youth challenge
Come Join Us!
E CHALL NGER
Volume 38, #2 SUMMER 2014
New Sport for Visually Impaired Athletes Comes to YC
Superhero Dash! 29th Annual Race Day 5K and 1Mile Walk/Roll September 20 Lakewood Park Lakewood
Harvest Family Fun Day October 11 Hanna Perkins Center Shaker Heights
Ladies Holiday Bazaar November 9 Youth Challenge Westlake
Holiday Show December 14
Magnificat High School Rocky River
Gallery Gala Annual Benefit and Auction April 18, 2015 78th Street Studios Cleveland
Jace gets ready to roll the ball during goalball practice. Goalball is YC’s newest Paralympic sports team.
A new team sport debuted at YC this year that requires players to rely heavily on their senses of hearing and touch. In January, YC began offering goalball, a Paralympic team sport designed specifically for blind and visually impaired athletes.
“It’s fun! This is the first group sport I have ever played and I really like it. I like the way the court is set up that you can feel where you are supposed to be when you play the game.” Jace, YC participant
youthchallengesports.com
To play goalball, some players wear eye coverings to create visual equality. Participants compete in teams of three, and try to throw a ball into the opponents’ goal. The ball contains bells so that defenders can hear it coming.
Boundaries are marked on the YC gym floor with taped-down wire so that players can feel the boundaries with their feet and hands.
“My daughter has never been interested in playing sports. I told her she had to try at least once. Coach Mackenzie and the volunteers had such a big impact on her, she couldn’t wait until the next practice. Because of her positive experience with goalball, she wants to continue at YC this summer.”
Michelle, mother of participant Jennifer
Goalball is one of five Paralympic sports offered at YC, providing participants and volunteers with a unique team experience, many for their first time!
A Note from Mary Sue Tanis, CFRE Founder & Executive Director This Spring our Board and Staff recommitted to our vision statement which documents our aspirations to become a leader in adapted sports and recreation for the select population we serve. It also reflects our ambition to actively train and inspire youth to serve this population in a significant volunteer role, alongside our dedicated staff of professionals. It reads: “Youth Challenge will be recognized as Northeast Ohio’s leader in bringing together children with physical disabilities and youth volunteers who enrich each other’s lives through one-on-one participation in safe, quality sports, arts and recreation. We will expand our involvement in existing and into new communities through measured growth and strategic partnerships. We will promote this youth development in diverse modes. These include formation of service initiatives, social activities, and empowerment projects.” In this fourth decade of my own service, it has been a joy to see these dreams unfold and become the fruit of our labor. Teen volunteers are energized and realize their unique role in improving our community. We are constantly witnessing the enlightening difference that being part of the YC family makes to each child and their family. Mary Sue Tanis with Sean Walker, YC alumnus and Head Boccia Coach.
We adapt, we grow, we change, we stay true to our mission. This is reflected through our 2014 projects:
• Paralympic Sports (five of them!) give our young participants a never before offered opportunity to play on an organized team. 80% of children enrolled at YC have been involved in a Paralympic sport activity this year. • 18Up Club transformed into YELP, our “Youth Empowerment Leadership Project” initiative. Teen participants and volunteers alike asked to learn more in-depth about college applications, dorm life, living independently, healthy food choices and cooking, along with many life skill topics. • Expansion to reach Cleveland’s east side has gained traction in new communities and neighborhoods. Easy access to YC at the Hanna Perkins Center in Shaker Heights has strengthened that effort. We will present three activities per week there this Fall, and hope to grow that new base each day. A dedicated and generous partnership forged by our Board of Trustees extends to you and your role within “Team YC.” Thank you for whatever contribution you and your family make to the YC cause. It matters!
Want to Help? Ways to Give... • Matching Gifts - Please check with your company to see if it offers
matching gifts to increase the impact of your gift. If eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer. Send the completed and signed form with your gift. We will do the rest.
• Secure Online Donations can be made at youthchallengesports.com. As a private non-profit 501(c)3 organization we rely on support from friends, corporate and community partners to achieve our mission. • Planned Giving Opportunities - For information about planned giving opportunities, please contact Mary Sue Tanis at 440.892.1001 x11 or by email at mstanis@youthchallengesports.com.
• Fuel Perks - Keep our fuel tanks full and our vans rolling! Get your YC fuel perks card today. Call Terry at 440.892.1001.
Your support helps YC participants like Harrison and his friends experience a wide variety of adapted sports.
Mawaka Foundation Golf Outing Benefits YC Summer Fun! 50 YC programs took place during June, July and August. The YC gang had a blast at activities all around Greater Cleveland. Here are just a few of the MANY highlights.
Julie and Scott Mawaka at the Scott & Julie Mawaka Charitable Foundation Golf Outing.
Some people might find watching a golf tournament on TV relaxing. Not Scott and Julie Mawaka. A televised event inspired the Hudson couple to create a foundation and organize their own golf tournament to raise money and awareness for local charities. That was in 2004. The Scott & Julie Mawaka Charitable Foundation will host its 11th Annual Golf Outing at Shaker Heights Country Club on August 25th.
Krazy Kamp at the Zoo with the Cleveland Browns rookie class
Over the years, family, friends, and colleagues of the Mawakas’ have generously pitched in with sponsorships, raffle prizes, and participated in golf and dinner. In honor of their two young daughters, the Mawakas selected Youth Challenge to be the beneficiary beginning in 2009. In five years, the Scott & Julie Mawaka Charitable Foundation Golf Outing has donated over $115,000 to benefit the Youth Challenge mission.
“The continuous generosity of Scott and Julie Mawaka through the Mawaka Charitable Foundation means so much. Their support empowers Youth Challenge to create high quality accessible sports opportunities to each child we serve.”
East Side Sports & Swim at Memorial Pool in Euclid
Mary Sue Tanis, Youth Challenge Founder and Executive Director Check youthchallengesports.com to view highlights from the 2014 golf outing. Zac and Brandon demonstrate “YC Style” golf at a Mawaka Foundation outing.
Help Youth Challenge Through Your United Way Pledge Make Youth Challenge the Designated Agency (#52988) for your United Way pledge. As a member of their Federated Campaign, YC receives funds only through your personal designation of our organization.
Regatta & Cookout hosted by Edgewater Yacht Club and Members
Annual Gallery Gala Raises Nearly $200,000
Please Join Us... Annual Benefit & Auction
Special Thanks to our 2014 Benefit Sponsors PLATINUM PLUS Pat Catan’s Smart Business PLATINUM National Safety Apparel BakerHostetler GOLD MAI Wealth Advisors Mr. & Mrs. Charles J. Nock The Nock and Son Company Nordson Corporation
Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy Co. LPA Oatey Co. The Sherwin-Williams Company SILVER First Federal of Lakewood Frantz Ward LLP Grant Thornton LLP Henkel Corporation Mr. and Mrs. Jack Kahl KeyBank McDonald Hopkins LLC
Andrea and Mark Melaragno Stacy and Steve Nock PartsSource, Inc. PolyOne Corporation PwC Rocky River Urgent Care/ Ridge Park Urgent Care ShurTech Brands, LLC Skylight Financial Group Thompson Hine LLP Ulmer & Berne LLP Mary Lu and George Wasmer
FRIENDS The Fedeli Group Kuechle Family Foundation Medical Mutual of Ohio Mike’s Kids Summers Family Foundation Mark and Stephanie Summers Family MOBILE BIDDING UNDERWRITER Hyland Software
Summer Online Team Challenge Supports YC The Youth Challenge Trustees, Participants, and Volunteers teamed up in June and July to take part in the Sponsor My Summer of Fun online giving challenge. This new initiative was a huge success. Twenty-five teams participated in the challenge and helped to raise nearly $30,000 to fund programs. Congratulations to our winning teams. Thank you to all who participated! First Place Team Sarah D. - $5,805 Sarah Dooley, Participant Julia Heck, Volunteer Bernie Garrah, Trustee
Second Place Team Myles - $3,250 Myles Ketterer, Participant Sarah Melaragno, Volunteer Mark Melaragno, Trustee
Third Place Team Logan M. - $2,895 Logan McCartney, Participant Max Giuliano, Volunteer Chris Carney, Trustee
2014 Board of Trustees Ernest E. Vargo, President
Lisa K. Kunkle
Timothy D. Pembridge
Advisory Board
Christopher J. Carney
David L. Lowery
John H. Petersen
Mark J. Dvoroznak
Ellen M. McCarthy
Robert C. Psaropoulos
Thomas J. Fraser
Christy L. McGucken
Kathleen A. Schwartzer
Bernard T. Garrah
Mark J. Melaragno, MD
Richard D. Swartz
Juliana Bell Robert & RoseMarie Leimkuehler William R. Oatey Mark H. Summers Donald & Karen Strang Jack & Nancy Tanis George & Mary Lu Wasmer
Greer T. Gibbons
Michele G. Merrill
Justin S. Thomas
Mary Sue (Anter) Tanis, CFRE
Charles L. Grossman
Colleen C. Murnane
Arnita L. Wilkes
Kenneth J. Kasler
Darren J. Hilliard
Stephen J. Nock
Gabrielle F. Bova*
Charles A. Koch
Marcia A. Obrock
Kendra E. Cundiff*
BakerHostetler
Brouse McDowell
The Sherwin-Williams Company First Federal of Lakewood Skylight Financial Group The Lubrizol Corporation National Safety Apparel Oatey Co.
PartsSource, Inc.
PolyOne Corp. KeyBank
Nurenburg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy Ernst & Young
Cleveland Clinic BakerHostetler
Frantz Ward LLP
The Nock & Son Company ShurTech Brands, LLC
Hyland Software
Convenience Store Decisions Eaton Corp.
NACSCORP, LLC
R.W. Beckett Corporation PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP Nita’s Nest DayCare
Founder & Executive Director
Chief of Operations & Program Oversight
Avon High School ’14
Saint Joseph Academy ’16
*Student Interns
Youth Challenge brings together children with physical disabilities and youth volunteers who enrich each other’s lives through one-on-one participation in adapted sports and recreational activities. 800 Sharon Drive Westlake, OH 44145
19910 Malvern Road Shaker Heights, OH 44122
440.892.1001 ● youthchallengesports.com