Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation Picnic Fundraiser
The Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation held a picnic fundraiser at the Montecito Country Club on Sunday May 21 in the afternoon. Guests were asked to wear summer whites attire and bring the kids for an all ages fun day with picnic lunch. There were tables and picnic blankets on the lawn to choose from, and guests received a logo glass drinking bottle.
Activities were sack races, corn hole tournament, jewelry toss grab bags, sledding hills, hula hoops, lawn games, face painting, henna art, hair piece flower wreaths craft-making station and clip in extensions by the SBCC Cosmetology Academy, badminton, basketball, and bocce ball. Winners of the corn hole tournament won four MVP tickets for an Angels baseball game at Angel Stadium.
Millesime Cellars Private Label Wines served red and white wines donated by Brittany Jean Rice, founder and winemaker. Rosé wines were donated by La Lieff Winery. On acoustic guitar was Josh Jenkins. At the entrance were two antique Fiat 600 convertible cars in yellow and blue, and buckets of parasols for the sun that appeared mid-afternoon. There was the “Be a Match” booth where guests could register to be a bone marrow donor.
After lunch and the tournament finales, the program commenced with Senior Development Director Brittany Avila Wazny talking about the organization and the importance of the donations today; “We are connected to the families we serve for a long time on their journey with their child, and all the funding received goes directly into our programs. We fill the gaps in caring for children with cancer and their families.” She introduced Executive Director Dr. Corey Pahanish who talked about the services the TBF provides, and that the cost for families who have a child with cancer is estimated at $800,000, “We are not only critical, we are necessary. Many people who are served by our program come back to process the trauma by volunteering.”
Iliana Lozano talked about her experience with her son Ayden who was diagnosed with a rare leukemia at age two. She detailed his chemo, relapse, and the difficult times she had, both financially and emotionally. Ayden was not allowed to go to school or public parks due to treatment, so she made his life as normal a childhood as was possible. She thanked TBCF for creating activities for children, and zoom meetings that allowed connection with other parents in the TBCF program. Lozano: “The Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation even got me an IV pole to feed my son at home and Christmas decorations for his room when he was in the hospital, and even found a bone marrow transplant donor via its Be a Match Program. Thank you for your support of this organization that helped me.”
Donation opportunities at the event were a Wine Pull, Jewelry Pull, Opportunity Drawing, the live auction (which raised $4000), envelopes on the tables, and sports tournaments. Donations can be made online.
