2nd Race for the Cure A Success
Well, it’s that time of year again. Fall is definitely upon us—especially in chilly Chicago. For most, while this means back to school and back to the grind, for a group of families in Naperville, IL (along with a dedicated New York City area contingent), it also means back to hosting our annual Arlington fundraiser. This year was the 8th year since its inception and the second year that CSF was the beneficiary of the proceeds from this great day.
Given the state of the economy, it’s fair to say that the host families were more than a bit concerned about what our turnout and proceeds would be in this year of financial turmoil for many people. We’re honored that old friends and new faces traveled from around the country (Washington DC, Arkansas, New York, Minnesota, Florida, Virginia, Michigan, Oklahoma, Maryland, Indiana) to join us at the Arlington Park Race Course on September 13th. Now that the dust has settled and the numbers have been tallied, we are thrilled to report that the generosity of our friends and family has prevailed even in these trying times. The one-day event raised over $190,000 for CSF! Needless to say, the organizers of the event are very pleased.
Many dedicated people worked very hard to make Arlington so successful this year. As always, Jerry Kyle did an unbelievable job with his sports memorabilia room. A favorite of the guys, Jerry’s items alone grossed almost $35,000 for CSF. Jerry is an amazing man and a wonderful supporter of our charity.
Another special thanks goes out to Dr. Fraser Henderson, Chief of Neurosurgery (pictured), and Scott Gregerson, Vice President of Business Development, both of Doctors Community Hospital in Washington DC, who made the journey all the way to Chicago for the event. Dr. Henderson helped to educate our audience about Chiari and syringomyelia and many people approached the host families after his speech to comment on how impressed and moved they were. He truly has dedicated himself to CSF and our endeavors in order to help his patients combat the devastating side effects of CM and SM. We are lucky to call him our friend.
Finally, late in the day, another very moving tribute was given by one of the hosts, Joe Fitzpatrick. Joe’s son Liam has been suffering a great deal lately and his elegant plea for support brought many people to tears. These contributors, along with the nearly 300 friends and family members who attended and generously donated towards the event did much to give us another successful Arlington.
A special thank you to our host families who, year after year, make this an event to remember: Paul Farrell, Brenda and Joe Fitzpatrick, Karen and Doug Kindlon, Joan and Jerry Kyle, Denise and Mike Mikula, Holly and Mike O'Connor, and Lory and Rob Watson.
Thanks also to our event sponsors for their support and generosity:
Excel Container
Kindlon Family
inPLAY Events
The Farrell Law Firm, P.C.
BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois
Pro-Pak Industries
Five Star Sheets
We hope you consider joining us next year for another amazing day!
