Monday, February 16, 2015

More Good Works From Oscar McBride

Former Notre Dame tight end Oscar McBride has been very busy lately trying to create positive change in the lives of children. His Fit4Life Youth Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded with the goal enhancing the physical, cognitive and social development of youth through sport, with an emphasis on combating childhood obesity. Fit4Life also aggressively stresses the importance of physical wellness, emotional well-being, character evolution and life skills development through sport, cultural and positive-life experiences. Fit4Life achieves its goal by offering various programs and activities to keep our children active, engaged, and living healthy lifestyles.

Want to help out Oscar's foundation AND have a chance to rub elbows with some former Notre Dame football greats? Oscar's foundation has an upcoming event that will allow you to do just that!

The inaugural Fit4Life Youth Foundation "Irish Gridiron Legends" Charitable Event has been set for Friday, February 20th in New York City at Jack Doyle's from 6-8pm.

Jack Doyle's, 240 W. 35th Street, New York, NY 10001

Your ticket to the event includes:

Complimentary Buffet and Drink Tickets
Rub elbows with former players including:
Former Irish Gridiron Legends: Oscar McBride, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Bobby Brown, Irv Smith and Oliver Gibson
Former NY Rangers Players: Stefan Matteau
Former NY Jets Players: Wesley Walker
Former NY Giants Players: Carl Banks
Signed Raffle Items
Grand Prize Drawing ---> Trip for Two (2) to Puerto Rico (Round Trip Airfare Included)

Tickets Available at the door as low as $50!

Don't miss this incredible event!

Can't make it to the event? You can buy your raffle tickets online for a chance to win the trip for two to Puerto Rico!

Simply donate $20 (max. 10 entries) for your chance to win an island paradise vacation!

*Trip includes:

Two Round Trip Tickets on Delta or American Airlines from JFK International Airport

Three Days at the beautiful Gran Melia Golf Resort & Spa

Travel Vouchers do not expire until 2016

*Travelers are responsible for all incidentals

The Resort:

Gran Meliá Golf Resort is a highly sophisticated architectural gem nestled on Puerto Rico's north-eastern coast in Coco Beach, Río Grande. Against the backdrop of El Yunque rainforest, the villas and pavilions of Gran Meliá rise from an oceanfront landscape of gardens, pathways and pools. Gran Meliá brings the privacy and exclusivity you deserve, and allows you the opportunity to escape from the rest of the world. From the moment you step inside this tropical oasis, you will be enveloped by the beauty and grandeur of its architecture and stunning views, and realize that this is the place to live the true resort experience in Puerto Rico.

Golf:

Trump International Golf Club boasts Puerto Rico’s first course of legendary proportions, designed by PGA Tour Professional Tom Kite. Comprised of two 18-hole championship courses, the Championship and the International, the meticulously crafted fairways feature stellar scenery. Each course winds through lush tree groves and over waterways and lakes, amid tropical blooms and past scenic bluffs, delivering an unparalleled golfing experience to players of all levels. For non-golfers, you can lounge poolside or indulge in the renowned YHI Spa.

Dining Experiences:

A selection of extraordinary first-class restaurants and bars will brighten your palate. With alternating operating schedules, you will encounter from an Asian Bistro and Italian to the best in international and Puerto Rican cuisine, featuring magnificent creations from our chefs. From elegant, gourmet dining to casual light snacks and exotic tropical drinks, there’s something to satisfy every appetite and bring you a refreshing taste of the best of the Caribbean.

Purchase your raffle tickets here!


Cheers!!



Tuesday, February 3, 2015

And the Good Works Keep Coming

As a parent, the number one thing you want for your child is good health. But when faced with a child who fights daily against an incurable, life threatening disease, you find strength that you never thought you had. This is the story of former Notre Dame wide receiver Jack Snow's daughter, Stephanie Snow Gebel.

Jack Thomas Snow (January 25, 1943 – January 9, 2006) played wide receiver at the University of Notre Dame from 1962 through 1964 and with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL from 1965 to 1975. During his senior year at Notre Dame, Snow was a consensus All-American and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1964 behind the winner, fellow teammate Notre Dame quarterback John Huarte. 1964 was coach Ara Parseghian's first season with Notre Dame, and Parseghian made several key position switches in 1964, including moving Snow from flanker to wide receiver. Snow lost 15 pounds to compete more effectively as a receiver. Notre Dame's passing offense in Parseghian's first season helped produce 27 team and individual records, including five set by Snow: receptions (60), receiving yards (1,114) and touchdown catches (9) in a season; receiving yards in a game (217, vs. Wisconsin); and career receiving yards (1,242). He scored 19 more receptions in one season than any previous Notre Dame player. Snow also averaged nearly 37 yards per kick as the 1964 team's punter.

Jack Snow's beautiful granddaughter Raquel
The Jack and J.T. Snow Scientific Research Foundation (The Snow Foundation) was founded by J.T. Snow, former Six time MLB gold glove recipient and his sister, Stephanie Snow Gebel, the daughter of the late Jack Snow. Jack's granddaughter, Raquel Gebel was diagnosed in 2010 at the age of four years old with a rare form of diabetes, called Wolfram syndrome. J.T. and Stephanie decided to raise awareness and funding to find a drug therapy for this devastating form of diabetes.

Wolfram syndrome presents as Type 1 Diabetes and ultimately progresses to vision loss, hearing loss and cognitive decline. Tragically, 60% of patients affected by Wolfram syndrome die by their 30th birthday. The mission of The Snow Foundation is to make a difference in the future of medicine and of society by promoting and conducting cutting-edge clinical and basic science research on Wolfram syndrome and diabetes.

The Snow Foundation plays a central role in supporting research being conducted at Washington University School of Medicine located in St. Louis Missouri and supporting international collaborative research efforts. What is clear from this research is the strong link between Wolfram syndrome and diabetes, and it is their firm belief, and that of the renowned researchers with whom they are partnering with, that a cure for Wolfram syndrome will lead to treatments, if not a cure, for patients with diabetes. This would revolutionize healthcare, as we know it today.

This amazing foundation is primarily run by two women, Stephanie Snow Gebel and Anne Cordial Harkin, both mothers of four children who have made it their life's work to find a cure for this heartbreaking disease. I am constantly amazed at the work these two women have done in the face of such great diversity. Their work is near and dear to my heart not only as a mother, but also because my father and Stephanie's father were friends throughout college and their lives.

In order to reach their goal of getting a drug to these children, clinical trials must take place this year and they are in great need of financial support. It is my hope that the Notre Dame family and community will help The Snow Foundation reach their goal of raising One million dollars. Jack's granddaughter, Raquel should not have to lose her vision, hearing and brain development because of a lack of funding. Lets try to help her and the other children who are suffering from this insidious disease live a normal life they so deserve.

To learn more about The Snow Foundation, below is a video narrated by Notre Dame alum, Regis Philbin. you can also visit their website at www.thesnowfoundation.org. If you should have any questions please email me at LisaKelly@TheMenWeBecame.com and I can get you in touch with Stephanie or Anne.



Cheers!!