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We Believe — Believe In Tomorrow provides exceptional hospital and respite housing services to critically ill children and their families. We believe in keeping families together during a child’s medical crisis, and that the gentle cadence of normal family life has a powerful influence on the healing process.
 Jason Buechel of Natural Stone Veneer International, Inc. adds the Believe In Tomorrow star as the finishing touch to the House at Pinnacle Falls |
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Something Amazing is Happening at Pinnacle Falls
A mountain home, set in a gated community 35 miles removed from Asheville, N.C., will soon bring something powerful to children and families across the country.
The week of May 18, The Believe In Tomorrow Pinnacle Falls respite home and the possibilities it symbolizes brought over a dozen craftspeople – some driving from over 10 hours away – together in a week of inspiring volunteer work.
Jason Buechel of Natural Stone Veneers International, Inc. came with a full crew to set thousands of fieldstones and lay the work into the exterior, interior and chimney of the house.
Jennifer Taylor, involved in the Pinnacle Falls project since its beginning, drew a symbolic yellow star shape matching the Believe In Tomorrow logo. As a finishing touch the star was then cut out of stone and set into the home’s chimney.
Master painter Carl Dakes and a group of volunteers came from Baltimore for a marathon interior painting session, laying primer and coats of paint in the course of just a few days.
These craftspeople and others helped Pinnacle Falls take a giant leap forward toward opening this summer.
Read the stories below and view pictures to learn more about this incredible volunteer effort. Full versions of the stories, in addition to video and pictures are available through the links below.
Chance meeting leads FdL brothers to an atypical volunteer project
The Reporter — June 1, 2009
Home for military families, ill children nearly done
Asheville Times-News — May 25, 2009
Volunteers help provide respite for military families
Henderson Citizen Times — May 21, 2009
A Volunteer Group Plants SEEDS at Believe In Tomorrow
It was with mixed emotions that the SEEDS crew headed to work this morning. We were all very sad to be leaving the beautiful Believe in Tomorrow facilities and the very special and caring people that work at them. We are also very sad to be leaving the fine city of Baltimore and to be leaving each other. We've grown as a team and have developed a great sense of rapport and camaraderie during our stay. That being said, we are also excited to be heading home - excited to see our families and friends, excited to spread the word about our good deed doing, and excited about the prospect of sleeping in our own beds. SEEDS Baltimore: the most electrifying, do-gooding, taco making, power-warshing, weeding and planting all day every day, door painting, carpet warshing, Natty Bo drinking, crab cake eatin', picture takin', nite-time blogging, wysteria training, shakin' bakin', ruff ridin, tv console building, furniture movin', coffee drinking, crackalackin, brownie baking, rootenest, tootenest, mutliple company volunteering group ever assembled in the history of everything. |
Every so often, a group arrives at a Believe In Tomorrow house exemplifying the spirit of volunteerism.
The “SEEDS” group, a partnership between: Roger Green and Associates, SEEK research, and Schlesinger and Associates, became that example, May 11 to 15, as they pitched in tireless, eight-hour work days (and sometimes more) at The Believe In Tomorrow House at John’s Hopkins and the Believe In Tomorrow House at St. Casimir.
Five individuals from Dallas to Philadelphia arrived in Baltimore to complete their unique services project. The group tackled resealing the deck at St. Casimir, repainting trim, power-washing, planting gardens and serving a family dinner at Johns Hopkins, among other things.
Throughout it all they kept a smile on their faces and a blog detailing their adventures in group volunteering.
Read the SEEDS final posting (sidebar) or visit the blog to catch a glimpse the mutual rewards of volunteerism… and THANK YOU again to the SEEDS crew.
Hospital Spotlight: The Guzman’s, Still Kicking
By Jasmine Touton
Before fall of 2008, Tyler Guzman, 12, trained with his soccer team five days a week. He did not miss a day of school in three years. His mother, Stacey Guzman, described him as in “perfect health.”
One day Tyler developed an intense fever after harboring an illness for two weeks. He grew pale. Walking short distances tired him out. Tyler’s pediatrician diagnosed him first with Mononucleosis, then with Lyme’s disease, since the Guzman’s live in Fallston, Md. where deer ticks are prevalent.
“In the midst of this I decided to go online and type in his symptoms,” says Stacey. “And yes, everything led to mono, but it also kept coming back to the word: ‘leukemia’.”
More Adventures: NASCAR race and Air Show
Full Speed Ahead
An invitation from NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Ryan Hackett may lead to a new partnership that would expand Believe In Tomorrow’s ability to create more days at the races and Hands on Adventures for children and families.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Ryan Hackett hosted some special guests at Dover International Speedway on Friday, May 29. Brothers Brian and Michael Mills and their Mom and Dad; Dennis Wimer and his Mom and Dad; and J.T. Scott and his Dad, received a behind-the-scenes tour of the speedway, VIP access to the infield and the NASCAR Camping World Truck garage and had lunch with Ryan and his racing crew in his team’s race hauler. Ryan and his team couldn’t have been more gracious or welcoming. The focus, stamina and energy Ryan and his crew need to stay on their game on the speedway, was even more evident, when the team explained that races are won and lost in the blink of an eye, literally – and that if an auto part is even a quarter of a millimeter off – it could mean the difference between first and last place or even a crash. Ryan also gave the kids the opportunity to make their mark on his truck – with paint and their handprints.
Thank you Ryan, Pat, Pam and team for creating such a unique opportunity for Believe In Tomorrow families. Believe In Tomorrow is hopeful this event will be the first of many to come and that the organization can soon add Team Hackett to our list of Hands On Adventures partners, which include the Professional Bull Riders Association (PBRA), the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and the Lightship Group, who provide blimp and other aerial experiences for Believe In Tomorrow children.
Up, Up, and Away
Believe In Tomorrow families on beach respite will also receive special treatment as VIP guests of the OC Air Show, June 13 and 14 on the O.C. Beach & Boardwalk. The 2nd Annual show returns to dazzle and soar to new heights using a lineup of military and civilian performers, including US Air Force Thunderbirds. Military pediatric families who stay with Believe In Tomorrow in the three Beach Respite properties will get to “ooh and ahh” at aerobatic performers and close formation flying teams. Imaginations will take off.
German Elementary School Supports Believe In Tomorrow
We always knew stories passed along from families who have stayed with our foundation traveled far, but we were never sure how far. A donation received from one very special group of 25 third graders showed us word has traveled internationally – at least as far as Bamberg, Germany. The American school children stationed on Bamberg military base were learning how to be good citizens in class when their teacher steered them toward a fund raising effort for the Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation. The result was a hard-earned donation of $250. Read the teacher’s note below in addition to one of the many student letters sent from Germany.
I decided last year that I wanted my military children to do a project that helped other children. I searched the net for an organization that helped other military children. Then in September I told them about you and we started raising money. They were very excited about it. I would certainly continue with your organization next year. Now we have something to shoot for and can try to top this year’s donation.
-Doris Moss
Respite Spotlight: The Schultz Family takes their very First Family Getaway
Victoria Schultz left the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House By the Sea with one regret: she wished she brought her daughter Simone Schultz and her two other children to the beach respite sooner.
Doctors at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Westchester, N.Y., diagnosed Simone with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in June 2006. Simone completed her treatment program in August 2008 and this May the family discovered a simple getaway they would have never planned on their own. The Believe In Tomorrow House By the Sea taught the Schultzes how to enjoy each other’s company again.
“The beach house allowed us a family getaway that we hadn’t had yet,” says Victoria. “The kids were too little to go on family vacation before we were diagnosed.”
Hospital Update: Grand Magazine
A recent story in the June issue of Grand Magazine features grandparents at the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House at Johns Hopkins and all of the amazing things they do. Stay-tuned June 3 for the new copy of the e-zine, which can be accessed using the link below. In the meantime, view the Believe In Tomorrow piece using the PDF link below.
A Swing, and No Miss
Longtime supporter and partner L&L Company hosted their annual charity golf tournament May 13, with all proceeds benefiting Believe In Tomorrow. Over 120 golfers showed up to test the Old South Country Club course in Anne Arundel County, Md. The balmy spring day culminated in awards, drawings, and a special presentation from L&L to Believe In Tomorrow: an $18,000 check.
Thank you to L&L – your efforts will go directly to benefit programs serving critically ill children and their families.
Hop for Hope Fundraiser
Children came out in full force for the annual Hop for Hope Fundraiser at Coca's Funhouse. The event was sponsored by Laura Deely, and with a $10 admission fee for unlimited play, raised over $1,100.
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Looking for an excuse to visit Ocean City in June? We’ve got one for you: a charity golf tournament at the Ocean City Golf & Yacht Club. The event invites individuals and foursomes from the area and beyond (many are already signed up from Baltimore) to participate in a seaside day of golf, with tee time at 12:30 p.m. All golfers have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction and raffle, with lunch provided by the golf course and Carrabba’s providing dinner. $125 per golfer / $514 per foursome. Call Wayne Littleton at 410-723-2842 for additional details.
Volunteer of the Month: Tammy Reymann, the Party Planner
When Tammy Reymann comes home to her kids after volunteering at a Believe In Tomorrow special event or putting in a couple hours at the main office, her kids joke with her: “You don’t work, you volunteer.”
After 16 years with the organization, Tammy knows volunteering for Believe In Tomorrow is hard but very rewarding work. The mother of three and former recreation therapist is an essential cog to the clockwork of Believe In Tomorrow events, mostly because she will conquer anything thrown at her. In the meantime she’s made some life-long friends at the organization, and rallied her own family and friends to support a cause she has a personal investment in.