About six years ago, I was asked by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Dayton to participate in their Man & Woman of the Year campaign, where individuals compete over 10 weeks to raise the most amount of money for blood cancer research. I created a team of moms, which we called Moms 4 Miracles. I was named Woman of the Year after our team raised the most amount of money among the female contestants — $42,000 in honor of children with cancer, with our biggest fundraiser being a golf outing. This incredible group of moms wanted to continue our efforts, so on May 7, 2016, we will host our 6th Annual Golf Outing at Yankee Trace Golf Club in Centerville. Depending on the year, we have approximately nine moms on the team, all of whom are my friends.
Is there a particular reason why you wanted to raise funds for Dayton Children’s?
We are a group of local moms, who are blessed with healthy children. We want to do everything we can to help children with cancer and their families. Raising money to help local children and a hospital that treats these children seemed like a natural fit. Not every community is blessed to have a local children’s hospital like Dayton Children’s.
We call children who are fighting cancer our “heroes.” With the proceeds of our golf outing, we have helped pay off medical bills for heroes, helped make their wishes come true, donated to brain cancer research in honor of a hero, and donated to Dayton Children’s Needy Patient Fund for children with cancer. This year, Moms 4 Miracles has committed to raising $25,000 for a new Moms 4 Miracles Chemo Therapy Room as part of a new pediatric cancer treatment floor in the tower currently under construction at Dayton Children’s. In past years, we have donated Nintendo DS and iPad games to the hospital for children to play while undergoing treatment. So, a new Moms 4 Miracles Chemo Room is just perfect. We pray for miracles to happen there!
Besides the golf outing, do you do other fundraisers?
Three local businesses, Flying Ace Car Wash, Grey Fay Insurance and Hausfeld’s Classics in Springboro, have held fundraisers for us. We also hold a Derby Day Party in conjunction with the golf outing on the first Saturday in May. It has sold out every year!
What influenced your desire to give to charity?
I, along with about half of our Moms 4 Miracles team, attend Southbrook Church. Pastor Charlie McMahan preached six years ago about putting your life into play – meaning use your God-given talents to help others. So I joined the church’s Cancer Hope ministry, which prays for people with cancer. I believe that once I said yes, I will put my life into play, God had bigger plans for me. Not only did he want me to pray for people with cancer, but he wanted me to raise money, too. Within a week, I was asked to be a part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Man & Women of the Year campaign, which led to Moms 4 Miracles.
Would you say that The Dayton Foundation helps you to help others?
Absolutely! We’re able to do what we do, thanks to The Dayton Foundation. They help guide us in both our fundraising and grantmaking. It’s been a wonderful experience.
What most inspires you about the Dayton community?
I am so proud of our community and the generosity of our residents. When we ask people to help us by making a donation or golfing at our annual event, they go above and beyond. They have hearts of gold, and so do the moms on our team who give countless hours to helping children with cancer.
How would you complete this sentence, “My giving makes me feel____”?
…blessed. No one should have to fight cancer, especially children. What these children and their families go through breaks my heart. It’s an honor and a blessing to help make miracles happen for children with cancer!
How can someone learn more about Moms 4 Miracles?
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