QUAD TOWN        Vol. 45        No. 43    November 16, 2010

Advisor

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Academy of Kempo’s

"Help a Child Initiative" Helps to Brighten

the Lives of Children and their Families

Hamden: During the months of September and October the Academy of Kempo’s “Help a Child Initiative” did its major push for the year. The “Help a Child Initiative” is a program started in October of 2009 by Frank Ciarleglio, the Instructor at the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts in Hamden, to help children with life threatening diseases. Our goal this year was to raise arts and craft materials, toys, games, revenues and anything else that the Tommy Fund for Childhood Cancer and the Child Life Specialist-Pediatric Specialty Clinic at the Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital need to help the children who are going through cancer treatments and their families.

This fundraiser has been an ongoing project for the Academy. “We have been very fortunate to have the support of our students, family members and friends at the Academy with this ongoing project,” said Ciarleglio. “But during the months of September and October we ask for the help of the general public with this fundraiser for the Tommy Fund for Childhood Cancer,” said Ciarleglio. The Tommy Fund for Childhood Cancer is an organization that acts as a helping hand to the pediatric oncology section of the department of pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine, the Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital and the Yale Cancer Center, working alongside the dedicated professionals in the field. Through their collaborative efforts, they are able to diagnose and provide treatment to children with blood disorders and malignancies, conduct research and teaching in the field of childhood cancer, and support entire families throughout a child’s treatment.

This fundraiser helps provide the children who are going through treatments a little bit of serenity. The children who are undergoing treatment either are admitted into the hospital, or are going to the Children’s Cancer Clinic. Their treatment time at the clinic can range anywhere from an hour to eight hours. The materials that are collected keep the children busy and or distracted from the reality of what is going on at times. It also helps the children to create something special and have fun while going through a very difficult time in their life.

Kind people and organizations throughout the state and beyond who donate used to be the sole providers of the crafts that the children make. “The “Help a Child Initiative” initially started as a fundraiser to collect arts and crafts materials for children as young as infant to 21 years of age. This is still one of our major goals with the program,” said Ciarleglio.  “But because of the great response that we have had with this year’s fundraiser the program has grown into much more. The program also collect revenues so that the Tommy Fund would have a budget built in to purchase what they need for the Child Life Specialist to work with the children who are undergoing cancer treatments. The revenues will also assist the Tommy Fund in continuing their research to find a cure for cancer and assist families that have children who are in a treatment program,” Ciarleglio continued.

The success of this year’s fundraiser is due to the collaborated efforts of many people. Thanks to the amazing teamwork, the Academy of Kempo’s “Help a Child Initiative” donated over $3,100 dollars, 46 cases of paper, 31 Halloween costumes and 422 Halloween accessories. We collected 5 lunch boxes, 5 school pack backs, 66 toys and games, 63 reading books, 1281 art supplies and craft kits, 122 miscellaneous items, and supplies are continuing to come in the door on a weekly basis.

The Academy would like to thank its supporters for making a difference in the lives of the children the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts students, parents and friends for the continuous supply of craft kits throughout the year, Solakian, Caiafa and Company in Hamden and Allegra Printing in New Haven for the printed materials. To SS Worldwide in Colchester and Home Depot in Hamden for craft kits, Lanphier Day Spa in North Haven and their staff for the successful ‘Evening At The Spa’ event and for being a drop off center for craft materials. Herlin Press in West Haven and Mike Zurolo for the paper products, Middletown Nissan and staff for their ‘Fill a Truck Event’ and CVS Pharmacy of Middletown for their continuous donations of items. Thank you to Healthtrax in North Haven and their Youth Activity Center for the babysitting services and for being a drop off center for craft materials. To Eli’s on Whitney, Whitney Donuts, DiSorbo’s Bakery, Hindingers Farm, Mount Carmel Wine and Liquor, and Maria Santos for their Food and beverages donated. The Lanphier Day Spa, Mark Puglise Jewelers, Chico’s, White House Black Market, J.P. Dempsey’s, Flirt Boutique, Eli’s Brick Oven Pizza, Marjolaine Fine Pastries, DiMatteo’s Pizza, Taste Restaurant and Lounge, and J. Roo’s for the donated raffle prizes. We would also like to thank our media sponsors, the Quad Town Advisor, the New Haven Register, Town Times, Post-Chronicle and the Hamden Journal. Thank you to all who have dropped off items, given out literature about the “Help a Child Initiative” or their events, to all of the businesses who helped us promote this program and to all of the people who worked behind the scenes to make this fundraiser a success. A full list of sponsors is available at www.academyofkempo.com.

The Academy of Kempo has a list of items that they are continuing to collect as well as a wish list from the Child Life Specialist-Pediatric Specialty Clinic on its web site, www.academyofkempo.com. If you wish to get involved, it is not too late. All products can be dropped off at the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts, located at 1890 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden Connecticut 06514. For more information on how to get involved, you can contact the Academy at (203) 288-9990, or visit them on the web at www.academyofkempo.com.

The Tommy Fund is always hoping that people will continue to help support the programs they have and you can do so by making a monetary contribution in check form made out to The Tommy Fund or on their web site at www.tommyfund.org. To have your donation go strictly to the “Help a Child Initiative” please note that on your check or on the web site.

THE ADVISOR        NOVEMBER 16, 2010        PAGE 10

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