pilot

No Drawbacks with Drobac

by Cate Murway

Camila Drobac, VJM ’19 has apparently been born gifted with the innate ability to anchor each and every endeavor in which she participates to a successful conclusion. She is unflappable!

As the Mini-THON Corporate Funds Chairperson, Camila inspires, empowers and activates all those around her with her potent leadership and communication skills, excellent work ethic, and good time management. All of her hard work is FTK® - For The KidsTM.

Camila is earnestly requesting that you make it YOUR business that assists the Villa Joseph Marie JEMS with their 6th and final Mini-THON, supporting Four Diamonds.

“My sister, Michaela, VJM ‘16 was the Chair of Family Affairs. She was really into the Mini-THON and she got me into it. I was a Mini-THON Class Rep and also a Student Council Homeroom Rep my freshman year. It is so humbling helping out the kids. We have a great life here and it’s the least we can do to help. My whole family is excited and they help me out.”

Camila, a National Honor Society student involved in the Community Service Corps [CSC] and Athletes Helping Athletes, is an accomplished Cross Country and Track athlete. She does so many things well, in so many different spheres, and yet remains so humble.

She hits the ground running!

One of her goals is to master her three AP courses and Honors French III class and prepare for standardized tests. “It’s stressful. I’m thinking I’ll do something in Healthcare in the future.”

She bravely invests her “spare” time making personal “spur of the moment” visits and sometimes sends electronic letters seeking monetary support. According to Camila, a favorite quote is “everything happens for a reason”. Well, she “likes working with numbers” and she has positioned herself as the Corporate Funds Chair.

“I am most passionate about the difference it makes for the kids. Everything is so expensive and helping the parents to not worry about money is so important. The people who are impacted are so appreciative. We’re excited and we’re adding some new things this year.

Mini-THON unites our whole school. It would be cool if we could break $100,000!

The more we raise the better.”

Each one of us can make a difference. Together we can make a change.

Help Camila, the Corporate Funds Chairperson. Make a difference. Mail a donation today!

This interactive, fun event inspires teamwork, leadership and creativity, while empowering the students who are unselfishly working through philanthropy and community service in the fight to conquer childhood cancer.

Mini-THONs are modeled after the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon [THON] and have been making a difference in the lives of childhood cancer patients and their families since 1993. Every business dollar and each monetary donation will help assist children and their families through superior, world-class medical care, comprehensive support and a diverse platform of innovative, life saving research for improved treatments and cures.

Shannon T. Coleman, VJM ’17 led the finance team last year to an accrued total of $89,369.07. The Mini-THON goal is to produce yet another BANNER YEAR!

A talented 14 year old boy, Christopher Millard lost his three-year battle with cancer in 1972. He had written a story about a great knight who sought out the ‘four diamonds’ of courage, wisdom, honesty and strength, in order to be released from the grips of an evil sorceress. These diamonds symbolize the attributes that Christopher's parents, co- founders Charles and Irma and the Millard family continue to believe are necessary to overcome cancer. Through Four Diamonds, Chris Millard and his legendary story live on and serve as a legacy of inspiration and hope for children and their families fighting cancer. www.fourdiamonds.org

Christopher’s message is clear. The Four Diamonds – Courage, Wisdom, Honesty and Strength – will help us to overcome evil. Through The Four Diamonds Fund, each of us can share in helping children and families in their battle against cancer.

These JEMS are the true leaders, coordinating the VJM Four Diamonds Mini-THON under the guidance of third year VJM Director of Mission and Ministry, the Mini-THON advisor, Stephanie Mary McCarthy, previously the Asst. Director of Campus Ministry at Cabrini University.

Lauren A. Ferraro, VJM ’18 is the official Overall Chair, with the responsibility to oversee everything, exude passion, organization, and optimism and communicate the team’s progress with VJM Principal, Mrs. Lauren E. [Gaughan] Carr, VJM ’00. Alexa L. Bannon, VJM ’18 reaches out to businesses in the area for food donations and in-kind contributions [they have to feed the dancers in the dance battle to help conquer pediatric cancer and visitors purchase snacks] and she coordinates special events. Megan E. Connelly, VJM ’19 is in charge of the day long activities, keeping it exciting and interactive, creating a schedule of the games and dancing activities, gathering the necessary supplies and equipment, and supervising the minute by minute flow of the day. MacKenzie L. Spearing, VJM ’18 is responsible for keeping the VJM community informed about all necessary Mini-THON information. She also secures publicity, drafting announcements and promoting the event through media outreach and her other job is to choose the songs, create lyrics, and choreograph the line dancing routines performed by all the dancers at the beginning of every hour. Tracy A. Marcelis, VJM ’18 is in charge of the reps and family affairs, lining up guest speakers for Family Hour and building relationships with the families in need.

The Mini-THON chairs, the most necessary energy and enthusiasm behind launching a successful event, are working passionately FTK, and they meet every other Monday.

Each participant will receive a JEM designed Mini-THON shirt in her class color [green for frosh, blue for sophs, pink for juniors and gold for seniors]. Last year’s custom tees were designed by budding artists, Elizabeth A. “Lily” Dineen, VJM ’20 and Navya R. Kotha, VJM ’17/PSU.

The team will host a contest for awesome ideas for this year’s t-shirt illustrations shortly.

Stephanie herself was at first motivated by the students. “I think for me it came from the students, seeing how energetic the students are about Mini-THON and pediatric cancer awareness. I learned more about the cause. Now my passion stems from wanting children and families who are affected by cancer to not be worried about the bills and all the added expenses, so they can focus on the family and making sure that the kid is happy and safe and loved during that time.” Villa Joseph Marie was one of the first High Schools in Bucks County to run this event. “I believe there is more awareness of pediatric cancer now because of this.”

Each VJM student may individually fundraise on her own online DonorDrive account page but Camila feels a privilege and responsibility to be the driving force behind the coordinated effort to aggressively seek fiscal donations from area businesses.

Company and personal sponsorships are still available and are truly appreciated.

The Pledge levels are: Silver Fund $100.-$249., Gold Fund $250.-$499., Platinum Fund $500. -$999., Four Diamonds Fund $500.- $1,000.

All secured corporate contributions entitle your company name to be recognized; displayed on the VJM Mini-THON signage and banners.

You are cordially invited to join the JEMS along with pediatric cancer patients and survivors at VJM during their 10- hour Mini-THON event on Friday, December 8, 2017.

Cancer kills more children in the U.S. than any other disease.

Villa Joseph Marie JEMS are on a mission to help Four Diamonds to change this reality.

Join the JEMS who are focused on one goal – providing hope to children and families fighting childhood cancer and providing the exceptional care they need regardless of the cost. Due to the steady and extraordinary generosity of individual donors and businesses, Four Diamonds has assisted 100 percent of the childhood cancer patients who have been treated at the nationally recognized Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, one of the top 50 hospitals in the nation for childhood cancer care.

Thank you for your consideration, sponsorship and support, essential for aiding the cause!

Please make donation checks, marked “corporate sponsor” payable to “Four Diamonds”, the sole beneficiary of all fundraising activities and mail to:

Villa Joseph Marie High School

1180 Holland Road

Holland, PA 18966-2799

215.357.8810

Donate Today!

100% Tax-Deductible · 501(c)(3)

Any questions, please contact VJM’S Director of Mission and Ministry / Mini-THON Moderator, Stephanie McCarthy, at smccarthy@vjmhs.org.

Recommend a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com.