January 2024: Nick Strong Foundation Updates
As we head into 2024, we remain so incredibly grateful for all we were able to accomplish in just a few short months when we launched the Nick Strong Foundation last year.
We have raised over $35,000 for the foundation, you have all collectively raised over $100,000 in Nick’s memory and in his honor for cancer research, and we have received an immeasurable amount of love and support from so many of you.
We are just getting started!
Community Events:
On January 26th, the Franklin High School Girls Basketball Teams celebrated Coaches vs. Cancer. This is a nationwide event when basketball coaches across the country wear suits and sneakers to unite for a common cause – saving lives from cancer. The FHS Girls Basketball Boosters chose NSF as their charity to donate funds to from that night.
Franklin’s Charlotte Edmunds decided to contribute to the event by making bracelets to sell at the game. She had some help selling these bracelets with friends, Aisling Brown and Bethany Daniels. The girls raised $140 for the NSF. It is so incredible to see the youth in our community getting involved! Way to go girls!!
As mentioned in our last newsletter, Sasha Tracey, a senior at FHS created Nick Strong ornaments to sell to raise funds for the NSF. Along with the community service club at FHS, they were able to raise over $500 for the foundation.
Our good friends Paulina and Sean own a small business, PT Color Market. They designed some Valentine’s earrings and decided to make blue heart ones to honor Nick. They are donating 100% of the sales from the earrings to our marathon fundraising for Boston Children’s Hospital and the NSF. You can go to ptcolormarket.com to get yourself a pair for Valentine’s Day. We promise you will check out with more than heart earrings.
Upcoming Events:
Our SOLD OUT Live, Love, Run fundraising event will take place on February 9th at the Franklin Elks at 6pm. We have received an overwhelming number of raffle and silent auction items so THANK YOU for your continued support.
We will be hosting our largest NickStrong Foundation event this June, details forthcoming, so there will be plenty of opportunities to participate, donate raffle items or come show your support if you weren’t able to make it to the Live, Love Run marathon fundraising event.
A 2023 Franklin High School graduate, Kaitlyn Carney who attends James Madison University and plays on their Women’s Lacrosse Team is jumping into action to raise awareness for pediatric cancer! On February 10th at noon, the James Madison girls lacrosse team will be playing North Carolina and dedicating the game to Nick. All proceeds from the game will go to the NickStrong Foundation.The game will be live so make sure to tune in!
Our Mission in Action:
- Supporting Families touched by Pediatric Cancer – This month we received one family to assist. We hope we were able to put a smile on their faces!
- Support ranges from financial assistance to gift boxes to brighten their day. If you know of a family in need, visit the foundation website and fill out the contact form.
Last month, we had a call to action and asked YOU to consider donating blood or platelets at Boston Children’s hospital. We will continue to encourage donations as Nick was a frequent recipient of platelets so we know how important donors are to Children’s hospital. Send photos to Steph.Carroll27@gmail.com to have your donation photo featured in our newsletter!
Click HERE and select ‘Schedule an Appointment’ to donate blood or platelets a
Did you know……
- When you donate platelets they are only good for 5 days!! That means the ability to provide patients with the life saving platelets they need is only as good as the running 5 day donor list
Donating platelets might take 90 minutes but since your blood is returned to your body during the donation process, you have much less lightheadedness than donating blood. (please note, this is not a clinical fact but the opinion of a blood donor that passes out easily but is fine after platelet donation)
