Craftsmen Park in the News
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Camp Quality selected for
Bridgestone Award
Golf group gives away $917,000 to charities By Bill Lilley Published on Thursday, Mar 19, 2009 Mary Beth Palmer and Angie Matesevac arrived Wednesday morning at the Bridgestone Akron Technical Center in a state of enthusiasm. They left in a state of shock after receiving an unexpected gift. ''It's truly unbelievable and shocking what happened,'' said Palmer, assistant director of Camp Quality at the Portage Lakes. ''I'm at a loss for words, but I don't mind it because what happen was so unexpected and so wonderful.'' Camp Quality received a $2,000 grant from Northern Ohio Golf Charities as part of the $917,000 the group distributed in money generated from the 2008 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. Grants went to 48 worthy causes in Northeast Ohio. The $2,000 grant will enable Camp Quality, which is a yearlong service provider for children with cancer and their families, to purchase a sound system, screen and projector for the summer camp. That gift was expected. What wasn't expected was an additional $5,000 check directly from Bridgestone Americas Inc., which selected Camp Quality as the recipient of the first Bridgestone Award. ''The Bridgestone Award will enable us to do more things for the children who are cancer patients, both when they are in the hospital and throughout the rest of the year after they get out,'' said Palmer, whose group hosted 95 kids at Camp Quality last summer. ''We don't know exactly where the money will go because we had no idea that we'd be getting it. It is truly a wonderful thing, and we're very grateful to get the first Bridgestone Award. ''We're all about hope, but we never could have hoped to have gotten all of this. It's truly wonderful for the children.'' Bridgestone Americas CEO Mark Emkes said the creation of the Bridgestone Award is another way that Bridgestone can give back to the community. ''The community has been great to us, and we're showing our appreciation,'' Emkes said. ''This [Bridgestone Award] simply takes it to another level. ''The Bridgestone Invitational certainly is a win for everyone involved. Bridgestone gets exposure, the city of Akron wins because of the economic impact [$30 million] and the charities win.'' Paul Brady, president of the executive committee of Northern Ohio Golf Charities Inc., said that more $18 million had been distributed by his group since its inception in 1984 as the charity arm of the major golf tournament held each summer at Firestone Country Club. ''We've touched the lives of many since 1984,'' Brady said, ''and we hope to touch the lives of many more in the years to come.'' Among the other local charities that received grants Wednesday were the Akron Zoo, Akron Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs, First Tee of Akron, Akron Children's Hospital, Red Cross of Summit and Portage Counties, Beacon Journal Charity Fund, CYO & Community Services, East Akron Community House, Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio, Interval Brotherhood Home, Pregnancy Care of Summit County, Project LEARN, Rebuilding Together Summit County, Summit County Historical Society and the Summit County Sheriff's Office. Attending the luncheon and honored for reaching 50 years of volunteering at the golf tournament were longtime Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. employee and legendary area athlete Frank ''Whitey'' Wahl, Barbara Dieterich, who was the women's chairman of the 1981 golf tournament and Jerry McFadden, co-chair of the 1959 Rubber City Open. Also honored for serving 50 years were Sharlee Guster, women's chairman in 1957, and Dr. Jim Claypool, chairman of the 1965 World Series of Golf. They are in Florida. Bill Lilley can be reached at 330-996-3811 or blilley@thebeaconjournal.com. |
Written By
Letting Kids
with Cancer be Kids’ at Camp Quality
More than 10,000 kids a year are diagnosed with cancer. Their entire lives
are consumed with doctors’ offices, chemotherapy, blood counts and surgeries.
They feel different from other kids.
In some cases, they may look different because they have lost their hair. Some
of them are teased by kids who do not understand their disease.
Living with cancer as a kid is tough, but Camp Quality offers them an atmosphere
that takes them away from all that. “We can’t add to the quantity of life, but
we can add to the quality of a child’s life,” co-director Kerri Franks stated.
“Letting Kids with Cancer be Kids” is the motto “Everyone is included at Camp
Quality,” volunteer, Abby Cross, stated. “Cancer is a serious disease, and some
have disabilities. They are all included. No one is discriminated against.”
A 14-year-old cancer victim stated, “I love coming to camp because back at home
everyone made fun of me because I was bald. I had radiation, and I lost all my
hair. This was something I could do that made me feel better about myself
because there were kids that were just like me.”
Last year, there were 72 campers at Craftsman Park in the City of New Franklin.
Campers consist of boys and girls whose lives have been affected by cancer.
Campers with cancer range in age from four to 18. Camp Quality Ohio is the only
Camp Quality, out of 14 in the nation, that also allows siblings of cancer
patients to attend. Every child attends the camp completely free. Medical staff
is available at all times.
The children enjoy swimming, karaoke, fishing, crafts, games, music, horses,
dancing, prom, hot air balloons, canoeing and many more activities.
Camp Quality is currently looking for volunteers to come along side a child
whose life has been impacted by this horrible disease. Anyone who is loving and
caring who would love to help a child with cancer live their life to the
fullest, plan on putting the week of July 8-14 aside. Training will be June 9.
For more information, please call Carol Cross at 330-819-4578 or 800-421-9927.
Email is coquina@aol.com. You can also visit
www.campqualityohio.org
for information.
If your child has been affected by this disease and you would like to enroll
them at the camp, send the child’s name, age, address and home phone number to
the Camp Quality Ohio Camper registrar. You need to fill out a registration
packet and include a physician’s release. There is no cost for the children.
Camp Quality is a non-profit organization that is funded strictly through
donations. If you would like to donate, all gifts are appreciated. One hundred
percent of the money directly benefits the children at the camp.
Volunteers stay in contact with their camper throughout the year. Camp Quality
has many activities throughout the year to help the children experience life.
They have reunions, Superkids Derby race at Derby Downs; they have many family
overnighters, laser tag events, ski weekends and many, many more activities and
events.
Help a child with cancer. You can become a one-on-one companion. You can assist
in the camp activities. You can help teach at a sports clinic or help with
crafts. You can donate materials or food. You an also help by serving on the
Camp Organizing Committee, which meets monthly. Camp Quality speakers are
available to speak at your local business or event.
Camp Quality’s direct number is 330-628-9790 or 866-364-1258.