IN 2004 AS I CLOSED IN ON 50 YEARS YOUNG, I KNEW THERE MIGHT BE A SURPRISE PARTY IN MY FUTURE. I COULD NOT BEAR TO SHOW UP AT ONE OF THOSE OVER THE HILL PARTIES, SO I TOLD LINDA I DID NOT WANT ONE.

FAST FORWORD TO 2014. I REALLY WANTED A PARTY, BUT ON MY TERMS. AGAIN, I DID NOT WANT TO SHOW UP FOR AN OVER THE HILL PARTY WITH CRAZY NOVELTY GIFTS THAT I PROBABLY WOULD THROW AWAY BEFORE I REACHED 61.

LINDA WAS ALSO ASKING ME WHAT I WANTED, DINNER, WEEKEND AWAY OR SOMETHING ELSE. WHAT I REALLY WANTED WAS TO GET MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS TOGETHER FOR A PARTY BECAUSE TIME WAS MOVING TOO FAST, BUT I DID NOT WANT IT ABOUT ME.

IT SEEMED WE WERE LOSING TOO MANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS RECENTLY, ESPECIALLY TO CANCER. I HAD SEEN ON FACEBOOK SOMEONE I KNEW PUTTING ON A BENEFIT FOR HIS HIGH SCHOOL EVERY YEAR AND BEING VERY SUCCESSFUL. I ASKED MYSELF, COULD I DO THAT TOO??? AND FOR WHAT???

IT THEN HIT ME, A BENEFIT TO CICK CANCER, THAT WAS THE LOGICAL CHOICE. I MENTIONED IT TO LINDA, WHO WAS PRETTY SHOCKED BY THIS IDEA, BUY IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR GREAT RELATIONSHIP, SHE AGREEDED. AS WE STARTED TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT, THERE WERE SOME PRICELESS LOOKS AND I AM SURE A FEW “WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU THINKING” SAID WHEN I WASN’T IN THE ROOM. BUT AGAIN, AFTER THE INITIAL SHOCK, THEY STEPPED UP TO HELP MAKE THIS DREAM COME TRUE.

THE BEST PART OF THIS WAS FINDING OUT ABOUT FUNDRAISING FOR DANA-FARBER/THE JIMMY FUND THRU A FRIEND. THEY ASLO STEPPED UP WITH GREAT TOOLS AND A PERSONAL LIASON TO HELP OUT. THAT IS WHY ALL THE FUNDS WE RAISE STAY RIGHT HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, TO BENEFIT PATIENTS GOING THRU TREATMENTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

WE BECAME A 501c3 IN 2016 AND CONTINUE TO GROW. WE WOULD LOVE TO GROW OUR MEMBERS TO AID IN OUR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS. IF YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW COULD HELP, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME.

NOW IT’S 2020 AND WE ARE PLANNING OUR 7TH ANNUAL EVENT. ALREADY HAVING RAISED OVER $91,000 IN 6 YEARS, WE ARE CONTINUALLY SHOOTING FOR THE MOON!

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT…

RUSSELL