Today's Helping Hero: Artist Frankie Slaughter
“I remember a little girl who came to a Heroes Art Session. She sat at the table where I set out my clay. I have never seen a child that young painting her clay tiles with such dexterity and focus. Her ideas were flowing. Her little fingers were busy. Even her older sister was impressed.”
Artist Frankie Slaughter has many memories working with our childhood cancer heroes. Frankie is a volunteer at our monthly art sessions for over five years. Frankie is a well-regarded Richmond artist who likes to give back to the community. She happily donates pieces of art to nonprofits’ fundraising events. She said that Connor’s Heroes is special because “not many nonprofits ask me to donate my time and work side by side with children. I love sharing my love of art with kids.“
Frankie is back in the studio! She is working with our childhood cancer heroes to create a beautiful piece exclusively for the 10th Annual Heroes Art Ball. Frankie is volunteering her talents with other Richmond artists such as Amelia Blair Langford, Matt Lively, Nico Cathcart, and Nancy Jacey. The main event at the Heroes Art Ball is the live auction of art created at the Heroes Art Sessions. The winning bids will support the mission of Connor’s Heroes.
“Connecting through art is a beautiful thing. I see parent’s faces light up when they watch their child making art. The child is reveling in a moment of creativity and happiness. They are not sick. They are a child creating.”
Heroes Art Session - January 2020
Connor’s Heroes hosted another Heroes Art Session at the Visual Arts Studio. This session was the first Heroes Art Session for the new decade! Photographer John Nikitakis captured special moments of the afternoon with our Heroes Of RVA: Alvion, Josie, Javi. Alex, Katie, Gabby, Koree, Kacee, Elijiah, Charlie and Grayson, and Tay.
Our Hero Art Sessions allow children to playfully express themselves and meet other children who are going through cancer. Parents appreciate talking with parents in a comfortable space away from the stress of clinic. We hold art sessions every month leading up to the big art auction at the 10th Annual Heroes Art Ball on May 1, 2020.
Connor’s Heroes Art Sessions are loved not only by the kids but also by their parents. As a child is focused on adding the perfect color to a painting, mom is talking with another mom about their children’s last treatment. Grandpa thanks Erin for hosting the holiday open house in December. Parents quietly watch as their children paint side-by-side. And mom patiently lets her toddler smear paint all over his hand and then on the canvas.
Connor’s Heroes thanks our talented hero artists who generously donated their time: Amelia Blair Langford, Nancy Jacey, Monica Wilmore, Samantha Davis, Jennike Duignam, and Melissa Peay.
Make 2020 Your Year
Here are some feel-good resolutions that can help you better yourself and be a hero to a child with cancer as you start a new decade.
VOLUNTEER
You can spend a morning in clinic helping a child make a craft or spend an afternoon decorating a child’s hospital room. Your first step is to register with Connor’s Heroes. A staff member will contact you to learn more about you!
GIVE BACK
Turn your next party into a giving party! Instead of receiving gifts, you can inspire your friends to purchase crafts, games, stuffed animals, or gift cards from our wish list posted on Amazon. You will make sure a child or parent has precisely what they need to get through a day of treatment. You can choose gifts for teens, infants, or caregivers.
SPEND TIME WITH FRIENDS
The 10th Annual Heroes Art Ball is a magical night where you meet brave children who represent the children battling cancer in our community. The main event is a live auction of art created by our heroes with inspiration from local, professional artists. Each piece expresses the emotions of being a child with cancer and the hope for a better future. The night includes a buffet and open bar. Tickets go on sale on March 1, 2020. Encourage your friends to join you for the Heroes Art Ball.
BE POSITIVE
Use your social network for good. You can create a Facebook fundraiser for Connor’s Heroes and enlist the help of your friends. Connor’s Heroes accepts donations through social networks Facebook and Instagram. People helping other people sparks inspiration especially when you can help a child with cancer.
2019 Holiday Heroes
Our 2019 Holiday Hero campaign was a success. Thanks to you, every family who had a child in active treatment and registered with Connor’s Heroes received a generous holiday surprise: a $250 Visa gift to use where they needed it most over the holidays. This magic moment happened thanks to the generous people listed here.
2019 Holiday Lights Tour
“More lights! More lights!” was the cheer our childhood cancer heroes and their families chanted as we took off in style for our annual Tacky Lights Tour last night. More than 100 hero family members piled into two big charter buses. We saw the best and the brightest (literally) of Richmond’s holiday lights.
The Holiday Lights Tour is for hero families who registered with Connor’s Heroes. We have children who are in active treatment having fun with teens who are out of treatment. Parents meet other caregivers and share stories and reassurance. The night started with everyone digging in for pizza and salad at Mellow Mushroom. After dinner, we boarded two charter buses. We drove through the West End checking out the best of the best of the holiday lights.
Connor’s Heroes offered the Holiday Lights Tour free of charge thanks to our team of heroes:
• Mellow Mushroom Midlothian fueled us up with a delicious pizza dinner.
• Winn Transportation drivers donated their tips back to Connor’s Heroes.
• McGuireWoods LLP finance and accounting department provided the best gift bags jammed packed with blinking light necklaces, reindeer antlers, goofy glasses, and yummy cookies!
• The Richmond Christmas Mother grant helped fund the tour.
• and YOU — Your generosity throughout the year gave our Heroes Of RVA this wonderful holiday adventure. Thank you!
Happy Holidays from Connor's Heroes!
2019 Holiday Open House
Thank you to everyone who donated to be a holiday hero. You are the reason for the joy on the faces of the children and their families at our Annual Holiday Open House.
Children and parents did crafts, enjoyed homemade cookies and hot chocolate, made ornaments, and picked out toys!
The most meaningful (and unexpected) gift was a $250 Visa gift card for the parents. A family can choose where help is needed the most to get them through the holiday. During the Holiday Open House, we gave $25,000 in family support making it our most generous day of the year.
Skylar and Jesse's Hospital Room
We decorated two rooms in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. Our volunteers, Kendall and Martia, wanted Skylar and Jesse’s room decorations to be special. Martia showered Skylar’s room with her favorite – Unicorns. For Jesse, Kendall gave the family a safe space to comfort and cuddle their four-month-old son. Erin, our program director, spent the morning putting together a rocking chair and then carried it through the hospital and up to the floor.
Javi Gets a Family Fun Pack
From the smiles on their faces, Javi and his brother Alex loved their Game Night Fun Pack. Thank you to everyone who donated gift cards and games shared on our Amazon Wish List. Our Programs Staff, Erin and Sarah, package up your donations and mail them to a child who may need a pick-me-up!
Ava's Room Part 2
When we heard the news that 6-year-old Ava was being admitted to the Bone Marrow Unit for the second time, our volunteer team of room decorators jumped into action. They filled her hospital room with sparkling holiday decorations and made it feel a little bit more like home.
December 2019 Heroes Art Session
The holiday spirit was bright at our December Heroes Art Session at the Visual Arts Center.
Our heroes and siblings created and crafted in preparation for the holidays! From snowflake ornaments to painted Christmas trees, they filled the room with creativity, smiles and plenty of holiday cheer!
