Cancer walk nets $90,000 to help kids with cancer

Among the 59 families in Hanover County's Royal Glen neighborhood, 13 had kindergartners starting school this year. When one of those 13, Reese Klauer, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in January, the community galvanized around her.

Neighbors built a wheelchair ramp for her house, because surgery to remove the tumor left her temporarily unable to walk.

Elementary school children collected $2,100 in coins to help with rehabilitation expenses not covered by insurance.

A thousand ReeseStrong rubber bracelets in hot pink sold out to raise $3,000 more.

"It was amazing how we all came together. People offered meals, child care, house cleaning, grocery shopping," said Kristin Mudd, the mother of one of the 13 kindergartners.

Last weekend, more than 70 neighbors and friends also reached out to other children with cancer by participating in the annual ASK Fun Walk and 5K at Short Pump Town Center.

The ReeseStrong team was the largest of several teams, said Amy Godkin, development director for ASK, an association that supports children with cancer.

"A lot of them are families whose kids just started treatment in the last few months, and their community wants to rally around," Godkin said. "There are always new big teams coming in. Two kids are diagnosed [with cancer] every week on average in central Virginia.

"After you've had as many frozen dinners as possible, this has been a great way for families to say, 'This is how to show your support.'"

This year's walk raised about $90,000 for ASK, Godkin said. The money will be used for ASK programs such as operating support groups; putting toys in waiting rooms at Virginia Commonwealth University's pediatric oncology clinic; funding a therapist, a psychologist, a chaplain and a program director; and helping families with expenses.

"Medical bills add up. Unexpected expenses add up. A family can go from being fine to struggling," Godkin said. "We give small grants to keep them together while the child is in treatment. Support groups and toys aren't going to matter if the family gets kicked out of the house because they can't afford the mortgage payments."

For details on ASK, call (804) 828-1531 or visit http://www.askweb.org

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Children in Richmond's after-school programs, who often are on the receiving end of aid programs, have raised $2,000 to help out families elsewhere.

The money was presented to Heifer International to buy honeybees, hives and beekeeper training for families in need around the world.

"The last couple of years, we have tried to broaden children's horizons, so they get a bigger picture of the world and not just think about their neighborhood," said Flo Grigg, recreation specialist for the after-school program run by the city Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities.

"Psychiatrists and self-help people will tell you, if you're having problems with depression or you're feeling down and out, do something to help someone. It changes your outlook on life. A lot of our children are not in good circumstances, but maybe if they thought about helping someone else, they would feel different about themselves."

Contributions for the project came from all 21 sites with after-school programs operated by the city parks department, Grigg said.

The 879 children in the after-school programs held bake sales, collected pennies, hired themselves out for chores, threw pizza parties and sold candy, among other things. Clark Springs Elementary School, which had the highest total of $450, sold coupon books.

Last year, after-school participants raised $1,200 toward a PlayPump to provide clean water in Ha Pokane Village in Lesotho, Africa. The PlayPump is a merry-go-round that pumps fresh water from a well when children play on it.

The project for next year already has been chosen, Grigg said, but it's still a secret.

"I do want the children to do something that really can make an impact," she said. "Somebody suggested that we buy soccer equipment. That's fine, but I think something that contributes more to the quality of life, or to health and safety, is more what I'm looking for. Playing soccer -- that's not as important as clean drinking water or fruits and vegetables that have been pollinated by bees."

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The National Museum of the Marine Corps near the Quantico Marine Corps Base will receive $10 million from Lockheed Martin over 10 years as the lead gift in an $85 million campaign to add a large-screen theater to the museum complex and expand education programs.

Lockheed Martin, a global security company, also is sponsoring the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation's "An Evening with . . . " lecture series, which brings in leaders to address current world topics with students of the Marine Corps University and the public.

The large-screen theater will show action-oriented films on the Marine Corps and the history of the nation.

The campaign also will allow the Marine Corps Heritage Center to add interactive exhibits on Marines' contributions since the corps was founded in 1775; build a memorial park and chapel; complete the National Museum structure; and expand education programs.

To see plans and video on the Marine Corps Heritage Center, visit http://www.MarineHeritage.org.