Jammers made a difference through candy sales
When the Deerfield’s South Park Jammers were looking for a cause that would benefit from their annual charitable event, they decided on The Rory David Deutsch Foundation. In November, the young team members blitzed Deerfield’s Lake-Cook & Waukegan Road intersection selling custom-wrapped Hershey’s chocolate bars for $2 each. The kids, who mostly attended South Park elementary school in Deerfield, sold all 500 candy bars in three to four hours and brought in $1,000 for the Rory David Deutsch Foundation to benefit pediatric brain tumor research.
Tribute to Rory raised half a million
More than 1,650 people, including 835 children, “Soared to the Stars for Rory” at Adler Planetarium in April. This amazing event raised nearly $600,000 for pediatric brain tumor research and was considered the most successful first-time charitable event ever held in Chicago. Thanks to the tireless work of resourceful volunteers, this tribute to Rory featured extravagant raffle prizes that included a 1999 Lexus RX 300 and getaway weekends in New York. In serving as an Honorary Chair of the event, President Bill Clinton offered a videotaped message, in which he described Rory as a courageous and inspiring young man, that touched all of those assembled. The Silent Auction portion of the evening, which raised $47,820, was highlighted by the auctioning off of a tour of the White House with President Clinton.
Lemonade sales offered early support
Touched by Rory’s story, the owners of Fitigues launched a Lemonade selling campaign at its thirty stores across the country. Hundreds of children volunteered to sell glasses of lemonade for $1 every weekend in front of the stores. With a Memorial Day kickoff, more than 28,000 glasses were sold and proceeds were donated to The Rory David Deutsch Foundation for pediatric brain tumor research. Brooke Shields made a donation at the Santa Monica, California, store and a customer at another store made a $1,500 donation after saying he had lost a family member to a brain tumor.
Kids helped foundation take first steps
In 1998 and 1999, the Indian Trail Parent/Teacher Organization organized a Kids Who Care walk in June that raised about $5,000 for The Rory David Deutsch Foundation. As a tribute to Rory’s love of the solar system, the walk involved eight activity stations named for the planets. More than 150 kids sought sponsors for their participation in the inspiring event.
Rory Award made its mark
The first two recipients of the Rory Award for good citizenship were honored on June 18th at Indian Trail Elementary School in Highland Park. A tribute to Rory that recognizes students whose writing or artwork best reflects the caring and generosity he exhibited in life, the award went to kindergartner Diana Schalk and third-grader Jake Schneider. Both of these students are now in college and the Rory Award continues to inspire students at the school each year.
Charita-Ball brought causes together with remarkable success
Raising $650,000 for cancer research and drawing more than 2,000 people to the Navy Pier Ballroom on September 18th, this partnership event featured casino games, delicious food, and incredible raffle prizes. One-third of Charita-Ball’s proceeds supported The Rory David Deutsch Brain Tumor Research Program at Children’s Memorial Hospital, while another part of the funds went to assist general research in pediatric cancer.
Hoops helped bring hope
For three days beginning October 15, nearly seventy fourth graders competed in the 1st Annual Rory Deutsch Basketball Tournament and raised more than $850 for pediatric brain tumor research. Highland Park resident Rick Siegel, CEO of the Denver-based Apollo Group computer consulting firm, put together the fall tournament with the help of Vern Reich, who heads up the Small Fry basketball program in Highwood, Illinois. Named in Rory’s memory, the tournament sought fourth grade students from all around the Chicago area to participate. Some special features of the event included a three-point shooting contest for fathers and sons, and the professional announcing skills of sports radio personality Mike North. The tournament is another event that continues to support The Foundation.
Olga’s Day Spa stepped up for Rory
While Olga Nisenboim had never met Rory or his parents, she decided there was something she could do to help battle the disease. The owner of Olga’s Day Spa in Highland Park held a one-day fund-raiser at her spa that brought in $4,100 for pediatric brain tumor research. For five hours on October 17, Olga donated 100 percent of the salon’s revenues to The Foundation. In addition to raising $2,000 from all the spa’s beauty services, Olga held a day-long silent auction that brought in another $2,000. This was just the first of many such events Olga has hosted as a way to support further cancer research.
Beanie Babies set a trend of giving
When the Beanie Babies were all the rage, a unique shop dedicated to quality gifts and accessories turned the frenzy into a fundraiser for pediatric cancer research. The Karyn Collection in Highland Park set aside $2 from each sale of a Beanie Baby, a Buddy, a Pillow Pal or Attic Treasure, which resulted in a $12,000 donation to The Foundation’s funding of research efforts. In the years since, The Karyn Collection has continued to generate unique fund raising events for the cause.
The Children’s Ball boosted research and resolve
With an “Oz” theme that honored the 100th anniversary of the classic “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” book written in Chicago by L. Frank Baum, the 41st annual Children’s Ball was held on December 11 and raised $1.6 million mainly for brain tumor research at Children’s Memorial Medical Center. The Rory David Deutsch Brain Tumor Research Program at Children’s benefited from the event as proceeds included funding to purchase the cutting-edge Photon Radiosurgery System (known as “the wand") as well as proceeds to help the medical center’s overall brain tumor research programs through the Children’s Memorial Institute for Education and Research. Frank Baum’s great-grandson as well as many other celebrities, politicians and actors, attended the magical black-tie event at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers.