Summer 2018 Loveletter | Page 2
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BUSINESS NAME LOVELETTER LOVELETTER | PAGE 4 NEWSLETTER DATE Leaving a Legacy of Love A GUARDIAN SCHOLAR “A legacy isn’t leaving something College Student for people, but leaving Jesse Smith Learned something in people.” “Grace, Gratitude, arly this year, Special Love and Grit” at Camp E families said a difficult good- bye to Tom Baker, a gentle and t 19 years old, Jesse Smith caring man who with his wife, A has the world in front of him. Sheila, founded Special Love in He’s on course to earn his associ- 1983. The couple lost their 13- ate’s degree in Fire Science Tech- year-old daughter, Julie, in 1975 nology from Reynolds Community after a short battle with lympho- College in Richmond next year ma. They turned their enormous and to become a career firefighter grief into something positive: – his dream for many years. Special Love. Special Love’s first Camp Fantastic in 1983 hosted 29 campers. Tom Baker (right) and then NOVA 4-H Center Director John Dooley led it. The Bakers had read about a camp “Beating childhood cancer in upstate New York that catered week-long Camp Fantastic. After Tom once said, “For me, camp is more than just beating to children with cancer and want- much planning, the first camp for is the one place where kids with a disease. It’s about ed to provide that same oppor- children with cancer debuted in cancer and their families can truly tunity to children like Julie in the 1983, hosting 29 campers. rest, get away from all the troubles beating a whole series Greater Washington area, so Tom and have a good time.” of setbacks.” approached the National Cancer Tom and Sheila already knew that “when a child gets cancer, At Tom’s funeral, Special Institute, where Julie had been treated, as well as the Northern the whole family gets cancer,” Love’s Senior Director of But Jesse’s path hasn’t always been Va. 4-H Center to partner on the so it didn’t take long for Special Outreach and Programs so clear. When he was four, the Love to host its first family Dave Smith said, “Through Chesterfield, Virginia, native was weekend, an opportunity that Tom’s own courageous person- diagnosed with acute lympho- ality, he taught us it’s okay to was unheard of in those days. blastic leukemia. He underwent act silly, especially when it More programs quickly fol- treatment for more than two years brings a smile to a child with at then the Medical College of lowed, with young adult pro- cancer. And he taught us it’s gramming and the siblings-only okay to show people we care, Virginia in Richmond. But the BRASS Camp, ultimately to because that’s why we’re here, to (continued on page 4) offer year-round events. Finan- care for each other.” cial assistance also was quietly Tom left an indelible legacy of added to Special Love’s mission INSIDE THIS ISSUE Special Love for everyone who through both the Emergency knew him – one that will last Welcome, Jan Bresch! 2 Relief Fund and the Kay-Moore for generations to come. Upcoming Fun-Raisers 3 Scholarship Fund. How How, Tom Baker! Fantastic Flashback 4 Tom and Sheila Baker, 2015 Lights of Love 5 Thank you, Tom Baker, for your extraordinary vision and caring (1938-2018) Camp Countdown 6 www.specialove.org Summer 2018 LoveLetter | Page 2 Jan Bresch Named Special Love’s Executive Director pecial Love welcomes Special Love Board of S Jan Bresch, who has Directors for the past six joined the organization in years and worked closely the newly created role of with Dave in his role as Executive Director, as Dave CEO. Smith decided to follow his "Working and advocating for passion for outreach and children and families has long programs. Jan is responsible been the core of who I am,” for leading all aspects of Jan said. “I'm Special Love’s excited to have mission to sup- “Working and the opportunity port children advocating for children Shop till you drop and to work with with cancer and Dave shared that "Jan's help Special Love at the and families has long Dave and the their families. familiarity with Special Love same time! Simply start been the core of Special Love and her extensive connections your online shopping Jan joins Special team to bring joy who I am.” within the pediatric cancer world by entering Love after spend- and comfort to will help Special Love expand our smile.amazon.com and ing the past 15 our families." community of support." years as the Executive Vice select Special Love as your For the past 30 years, Dave President and Chief Operat- Welcome, Jan! charity. We’ll receive a has been the driving force ing Officer of the Prevent portion of the purchase behind Special Love’s Reach out to Jan via email at Cancer Foundation. Prior to price of all eligible items. delivery of unique and [email protected] or her time at the Foundation, There’s absolutely essential programs in 888-930-2707. She’s eager to Jan was the Director of no cost to you! support of families dealing meet Special Love’s families and Development and Public with childhood cancer. In his many supporters. It’s easy! We smile when Relations for the Children’s new role of Senior Director, you “smile” with Amazon. Inn at the National Institutes Outreach and Programs, #startwithasmile of Health, and has served as Dave will lead the organiza- an advisor for other non- tion’s efforts to expand and profit organizations such as enhance outreach and pro- Stupid Cancer. She has also grams to better serve our served as a member of the families. A Salute to Buddies at Fantastic Friends Weekend n important — and her diagnosis. Her classmates friends do at camp: swim, play A sometimes neglected — were afraid to include her in kickball, eat huge amounts of part of a pediatric patient’s activities, and they pizza, relax, roast cancer recovery is maintain- eventually stopped “Besties” do what marshmallows over a ing joyful, calling and visiting. campfire, tell stories best friends do supportive “In some ways, she — and laugh, a lot. friendships. was abandoned,” at camp: swim, Thanks to the Danny Tom once said. When Tom and play kickball, eat and Julie Funkhouser Fantastic Friends Sheila Baker Fund for generously Weekend grew huge amounts looked back at sponsoring a portion of from that need to of pizza, relax — their late the weekend — and for hold on to this daughter’s and laugh, a lot. taking the time to join vital network of cancer journey, these special campers at support. they recalled SplashDown Water- her friends This July, the weekend once park on Saturday and around the were unsure again was bustling with campfire that night. how to react to “besties” doing what best www.specialove.org Summer 2018 LoveLetter | Page 3 A MOM’S LETTER “Dear Special Love, Calendar Alert: Putting the “Fun” in Fundraisers oin us at these fundraisers runner-focused with profession- Your love is never ending. We feel Southern MD route. and spread the word! al timing by Federal City Run- your love as you all have gathered J www.ibewlocal26.org ners. Run and/or sponsor! around us in our time of need. August 23-26 | 21st September 24 | Blacksburg C&O Towpath, Washington, Comcast Outdoor Film Battles Cancer Golf Tournament Here’s another example of the DC. www.specialove.org/ Festival for NIH Charities | | Great golf in beautiful southwest special love magic I want to share specialevents/fallinloverunwalk Four family films this year: Virginia, hosted by the Blacksburg with you ...As we were explain- Coco, Black Panther, The Country Club’s Women’s Golf ing to our daughter about feed- Lion King, Wonder Woman. Association. www.blacksburg- ing tubes, trying to be as gentle Strathmore, North Bethesda. battlescancer.org as we could, she jumped in with, www.filmfestnih.org ‘Oh, I know that. My friends at October 19 | PSI 21st camp have those. Their food goes September 22 | 7th Annual Charity Golf Tournament | through a tube. I've seen them in IBEW Local 26 Poker Run | Fantastic golf and all-u-can-eat noses and tummies.’ Ride by bike or car and crabs — with a PSI matching collect the winning hand. donation. How How! Argyle Being at Camp Fantastic is not Country Club, Silver only so fulfilling for her soul but December 13 | Celebration Spring, Maryland. the knowledge the campers gain is of Hope Charity Gala | Holiday www.plan-sys.com just amazing. And even though we event supporting the medical never ever wanted to be where we October 20 | 6th Fall staff and mobile infirmary at are today, things are less scary for in Love 10K Run & 5K Camp Fantastic. Winchester, our daughter as she knows other Run/Walk | Hosted by www.celebrationofhope.net kids who have them and saw them Special Love, the race is out having fun, too. Thank you so both family-friendly and very much for this.” can create things, beautiful Washington, DC, and “WHAT I CAN DO” things filled with joy and love Virginia, including Fairfax by Kristen Kellar-Graney, M.S., volunteer, I can lend an ear, a and color, things that bring County, Richmond, and tumor biologist and clinical shoulder, or a hand when they giggles on the best and the south to the Norfolk area. worst days. And we can create researcher – and Special Love need it. And I can bring snacks; The success of this program has pop-up camp guru I always have snacks.