Wednesday, September 28, 2011

September 28, 2011

It has been a little while since my last post, and I apologize for the delay, but again, the days just go by so fast!



In my last post I told you all about the Camp Good Days COURAGE BOWL, which is the annual football game between the St. John Fisher College Cardinals and the University of Rochester Yellowjackets. Camp Good Days COURAGE BOWL VII was played on Saturday, September 17, 2011 at Sahlen’s Stadium in Downtown Rochester and I am happy to report that we had another fantastic event! We had a great night, with perfect football weather, we were able to generate some revenue to support our programs and services, and most importantly, it was an exciting and memorable experience for the campers from Camp Good Days who served as Honorary Coaches and Honorary Cheerleaders with each team.



A special thank you to all those who supported the Camp Good Days COURAGE BOWL through their partnership, generous sponsorship, program book advertisements, in-kind donations, and volunteer service. We would never be able to have such a successful event without all of them!



Well on the subject of football, I had the opportunity last Thursday to attend the St. John Fisher College’s Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner, with some of our former players, as the 2006 Fisher Football Team was inducted into the Hall of Fame, along with the teams from 1971, 1981, and 1996. Congratulations to all of the inductees! On Friday, I stopped by the St. John Fisher College Alumni Golf Classic and was given the opportunity to speak to all of the participants and share CANCER MISSION 2020 with them.



Now that the Courage Bowl has been played for this year, we will be focusing more on CANCER MISSION 2020 and developing action steps and plans for moving this important initiative forward, based on comments and discussions that came out of the Congressional District Cancer Summits held in August. Stay tuned for more and please join us in this effort by visiting the website, www.cancermission2020.com and signing the petition!



As part of my role here at Camp Good Days and specifically our Partners Against Violence Everywhere (PAVE) Initiative, I serve as the Chairman of the Project Exile Advisory Board and have been pleased to do so since the program’s implementation in Rochester on September 28, 1998.



We all celebrated the 13th Anniversary of the Project Exile Program at the Project Exile 13th Anniversary Report to the Community Breakfast yesterday at the Rochester Plaza Hotel.



Our Keynote Speaker was Joseph D’Amico, Superintendent for the New York State Police. Joseph A. D’Amico was nominated by Governor Andrew Cuomo on December 22, 2010, and was unanimously confirmed by the New York State Senate as the 14th Superintendent of the New York State Police on January 31, 2011. Prior to his confirmation as Superintendent, D'Amico served as Chief Investigator for the Office of the New York State Attorney General, and had a 27-year career with the New York City Police Department, where he served in many patrol and investigative assignments in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens, ultimately rising to the rank of Deputy Chief.



Also providing remarks were William Hochul, United States Attorney for the Western District of New York; Sandra Doorley, Assistant Monroe County District Attorney; Patrick O’Flynn, Monroe County Sheriff; William Taylor, Special Counsel for the County of Monroe, and James Sheppard, Chief of the Rochester Police Department.



Project Exile was started in Rochester in 1998, when I was asked to attend a meeting in a Federal Judge’s chambers, where I met then Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of New York, Denise O’Donnell. At the time, the Rochester community was desperately searching for a means in which to address the crime and violence plaguing our community, as Rochester’s homicide rate was around 70, giving us the distinction of having the highest per capita homicide rate of any city in New York State. In addition, the previous holiday season three uniformed Rochester police officers were shot and wounded, but thank God were not killed. At the meeting, I learned about the highly successful Project Exile program that had been implemented in Richmond, Virginia by an Assistant United States Attorney.



As a result of that meeting, Project Exile was implemented in the Rochester community on September 28, 1998. Project Exile operates under the direction of the Project Exile Advisory Board, comprised of representatives from local, state and federal prosecutors and law enforcement, as well as businesses, clergy, and community organizations, who meet once per month throughout the year, at the Federal Building, to share information and improve communications among those who are waging the battles against illegal guns and drugs in our community.



The Project Exile program has continued to thrive and grow through three administrations; five United States Attorneys for the Western District of New York; two Law Enforcement Liaisons; four FBI Special Agents in Charge; two County Executives; two District Attorneys; two Sheriffs; three Mayors; and four Chiefs of Police.



Under the leadership and direction of Camp Good Days’ PAVE Initiative, the Project Exile program in Rochester has been recognized and highlighted at various local, regional and national seminars and conferences; and has served as the impetus for other community-based initiatives such as the Rochester Youth Violence Partnership at the University of Rochester Medical Center and Project T.I.P.S., which stands for Trust, Information, Programs & Services and includes community agencies and law enforcement personnel working in selected neighborhoods to rebuild trust amongst residents and share information.



According to the most recent statistics from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms and the Rochester Police Department, over the past 13 years, the Project Exile program has helped to remove more than 13,000 illegal guns from the streets of our community, and the homicide rate has not reached the high levels we saw prior to Project Exile.



One can only imagine the devastation and despair that could have come as a result of these illegal guns remaining in the hands of those who ought not to have them. The collaboration and cooperation amongst and between all of the Project Exile partners is truly unique and exemplary and it is because of their continued and diligent efforts that we are able to improve the quality of life for some of our fellow citizens and strive to make the Greater Rochester community a safer place in which to live, work and raise our families.



In other news, our current fiscal year is coming to an end, as our year goes from October 1st through September 30th so we are now in the process of planning and budgeting for what will be our 33rd year of providing programs and services for children and families touched by cancer. There is much to be done, but we are all taking this time to reflect and develop the plans that will enable us to continue being a premier service organization that truly makes a difference in people’s lives.



We do have one remaining program for this current camping season and we will host the Women’s Wellness II Program, for women dealing with any form of cancer, next weekend, Friday, October 7th through Sunday, October 9th. We will also be having a Yard Sale at the Camp that Friday and Saturday from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM so if you are in the Branchport area, stop by and get some great deals and help out the children and families we serve!



On a personal note, the Fisher Cardinals took a tough loss to Hobart College last Saturday, so I hope that practice goes well this week and we can come back this Saturday and defeat Alfred!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

COURAGE BOWL WEEK!

The days just keep flying by and here we are in the middle of COURAGE BOWL WEEK! The Courage Bowl is the annual football game between the St. John Fisher College Cardinals and the University of Rochester Yellowjackets, to benefit the children and families at Camp Good Days.



For those of you who don’t know, in addition to my work with Camp Good Days, I am also an Assistant Football Coach at St. John Fisher College, a small, Division III college here in Rochester. In the summer of 2005, while driving home from our Recreational Facility, I was stopped at a red light and heard a mother yelling at her children. When I looked to see what she was yelling about, I saw that the kids were throwing a football around the van. I realized that it was that time of year when every red-blooded American boy and even girls, are anticipating the upcoming football season and dreaming about scoring the winning touchdown or making that winning kick. I also realized that the children with cancer whom I had just been with at camp could never have those dreams or the opportunity to play organized football, as any doctor in their right mind would never sign off on a child having been treated for cancer to play a contact sport, like football, and the opportunity for them to ever play football at the college level would be beyond their wildest imagination.



At our next coaches’ meeting at St. John Fisher College, I suggested the idea of taking our annual game against cross-town rivals, the University of Rochester, and turning it into the Courage Bowl, dedicated to the children of Camp Good Days, as our theme here is, Where Courage Has No Boundaries. The coaches from both schools were on board with the idea and the Inaugural Courage Bowl was played in September 2005 at Growney Stadium on the campus of St. John Fisher College. After five very successful years playing the game on alternating campuses, in front of record crowds, we decided to move the game to Downtown Rochester last year. The COURAGE BOWL moved to the neutral, downtown venue, Sahlen’s Stadium, in September 2010. Moving the COURAGE BOWL to Sahlen’s Stadium provided an extra special atmosphere for all involved. The players from both teams have the opportunity to play on a neutral field, and the components have been put into place to make the Courage Bowl a true community event, with two local institutions of higher education and Camp Good Days being a strong community organization that was founded right here in Rochester more than three decades ago. The move also provides the space for many more alumni from both schools and community members to attend the game, and be a part of this extraordinary event.



Camp Good Days COURAGE BOWL VII will be played this Saturday, September 17, 2011 at Sahlen’s Stadium, 460 Oak Street, Downtown Rochester, with kickoff slated for 7:00 PM. Gates will open at 5:30 PM. As part of the festivities at Camp Good Days COURAGE BOWL VII, musical groups, Measure 13 from St. John Fisher College and After Hours from University of Rochester will perform the National Anthem together. Jennifer Dinolfo will sing God Bless America, the Army National Guard will Present the Colors and at halftime, the John Marshall High School Urban Steel Band will perform.



At the conclusion of the Courage Bowl, the Teddi Trophy, named in memory of my daughter, Teddi, the inspiration behind Camp Good Days, will be presented, which will later be inscribed with the date of the game, final score of the game, names of the six Honorary Coaches and the names of one player from each team who displays exceptional leadership and sportsmanship.


Each year we select young boys who have been battling cancer to serve as Honorary Coaches for the Courage Bowl with each team and young girls who have been battling cancer to serve as Honorary Cheerleaders with each squad.



The Honorary Coaches and Honorary Cheerleaders were introduced at the Courage Bowl Community Luncheon, which took place yesterday and was hosted by Dr. Donald Bain, President of St. John Fisher College. In the tradition of The Masters, it was determined that the previous game’s winning school would host a luncheon the following year.



The Honorary Coaches for the St. John Fisher College Cardinals for COURAGE BOWL VII are: Philip “PJ” Baldo, from Rochester; Adam Turner, from Rochester; and Gryphon Akridge-Phillips, from Williamson. The Honorary Coaches will attend practice with the St. John Fisher College Cardinals on Friday, September 16, 2011 from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM at Growney Stadium on the campus of St. John Fisher College. On game-day, the Honorary Coaches will meet the Cardinals at St. John Fisher College for the pre-game meal. They will ride the bus with the team to Sahlen’s Stadium, be in the locker room with the team, lead their team on to the field, be at mid-field for the coin toss, and coach from the sidelines during the game.



The Honorary Cheerleaders for the St. John Fisher College Cardinals are: Mallory Wojcinski, from Dunkirk; Sara Bischoping, from Rush; and Kayla Gregg, from Tully. The Honorary Cheerleaders will attend practice with the squad on Thursday, September 15, 2011 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM in the Student Life Center at St. John Fisher College. On game-day, the Honorary Cheerleaders will meet their squad at Sahlen’s Stadium to prepare and will cheer from the sidelines for the game.



The Honorary Coaches for the University of Rochester Yellowjackets for COURAGE BOWL VII are: Robert Brock, from Rochester; Simon Fendinger, from North Evans, and Nolan Redhead, from Victor. The Honorary Coaches will attend practice with the University of Rochester Yellowjackets on Friday, September 16, 2011 from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM at Fauver Stadium on the campus of the University of Rochester. On game-day, the Honorary Coaches will meet the Yellowjackets at the University of Rochester for the pre-game meal. They will ride the bus with the team to Sahlen’s Stadium, be in the locker room with the team, lead their team on to the field, be at mid-field for the coin toss, and coach from the sidelines during the game.



The Honorary Cheerleaders for the University of Rochester Yellowjackets for COURAGE BOWL VII are: Haley Smith, from Henrietta; and Stella Usiak, from North Tonawanda. The Honorary Cheerleaders practiced with their squad on Monday, September 12, 2011 at the University of Rochester. On game-day, the Honorary Cheerleaders will meet their squad at Sahlen’s Stadium to prepare and will cheer from the sidelines for the game.



Tickets for Camp Good Days COURAGE BOWL VII are on sale now. General Admission Student Tickets are available for a donation of $5.00 each and General Admission Adult Tickets are available for a donation of $7.00 each. Tickets are available via www.ticketmaster.com or at the Sahlen’s Stadium Box Office, which is open Monday – Friday from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. More information is also available on our website, www.campgooddays.org.


During yesterday’s luncheon, we also announced the recipient of the Second Annual Courage Award. The Camp Good Days’ Courage Award was established in 2010 and is presented each September at the Camp Good Days’ COURAGE BOWL. The Camp Good Days’ Courage Award is presented to someone who displays courage, strength and determination in a time of great struggle. The Inaugural Camp Good Days’ COURAGE AWARD was presented on September 18, 2010 to Dr. Bradford Berk, CEO at the University of Rochester Medical Center.



The 2011 Camp Good Days’ Courage Award, being made possible through the support of Gary Passero and Passero Associates and Salvatore’s Old Fashioned Pizzeria, will be presented on Saturday during the pre-game ceremonies.



The Second Annual Courage Award will be presented to Joseph Szafranksi of Buffalo, New York. Joe Szafranski is a Buffalo Police Officer and New York State National Guard Staff Sergeant who served in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While overseas, Szafranski received the news that his 12 year-old nephew, James “Jimmy” Szafranski had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer. Joe and Jimmy were very close – Jimmy was more like a son than a nephew to Joe and more like a brother than a cousin to Joe’s daughter, Jasmine.



Jimmy lost his battle to cancer in January 2011 and Joe turned his anger, frustration, grief and pain into something positive. Joe has pledged that every June until 2020, he will personally ride his bike from Buffalo, NY to Albany, NY and back to raise awareness of childhood cancer within the United States. Joe kept true to his promise, completing his first Ride for Cancer 2020 this past June. In addition to raising awareness, Joe is also endeavoring to raise funds to support the children and families at Camp Good Days and CANCER MISSION 2020, our most recent initiative to call for a cohesive and collaborative plan and set of actions to help put an end to cancer by the end of the decade. You can join Joe and all of us in this effort by visiting the website, www.cancermission2020.com and signing the petition!



Given Joe’s courage displayed every single day, as a Buffalo Police Officer and a member of the United States Military, combined with his personal strength and determination through his nephew’s battle with cancer and subsequent efforts to turn something so terrible into something positive, I was absolutely thrilled when the Courage Award committee shared his nomination and selection with me. Joe personifies all that the Courage Award means and we are so pleased that Joe and his family will be joining us on the field at the Camp Good Days COURAGE BOWL to personally receive his award.



In tribute to Joe and his selection as the Second Annual Courage Award recipient, and in honor of all those who work and serve to protect our streets, our communities, our neighbors and our country, all Military, Law Enforcement, Fire and Emergency Services Personnel who attend the Camp Good Days COURAGE BOWL on Saturday in uniform or with appropriate credentials, will receive a complimentary ticket to the game. These tickets will be available, on game-day, outside of Gate D at Sahlen’s Stadium, beginning at 4:30 PM.




And since we have to get the game balls to the stadium on Saturday, what better way can there be than to have a relay-style event on Saturday afternoon! Carry the Ball for Courage, will take place on Saturday and is an Olympic-Torch style relay, during which the Courage Bowl Game Balls will be transported to Sahlen’s Stadium, arriving for kick-off.



Special thanks to our Carry the Ball for Courage sponsors, 13 WHAM TV, St. John Fisher College, Advantage Federal Credit Union, Karpus Investment Management and Excellus.



We are asking community members to donate some of their time and energy, as well as the support of their friends and family, to carry one of the “official” game balls for approximately one quarter of a mile en route from the Camp Good Days’ Headquarters in Mendon to Sahlen’s Stadium in Downtown Rochester on Saturday. Routes have been mapped out from Camp Good Days’ Headquarters in Mendon, to St. John Fisher College, to Sahlen’s Stadium; and from Camp Good Days’ Headquarters in Mendon, to the University of Rochester, to Sahlen’s Stadium.



Participants may register to Carry the Ball for Courage for a minimum donation of $25.00. Additional donations may be obtained via pledges. Participants may register as an individual or as a team, and may indicate their preferred route and preferred quarter-mile area. Registration forms may be obtained online at www.campgooddays.org or www.13whamtv.com or by contacting Camp Good Days at 585-624-5555 or 800-785-2135.



Another exciting new component of the Courage Bowl this year is the Courage Bowl Car Raffle!


The prize is a 2011 Toyota Corolla-S, valued at approximately $20,000.00, which has been made available through the generosity of Vanderstyne Toyota/Scion, led by Jay Vanderstyne and his son, Jay Jay Vanderstyne, who played in the early Courage Bowl games, as a standout member of the University of Rochester Football Team. The Courage Bowl Car Raffle is also being made possible through the support and generosity of Toyota Motor Sales. The Toyota Corolla is overall about three features…Performance. Style. Safety. One of the best selling cars in the world, it has agile handling, excellent fuel economy and a smooth comfortable ride.



The drawing for the Courage Bowl Car Raffle will take place as part of the Halftime Show on Saturday.



Courage Bowl Car Raffle tickets are available for $25.00 each, for those ages 18 and older, and may be purchased by contacting Camp Good Days at 585-624-5555 or 800-785-2135. More information may also be found at www.campgooddays.org. Each ticket will include a ticket to Camp Good Days COURAGE BOWL VII on Saturday, September 17, 2011.



As you can see, the Courage Bowl is truly so much more than just a football game and we hope that you will be able to be a part of this very special and memorable event, whether you purchase a raffle ticket for the car, help Carry the Ball for Courage, and / or come out to the game, you won’t want to miss this extraordinary event!