Month: May 2018

Arron Brown knows how to motivate a 4th grader: food. “Kids love working for food,” he says.

Arron is a fourth-grade teacher at Pembroke Intermediate School in Pembroke, New York. And there must be something in the water there, because people really go the extra mile to support Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

It started in 2011 with Shooting for a Cure, an annual Pembroke High School Lady Dragons basketball game dedicated to raising funds for Roswell Park. Arron was moved by their intense work and the community’s involvement that he was inspired to do something on his own. So when Shooting started its own Ride For Roswell team four years ago, he joined.

He also brought it into his classroom. Arron sets up regular fundraising challenges for his fourth-graders. When they reach $100, they get a popcorn and kickball party, or at $250, pizza and wings. Other days, everyone who brings in a donation gets an ice cream sandwich or gets to sit in his chair for a day. Anything to thank the kids for going out of their way to help people in need.

He knows money is tight for many families in his school district, so when a kid can contribute $4, it’s a big deal. He helps them see how important that is and how it builds community. So they not only get the fun of the rewards — they see their impact.

“They see The Ride For Roswell commercials and say, ‘I helped with that, I did that.’ Being an integral part of their community, being a positive role model in their community, on some of the kids, it has a really big impact.”

Teaching The Importance of Giving Back

How does he explain Roswell Park to 9- and 10-year-olds? Unfortunately, most of them already know about it because family or friends have had cancer. But because of Shooting for a Cure, they also see it as the place where you get better. “They know we’re helping people who are fighting the fight right now,” Arron says.

So how does he explain The Ride? First, they see their teacher “running around like a crazy person for weeks ahead of time.” But then he explains all the things the rest of us love about The Ride.

“I explain The Ride to them as the community coming together, riding their bikes, going out seeing beautiful parts of Western New York, hanging out with friends and really just getting out there and spending time as a community for this great cause.”

What are his fundraising tips? Arron goes back to that most basic of motivators: food. He pays for it out of his own pocket, but it’s worth it because the kids feel invested in their community. Plus, they love helping others. But he also says to make it fun and out of the ordinary. “Don’t be afraid to get dirty or embarrass yourself a little bit.”

Cross your fingers for those kids, because they’re really close to their next milestone. “Right now, they are $2 away from an ice cream sundae. The deal is if they reach $250, they get to design their own ice cream sundae. And then they are $52 away from a pizza and a wing contest. So we go outside, we have a picnic with pizza and wings out back. And they get to sit there in the sun while their friends are running around the playground.

“Life’s okay when you’re in fourth grade eating pizza and wings.”

For Renee Boltri, cancer has long been a part of her life. A native to Western New York, she has had many friends and relatives diagnosed with cancer throughout her life. Her first real connection to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center was in the 1990s while working as a campus minister at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. A university student was diagnosed with cancer and was receiving a bone marrow transplant at Roswell Park, so, when she could, Renee would visit with the student.

In 2006, Renee moved back to Buffalo. Then her very close friend Amy lost her mother to cancer that same year. While driving with her son Stephen, who also happens to be Amy’s godson, Renee saw an ad for The Ride For Roswell. She turned to Stephen and asked, “Do you want to do this for Aunt Amy’s mom?”

Stephen said yes, and they signed up for the 2007 Ride For Roswell.

For Renee, participating in The Ride became a tradition. She has continued to ride every year since, and either Stephen or her daughter, Teresa, accompanies her.

According to Renee, The Ride is one of the most profound things she does all year. While she doesn’t have any family members currently struggling with cancer – something she is incredibly grateful for – she has such a strong connection to the cause that she keeps riding.

Anyone Can Do It

When asked what her favorite part about The Ride is, Renee responds that there is nothing about The Ride that she dislikes. One of the biggest misconceptions she hears about The Ride is that it’s a race, which can intimidate people. But it’s not a race, and she’s seen all types of physical abilities when riding. She knows firsthand that everyone is capable. And she even has a story to prove it!

One year, Renee and Teresa, who was 11 years old at the time, were riding the 30-mile route. Teresa was riding for her Uncle Joe, who had cancer. But it was an incredibly hot summer day, which made The Ride harder than other years.

Renee didn’t realize Teresa was struggling until they pulled up at a rest stop as some of the last riders. One of the nurses immediately stepped in, offered Teresa a cold compress, sat with her and made sure she was hydrated. After that, Renee kept telling Teresa that they could stop anytime and that they didn’t have to finish. Teresa’s response?

“No, I am finishing for Uncle Joe.”

And they did. Once they crossed the finish line, Teresa called her grandmother, who was with Uncle Joe at the time. Uncle Joe was so thrilled and proud that Teresa finished. He passed away five days later.

Renee wants to encourage anyone who is thinking of doing The Ride to do it because whatever you choose to do and whatever you are capable of doing helps in multiple ways, whether that’s physically riding, volunteering or being a virtual rider.

“We literally brought up the rear one year, and that’s OK!” Renee says. “To be a part of something of this magnitude is like nothing else. So go for it! You can do something.”