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.
Portland, OR. The Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) raised $1.2 million at its 18th annual Wonderball gala on September 29th to fuel its mission of prescribing joy to seriously ill children and their families. CCA welcomed more than 800 supporters to the Oregon Convention Center for a night inspired by the healing power of the great outdoors and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. It was a theme embraced by CCA Founder Regina Ellis; Jessi Duley, Founder, BurnCycle; Amy Montagne, VP/GM Global Categories, Nike; Andrea Corradini, Women’s Global Senior Footwear Product Director, Nike; May Shelstad, VP/GMM Global Merchandising, Nike.
Joanna Summers, Young Athletes Operations, Nike, Inc.; Holly Moore, Principle, Holly Moore Design; Danielle York, President, CCA; Jennifer Balint, Senior Executive Recruiter, Amazon, Inc.; Carly Grimes, Lifestyle/Home Decor Designer, Merchandiser Mom LLC
Mike Ellis, Mary Lytle, and Andy Lytle, Division VP, Jackson Family Wines and CCA Board of Directors
Stephen Bowden, Academy Mortgage; and Quinlyn, CCA-served kid dressed as woodland animal
Paul Gulick, co-founder, InFocus, and his guests Lisa and Lou Williams
Nike team featuring Sabreena Cook, Blair Cook, Ashley McMullen, Matt McMullen, Natalie Howes, and Phil Howes
Mark Barzda, Gevurtz Menashe; Michael Preisz, Preisz and Associates; and Albert Menashe, Gevurtz Menashe
Doug Fish, Fish Marketing; Michelle DeCourcy; Rosemary Colliver, Board of Directors Chair and LAIKA, Inc.; Frank Weiss, Partner, Tonkon Torp
Portland band, Lenore, set the mood for the evening with their original song, “Breathe”.
Lilly Webb, teen speaker and Jesuit High School senior, shared her uplifting story of recovery and leadership
Scott Burton, Director of Revenue Management, Regence BlueCross BlueShield, CCA Board of Directors, co-hosted the main program
Painted Sky Northstar Dance Company kicked off the evening with an immersive performance celebrating the Pacific Northwest
Presenting sponsors, Regence BlueCross BlueShield
Celebration sponsor, Randall Children’s Hospital
CS Sheffield, Co-Chair, CCA Ambassador Board and National Oncology Account Manager, Merck, interviewing Bronwyn Houston, President, Randall Children’s Hospital, Legacy Emmanuel for Facebook Live
Will Carey, family speaker, and Sasquatch
John Power, Director of Sales, PDX Property Group; Kenneth Avery, Hasson; and Josh Hackenjos, Broker, Keller Williams
Abby Guyer, VP Brand, CCA; Clare Hamill, VP Global Growth Initiatives, Nike; Judi Davis; Regina Ellis, Founder and Chief Joy Officer, CCA.
“Upon founding CCA, we knew first-hand that kids needed more than medicine, so we set out to change the conversation in pediatric healthcare at a time when no one else was talking about joy in the same breath as cancer,” said Regina Ellis, Founder and Chief Joy Officer of Children’s Cancer Association during her keynote speech. “Reflecting on the past 23 years, CCA’s trailblazing programs have leveraged music, friendship, and nature to transform moments of pain, isolation and fear in children and teens with serious illness. We are the only organization of our kind positioning joy as best practice in children’s hospitals across the nation.”
A record-breaking paddle raise was led by Kelly Russell of Artisan Auctions following inspiring addresses from Jesuit High School senior, Lilly Webb, a member of CCA’s Young Adult Alliance; and CCA parent, Will Carey, who shared the powerful ways CCA continues to support his family, even after the loss of his son Jack fourteen years ago.
Wonderball event décor featured full campsite stage and lobby sets generously provided by REI and Cabela’s respectively. Other highlights included dramatic sunrise, sunset, and night sky lighting; real Douglas Fir trees and greenery; live chainsaw art; and Sasquatch himself, complementing camping themed cocktail and dinner menus including S’mores White Russians.
Guests enjoyed live music throughout the night with performances from Out West, Lenore, and a host of Portland “troubadour” musicians who played tableside during the dinner hour before the formal program began with a dramatic traditional dance from Painted Sky Northstar Dance Company. The evening ended with a sing-a-long rendition of “Country Roads, Take Me Home” followed by an after-party for late night revelers with DJ Rev Shines at Spirit of 77.
CCA’s Wonderball was made possible by the Presenting sponsor, Regence BlueCross Blue Shield of Oregon. Additional sponsors included PDX Property Group as Lead sponsor and Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel as Celebration sponsor
You can get involved by donating to Children’s Cancer Association at JoyRx.org/donate.
Portland, June 6th, 2013. The American Diabetes Association of Oregon & SW Washington raised $150,000 at the first annual Father of the Year Awards. Fathers honored included: Craig Robinson, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Oregon State University; Duncan Campbell, Child Activist and Founder of Friends of the Children and The Campbell Group; Mike Greene, Partner, Rosenthal, Greene & Devlin, P.C; Scott Keeney, President & CEO, nLIGHT; and Chris Dudley, Former NBA Player and Founder of the Chris Dudley Foundation. (photo credit, Andie Petkus)
It was a standing ovation for the men. The event, held at the Portland Hilton, recognizes men for their outstanding strength, commitment and love they exhibit as fathers.
“Father of the Year” honorees have both attained success in their chosen field or endeavor, and carved out time to teach and mature their children, while also becoming good citizens and proud members of the community.
Craig Robinson, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Oregon State University, holds one of his two young sons. He is pictured with his daughter Leslie Robinson, (center) and wife Kelly. Robinson’s the big brother of First Lady Michelle Obama, who mentioned in a recorded message for the celebration that because her father was not alive when she married Barack Obama, Craig walked her down the aisle.
Duncan Campbell, Child Activist and Founder of Friends of the Children and The Campbell Group, is pictured with his son Jeff Campbell (who has diabetes), son Courtney Campbell, their friend and wife Cindy Campbell
Chris Dudley, Former NBA Player and Founder of the Chris Dudley Foundation, son Charles, daughter Emma, his wife, Chris Love Dudley, and son Sam.
Scott Keeney, President & CEO, nLIGHT – Keeney, Janet Keeney daughter Elizabeth, his wife Janet and daughter, Kate.
During the event, Tegan Johnson, a 13 year old from Hazelbrook Middle School in Tualatin, presented the special appeal for the Safe at Schools program which raised more than $40,000. Safe at Schools is dedicated to making sure all children with diabetes, like Tegan, are medically safe at school and have the same educational opportunities as their classmates.
Sponsors included: Moda Health, Oregon State University, Our Beaver Nation, Rosenthal, Greene & Devlin and PC, Magaurn Video.
(Click on the honoree’s name to watch videos from their family.)
Duncan Campbell — Child Activist and Founder of Friends of the Children and The Campbell Group
Chris Dudley — Former NBA Player and Founder of the Chris Dudley Foundation
Craig Robinson — Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Oregon State University
Father of the Year honorees have both attained success in their chosen field or endeavor, and carved out time to teach and mature their children while also becoming good citizens and proud members of the community. To date, more than $30 million has been raised from Father of the Year events to help the American Diabetes Association fund essential advocacy, education and research initiatives.
Portland, May 4th, 2013. Over 400 guests joined forces at the JDRF benefit and raised over $460,000 to help fight type 1 diabetes. At the JDRF Oregon/SW Washington Chapter gala Scott Burgess, Board President and Suzanne Mackin, Gala Co-Chair, helped honor Bart Ricketts the President of Lease Crutcher Lewis with the 2013 Living Giving Award. The three are pictured with Larry Mackin, Gala Co-Chair at the Governor Hotel. (Photo credit, Juan Kiss for TPNW 2013 of Team Photogenic)
Scott Burgess, Board President; Scott Farleigh, Partner, Farleigh Wada Witt (2013 Hope Award Winner) Suzanne & Larry Mackin, Gala Co-Chairs.
The vintage Hollywood theme was carried throughout the venue. Music was provided by The Joe Montgomery Trio featuring Courtney Fortune. Silent & wine auctions; a live auction and seated dinner brightened the event.
From JDRF:
The Mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research and also provide support for those living with type 1 diabetes and their families. It is reported that 50% of diagnoses of type 1 diabetes are now adults and 50% are children. JDRF funds more diabetes research than any other organization in the world. Over $2.9 million in grants have been funded in the past years to researchers in Oregon.
JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Driven by passionate, grassroots volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of T1D research.
The goal of JDRF is to improve the lives of every person affected by T1D by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners who share this goal.
Since its founding in 1970, JDRF has awarded more than $1.5 billion to T1D research. More than 80 percent of JDRF’s expenditures directly support research and research-related education. Past JDRF research efforts have helped to significantly improve the care of people with this disease, and have expanded the critical scientific understanding of T1D. JDRF will not rest until T1D is fully conquered.
JDRF Oregon/SW Washington
The Oregon/SW Washington Chapter of JDRF was founded in 1995 and serves the entire state of Oregon and all of SW Washington. In addition to our annual fundraisers, we have several outreach programs available including our Bag of Hope Program for newly diagnosed T1D’s, Parent Mentor Program, Type 1 Supper Club for Young professional Adults with T1D, and Parent Coffee Groups.
Since our founding in 1995, JDRF has funded over $2.9 million to research being done in Oregon.
Portland, February 9th, 2013. Young Audiences supporters embraced the “Young At Art” theme during the nonprofit’s spring gala at the Multnomah Athletic Club. 225 guests cheered 5th Graders from Salish-Ponds Elementary School who performed their original material to captivate the audience. The event raised funds for local arts education programs. (Photo credit, Edis Jurcys)
Warner Munro, Board Member, Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund; Robin Mesher, Board Member, Young Audiences; Julie Brock, Account Executive, Business Development at NAVEX Global and Page Mesher, Owner, Off the Wall Magnetics
Dave Halsey, Vice President, Patrick Lumber Co.; Jill Abere, Vice President, Branch Manager at Chubb Insurance; Ken Abere, Partner, Cosgrave, Vergeer, Kester LLP; Judy Rompa, Executive Board Member, Young Audiences
With Julie Emry as their host, 225 guests enjoyed entertainment by Broadway Conductor Kurt Crowley with vocalist Rebecca Teran, 5th graders from Salish-Ponds Elementary School, and Young Audiences advocate Julianne Johnson. After the program supporters danced the night away with Portland dance band 5 Guys Named Mo.
Young Audiences Supporters Rick Mayo and Dalene Neville
Young Audiences is the region’s leading source of varied arts in education services and programs. For more than 50 years this organization has used the arts to engage young people, develop problem solving and creative thinking skills, and increase academic achievement. Young Audiences relies on the support of foundations, individuals and corporations that share our heartfelt commitment to improving the lives and educational opportunities for every child.
Marie VerMeer, Columbia Sportswear and Julianne Johnson-Weiss, Performer, Recording Artist, Choral Director and Arts Advocate
From Young Audiences of Oregon and SW Washington
Young Audiences of Oregon was founded in 1958 as a local chapter of the nation’s largest arts-in-education organization. In 1989, the Portland-based organization merged with a smaller chapter in Vancouver to become Young Audiences of Oregon & SW Washington. We have steadily grown in scope and programming, evolving from presenting only classical music performances in our early years to currently offering a full range of educational arts programming in multiple disciplines and cultures – the only arts organization in the region to do so.
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