The year was 2009 and Team Prayers for Patrick’s first year
of fundraising was stellar. We started our
fundraising journey by sending out a letter with “our story” and mission to
everyone and anyone that had ever crossed our paths. Let me start by telling you my husband is
often been called the Mayor-need I say more.
We had a family block party and invited the entire town and
then some….and guess what they came. We had the media, fire department, local
politicians and even Traders Joe's volunteer team cooking up the food they donated!
That year our team raised almost $17,000 in 3 months! I bet your thinking that was the most
rewarding fundraiser-please read on.
The next year we had more than 50 team members. As a team we decided that we should take a
different approach. Although all of the
cotton candy and hot dogs were fun, we wanted to try a healthier approach. We planned a large family picnic at the town
park and once again engaged the community. A well known local band donated their music for the afternoon.
We had healthy raffle baskets, chiropractors, masters of reiki, a
sunscreen station for the kids where they could make sun safety bracelets, and
even a healthy smoothie station. A fun
day was had by all- but please keep reading.
Fast forward 2011. A lot of my team members came to me and said that they were burnt out-they wanted to take a break. I was scared and nervous because I knew I still wanted to continue my work.
Fast forward 2011. A lot of my team members came to me and said that they were burnt out-they wanted to take a break. I was scared and nervous because I knew I still wanted to continue my work.
I live for my children; I do not know what I would ever do
without them. Of all of my memories of Sloan Kettering that I will never forget
(and believe me there are many) are the memories of the children affected by
this awful disease. These children may never graduate from high school or middle
school. These are children who may never walk down the aisle. Children who will
never experience dorm life or working at their first job. I remember their
faces well, as if they were my own children.
These kids really affected me. Cancer is not worthy of taking their
lives. Together with my family I brainstormed several fundraising
ideas that would affect these children directly.
Thus "Pat’s Hats For Hope" was born. We ordered handmade knit hats and tons of flowers in the purple Relay colors. My daughter Lily took each flower apart, re-glued and attached to hair clips that we covered in beautiful ribbons. We also made headbands in the same colors. We began our sales and marketing strategy right away. Facebook was a great tool for getting the word out. People I knew in college, worked with 20 years ago and some I didn’t even know started inquiring. We decided we would cover the costs to make them and 100% of the profit would go back to the American Cancer Society.
One day a friend emailed me and said that she really wanted to donate and purchase one but her daughter was not really into hats. She asked if there was a way to donate it to a child who was undergoing chemo. I immediately said yes because I thought it was such a brilliant idea. I called Sloan Kettering Children’s Cancer Center and was so excited to find out that it was possible. We brought them everywhere we went, school, church, PTA meetings, dance class, hockey practice and you better believe my 2 daughters always had one on.
The night of Relay I spoke about Pat's Hats For Hope at the Survivors Dinner. I set up a table with the hats and headbands,soon people were flooding the table.
But it went beyond Relay, we continued to sell them throughout the summer. The day I packed up all of the hats and headbands to be donated to the children was so very emotional. That year our team raised over $5,000 in hats and headbands .
You cannot put a price on the smile on a little girls face as she tries on a hat to cover her hair that no longer exists. The money raised from the sale of that hat went towards the research to destroy cancer-double whammy.
Thus "Pat’s Hats For Hope" was born. We ordered handmade knit hats and tons of flowers in the purple Relay colors. My daughter Lily took each flower apart, re-glued and attached to hair clips that we covered in beautiful ribbons. We also made headbands in the same colors. We began our sales and marketing strategy right away. Facebook was a great tool for getting the word out. People I knew in college, worked with 20 years ago and some I didn’t even know started inquiring. We decided we would cover the costs to make them and 100% of the profit would go back to the American Cancer Society.
One day a friend emailed me and said that she really wanted to donate and purchase one but her daughter was not really into hats. She asked if there was a way to donate it to a child who was undergoing chemo. I immediately said yes because I thought it was such a brilliant idea. I called Sloan Kettering Children’s Cancer Center and was so excited to find out that it was possible. We brought them everywhere we went, school, church, PTA meetings, dance class, hockey practice and you better believe my 2 daughters always had one on.
The night of Relay I spoke about Pat's Hats For Hope at the Survivors Dinner. I set up a table with the hats and headbands,soon people were flooding the table.
But it went beyond Relay, we continued to sell them throughout the summer. The day I packed up all of the hats and headbands to be donated to the children was so very emotional. That year our team raised over $5,000 in hats and headbands .
You cannot put a price on the smile on a little girls face as she tries on a hat to cover her hair that no longer exists. The money raised from the sale of that hat went towards the research to destroy cancer-double whammy.
This was a fundraising experience we will never ever forget!
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