Chance Encounters

A bi-weekly newsletter publication of Children's Chance 

April 22, 2009

Helping families face pediatric cancer

www.childrenschance.org

 

Donate                      About Children's Chance                          Events                         Programs

 

Children's Chance is...

Going Green!

Welcome to our New On-Line Newsletter!

Chance Encounters will be sent out via email every two weeks and is also available on our website.

In this Edition:

(just click below to view each topic)

Family Spotlight

Donate - in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week

USC'S Giving Back Groups

Board Highlight - Meet a Member

Staff Highlight - Meet a Staff Member

Calendar of Events

For our Families - We need help from the families we serve

Where's Zig the Pig?

CC Connect!

CC Corner - Jewelry for a Cause

 

A Little Goes A Long Way!
Kids with Cancer Need your Help Today!

 


Help Kids like Kendall!

 

Don't Forget Teacher Appreciation Week

Donate in honor of your favorite teacher to help kids with cancer

May 3-9, 2009

 

With Teacher Appreciation Week approaching fast, don't forget about honoring your favorite teacher with a donation to Children's Chance to help kids with cancer in South Carolina. Donate today in honor of your teacher and Children's Chance will provide you with an honorarium postcard letting them know of your gift, or we can mail it directly to your teacher.

Give your child's teacher a gift they will never forget!
 Click Here

Visit www.childrenschance.org to give on-line, call 803-254-5996, or mail a donation to:
 Children’s Chance ~ 609 Sims Avenue ~ Columbia, SC  29205

Thank you
USC Giving Back Groups

This semester Children's Chance worked with 6 USC groups for their Giving Back Project and they all did a fantastic job of raising thousands of dollars to help kids with cancer through fundraisers such as a Student Athlete Auction, Village Idiot Night, Mellow Mushroom Night, Wild Wings Buckets and Birdies event, Sharky's Charity Pool Tournament, collecting School Supplies for our School Supply Bashes, etc. A BIG THANK YOU goes out to all the USC Group's and the partners that worked with them including Village Idiot, Mellow Mushroom, Wild Wing's, Sharky's, etc!

About the Program:
Children's Chance is fortunate to work with The University of South Carolina through their Giving Back Program which is done through their Professional Development Class. Group's of students are assigned a "Giving Back Project" where they pick a charity to raise funds for. Many times groups also volunteer with the organization as well. Children's Chance usually has 2-6 groups per semester and the Public Relations Director works closely with these groups to give them Children's Chance materials, fundraising ideas, etc.

Board Highlight!

Meet a Board Member

Rick Bell

Rick Bell was born in rural South Carolina in Loris.  He is a graduate of Southern Wesleyan University with a degree in Business Administration.  Currently Rick is employed by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina as an Infrastructure Solutions Design Expert where he has served a total of five years.  He is also a veteran of the US Armed Forces (Army).

 

Rick has two daughters.  His oldest daughter, Kaitlyn resides with her mother in Conway, SC.  Rick’s youngest daughter is Madelyn.  Rick and his wife Sheila and their daughter Madelyn reside in Elgin, SC.  Madelyn was diagnosed in December 2006 at three months of age with Neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer found primarily in children.  Rick and his family know from experience the devastating effects of receiving the dreadful news that your life and that of your children is forever changed.  Determined not to give up, their family came together to ensure that Madelyn received the best treatment possible in order to fight this disease.  Along the way, Rick crossed paths with the Children’s Chance organization and vowed that upon clearing the obstacles that Madelyn’s cancer diagnosis presented, he would devote his time and efforts to helping other families like his own to deal with the effects of cancer.

 

Today Madelyn is a happy, healthy child that brings great joy to everyone she meets.  She is a hope to all families facing the difficult days ahead. Rick’s hope is that through his efforts with Children’s Chance and continuing to share Madelyn’s story with others he can make a difference to those who need it most.

 

To learn more about Rick and read Madelyn's story, click here.

 

Madelyn, in remission from neuroblastoma

 

Thank you to all of the Children's Chance Board of Directors

for your continued support of families facing pediatric cancer!

 

Staff Highlight!

Meet our Zig the Pig School Coordinator

 

Angela Singleton

 

Angela Singleton is the Zig School Coordinator for the Spartanburg area. Angela  is a wife, mother of two daughters, and children's advocate who resides in Woodruff, SC.  She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Anderson College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business.   
 

About Angela
 Over the past twelve years, Angela has researched self-esteem and its effect on childhood development while sharing her personal story, "The Power of Self-esteem," at community events and over two hundred sixty school assemblies.  She serves as an Honorary Advisory Board Member for the National Association for Self-Esteem and created Project ESTEEM: Encouraging Success Through Education & Empowerment Materials which was distributed by the South Carolina State Department of Education to foster positive self-esteem, literacy, and parent-to-child interaction in over three hundred schools.

Angela has worked with pediatric cancer families since 2004 through The Children's Security Blanket Project, Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, Make-A-Child Smile, Make-A-Wish, Hannah's Hope Ministries, and more.  She volunteers as the SC Chapter Director for Queen for a Day/Heroes whose mission is to raise the self-esteem of pediatric cancer patients.  Angela works with Child Life specialist in Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston to plan special events for oncology families including parties, conferences, and visits with queens and rescue personnel.  In addition, she organized the first Pediatric Hematology Oncology Symposium through which support materials from twenty-five national and local organizations were distributed to cancer families and hospitals across South Carolina.

Angela explains, "I am so excited to support pediatric cancer families and the mission of Children's Chance through Zig the Pig in Spartanburg County. There are numerous reasons for students and schools to join Zig's service learning program. Not only will they be provided with unique team building and character development opportunities, but their involvement will directly impact the quality of life for young people battling cancer in the Palmetto State. What a tremendous difference they can make"!

To contact Angela, please email to: ziginspartanburg@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

Calendar of Events

 

Mark your Calendars!

 

 

Bi-Lo Charity Golf Tournament
Monday, May 4, 2009
10:00am Shot Gun Start
Columbia Country Club
Blythewood, SC

 Proceeds benefit: Children’s Chance and Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands
Contact Greg Cupstid for additional information at 803-359-7775

 

 

Annual Bi-Lo Charity Scan Card Classic

May 6th - June 9th, 2009

 

Visit one of the following Bi-Lo locations and donate $1.00 at the Register! All proceeds benefit Children's Chance to help kids with cancer in South Carolina and their families. Look for our mascot, Zig the Pig, making special appearances at Bi-Lo during this event.

 

Lexington Bi-Lo - Columbia Avenue

West Columbia Bi-Lo - Knox Abbott Drive

Garner's Ferry Bi-Lo - Garner's Ferry Road

Village at Sandhills Bi-Lo - Forum Drive

Decker Bi-Lo - Decker Blvd

 

12th Annual Billy Mill Charity Golf Classic

Monday, May 18th, 2009

 

Mark your calendars for one of Children's Chance biggest and best events, the 12th Annual Billy Mill Charity Golf Classic. The tournament hosts golfers from around the country and features 18 holes of golf in a Captain's Choice format, great food, raffle prizes and goodie bags, and a silent and live auction all to benefit Children's Chance and help kids with cancer in South Carolina!

 

Thank you to the wonderful Mill Family & PASCO who put this tournament on each year in memory of Billy Mill, a loved husband and father, who lost his fight with cancer over 12 years ago.

 

Download the Tournament Brochure!

or

Register On-Line

For more information contact: Samantha Higgins at 803-254-5996

For our Families

We need help from our families we serve

 

1. Kids with Cancer & their Siblings to help hand-out Goodie Bags at our Golf Tournament!

 

Details: We would like children with cancer & their siblings to hand out goodie bags at the 12th Annual Billy Mill Charity Golf Classic benefitting Children's Chance. The tournament is on Monday, May 18th at The Country Club of Lexington located at 1066 Barr Road in Lexington, SC. We would love to have children whose families have been served by Children's Chance help us hand out our goodie bags to our golfers to remind them of why it is so important to support our organization. Times would be approximately 8:30 am - 10:00 am. Families may get more information or sign up by calling Samantha at 803-254-5996 or by e-mail - click here.

 

2. Child with Cancer to Tee-Off and help Kick Off our Golf Tournament!

Details: We are looking for one child with cancer to help us kick off our 12th Annual Billy Mill Charity Golf Classic by doing a special tee-off for us at the event. The child would hit the first ball on the practice green at approximately 9:55 am to help us kick-off the tournament and remind our golfers why it is so important to support our organization. We are looking for only one child to do this so it will be on a first-come first serve basis. If you are interested, please contact Samantha at 803-254-5996 or by clicking here to email.

 

  CC Corner

Special Feature

 

 

Jewelry for a Cause

 

Children's Chance has teamed up with local Premiere Jewelry Independent Distributor, Chase Cothran to help kids with cancer in South Carolina! Order some great Jewelry from Premier through Chase and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Children's Chance and free gift wrapping is available!

.

 

Order through Chase so that Children's Chance receives a portion of the proceeds!

Email Here to Request a Catalog, order Jewelry, or call 803-665-7794.

 

About Premiere:

Premier Designs offers a wide array of beautiful, affordably-priced jewelry to suit a variety of fashion styles — from classic elegance to contemporary, vintage romantic to naturally simple. Our catalog includes more than 700 pieces of jewelry, with an average item retailing for about $30. And not only is Premier Designs jewelry beautiful and affordable, it's created according to standards of quality to ensure it "keeps its good looks" through many seasons of wear.

 

Order your Jewelry Today & Help Kids with Cancer!

Kids Kickin' Cancer!

Family Spotlight

 

Click here to read more about Children's Chance families!

 

Ahnari

 

 

 

 

 

Jenna

 

 

 

 

 


Annastin 

 

 

 

Marquel
at the Faces of Hope Program

 

Where's

Zig the Pig?

 

Ziggybanks in the Community....

Feed a ziggybank at one of these locations or to find out how your business can be a home to Zig, click here!

 

The Gourmet Shop - 5 Pts

 

The Art Shack

 

CiCi's Pizza  
Pelham Drive

 

CiCi's Pizza

St. Andrews Rd.

 

Strobler's on Devine St.

 

Salon M at Richland Fashion Mall


Austral Salon

Forest Drive

 

Barron's on Harden St.

 

Doc's on Shop Rd.

 

HalfMoon Outfitters

Devine St.

 

Rosewood Market

 

Murray's Bar & Grille

Charleston Hwy.

 

Dias Merle Norman

Forest Drive

 

Russell & Jeffcoat

Trenholm Road

 

Jersey Mike's Subs

Broad River Rd.

 

Burlap Fine Papers

Rosewood Dr.

 

Palmetto Thrift Store

St. Andrews Rd.

 

Zig's off to School...

To find out how

your school can

adopt Zig, click here!

 

April 13 - May 8th

Pineview Elementary

 

Zig's Around Town...

Come see Zig at:

 

SmartFinish

Monday, April 27

Edventure Children's Museum

5:30-7:30 pm

This event is open to Richland School District One Students. Zig will make a special appearance to give out Zig the Pig tattoos and meet some great kids!

 

If you are interested in having
Zig at your community event, email Zig!

 

To find out more about Zig the Pig, visit www.zigthepig.org

CC Connect

Keep up with
Children's Chance online:


Add us as your Friend!

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Kids Kickin Cancer!

Join our Cause!


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To submit a story idea, or content for the newsletter, please email us

Children's Chance ~ 609 Sims Avenue, 2nd Floor ~ Columbia, SC 29205
Phone: (803) 254-5996, Fax: (803) 254-5997
www.childrenschance.org   or   www.zigthepig.org
childrenschance@bellsouth.net
 
                         VALPAK

To be removed from the newsletter list, please email "remove" in the body of the message to: samanthahiggins@bellsouth.net