SIDNEY — A local charity event is making a big impact on a very special community of people in the Miami Valley. Jenna Stites, executive director of the Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association (MVSDA), spoke in response of the annual Choice One Charity Cup, a fundraising event that benefits and celebrates hundreds of individuals with Down Syndrome and their families.
“We’ve experienced such an incredible outpouring of generosity from the clients and friends of this local company, and it means the world to the families we serve,” said Stites.
To accomplish this feat of generosity each year, local engineering firm Choice One Engineering hosts and gathers teams of clients and friends from the Sidney and Loveland, Ohio, and Portland, Indiana, areas to compete in a unique, fundraising cornhole tournament that pits teams from municipalities, agencies, and businesses against each other in a one-of-a-kind style of cornhole. This year’s event, held March 30, helps to support more than 250 individuals with Down syndrome and their families throughout the Miami Valley.
Competitors and contributors at this year’s fundraising event didn’t let a $4,000 donation goal stand in their way. Instead, they blew that goal out of the water, raising over $5,000 during the annual Charity Cup. The donations of those in attendance will be used to treat the members of the MVDSA to a family outing of food, fun, and sun at Young’s Jersey Dairy in July.
“We’re so thankful for the support of the Charity Cup attendees. The day at Young’s Jersey Dairy is something our families look forward to each year since the Charity Cup began benefitting the MVSDA in 2014. The families we serve are so grateful for the ability to spend a beautiful day in the community enjoying great activities with their loved ones,” Stites said.
During the Charity Cup event, several members of the MVDSA spoke, expressing their thanks and appreciation for the generosity of those in attendance. Derrielle, an MVDSA member and her father, Derrell, addressed the attendees. Derrielle excitedly recounted her experience at the 2015 picnic at Young’s, including the animals she got to see, while Derrell thanked the Charity Cup attendees for helping him and his family attend the event that is organized by the MVDSA.
Stites also read a portion of a letter written by an MVDSA member recalling her family’s experience at the Young’s Jersey Dairy event in 2015. “I wanted to take a few minutes to let you know what your sponsorship of the Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association’s family picnic did for my family. Our 21 year old son, Andrew, has Down syndrome… Because of his size, strength and low tolerance for certain environments, we have essentially ‘let go’ of the concept of family outings. I talked the rest of the family into giving the event a try… We decided to try a round of putter golf… My son, to our great surprise, insisted on getting his turns. We all took turns helping him putt and we thoroughly enjoyed the family time. It made us feel like a normal family again. I just thought you should know that not only did you provide a really wonderful outing that day, but you also gave us the reminder that maybe there are still some outings he is capable of handling. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for the reminder!”
Finally, four-year old Logan Hurst, who attended the Charity Cup event with his mom, Stephenie Hurst, thanked the crowd, as did Stephanie. “It’s so nice for all our families to get together and be able to enjoy an event with everybody. We’re still learning and enjoying our sweet boy. And just doing family things. Thank you.”
Charity Cup attendees began supporting non-profit groups in 2013, when the event collected $2,400, then grew the effort to support the MVDSA with $2,900 in donations in 2014, and reached donations of $3,600 in 2015. The MVDSA uses the monies raised by the Charity Cup to treat their members and their families to a picnic held at Young’s Jersey Dairy, a recreational, educational, working Jersey dairy farm in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The Dairy offers visitors a multitude of food and fun experiences including putter golf, a petting zoo, batting cages, rides and a toddler area, not to mention a full service restaurant and, most notably, freshly prepared ice cream. Donations from the Charity Cup event provide MVDSA members and their families with cost-free admission, activities, and a picnic lunch.
This year’s Charity Cup theme of “Disco Fever” prompted participants to throw in all manners of 70s styles including the “Hustle” throw and a “Mork and Mindy” throw complete with the reciting of “Nanu-Nanu” before tossing the cornbag. Attendees of the event can then purchase raffle tickets, all proceeds of which are matched dollar for dollar by Choice One Engineering and then donated to the MVDSA. In addition to the raffle drawing, which included prizes such as Reds baseball tickets and an electric meat smoker, attendees donated additional monies to the MVDSA simply out of an appreciation for the positive impact the organization has on the local community.
At the end of the event, when the donations were counted, $4,504 had been collected for the 2016 family picnic at Young’s Jersey Dairy. Then the winners of the cornhole tournament, city of Troy team members Paul Bryant, Duane Puckett, and Scott Frazier generously chose to make their Charity Cup winning donation to the MVDSA as well, making the grand total $5,104.
The Miami Valley Down Syndrome is based in Dayton, Ohio, and provides information, resources, and support to individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the their communities. In the late 1970s, several parents of children with Down syndrome joined together to form a support group for families of individuals with Down syndrome. Nearly 40 years later, with the help of many supporters, their vision and hard work has taken the shape of the Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association, which serves members from 11 counties in west and south central Ohio.
Each fall, the MVDSA hosts an annual Buddy Walk to support and celebrate individuals with Down syndrome. The MVDSA Dayton Buddy Walk is an inspirational and educational event that includes a short walk in which anyone can participate, and celebrates the many abilities and accomplishments of people with Down syndrome. The 2016 MVDSA Buddy Walk will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, at Fifth Third Field in Dayton, Ohio. Learn more at www.DaytonBuddyWalk.org.
For more information about the Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association, visit their website at www.mvdsa.org.
