Donor of the Month
December 2008
RENY’S Department Stores
Helping families $1 at a time
Camp Sunshine is pleased to announce that for the sixth consecutive year the wonderful ownership, management, employees, and patrons of Reny’s Department Stores have reached a new best-ever fundraising goal for Camp Sunshine.
Renys is a chain of discount stores throughout Maine that have been a part of our state's culture since 1949. Renys started in 1949 when Robert H. Reny (better known to all as "R.H.") opened his first store in Damariscotta, Maine. Today Renys employs between 375 and 475 employees and has 14 store locations in Maine.
Since our first Pumpkin Festival in Maine (2003) Renys stores have been selling paper pumpkins. Several years ago, Monica Kemm took the reins as the programs director and began to really motivate employees to sell, sell, sell, the pumpkins. It certainly worked because after a record year in 2007 when they collectively sold $25,311 they came back this year and raised an incredible $34,859!
This year’s gift brings the total giving of Renys to over $93,000. Incredibly Monica has already begun plans to top the $40,000 in 2009.
Camp Sunshine salutes the efforts and dedication of Renys and the services it provides to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
Donor of the Month
November 2008
Camp Sunshine’s Boston and New York Pumpkin Festival Donors
As we mentioned last month, we typically feature one donor each month to shine the light on and give thanks for their support, but given all who generously pitched in to make Camp Sunshine’s Maine Pumpkin Festival such a success, we featured our event sponsors and participants. This month we would like to do the same with our Boston and New York Pumpkin Festival event sponsors and participants:
Our first shout out goes to Market Basket supermarkets and Lisa Menino and our friends at Boston’s City Hall Plaza. Without a lead sponsor, and a location for the event, you can’t have an event. We sincerely thank both of these entities for their support. Other major sponsors of the Boston festival include Reny’s, Village Candle, New Penn Trucking, Premier Trailer Leasing, Lanco Scaffolding, radio 92.9, and FOX25 WFXT.
For more Boston Pumpkin Festival festival sponsors, please visit the festival website.
Our second shout out goes to the S.L.E. Lupus Foundation and the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, along with our friends at New York City’s Department of Parks & Recreation. Again, without lead sponsors, and a location for the event, you can’t have an event. We sincerely thank each of these entities for their support. Other major sponsors of the New York festival include Instinet, Tropical Smoothie Café, Forest City Ratner Companies, and the Nets.
For more New York Pumpkin Festival festival sponsors, please visit the festival website.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Donor of the Month
October 2008
Camp Sunshine’s Maine Pumpkin Festival Donors
We typically feature one donor each month to shine the light on and give thanks for their support, but this month, given all who generously pitched in to make Camp Sunshine’s Maine Pumpkin Festival a huge success, we would like to thank all of our event sponsors and participants:
Our first shout out goes to Hancock Lumber and Cumberland Farmers Club. Without a lead sponsor, and a location for the event, you can’t have an event. We sincerely thank both of these entities for their support. Other major sponsors include Reny’s, Vilalge Candle, Downeast Energy, New Penn Trucking, Premier Trailer Leasing, Boston Ladder & Scaffolding, Meyer Construction and Perspective Construction Management, Inc, MacDonald Page, and BBI Waste.
We also thank: our radio sponsor Citadel Group: WJBQ 97.9, WBLM 102.9, WCYY 94.3, and 94.9 WHOM; and TimeWarner Cable for their promotion on TV. Likewise, we give thanks to Downeast Magazine for featuring us very prominently on their website, the Portland Press Herald for featuring us in their GO section, and all of the news stations and publications throughout Maine who covered the event.
As with a lead sponsor, major sponsors, a location, and media to promote the event, you can’t have an event of this magnitude if you don’t have the additional financial and in-kind support to not only cover event expenses, but to also make sure Camp Sunshine nets some positive income form the event. Camp Sunshine thanks all of the following sponsors:
Giffords Ice Cream, the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer, Hope and Healing at Central Maine Medical Center, UPS, Kittery Trading Post, Spectrum Printing & Graphics, Wal-Mart, Ron’s Mexican Cantina & Grill, TT Buds, BML Catering, LLC, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Banknorth Wealth Management Group, Baxter Tea Company, Berlin City Auto Group, Freaky Bean Coffee Company, and Pumpkin Masters.
Stay tuned next month as we feature our donors from Camp Sunshine’s Boston and NYC Pumpkin Festivals.
Donor of the Month
September 2008
The Wal-Mart Foundation
We are pleased to announce that the Wal-Mart Foundation has awarded Camp Sunshine a $35,000 grant. The money will be used to establish the Wal-Mart Foundation Family Sponsorship Fund at Camp Sunshine, with investment income used each year to sponsor families, in perpetuity. .
“This is a great day for Camp Sunshine,” said Matt Hoidal, Camp Sunshine’s Executive Director. “To have the support and confidence from a company as philanthropic and successful as Wal-Mart is a tremendous source of pride for us. This gift to our endowment will go a long way towards securing the future of our program.”
The grant brings Camp Sunshine’s total endowment and capital funds raised to more than $8 million in Camp Sunshine’s $14.5 million “Let the Sun Shine All Year” endowment and capital campaign, launched in 2006 to secure the future of the program and to help expand the camp programs year-round.
"Wal-Mart and Sam's Clubs of Maine are proud to provide this grant to Camp Sunshine, which for years has been providing incredibly positive services for ill children and their families," said David Murray, Market Manager for Region 11, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Donor of the Month
August 2008
Tropical Smoothie Cafe’ Raises $125,000 for Camp Sunshine
Throughout the Month of June Tropical Smoothie Cafes across the country began supporting Camp Sunshine. The company encouraged its customers to make donations to Camp Sunshine by purchasing paper flip-flops, tee shirts, and other items, including flip-flops manufactured by Camp Sunshine friend and donor ToeGoz.
The event culminated on June 21, 2008, when the first 500 visitors wearing flip-flops to each of its approximately 300 cafés received free Jetty Punch smoothies. The company named the day “National Flip-Flop Day.”
Knowing how popular the campaign would be, the company de¬cided to leverage the high volume of the customers visiting its stores to help promote Camp Sunshine. The $125,000 raised through the campaign has been used to sponsor families and/or family transportation to Camp Sunshine from areas around the country where Tropical Smoothie Café has stores.
To celebrate the campaign and Tropical Smoothie’s successful efforts, Camp Sunshine named a recent camp session “Tropical Smoothie Week” at Camp Sunshine, which was held for Oncology patients and their families August 3rd-August 9th. Tropical Smoothie Café COO Jim Valentino, Director of Marketing & Communications Barbara Valentino, and Marketing Coordinator McKenzie Shelley all came up to Camp to visit with families and volunteers during Tropical Smoothie Week, and presented the check for $125,000 to Camp Sunshine.
With approximately 300 stores nationwide, a compassionate corporate team, and caring customers, this campaign was able to raise not just significant funding for Camp Sunshine but national awareness in 2008.
We sincerely thank our friends at Tropical Smoothie café and look forward to a continued relationship in the years ahead.
Donor of the Month
July 2008
The Orokawa Foundation
We are thrilled to announce that the trustees of the Orokawa Foundation recently made another $250,000 gift to Camp Sunshine's endowment, bringing their 4-year total to $1 million. This gift helps Camp Sunshine complete the challenge presented by its founders Anna Gould and Larry Gould, where they offered to match gifts of $250,000 or more, up to a total of $2 million.
In appreciation of the Orokawa Foundation's support, Camp Sunshine's Board of Directors decided to name one of its two family buildings "The Orokawa Foundation Family Living Center".
"This gift and 4-year total of $1 million is special, not only for its magnitude and impact on our endowment and future, but also because it's from a former Camp Sunshine family who came to Camp once many years ago and left with an obvious impression indelibly etched into their hearts," states Matt Hoidal, Camp Sunshine's Executive Director. "We are incredibly grateful for their support and confidence."
Donor of the Month
June 2008
The Skirball Foundation
In 2006, New York-based Skirball Foundation made its first commitment to Camp Sunshine, and it was a generous one. Impressed with Camp Sunshine’s history of stability, sound fiscal management, and strength in service, the foundation pledged a $50,000 investment in Camp Sunshine’s future and expansion via its endowment fund. Since then, Camp Sunshine has continued to expand its program as promised, prompting the Skirball Foundation to pledge an additional $100,000 to further help Camp in its expansion efforts. In appreciation of this support, Camp Sunshine will name the new parents’ arts and crafts room after the Skirball Foundation.
We sincerely thank the Trustees of the Skirball Foundation for their Continued and generous support!
Donor of the Month
April 2008
JTG Foundation
Camp Sunshine is pleased to announce a $100,000 commitment made recently by the JTG Foundation in support of our capital building project. The gift will be used to underwrite the new JTG Foundation Parents Discussion Room at Camp Sunshine. This newly expanded space will ensure that parents have the opportunity to share experiences and emotions, as well as gain empowerment from other families with ill children.
The JTG Foundation began supporting Camp Sunshine’s Family Sponsorship Program in 2005. Since then families have continued to benefit from their generosity each year thanks to their ongoing support.
Located in Maine, the JTG Foundation is a private foundation which annually makes grants supporting charitable causes, with a primary focus on enhancing community services, cancer care services, mental health services, as well as services supporting the elderly and low income or disadvantaged children.
The JTG Foundation was founded in 1996 by John T. Gorman, Jr..
Camp Sunshine would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the trustees of the JTG Foundation for recognizing the importance of the facilities expansion and the enhancement this will add to our programming and services.
Donor of the Month
March 2008
The Mattina R. Proctor Foundation
A dedication to ill children, a dedication to Maine
In 2005, The Mattina R. Proctor Foundation began a relationship with Camp Sunshine and its families when they made an initial gift to the Family Sponsorship Program of $6,000. The following year The Foundation increased their gift to $10,000 and has continued that support each year thereafter, including another gift of $10,000 in 2008, and a commitment of $25,000 towards our construction project.
A shy and unassuming woman who never sought recognition for her philanthropy. Mattina Proctor was deeply committed to supporting medical research as well as causes in her home state of Maine.
Understanding the importance of our mission and the services that Camp Sunshine could provide with a new and improved upon space, The Mattina R. Proctor Foundation committed $25,000 to the underwriting of The Mattina R. Proctor Teen Porch in camps new expansion.
The Mattina R. Proctor Foundation's commitment to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families has been vital to the continued growth of our Program. Because of The Foundation's generosity, we have been able to reach out to even more families who dearly need our services.
On behalf of our past and future Camp Sunshine children, we are deeply grateful to The Mattina R. Proctor Foundation for its support.
Donor of the Month
February 2008
Sprint Enterprise Real Estate Golf Tournament and the Toth Family
This past summer Camp Sunshine was honored to be named the beneficiary of the 2007 Sprint Enterprise Real Estate (ERE) Golf Tournament at Lake Quivira Country Club, Lake Quivira, Kansas, an event which raised $30,000 for Camp Sunshine. These funds will be used to sponsor 20 families at Camp Sunshine in 2008. Camp is truly honored to have the support of Faye Davis, Carol Lynn Cole, and the entire Sprint ERE Team and thanks everyone for their hard work organizing the event on our behalf. Camp Sunshine would also like to recognize the Toth family for bringing Camp Sunshine to Sprint's attention.
The charge to have Camp Sunshine as a beneficiary of the golf tournament was led by Vice President of Northeast Field Operations & Engineering - Bill Toth. Bill and his family have a long history with Camp Sunshine dating back to the 1990's.
In 1996, after Jennifer Toth (then age 3) was diagnosed with cancer her parents Gail and Bill seized the opportunity to get away from their daily routine of hospital visits and find some downtime at Camp Sunshine. After leaving Camp Sunshine from that first visit, the Toths knew that it was one of the best decisions of their lives. That admiration for our program and services led to a lifetime commitment of giving back to Camp, both personally and professionally.
The Toths' affiliation with Sprint and the Sprint ERE Golf Tournament is a great example of this commitment. There are numerous other ways the Toths have supported Camp, but there are two recent examples that stand out.
Last May, the Toths rented boxes at the America's Cup of Polo and invited friends to join them as well as make contributions to Camp. Through their efforts, they raised over $10,000 for Camp Sunshine.
As if all this was not enough, Gail Toth was the driving force behind the Virginia Polar Plunge on February 9th which will raise around $7,000 when all outstanding pledges and commitments are satisfied. And guess who the top fundraiser was! Jennifer Toth (now age 15) and cancer free!!!
Camp Sunshine thanks Sprint and the Toth family and is proud to highlight them as Camp Sunshine's February 2008 Donor of the Month.
Donor of the Month
January 2008
The Wasserman Family
The family first became involved in Camp Sunshine when Camp Sunshine’s Executive Director Matt Hoidal shared plans of his Miracle Marathon run from Florida to Maine with his college roommate from St. Lawrence University Luke Wasserman. As you may recall, the run was a benefit for Camp Sunshine that raised over $90,000 for Camp Sunshine in 2001. As soon as Luke heard about the run and Camp Sunshine, he shared the news with his parents Judi and Peter, and they responded with a donation of $15,000 from their family. Luke and his sister Alexis also joined Matt and his team of Miracle Marathon runners and filmed the event in addition to providing support and encouragement along the 1,200 mile trek to Maine.
Subsequent to the completion of the Miracle Marathon, Luke, Alexis, and their parents Judi and Peter have remained involved generously sponsoring many families every year.
Camp Sunshine thanks the Wasserman Family for their support of Camp Sunshine and their commitment to families with seriously ill children.
