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Leukemia Research Foundation aids children’s hospital
The story began in 1998 when three-year-old Natalia Ferrara of Middletown was diagnosed with leukemia and treated successfully at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children.
Natalia’s mother, Denni Ferrara, established the Leukemia Research Foundation of Delaware to raise funds and awareness for pediatric blood cancer research.
Recently, the 3East hematology/oncology patient care unit at the hospital was dedicated and named for Ferrara’s foundation and volunteers, the first organization to receive such an honor.
Fundraising events throughout the year, including their popular black tie gala in February, Mud Runs in June and the Frightland attraction during the Halloween season.
Over the years, LRFDE has donated a total of $1.25 million to cancer research at Nemours and has pledged another $750,000
Retired hematologist/oncologist Rita Meek, MD, who treated Natalia, said that while many families whose children recover from cancer choose to close that chapter and move on, “the Ferraras decided to use their energy, style and spirit to make the world a better place for children with cancer.”
- Anders Kolb, MD, Director of Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (NCCBD), described the LRFDE’s gift as transformative. “It has been a catalyst for our center’s deliberate focus on research, spurring Nemours collaboration with other cancer centers and securing additional faculty and funding.”
He noted that five years ago, Nemours’ cancer program was not ranked [by US News and World Report]. “This year, we are ranked 16th in the nation for pediatric cancer,” he said.
| DuPont fulfills $1 million Art Museum pledge
DuPont fulfilled their $1 million dollar pledge made to the Delaware Art Museum late last year. This gift, which honors the Delaware-based company’s priorities and corporate giving philosophy to invest in its communities, underwrites the Museum’s Free Sundays program. The community is invited to be part of “Free Sundays Presented by DuPont.” The Delaware Art Museum is also free on Thursday evenings between 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. thanks to the support of individuals. |
| Hugs for children |
The Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (GACEC) is once again collaborating with community partners like the Office of Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, Central Middle School, Two Men And A Truck, Dover and Delaware State University Pinnacle Honor Society Zeta Phi Beta to launch the three-month-long drive to collect “hugs” for Delaware’s underserved children on the heels of last year’s successful drive, which saw thousands of items distributed to children who were homeless, inadequately housed or in foster care throughout the state.
“Heart 2 Heart Hugs” is a statewide drive with various organizations and companies throughout the state offering their time and resources to collect and deliver new or handmade items to Delaware’s nearly 5,000 children who are homeless or in foster care. “Out of the nearly 5,000 children who are homeless, under-housed, or in foster care, approximately one-third of them are children with disabilities,” said Wendy Strauss, executive director of the GACEC, which serves as the state advisory panel for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its amendments.
The GACEC already has received hundreds of handmade hats, scarves and mittens from both the Twisted Stitchers knitting group, which operates out of the Modern Maturity Center in Dover, and through Volunteer Delaware’s Care Wear Drive.
Heart 2 Heart Hugs was launched in November and will continue through February 2019. Drop-off points are located throughout the state and may soon be found on the GACEC website atwww.gacec.delaware.gov. Interested individuals may also contact the GACEC offices at (302) 739-4553 for additional information about drop-off locations or about becoming a community partner for the campaign.
Mountaire back to work with Christmas meals
After a packing party for the Thanksgiving for Thousands program last month, Mountaire Farms is getting ready to do it all over again, but this time for Christmas.
On Tuesday, dozens of volunteers will be working to fill 2,500 boxes with a full meal for Christmas, including a Mountaire Farms roaster chicken, stuffing, yams, cranberry sauce, corn, green beans and a dessert.
Mountaire partners with area food pantries and churches who help identify families in need.
The boxes packed at the event will provide a Christmas meal to more than 11,250 people.
“This is another great example of the community coming together to help those in need,” said Phil Plylar, President of Mountaire Farms, who was on hand to help pack boxes at Thanksgiving. “We work with these food pantries every month and deliver chicken to help feed those in need, and this is just another way that Mountaire gives back during the holiday season.”
Navient aids 30 children
Thirty children from 10 families in the First State are receiving warm clothing like coats, boots and hats, electronic games and toys, grocery gift cards, and many other items on their wish lists, thanks to Wilmington-based Navient and the company’s employee activity committee.
This year, Navient employees raised more than $12,000 through fundraising efforts like the popular dunk tank at the company’s annual fall picnic event. In addition, employees raised money through the company’s Jeans BeCause program, which gives participating employees a “pass” to dress casually in exchange for volunteer donations.
The raised funds will support a holiday season for many families served by Delaware’s Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families. The department’s social workers collected a list of needs from the families, and Navient employees volunteered to fulfill their wish lists. The year-long effort culminates in a gift presentation to parents and caregivers.
Coastal Cleanup collects 2.7 tons of trash
The DNREC-sponsored 31st annual Delaware Coastal Cleanup held Sept. 22 drew 1,115 volunteers, who collected 2.7 tons of trash and recyclables from 42 sites along more than 68 miles of Delaware’s waterways and coastline stretching from Wilmington to Fenwick Island. For the first time in its history, the cleanup was moved to a rain date, due to Hurricane Florence.
“Each year, Delaware’s Coastal Cleanup helps make a difference for marine life and water quality – and it’s the hundreds of dedicated volunteers, many of whom come back year after year, who make the Cleanup an annual environmental success story,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “This year, we would like to extend a special thanks to the volunteers who rearranged their calendars to join us a week later than usual.”
This year, more than 21,547 pieces of food/beverage-related trash were picked up.
Some of the more unusual items found during this year’s cleanup were: a dishwasher, a message in a bottle from 2007, a knife in a sheath, mattress springs, scissors, contact lens case, power cord, charcoal grill, pirate hat, utility knife, car muffler, beach chair, bushel baskets, street sign, key card, glow stick, ink cartridge, pacifier, pith helmet, car console, golf club handle, metal canopy frame, and a wide variety of clothing and shoes including sneakers, flip flops, and jeweled sandals, as well as numerous balls and toys, including a troll doll, an Incredibles action figure, a Nintendo game controller, and a Rubik’s Cube.
