Sharing this from the RickSpringfieldForever Yahoo group http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/RickSpringfieldForever/
Everyone, we are so very pleased to announce that for Rick's birthday this year, he has chosen his fans to give him one of the best gifts of all--a donation to Hoops for Life/Dr. Michael Edwards' Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Program at Lucile Packard Children's Foundation at Stanford University. In fact, his direct words were when asked:
"Hoops for life? U know all the money goes to the right place.
XOXO
RS"
Many of you may recall that this is the place that gave Sahara Aldridge such wonderful care when she was fighting her hard cancer fight. They give the same amazing care and compassion right this very minute to countless other children going through this horrific disease. The monies raised go DIRECTLY to the organization with absolutely NO middlemen. They are truly on the cutting edge of a cure for children's brain tumors, and that is the best gift for a precious sick child and their parents that anyone could ever begin to wish for.
We have been working directly with the hospital, and they set up a page specifically for our campaign where you can donate directly. The donations are tax deductible, and the page also tallies the donations as we go along. We have set a hefty fundraising goal of $6,363 for Rick's 63rd birthday in a span of five weeks time, and we hope we can do it and add to the efforts of this past weekend in a great way. If we are close or feel we can do it with a little more time, we may extend it past the end of August. We will see how it goes.
Like in campaigns past, we are going to have random prize drawings at the end of the campaign. That process of organizing the prizes and such is just beginning, and we will update you as that goes along and we get it organized.
All of the information can be found on this website we set up for this year:
http://rsbirthday2012.homestead.com/index.html
Go to the How to Donate page, and you can see how you can donate directly, or also via check, which we will mail all together at the end of the campaign. Follow the directions on that page to forward your donation receipt you receive via email to me to be entered into the drawings at the end of the campaign. It's that simple, and it makes a world of difference.
Since today would have been Sahara's 18th birthday, this is a most approbo day to begin this campaign, we feel, and we hope to add to the efforts of the 5K walk and benefit concert of this past weekend. I know my heart was touched so very much by Sahara, her parents, and everyone who continues to come together to eradicate this evil monster so no child or their parents have to go through this if it all possible.
Thank you everyone for being there year after year, and for caring as much as you do for Rick, and for his fans and our related campaigns. All of the efforts by all of the fan the past 12 years I have been a part of this community are really wonderful when I think back on them, and have done a world of good for so many wonderful and deserving organizations and/or people.
Ally (posting on behalf of our amazing campaign committee...)
