, Nike; Kim Smith; Aaron Cooper, Innovation Expert, Nike, Inc.; Barry Naone, Senior Director Product Creation, Nike Basketball; Julie Moraes; Myron Moraes, Sr. Development and Innovation Director at Nike

Mimes interacting with guests in the hallways before the main event

Erin Tamblyn performing in opening number, “Lady Marmalade.”

Anthony Chan dancing in opening number.

Family speaker, Heidi Bruno shares emotional story before live appeal

CCA-served Levi Seed shares an inspiring speech CCA’s impact during his cancer treatment

John Simpson, Board Member, CCA and startup advisor; and his guests

Blisan and Bill Foudy, President, Target Sourcing Service and CCA Board Member

Eric Gill, President/CEO, Gill’s Point S Tire and Auto; Peter Kwong, Board Member, CCA and Audit Shareholder, Director of Assurance & Advisory, Perkins & Co; Brent Bracelin, Managing Director and Senior Research Analyst, Piper Jaffray; Ian Lombard, Scott Lawrence, founder of Breakside Brewery and CCA Board Member

Eileen McNulty, Physician Assistant, NW Dermatology Institute; Carlene Pride-Sarpong, Founder of Pride Group NW and Managing Broker and Development Specialist at Compass; John Powers, Co Ambassador Board Chair, CCA and Director of Sales, Xperience Real Estate, PDX Property Group; Stephen Bowdon, Department of Neurological Surgery, OHSU; Chris Suarez, CEO of PDX Property Group at Keller Williams; Kristi Weidner

Jesuit High School students and Paul Hogan, (4th from left) Board Member, CCA and Principal, Jesuit High School

John Duley, Co-Founder, Dream Again; Genesis Trujilo, Design Project Manager, Portland General Electric; Chase Renton, Owner and Winemaker, L’Angolo Estate; Noelle Harvey; Marcus Harvey, Founder, Portland Gear; Kelsey Fuson, Marketing Manager, BurnCycle; Jessi Duley, Board Member, CCA and Founder, BurnCycle

CCA-served child, Maria, and CCA Chemo Pal Specialist, Amelia, selling raffle tickets in French attire

Mary and Dana Braner, Chair, OHSU Department of Pediatrics

“Because we know that joy is medicine. We are creating a gold standard for delivering joy-based programming that will one day reach every child in the country who’s facing serious illness,” said Regina Ellis, Founder and Chief Joy Officer at CCA. “Together we have fought to deliver joy to the children and their families of this community. And now we have the opportunity to take what we’ve made here and share it with children across the nation.”

Guests enjoyed live gypsy-jazz music courtesy of the Hot Club on Hawthorne, as they explored a curated silent auction room decorated to resemble a French outdoor marketplace.

The French outdoor theme followed throughout the lobby with vintage bicycles, an antique Citroen car, fresh baguettes and lavender, live painting and, of course, mimes. In addition to creating an outdoor French marketplace environment in the lobby and halls, CCA recreated imagery of the Moulin Rouge inside the main ballroom, including a miniature model of the windmill on the main stage.

The main event opened with a rendition of Patty LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” sung by Erin Tamblyn and Malia Tippets and augmented with performances by local drag queens: Anthony Chan, Jeremy Sloan, Chadwick Anderson and Erin Shannon. The master of ceremonies for the night, Stacey Murdock, who recently played Gaston in the Portland Opera’s recent production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” carried the program through to the end, where Danielle Barker performed an upbeat cover of “La vie en Rose” to close out the night.

The dinner program featured a record-breaking paddle raise led by auctioneer Kelly Russell of Artisan Auctions. Late-night revelers also enjoyed an after-party with DJ Stray at District East, which carried over the French theme and was hosted by CCA’s young professional board.

Here’s a video about CCA’s programs:

Here’s a link to more information about the Children’s Cancer Association: JoyRx.org/donate.

Ninth Annual Golf for Joy Raises $535,000 for Children’s Cancer Association

Ninth Annual Golf for Joy Raises $535,000 for Children’s Cancer Association

by | Jul 13, 2019 | Events, Features, News

North Plains, OR. Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club co-founder, Gay Davis hosted his ninth annual Golf for Joy fundraiser June 24th-26th at the club. This three-day event, which culminated in Davis’ golf marathon, raised $535,000 for the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA). During his golf marathon this year, Davis (who posed for a photo with CCA served kid Sol Soria-Zuniga) golfed 131 holes, nearly eight rounds, in 16 hours – all on foot. This athletic feat energized his supporters to donate to CCA’s mission. (Photo credit, Portland Photography)

Tracy Sepulveda, Accounting Manager at David H. Sutherland & Co., Inc; Mark Sepulveda, chiropractic and Golf for Joy Auction Chair; Marie Markham, teacher, Kinnaman Elementary; Judi Davis, community leader; and Clare Hamill, Vice President of Global Growth Initiatives, Nike, CCA Founding Board Chair, during the dinner event.

Nicole McDonald, Director of Finance and Operations, CCA; Danielle York, President and General Manager, CCA; Cathy Marchant, VP Brand and Marketing, CCA

Jeff Sanders, President, Golf Events, N.A., Lagardere Sports; Brent Jacobs, Owner and President at Jacobs Heating and Air Conditioning; Don Ossey, Principal Broker at Capacity Commercial Group, LLC

Heidi Bruno, mother of Holly Bruno, CCA-served child, giving keynote speech.

Donors during the special appeal.

Additional events included: A pro-am tournament with golf professionals from around the country; a dinner program and auction with guest speakers Heidi Bruno, a CCA-served mother, and Jeff Sanders, President, Golf Events, N.A., Lagardere Sports; and a kids’ clinic, where CCA-served kids learn golf tips from, and get to play with, professionals.

Davis and his wife Judi are long-time supporters of CCA, a Portland-based non-profit that delivers free-of-charge programming to 35,000 seriously ill children and their family members each year. The seed for Golf for Joy was planted nine years ago when Davis set out to combine two of his favorite passions: golf and helping kids. What started as a one-man golf marathon has grown to a three-day celebration that has raised $1.9 million for CCA.

“Nothing tugs at my heartstrings more than a child with cancer, it’s just not a fair fight,” said Davis. “CCA’s innovative programs deliver joy to kids and families through music, friendship, and nature. Their critical work supports families who need more than medicine – they need joy.”

From Children’s Cancer Association (CCA):

Since 1995, CCA has been transforming the pediatric healthcare experience through innovative, Joy-based programming, enhancing the mental health and emotional well-being of pediatric patients with the healing power of music, friendship, and nature. JoyRx  programs empower kids to positively shift their emotional states during the stressful and painful experiences related to fighting life-threatening illnesses and extended hospitalizations. To date, CCA has provided JoyRx free-of-charge nearly 400,000 times with a bold goal to clinically position and deliver JoyRx as best practice in children’s hospitals across the country. See JoyRx in action at JoyRx.org or Facebook.com/ChildrensCancerAssociation.

For more information, please visit www.joyrx.org.