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
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.
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, November 13th. Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon joined with the Portland Rose Festival to present a donation of $10,478 to The Dougy Center from the proceeds of the 2012 Regence Grand Floral Walk. Nearly 2,000 walkers took the 4.2 mile challenge in the early morning of Saturday, June 9, to help Regence and the Rose Festival raise the total contribution to more than $50,000 in five years of Portland’s Premier Fitness Parade.
Newly elected Portland Rose Festival Foundation President Todd Johnston was joined on stage by Festival CEO Jeff Curtis and Grand Floral Walk Chair Liza McQuade to present the donation to Donna Schuurman (Executive Director) Peggy Maguire (Vice Chair of Board) and Diane Kinkade (Chair of Board) accepting the check on behalf of The Dougy Center.
This donation is an example of one of the many ways the Portland Rose Festival Foundation gives back to the community, making Portland a better place to live and visit.
The Portland Rose Festival Foundation is a non-profit that serves families and individuals with programs and events that promote the arts, education and volunteerism. We value environmental responsibility, diversity, patriotism and our historic & floral heritage. For the latest on Rose Festival news and events go to www.RoseFestival.org.
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