Crunch Time at Camp Good Days

We are into crunch time here at Camp Good Days, as we are not only in the process of preparing the Recreational Facility for all of the summer camping programs and obtaining all of the permits in order to operate our programs, but we also have several special fundraising events coming up.

As I think most of you know, when I started Camp Good Days 33 years ago, it was very important to me that no family would be faced with the decision between sending their loved one to Camp Good Days and paying their bills, as oftentimes with the diagnosis of cancer one member of the family must put their career on hold to become the primary caregiver and while the family income decreases, the expenses remain the same. Therefore, I made a promise that all of our programs and services would be provided free of charge. As Camp Good Days has grown over the years and the number of programs we offer has expanded, the pressure to continually generate enough revenue to be able to keep my promise has also increased.

However, I am so pleased that due to the overwhelming generosity of so many individuals, businesses and organizations, along with the success of our special fundraising events, we are able to keep my promise and offer our programs free of charge for the many children, adults and families who need us.

Our special events are vital and the options are endless…whether you love to dance, love wine, can’t wait to get out on the golf course, or are in need of a perfect gift for someone!

This weekend, the students at Ithaca College will host their second Annual Dance for Courage, kicking off on Friday night at 8:00 PM. We wish the very best to the dancers, volunteers, and all those who have helped to make this event possible and extend our gratitude for their help and support.

Over the past 12 years, the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition and Wine Auction Dinner has become the largest fundraising event in the Greater Rochester area to benefit the children and families we serve. The 12th Annual Wine Auction Dinner will take place on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at the Rochester Plaza Hotel, 70 State Street, Downtown Rochester. This exciting evening will begin with a Wine Tasting, Silent Auction & Live Auction Preview at 5:30 PM, and the Auction Dinner at 7:00 PM. Once again this year, Matthew Chung will serve as the Lead Auctioneer and Rich Funke, Anchor with NEWS10NBC will be our Master of Ceremonies.

The 12th Annual Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, which was held March 24 & 25, 2012, was a resounding success. More than 3200 wines were entered into the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. These entries came from 788 wineries, including 109 New York State Wineries, from 22 different countries around the world, all 50 states and five Canadian Provinces.

All of the wines were evaluated by a world-renowned panel of judges representing distributors, educators, enologists, sommeliers, restaurateurs, winemakers and writers from all over the United States and around the world. The judges awarded Double Gold (unanimous), Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and the medal winning wines will be featured at the Wine Auction Dinner, along with a delicious meal, great friends and conversation, and fabulous silent and live auction items.

Tickets to attend the Wine Auction Dinner are $150.00 per person and can be purchased by calling Camp Good Days at 585-624-5555 or online via www.fliwc.com or www.campgooddays.org.

If you love wine, this is the event you want to attend. Tickets would also make a fantastic gift for that special someone. In addition to having a wonderful time and tasting some of the best wine in the world, you will leave that evening knowing that you have helped to create some good days and special times for some very special children and families.

In addition to the Wine Auction Dinner, we will host the 29th Annual Tournament of Love Golf Tournament on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 at Monroe Golf Club, one of the premier clubs in the Rochester area. Super Bowl Champions New York Giants’ Mark Herzlich will be the Special Guest and serving as Chairpersons are Paul and Kirsten Estabrooks of Victor.

There are a few remaining Sponsorship, Advertising, and Participation options available for the 29th Annual Tournament of Love and more information is available by contacting Nicole Jones at Camp Good Days, 585-624-5555 or njones@campgooddays.org, or online at www.campgooddays.org.

In the Western New York area, the 11th Annual Camp Good Days’ Gala, will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo. This year's creative black-tie gala theme is: Camp Olympus - Where Campers Are Heroes! We invite you to join us for an elegant evening of food, music, entertainment and auctions. This event has sold out five years in a row, so get your tickets fast! To obtain more information about the event or to purchase tickets, check out www.campgooddaysgala.com or contact our Buffalo Office at 716-206-0709.

We are also gearing up for the 2012 Project T.I.P.S. events. Project T.I.P.S. 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. Groups, including one Police Officer, one Fire Fighter, and two volunteers, visit residents within the neighborhood to create conversations about quality of life issues, as well as to obtain information about the crime and violence that has plagued the neighborhood, in an anonymous format for residents. The groups also provide residents with information and contacts they can use regarding services that range from health care issues (cancer, diabetes, heart disease) to reporting information for things such as crime, vandalism, and fire.

Project T.I.P.S. continues with a community cookout and get together, where residents can come and obtain more information from service providers and law enforcement agencies, as well as have some food and beverages, and have the opportunity to visit with their neighbors that they know and meet some neighbors they may not know.

The Inaugural Project T.I.P.S. was held in August 2008 in the Dewey and Driving Park community. Since that time, Project T.I.P.S. was brought to the Dayton Street neighborhood on February, 20, 2009, following the shooting of Rochester Police Department Officer, Anthony DiPonzio. Project T.I.P.S. has also been held on April 16, 2009 in the Jefferson Avenue neighborhood, July 24, 2009 in the Conkey Avenue neighborhood; Friday, October 9, 2009 in the Hudson Avenue neighborhood; Friday, May 7, 2010 in the Lyell Avenue neighborhood; and Friday, June 25, 2010 in the Scio Street & Ontario Street neighborhood. Four Project T.I.P.S. events were held in 2011, including: Friday, May 20, 2011 in the Scio & Ontario neighborhood; Friday, June 17, 2011 in the Conkey & Clifford neighborhood; Friday, July 22, 2011 in the Jefferson Avenue neighborhood; and Friday, September 9, 2011 at Jones Park.

Following a similar plan to last year, it was decided that we will host two Project T.I.P.S. events at locations we have visited previously, and hold two events at new locations. The first Project T.I.P.S. event for 2012 is scheduled for Friday, May 18, 2012 at Jones Park.

In regards to the on-going efforts of CANCER MISSION 2020, as a result of the meeting that was held on February 28, 2012, it was determined that a small, working committee should be formed and tasked with the objective of developing a plan for addressing cancer in Monroe County. We had our first meeting of this small committee Wednesday afternoon. The goal of this committee is to create this plan and have it ready to be presented to County Executive Maggie Brooks early this summer. The plan will focus on three key areas: Prevention; Education & Research, in terms of sharing information about where we are now in the fight against cancer and about how people can become active advocates for making finding the answers to cancer a priority, and utilizing CANCER MISSION 2020 as a means for bringing cancer to the front burner and encouraging people to visit the website, sign the petition and share the information; and Support for those who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis and treatment. We have a great group of people working on this committee, with some fantastic synergy and we are all looking forward to our upcoming meetings and to the opportunity we have been given to develop a plan that can serve as a model for other communities across New York State and around the country.

I also had the opportunity to meet with Congressman Tom Reed last week to discuss the CANCER MISSION 2020 legislation that he will be introducing and am looking forward to sharing more about that soon.

PLEASE…if you have not yet done so, check out www.cancermission2020.com, learn the facts about where we stand in the fight against cancer and if you feel the way that we do, sign the CANCER MISSION 2020 Petition and share the site with your network of contacts. There is strength in numbers and we need everyone’s support!

For me personally, one of the most special things we do during the year is our Annual Florida Fun Fest, in which we take a group of campers to experience the magic and adventure of Central Florida. We have been taking this trip since 1985 and this year, we are taking the trip a bit later than usual, but we have a fun and exciting long weekend planned for the campers who will be attending. The group will fly into Tampa and spend a couple of days there and then head over to Orlando for a couple of days. While in Central Florida, the group will have the opportunity to visit Busch Gardens, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Even though we are in 2012 and it may seem hard to believe, it is always so special to see someone who is taking their first flight on an airplane or visiting one of the theme parks for the very first time.

As you can tell by reading this, there is a lot going on! It is amazing to realize how much we accomplish and it truly starts with the many, many volunteers who give so much of their time and love to help us and a small, but great staff here at Camp Good Days. We could not accomplish all that we do, without all of them!

On the topic of volunteers…there is still time to get your Volunteer Application completed and submitted for the summer programs. Volunteer Applications for the summer programs are available online at our website, www.campgooddays.org, or by calling 585-624-5555 or 800-785-2135.

Registration Forms for all of our programs are also available and complete program information and online registration can be found on our website, www.campgooddays.org. To obtain a hard copy of the program brochures and registration forms, please contact our Headquarters at 585-624-5555 or 800-785-2135.

Help us give some good days and special times to someone you know who is dealing with cancer…share our program information or become a volunteer!

There are many ways for you to keep up-to-date with everything we have going on…

Check out our website, www.campgooddays.org

Become our fan on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/CampGoodDays79 / www.facebook.com/CancerMission2020

Follow us on Twitter:

@CampGoodDays / @EndCancer2020

Tune in to the Camp Good Days’ Monthly Radio Show:

First Thursday of every month

WYSL 1040AM & 92.1FM – Miss the show?

Get the Podcast at www.wysl1040.com.

That’s all for now…hope you all have a great weekend!

Many Updates & Happy Spring!

The past few weeks have just flown by and have been busy! I was recently in Orlando, to see some friends and work out some of the details and plans for our upcoming Florida Fun Fest, during which we will be bringing a group of campers to the Central Florida area, as well as to work on CANCER MISSION 2020 and while I was there, I saw firsthand the fallout from the tragic death of Trayvon Martin. It is my hope that out of Trayvon’s tragic death will come something positive, in the form of a learning experience for citizens across our country.

For the past 13 years, I have been pleased to serve as the Chairman of the Project Exile Advisory Board, which is a group of law enforcement, prosecutorial, community and business leaders, all working together to remove illegal guns and drugs from the streets of our community. One thing I have learned through my involvement with Project Exile, as well as through attending the FBI Citizen’s Academy and the Rochester Police Department’s Citizen’s Police Academy is that the presence of a gun elevates any human interaction to a potentially life or death situation. No one should be carrying a gun without the proper training and experience, and there needs to be a clear definition of the role of neighborhood watch participants so that they understand that they are there to help and assist law enforcement in serving and protecting their community.

Although the facts and details are still coming to light, this tragic loss of a 17-year-old young man has forever changed the lives of his family, and George Zimmerman’s life is forever altered. If Zimmerman had not had that gun, there is a very good chance that both of them would still be here today.

Hopefully all of the conversations and demonstrations that have come about as a result of this tragedy will become a teaching opportunity and a learning experience and will lead to some real changes, including a federal uniform policy when it comes to handguns, which will help to prevent a situation like this from happening in the future.

I believe it is the right of any law-abiding citizen to legally own a gun, but along with that right and ownership comes an awesome responsibility. Legal gun owners need to understand the gun they are purchasing, have a comprehensive background check, and know how to properly store and lock their guns, when they are not in their possession, so that they do not end up in the hands of those who ought not to have them (i.e. burglaries, car break-ins).

The tragedy of Trayvon’s death was avoidable and unnecessary and the subsequent situation, by the time it is through, will cost the American citizens millions in tax payer dollars. Let us hope that this tragedy will end in something positive and with a beneficial return on our tax payer investment.

In other news, the 12^th Annual Finger Lakes International Wine Competition took place last weekend and the event continues to be amazing! We received more than 3200 entries from 788 wineries, including 109 New York State Wineries, from 22 different countries around the world, all 50 states and five Canadian Provinces. All of the entries were evaluated by a world-renowned panel of judges representing distributors, educators, enologists, sommeliers, restaurateurs, winemakers and writers. These diversified experts came from all over the United States and around the world. The judges spent Saturday, March 23^rd and Sunday, March 24^th evaluating all of the wine entries and spent Monday, March 25^th touring the Finger Lakes Region of our state and visiting some of our fantastic Finger Lakes’ wineries.

For a complete listing of our judges, as well as the medal winning wines, check out www.fliwc.com.

Over the past 12 years, the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition and Auction Dinner has become the largest fundraising event in the Greater Rochester area to support the children and families at Camp Good Days. The medal winning wines, along with some great live and silent auction items will be featured at the 12^th Annual Wine Auction Dinner on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at the Rochester Plaza Hotel. Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased by contacting us, here at Camp Good Days, 585-624-5555 or 800-785-2135 or can be purchased online via www.campgooddays.org.

In regards to CANCER MISSION 2020…THE END OF CANCER BY THE END OF THE DECADE, we have some exciting things taking place. We are looking forward to our first meeting on April 11^th with a small, working committee to develop a plan for addressing cancer in Monroe County, where cancer is now the leading cause of death. We have a good group of people committed to being a part of this plan’s development and we look forward to sharing more information about this in the coming weeks.

Our College Campus Advocates are working hard on their respective campuses to help us spread the word about CANCER MISSION 2020 and generate awareness about where we currently stand in our fight against cancer. Our advocates at St. John Fisher College held a CANCER MISSION 2020 Petition Drive this past Monday and Tuesday and did a great job in obtaining petition signatures from their fellow students. The advocates at the University of Rochester are working on a CANCER MISSION 2020 Forum for mid-April and more details about that event will be available soon.

PLEASE…if you have not yet done so, check out www.cancermission2020.com, learn the facts about where we stand in the fight against cancer and if you feel the way that we do, sign the CANCER MISSION 2020 Petition and share the site with your network of contacts. There is strength in numbers and we need everyone’s support!

Summer will be here before we know it and things are coming together for a fun and exciting summer season here at Camp Good Days. Registration Forms for all of our programs are available now and complete program information and online registration can be found on our website, www.campgooddays.org. To obtain a hard copy of the program brochures and registration forms, please contact our Headquarters at 585-624-5555 or 800-785-2135.

We are always looking for a few good men and women to serve as volunteers for the many programs. Volunteer Applications for the summer programs are also available now, either online at our website, www.campgooddays.org, or by calling 585-624-5555 or 800-785-2135.

All of our programs and services are provided free of charge so please help us give some good days and special times to someone you know who is dealing with cancer…share our program information or become a volunteer!

As we approach the Easter and Passover holiday, it is important to take some time and reflect on our lives and be conscious and thankful for our blessings. I wish all of you a beautiful holiday and don’t forget to check out our website, www.campgooddays.org, for all of the most up-to-date information about our programs, services, volunteer opportunities and upcoming events!

CANCER MISSION 2020; WINE; NIGHT OF GRATITUDE & MORE!

A few weeks ago, on Tuesday, February 28, 2012, Monroe County Executive, Maggie Brooks, along with Monroe County Health Department Deputy Director, Dr. Byron Kennedy, and myself, hosted a meeting at Monroe Community Hospital for government, medical and support service leaders and representatives, to share information and discuss strategies for addressing cancer in Monroe County.

Approximately 35 people attended the meeting, including Rochester Mayor, Tom Richards; Monroe County Clerk, Cheryl Dinolfo; and representatives from Congressman Tom Reed’s Office; Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle’s Office; Congresswoman Louise Slaughter’s Office; Congresswoman Kathy Hochul’s Office; Wilmot Cancer Center; University of Rochester Medical Center; Rochester General Hospital; Thompson Health; Anthony Jordan Health Center; Rochester Primary Care Network; Greater Rochester Health Foundation; Monroe County Board of Health / Penfield Place; American Cancer Society; and Gilda’s Club Rochester.

Attendees learned about cancer in Monroe County, including the fact that cancer is now the leading cause of death in Monroe County and about the establishment and progress of CANCER MISSION 2020…The End Of Cancer By The End Of The Decade. Discussions took place as to how to strategically approach addressing this issue of cancer within Monroe County, all in an effort to put an end to cancer and to improve the quality of life for citizens in Monroe County.

In follow-up to this initial meeting, County Executive Brooks has asked Dr. Kennedy and I to lead a small committee to develop a comprehensive plan, by the end of June 2012, for addressing cancer in Monroe County. This committee and the plan that is developed will focus on three key components: Prevention; Education & Research, in terms of sharing information about where we are now in the fight against cancer and about how people can become active advocates for making finding the answers to cancer a priority; and Support for those who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

I am so pleased that we are moving forward with this important initiative and I am excited that we are leading the way in truly finding the answers to cancer. It is our hope to create and provide the example and plan for putting an end to cancer, not only in our community, but throughout the country and the world.

As so many of you know, Camp Good Days has grown and thrived due to the generous support of so many individuals, businesses and organizations, and it is through this continued support that we are able to provide our programs and services free of charge for the participants who need them. Last Friday evening we took some time to honor and recognize some of these outstanding supporters and volunteers, our Teddi Award recipients and Ring of Honor Inductees for 2011, at the Camp Good Days’ Night of Gratitude.

The Ring of Honor was established as part of our 25^th Anniversary Celebration in 2004 and includes those who are selected for their outstanding dedication, commitment and support of the thousands of children and families served over the years. In addition to their award, inductee’s names will be included in the permanent Ring of Honor display, which is located at the Camp Good Days’ Recreational Facility, in Branchport, NY, for all to see. The inductees for the Ring of Honor, recognized at A Night of Gratitude were:

Mary Pat Allen of Rochester

Gary Amendola (posthumously) / The Gary Amendola Fun Fund at Woods Oviatt Gilman

Joe Cascio of Buffalo

Sarah Clapper of Rochester

Ron Dougherty of Webster

Will & Muriel Herzog of Rochester

Monroe County Sheriff’s Department

New York State Police

Rochester Police Department

St. Philip’s Church in Cheektowaga

Stacey & Chris Ruisi of West Henrietta

Sahlen’s Packing Company in Buffalo

Amy Schmidt of Fairport

Cameron Tebbi, MD of Tampa, FL

The Vinette Family of Syracuse

The Teddi Award is one of the highest honors bestowed by Camp Good Days to those who have gone above and beyond within the past year, in helping to fulfill the mission of improving the quality of life for children, adults, and families whose lives have been touched by cancer and other life challenges. The recipients of the Teddi Awards were:

Emily Adasiak of Rochester

Joe Comfort of Webster

Melinda Cooper of Fayetteville

Dave Cooper of Conesus

Patti Curns of Canandaigua

Paul Estabrooks & the Caledonia-Mumford National Junior Honor Society

Bob Gerace of Fairport

Cathy Griepsma of Sodus Point

Teal Hardy of Wayland

Hockey Versus Cancer / Rochester Monarchs

Laurie Jacoby & Art Stern of Ithaca

Skip Johnson of Penn Yan

Karpus Investment Management

Michael Lawandus of Lancaster

Lechase Construction

Michael Margiotta of Rochester

Old Navy – The Shops at Ithaca

Carol Page of Perkinsville

Park Place Global Transportation

John Powell of North Chili

Shari Rife of Kenmore

Ken Rosenfeld of Rochester

Joanne Serpe of Gates

Garrett Smith of Clarence

Mark Sofia of Tampa, formerly of Rochester

The Family of Scotty Toombs of Spencerport

Amanda Vaccaro of Buffalo

Vanderstyne Toyota

Don Zrebiec of Fairport

Congratulations and THANK YOU to all of the Teddi Award recipients and Ring of Honor inductees!

All of us at Camp Good Days are enjoying this early spring weather and gearing up for all of the summer camping programs. Registration Forms for all of the programs are available now and complete program information and online registration can be found on our website, www.campgooddays.org. To obtain a hard copy of the program brochures and registration forms, please contact our Headquarters at 585-624-5555 or 800-785-2135.

We are always looking for a few good men and women to serve as volunteers for the many programs. Volunteer Applications for the summer programs are also available now, either online at our website, www.campgooddays.org, or by calling 585-624-5555 or 800-785-2135.

Help give some good days and special times to someone you know who is dealing with cancer…share our program information or become a volunteer!

We are only able to continue providing our programs and services free of charge for the participants because of the generosity of so many and the success of special fundraising events. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge all of the students, faculty, administration, parents and community members who helped to make this year’s Fayetteville-Manlius Dance Marathon, which was held on Saturday, March 3, 2012, a phenomenal success. These students generated $133,000 to support the children and families at Camp Good Days and we are forever grateful for their support, dedication and commitment!

In the Greater Rochester area, the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition and Auction Dinner has become the largest fundraising event to support Camp Good Days. Next weekend, March 24 & 25, 2012, the 12^th Annual Finger Lakes International Wine Competition will take place at the Rochester Plaza Hotel. To date, over 3000 wines have been entered into the competition, from more than 700 wineries from 22 countries and 49 states!

All of the wine entries will be evaluated by a world-renowned panel of judges representing distributors, educators, enologists, sommeliers, restaurateurs, winemakers and writers. These diversified experts come from all over the world. For a complete listing of this year’s Finger Lakes International Wine Competition Judges, with photos and biographies, log on to http://www.fliwc.com/judges.asp.

Throughout the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, each wine is judged on its own merit – its presence, balance and varietal character. Wines are blind judged and all wines are presented to the judges in Riedel crystal stemware. Medals are awarded for the unanimous Double Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze winning wines and all award winning wines will be featured on www.fliwc.com.

The medal winning wines will be featured at the 12^th Annual Camp Good Days’ Wine Auction Dinner on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at the Rochester Plaza Hotel. If you love wine or want to enhance your wine collection, the 12^th Annual Wine Auction Dinner is the place to be. With medal winning and rare wines and other exceptional silent and live auction items available, along with great food and great conversation, this is definitely the wine event you want to attend!

Tickets to attend the Wine Auction Dinner are $150 per person and can be purchased by calling Camp Good Days at 585-624-5555 or 800-785-2135, or can be purchased online at www.campgooddays.org or www.fliwc.com. Don’t delay – this event is sure to sell out quickly!

On a final note, we have a few opportunities available for people who are interested in becoming part of our team and family here at Camp Good Days. We currently have two positions open, including Finance Director and Social Media Manager. Complete job descriptions for these positions are available on our website, www.campgooddays.org, under the employment section. If you are interested or know of someone that might make a great addition to our small paid staff, please have them submit their letter of interest and resume.

If you are in the Rochester area and out and about for the St. Patrick’s Day festivities, stop down and see some of our Camp Good Days’ staff and volunteers at the TOPS Celtic Faire at the Radisson Hotel. Special thanks to Kathleen Graim and TOPS for once again choosing the children and families at Camp Good Days as the beneficiary of the Celtic Faire!

Wishing all of you a safe and Happy St. Patrick’s Day weekend!

Dance for Love, Basketball & More!

A lot has happened here at Camp Good Days over the past week – it has been very busy but very good!

Last Wednesday afternoon we had our first Tournament of Love Committee Meeting for 2012, to start finalizing the plans for this special golf tournament. I am so pleased that Paul and Kirsten Estabrooks have agreed to serve as the Chairpersons for the event. Paul and Kirsten have been great friends to Camp Good Days and Paul, through his position as Principal at Caledonia-Mumford Middle School has helped to provide volunteers, through the National Junior Honor Society, to help sell kazoos at our Annual Kazoo Fest and to help make boxes and prepare mailings for our Annual Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. Paul and the National Junior Honor Society students will be one of the recipients of the 2011 Teddi Awards at the Camp Good Days’ Night of Gratitude coming up on Friday, March 9, 2012.

I am also thrilled to report that Mark Herzlich, whose personal story is a true inspiration, has agreed to serve as the Honorary Chairman for the Tournament of Love. For those of you who are not familiar with Mark’s story, he was an All-American Linebacker at Boston College and going into his senior year was expected to be one of the Top 10 draft picks in the NFL Draft. In 2009, Mark was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. It was doubtful that Mark would be able to run again, let alone return to playing football. After taking some time to go through treatment, Mark returned to Boston College to help coach and cheer on his team, and came back to play at the highest level of college football in the 2010 season. Following last year’s NFL lockout, Mark was invited, by New York Giants Head Coach, Tom Coughlin, to attend Training Camp as a walk-on, undrafted Free Agent. Mark completed Training Camp and was signed as a member of the team, which as most of you know, joining the New York Giants was not too bad, as Mark is now a member of the Super Bowl XLVI Championship Team!

This year’s Tournament of Love, with the Estabrooks on board as Chairpersons and Mark Herzlich bringing his amazing story and inspiration to the event, is sure to be another great success! The Tournament of Love will be held on Tuesday, June 5, 2012, at Monroe Golf Club in Pittsford, New York. For more information on how to get involved, please contact Nicole Jones, here at Camp Good Days, 585-624-5555 / 800-785-2135, or njones@campgooddays.org.

This past Friday evening, some of us attended the Opening Ceremonies for the 30^th Annual Teddi Dance for Love at St. John Fisher College. It was a thrill for me to see all these young people who came to dance for 24 hours, all the members of the Teddi Committee and the many volunteers who help to handle all of the logistics for an event of this magnitude. Kayla Valentino, Danielle Allington, and the entire Teddi Committee did an outstanding job. We also had the chance to spend some time with one of Rochester’s native sons, Lou Gramm, of Foreigner fame, who served as the Honorary Chairman and, along with his family, took the time out of his busy schedule to attend and support the Teddi Dance for Love. Dr. Lou Buttino was also on hand for this milestone year, traveling to Rochester from North Carolina. Lou was a professor at St. John Fisher College and along with a group of his students, helped to start the Teddi Dance for Love 30 years ago. Lou is also the author of For the Love of Teddi, which is the story he wrote about my daughter, Teddi, and beginning of Camp Good Days and Special Times. It was really nice to be able to spend some time with Lou and catch up.

On the topic of books, a few months ago while going through some old boxes and files, I came across a little book that Teddi had written when she was 10 years old. After reading it and shedding a few tears, I decided that I need to find a way to preserve this precious memory. I called my dear friend, Skip DeBiase, at Phoenix Graphics, and asked him to photograph and scan the book and he recreated a beautiful, commemorative book, which is an exact replica of Teddi’s original. I gave out the book to those who wanted one at the Teddi Dance for Love this past weekend, and I know it truly added so much meaning to the event. It is hard to believe that next Monday, February 27^th, it will be 30 years since Teddi’s death. If any of you reading this would like a copy of the book, please contact Laura, here at Camp Good Days, 585-624-5555 / 800-785-2135 or losborn@campgooddays.org and we would be happy to send one to you.

On Saturday morning, Wendy and I attended the St. John Fisher College Football Banquet at the Burgandy Basin Inn. I was so glad I was able to attend the event, as for the past few years I have been out of town and have missed it. It was good to see all of the players and my fellow coaches and to recognize the seniors. For me, the highlight was being able to recognize Chad Monheim, who I coached personally, and who had a great career as a Kicker with the Fisher Football Team. It was also nice to hear again the many accomplishments of this team, which coming into the 2011 season was unranked with a number of holes to fill. Despite injuries and some other challenges, we finished ranked 9^th by one national poll and 11^th in another national poll, made it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Playoffs, and finished as the #1 Division III team in New York State. We definitely had a lot to celebrate!

On Saturday evening, we headed back to St. John Fisher College for the Closing Ceremonies of the Teddi Dance for Love. These ceremonies included a dedication to one of our campers, J’Lon Woody, a very special young man from Geneva. J’Lon lost his battle to cancer this past November. It was really nice to see J’Lon’s Mom and Dad and family at the Dance for Love and all those participating took a short break from the dancing to head outside, in front of the Student Life Center, for a special balloon launch.

I always enjoy being invited to speak at the end of the Teddi Dance for Love, as this gives me the chance to let everyone know just how much this very special event means to the children and families at Camp Good Days, and how much it means to me personally, as Teddi’s Dad.

The 30^th Annual Teddi Dance for Love was a tremendous success, generating more than $45,000 to benefit the children and families at Camp Good Days! In his book, Lou Buttino wrote that immortality is to be loved by anonymous people and Kayla, Danielle, and all those who participated in the 30^th Annual Teddi Dance for Love this past weekend have helped to keep Teddi’s spirit, memory and legacy alive!

One of the highlights during the Teddi Dance for Love is when we bring a group of campers for the final hours of the event. As always, the campers this year had a great time! Following the Teddi Dance for Love, the campers boarded a bus and came to the Camp Good Days’ Headquarters for a sleepover, complete with movies, popcorn and ice cream sundaes. On Sunday morning, they boarded the bus again and headed to the Camp Good Days’ Buffalo Office, where they met up with campers who had had a sleepover there. Everyone then headed to Canisius College where we were the special guests of Women’s Basketball Head Coach, Terry Zeh, Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach, Tara Fleming, and the Women’s Basketball Team. The campers had the chance to watch the team play in their game against Fairfield, meet the players and have a pizza party.

All in all, it was a great weekend, full of good days and special times!

The fun continues this evening, as we will be bringing a group of young people who participate in our Homework Huddle Program, and the Rochester City School District Leadership Program, along with some folks from Pathways to Peace, to the Rochester Razor Sharks Basketball game at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The attendees will have the chance to have dinner with Head Coach, Rod Baker, and some of the players and then watch the team take on the Dayton AirStrikers.

In other news, I had the chance to meet last week with Peter Carpino, President of the United Way here in the Greater Rochester area and I am so pleased that we can count on their support of CANCER MISSION 2020 and their help in spreading the word for this important initiative. PLEASE…if you have not yet done so, check out www.cancermission2020.com, learn the facts about where we stand in the fight against cancer and if you feel the way that we do, sign the CANCER MISSION 2020 Petition and share the site with your network of contacts. There is strength in numbers and we need everyone’s support!

30th Annual Dance for Love This Weekend!

As I talked about in my last post, the 30^th Annual Teddi Dance for Love will be taking place this weekend, Friday and Saturday, February 17^th and 18^th, in the Student Life Center at St. John Fisher College. It is truly astounding to think that this special event has been going on for 30 years – nearly all of the years that Camp Good Days has been in existence.

I am so thrilled that my good friend, Lou Buttino, who helped to start the Dance for Love 30 years ago, is here in Rochester this week, to help us celebrate and commemorate this significant milestone, and that Lou Gramm, former lead singer of Foreigner, is joining us as well, as the Honorary Chairman.

For all of you in the Greater Rochester area, I sincerely encourage you, even if you only have a few spare minutes, to stop by St. John Fisher College this weekend, between 8:00 PM on Friday and 8:00 PM on Saturday and see firsthand the love, dedication, commitment, and courage displayed by all those taking part in the Teddi Dance for Love.

As part of our commitment to and involvement in the Teddi Dance for Love, we will be bringing a group of campers to the event on Saturday, from 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM. The campers will have the chance to meet the participants, take part in a kid’s carnival, and of course get some dancing in!

Following the Dance for Love, the campers will have an overnight slumber party at our Camp Good Days’ Headquarters, complete with movies, popcorn, and ice cream sundaes. On Sunday morning, the group will head to Buffalo and meet some of our campers from that area. All of the campers will be the special guests of the Canisius Women’s Basketball Team where they will have a Pizza Party together and then watch the team take on Fairfield in their 2:00 PM game. Women’s Basketball Head Coach, Terry Zeh, has been a great friend to the children at Camp Good Days, participating in the Annual Tournament of Love Golf Scramble and arranging for his team to visit the campers at the Camp Good Days’ Recreational Facility, located on the shores of Keuka Lake in Branchport, New York. During their visits, the players and the campers have lunch together and participate in a Basketball Clinic and other games.

Also, on Saturday morning, Wendy and I will be attending the St. John Fisher College Football Banquet. It will be great to see all of the players and coaches again and take some time to celebrate the successful 2011 Football Season.

In other news, we continue to make progress with CANCER MISSION 2020. I had the opportunity to speak with my Congressman, Tom Reed, this past Tuesday, and he and his staff are working diligently on important legislation to be introduced into Congress. More details on this legislation will be available in the coming weeks.

We are also looking forward to meeting with Monroe County Executive, Maggie Brooks, along with Monroe County Health Department Deputy Director, Dr. Byron Kennedy, and a group of doctors, support service representatives and government representatives, in the next couple of weeks, to talk about ways in which we can make finding a cure for cancer a priority in our community.

We are also working with our College Campus Advocates on a variety of activities and efforts, as they all work to spread the word about CANCER MISSION 2020 on their respective campuses.

Again, I urge you to check out www.cancermission2020.com, learn the facts about where we stand in the fight against cancer and if you feel the way we do, sign the CANCER MISSION 2020 Petition and share the site with your network of contacts.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, and don’t forget, if you have time and are in the area, stop by the Teddi Dance for Love at St. John Fisher College!

February 2, 2012

I know it has been some time since my last posting, but for the first time in 35 years, I had the opportunity to spend seven days with my wife, Wendy, doing something that had nothing to do with work…no cell phones, no computers, as we recently took a seven-day cruise on board the Royal Caribbean’s Oasis.

This adventure started a few years ago when I was honored to attend the wedding of Mike and Trish Bewley. Mike was of one of Camp Good Days’ Board Members and someone who had attended St. John Fisher College and played football for me for four years, and he and Trish were married on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale. While we were there for the wedding, the weather was so beautiful and each morning Wendy would go out and jog along the beach and I would get some coffee and the morning papers. On one of those mornings, we watched in complete awe as the largest cruise ship we had ever seen came into port. When we got back to our hotel room, Good Morning America, was broadcasting live on board the ship as it entered its port of call and was getting ready for its maiden voyage. The next morning, there was a feature article in USA Today about the new Oasis ship, which was the largest cruise ship in the world.

About a year ago, I was out at WYSL 1040AM / 92.1FM taping the monthly Camp Good Days’ Radio Show, with my co-host and NEWS10NBC Anchor, Rich Funke. Rich had just returned from a cruise vacation and was telling me that they were already planning another one. Rich asked if I had ever been on a cruise and I told him I had not and that I really had no desire to go on one. He told me that he and his wife, along with several other couples were planning a cruise on the Oasis for January 2012. When I told him the story about being in Ft. Lauderdale when the Oasis originally came into port, he told me that there might still be room if I wanted to book the trip and join them. I thought what a great gift for Wendy’s birthday and our anniversary so I took Rich up on his offer and booked the cruise.

I can tell you that this was truly one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done. My favorite part was that at the end of each day, when we returned to our room, I would sit out on our balcony, in the pitch black, just looking at the stars and the moon and listening to the waves on the ocean. It made me realize the power of Mother Nature and the power of God and gave me a much needed opportunity to just relax and think. I was reminded once again that it is not how long we are blessed to be on this earth that is most important, but it is how we live our lives while we are here and the memories we leave behind.

After being back in the office this past Monday and going home in the evening, I can honestly say it felt like I had never left, as we have so much going on at Camp Good Days and there is much work to be done as we strive each day to fulfill our mission and provide the most meaningful experience for all those we serve.

One of the neatest things that Camp Good Days has the opportunity to be a part of each year is the Annual Teddi Dance for Love, a 24-hour dance marathon, at St. John Fisher College. This February 17 & 18, 2012 will be the 30^th Annual Teddi Dance for Love. Think about that – this is the 33^rd year of Camp Good Days and the 30^th Annual Teddi Dance for Love; the 30^th year that the students, administration, faculty, staff, and alumni at St. John Fisher College have helped Camp Good Days to be able to be there for every child and family that needs us.

No matter how cold it is outside on that Friday and Saturday, and even though the weather has been pretty good, I can guarantee that weekend will be cold, there is always an overwhelming amount of love and warmth inside. It is amazing that these students, on their own, began planning this event the day following last year’s, and that they are committed to weekly meetings, planning, and all of the logistical details of making this a great success.

Even though we will have some of the campers from Camp Good Days at the event on Saturday, February 18^th for a few hours, to spend some time with the students, so many of the campers never have the opportunity to meet and thank these special students, so my job is to be there at the end of the event and thank them for all they have done to help support Camp Good Days and to help keep alive the memory of a very special little girl, my daughter, Teddi.

I am so thrilled that Dr. Lou Buttino, who not only was an integral part of the formation of the Teddi Dance for Love 30 years ago when he was a professor at St. John Fisher College, but wrote the book, For The Love of Teddi: The Story Behind Camp Good Days and Special Times, is coming back to Rochester, from his current home in North Carolina where he is now a professor at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, to help commemorate this amazing anniversary. I am also excited that Lou Gramm, rock legend of Foreigner fame, who was part of the Teddi Dance for Love in the early years, will be joining us this year as our Honorary Chairman.

When Lou Buttino wrote For the Love of Teddi, he stated that, “immortality is to be loved by anonymous people.” It always amazes me how much of Teddi’s spirit is at St. John Fisher College, especially during the 24 hours of the Teddi Dance for Love and as her father, it is beyond words to describe the feeling of having all those students calling her name – students who were not even born when Teddi died. As Teddi’s Dad, I can never thank these students enough for the gift they give to me.

As a coach, you always hope that at the end of each contest, on the field or on the court, that your players gave it everything and left nothing behind. If they have, they will have that really good feeling of knowing that they gave it their all, despite their exhaustion. That is how much each and every one of these students give and how they feel at the end of the Teddi Dance for Love.

If you want to truly see the good in the world, have your faith restored in young people, and if you really want to see the human spirit soar, come to the Student Life Center on the campus of St. John Fisher College on Saturday, February 18, 2012 for the final hour of the Teddi Dance for Love, from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. You will experience this special atmosphere firsthand, because when the Teddi Dance for Love ends, after those 24 hours, you will see students who are exhausted, with sore feet and aching backs, but who have such great satisfaction of knowing that they gave it their all to help some very special children and families in our community.

If you have never been to the Teddi Dance for Love or would like to help the students in their efforts, check out http://home.sjfc.edu/teddi/ or contact the committee at teddi@sjfc.edu.

Camp Good Days has been so blessed to have so many young people throughout the year support our children and families. In addition to the Teddi Dance for Love at St. John Fisher College, the high school students at Fayetteville-Manlius High School host an Annual Dance Marathon, which will take place this year on Saturday, March 3, 2012. Not only have these students done an extraordinary job raising money to support the children and families we serve – reaching the one million dollar mark last year – but so many of them take time out of their summers to volunteer during our residential camping programs. And just last year, students at Ithaca College, for the first time, held the Dance for Courage to benefit Camp Good Days. The Second Annual Dance for Courage will take place this year on Saturday, April 14, 2012.

All of these young people have helped in tremendous ways so that we can continue to be there for all those children and families who need our programs and services. As I am sure many of you who are reading this know, all of our programs and services are provided free of charge for the participants, so as not to place any additional financial burden on those families served. We could not continue to do this without the generous support from so many, like all of these students.

It is often said that the greatest gifts we as human beings can give to one another are our time and our love and all those involved with the dance events at St. John Fisher College, Ithaca College, and Fayetteville-Manlius High School give so much of both and for that we are forever grateful!

I hope that you will share these blog postings with your family, friends and colleagues and we are about to start something new…if you have questions about anything that Camp Good Days is doing – our programs, our services, our special events, our volunteer opportunities, our donation options, or CANCER MISSION 2020 - which is also so important and let me ask you again to please, if you have not yet done so, check out www.cancermission2020.com, learn the facts about where we stand in the fight against cancer and if you feel the way we do, sign the CANCER MISSION 2020 Petition and share the site with your network of contacts – feel free to leave your comment or question via the comments section of the blog. I will be taking questions and selecting a few to answer each time I blog.

Finally, keep in mind the many ways you can stay in touch with Camp Good Days and stay up-to-date with all we have going on:

Check out our website, www.campgooddays.org

Become our fan on Facebook, www.facebook.com/CampGoodDays79

Follow us on Twitter, @CampGoodDays

Tune in to the monthly Radio Show, “Good Days & Special Times” the first Thursday of every month, at 6:30 PM on WYSL 92.1 FM AND 1040 AM.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! I hope that the Holiday Season treated everyone well! Here at Camp Good Days, New Year’s Eve found us in Downtown Rochester, first at the Blue Cross Arena for the Rochester Razor Sharks home-opener. The Razor Sharks were kind enough to provide us with a table to sell kazoos to game attendees and to share some information about CANCER MISSION 2020. It was a great start to the season for the team as they started off with a victory. We also had tables set up at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, as part of the City of Rochester’s New Year’s Eve Celebrations. It was a great event with a great crowd and a number of family-friendly events and activities. Joining us were Bill and Desi Benet, as they usually do. Bill’s father, Joe Benet, started the Kazoo Fest some 66 years ago just a few blocks from where we were, at Sibley’s. It is amazing to see this holiday tradition still going strong so many years later, and what a blessing that this event benefits the children and families at Camp Good Days. The evening concluded as Bill and I were invited to join Rochester Mayor, Tom Richards and City Council Member, Dana Miller, on the stage outside to lead the crowd in Auld Lang Syne on the kazoos, which was then followed by a beautiful fireworks show. Wendy and I then headed home and watched the ball drop on TV, her sipping on some champagne and me sipping my diet coke.

Overall, we had a phenomenal Holiday Season and a special thank you goes out to the thousands of community members, many, many volunteers, as well as the managers and employees of the JC Penney stores at Eastview Mall, Marketplace Mall, and Greece Ridge Center Mall; as well as those at the Walden Galleria Mall in Buffalo; the Carousel Mall in Syracuse; and the Old Navy Store at The Shops at Ithaca, who all helped to make the 2011 Camp Good Days and Special Times’ Annual Joe Benet Memorial Kazoo Fest a resounding success generating more than $113,000 to support the children and families at Camp Good Days!

On New Year’s Day, I was looking forward to spending the day watching some football, only to be presented with Wendy hollering that she had stabbed herself while shucking oysters. So off we went, first to the Urgent Care in Pittsford, which was very crowded, and then to the Urgent Care in Henrietta. Everyone there was so nice and got Wendy’s injury cleaned and stitched up.

With the start of the New Year, we had for the first time in some weeks, all of our staff members back in the office and we had a Staff Meeting to get everyone caught up. On Wednesday, we hosted our Annual Open House and it was so nice to see so many friends, both new and old, who took the time out of their busy schedules to come and break bread and spend some time with our staff members and fellow visitors at our Mendon Office.

On Thursday we had our first Project Exile Advisory Board Meeting of the year and then I headed to the Monroe County Sports Commission Meeting, where I was elected to serve as Secretary of the Board for another term. On Thursday evening we had the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition & Auction Dinner Committee Meeting.

I am excited about the coming year and all that we have planned. We are now in the process of beginning to lay out the program schedule for 2012 and to put together our Camper Registration Forms and Volunteer Applications. We are fully committed to providing the best programs we can for all the children and families we serve and doing so at no cost to the participants. I continue to marvel at what a great community we have and the fact that we are able to generate the financial support necessary to provide our programs free of charge. Where else can you go where prices are the same that they were 33 years ago – that price being free?

In the coming year we want to expand our Young Adult Program. When we initially began offering this program, it was for those young men and women ages 18-29 dealing with cancer. We expanded the program to include ages 18-39 and we now will expand further by opening the program to those young men and women along with their significant other / friend.

We will also look at offering a Cycling Program for the women who participate in our Women’s Oncology Program, as well as to look at offering a Sailing Program for the women and the Young Adult Program participants.

We are in the full planning process for many of our special fundraising events and for a complete listing of these events as well as the details on how you can get involved, check out our website, www.campgooddays.org. You can also stay up-to-date with all that is going on at Camp Good Days by tuning into the Camp Good Days’ Radio Show, the first Thursday of each month on WYSL News Power 1040AM / 92.1 FM or online at www.wysl1040.com.

We are working full steam ahead with CANCER MISSION 2020 and I am excited about the legislation being drafted now, which will be introduced into Congress by Congressman Tom Reed, co-sponsored by Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle, Congressman Richard Hanna and Congresswoman Kathy Hochul. With this legislation we will begin the Call To Action phase of CANCER MISSION 2020. We have been meeting and talking with Monroe County Executive, Maggie Brooks, and Dr. Byron Kennedy, Assistant Director of the Monroe County Department of Health, regarding a Cancer Plan here in Monroe County. I also had the chance to speak briefly with Rochester Mayor, Tom Richards, about this plan and I am excited that we will be taking a leadership here in Monroe County and the City of Rochester to address this issue.

To kick off the New Year, I had a featured interview about CANCER MISSION 2020 with Norma Holland, which aired yesterday on her “Many Voices, Many Visions” program on 13WHAM TV.

We are also looking to make some updates to the CANCER MISSION 2020 website, www.cancermission2020.com, so be sure to check out the site again and as always, please share the website, the mission, and the CANCER MISSION 2020 Petition with your colleagues, co-workers, family members and friends because if we are going to be successful it is going to start from the bottom and work up and it is going to take each and every one of us!