2022 Circle Of Heroes
Connor’s Heroes marked the conclusion of September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month with a reception for our Circle of Heroes. The Circle Of Heroes are people who generously commit an annual gift of $1,000 or more for the childhood cancer heroes who need Connor’s Heroes.
Celia, Connor’s Heroes Staff (Erin, Anne-Randolph, and Ceci) and our Board of Directors loved hearing from our donors about why Connor’s Heroes is important to them.
Taking a moment to thank our donors was our guest speaker, Juliet. Juliet is a hero mom to Meya. Meya finished treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma — a big milestone for her and the family.
We were lucky to have it at a new restaurant in Richmond that is getting a lot of buzz. Cocodrilo was named by Richmond magazine as one of its top new restaurants.
If you want to be a part of our Circle of Heroes, contact Celia. You can email her at celia@connorsheroes.org or call (804) 897-1272. You can easily give online — even setting up monthly payments to make giving easier — https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/connors-heroes-foundation/circle-of-heroes
If you want to be a part of our Circle of Heroes, contact Celia. You can email her at celia@connorsheroes.org or call (804) 897-1272.
Celia can explain how you can donate through Charitable Funds (like the Community Foundation or Scwhab), planned giving, etc.
And, you can give online — even setting up monthly payments to make giving easier. Use our secure website to donate online: https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/connors-heroes-foundation/circle-of-heroes
Make & Bake Pizza Party
Connor’s Heroes hosted its 2nd annual Make-Bake-Your-Own-Pizza with the childhood cancer heroes. We started this family-fun event at the Mellow Mushroom in Midlothian. Heather and her crew made it easy for the families to be together. Families had so much fun last year, we thought, why not do it all over again?!?!
Once again, Heather was ready for our hero families. She lined up pizza boxes — inside were a family’s favorite toppings (Our crew loves pineapples on their pizza) and a big ball of fresh dough. After the family rolled out the dough, spread the sauce, and layered on the cheese and toppings, they carried their pizza to the kitchen. The kids were so excited to see their pizza slide into the hot oven and come out exactly as they wanted it.
Who knew making a pizza could be so much fun?!
Time to make the pizzas!
The pizzas are ready for the oven.
Now for the best part. Eating pizzas.
Thank you to Heather and all the staff at Mellow Mushroom in Midlothian. Visit their website https://mellowmushroom.com/location/va-midlothian-1409-huguenot-road-23113/ to check out their hours, menu, and delivery.
If you are a local business who likes to give back, you can be a Hero Partner too. You can host a party for our childhood cancer hero families. Sponsor our gala, The Heroes Art Ball. Or host a give-back-night for Connor’s Heroes. Email celia@connorsheroes.org for information.
Our childhood cancer heroes thank you for giving them this fun event: Skylar, Tay, Valentin, Owen, Kennedy, Javi, Jonathan F., John G., James, Easton, Charlotte, Sydney, Lilana, Joshua, Holden, Austin, Alvion
Hero Squad Soiree
2022 Hero Squad Soiree
DATE: Friday, October 7
TIME: 6:00 – 9:00 PM
RSVP: Space is limited so reserve your spot online [LINK]
LOCATION: Triple Crossing Brewery — Fulton, 5203 Hatcher St, Richmond, VA 23231
The Hero Squad is 11 caring people from all over Central Virginia who came together for one purpose: to make sure no family faces a child’s cancer alone. Connor’s Heroes will honor all the Hero Squad members with special recognition for the top three fundraisers! the 2022 Hero Squad not only met their goal to raise $11,000 for childhood cancer heroes. They surpassed it! Raising $20,000.
Opie Open Golf Tournament
Opie Heizer Memorial Golf Tournament
DATE: Friday, October 28 (Rain date Friday, Nov. 4, 2022)
START TIME: 11:30 AM Registration & Range Opens
EVENT WEBSITE: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E329683&id=62
LOCATION: Hanover Golf Club, 14314 Country Club Dr, Ashland, VA 23005
Registration is full, but sponsorships are still available. Sponsorships are $100 and $350. Your sponsorship will benefit Connor’s Heroes Holiday Hero Fund. You can register to be a sponsor by visiting the event website.
The Opie Open is held in memory of Opie Heizer. Paul “Opie.” Opie passed away in 2021 after battling pancreatic cancer. During this life, Opie and his wife Cathy supported child-focused nonprofits. Opie’s family carries on his legacy of caring for children by supporting Connor’s Heroes. Cathy serves on the board.
The family is donating all money raised from the tournament to Connor’s Heroes Holiday Hero Fund. Through the Holiday Hero Fund, a family with a child in treatment for cancer and registered with Connor’s Heroes will be invited to our annual Holiday Open House and receive a gift card to help with holiday expenses (and gifts!).
Pictured: Easton and his family celebrated the holidays at the 2021 Holiday Open House funded by the Connor’s Heroes Holiday Fund thanks to donations from the Heizer family and other donors.
September Heroes Art Session
Connor’s Heroes hosted a Heroes Art Session for September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Once again, our friends at Visual Arts Center of Richmond turned their patio into an outdoor art studio.
We were excited to have long-time volunteers return: Sarah, Damian, and Jennike, with help from Lucy, Olivia, Becca, and Anna. Sarah broke out clay for the heroes to fire up into a holiday surprise. Jennike helped the kids say goodbye to summer by creating beautiful paintings of sun flowers.
We are really excited about our October Heroes Art Session.
You bet it is going to be over flowing with pumpkin-spice.
(Hero Families: Check your inbox for an email from Anne-Randolph and Erin about the October Heroes Art Session and other family events.)
Our Heroes Art Session is a chance for children to create and parents to connect. We invite childhood cancer heroes who are in treatment or recently finished. Siblings and best buddies come too. The Heroes Art Sessions happen thanks to our partnership with Visual Arts Center of Richmond and YOU! Your donations make it possible for our childhood cancer families to be together and create.
Hero Artists & Volunteers: Olivia, Becca, Anna, Sarah, Damian, Jennike, Lucy
Childhood Cancer Heroes & Siblings: Grayson, Charlotte, John, Ben, Florian, Jeremiah, Olivia, Bobbie, Zeezee, Lucy, Kennedy, Adam, Lauren, Javi and Alex
Progress of Wonder Tower
The Wonder Tower was truly WONDERFUL! At the Heroes Art Ball this year, one of the big silent auction items was an exclusive tour of the new Wonder Tower. The Wonder Tower is the inpatient children’s hospital currently under construction.
Leading the tour was someone who knows the building inside and out. Zach Isbell is the project manager. Lucky us, he also serves on the Connor’s Heroes board. Childhood cancer hero Caroline and her family won the auction. Celia and Erin tagged along to check out the future location of Connor’s Heroes five ROOMS FILLED WITH HOPE.
Everyone left the tour excited, enthusiastic, and energized about the design of the space. They marveled at the incredible views of the city spanning all the way over to the river. The new hospital is designed to care for children and comfort the families.
After the tour, Celia said
❝This is what we have been waiting for. Every little detail. Every single space. It was designed with kids in mind. The Wonder Tower will truly be a space for kids to be kids while receiving the care and comfort they deserve. Connor’s Heroes is excited and humbled to be a part of the Wonder Tower.❞
Curious about the Wonder Tower and the plans for Connor’s Heroes ROOMS FILLED WITH HOPE? Read more on our website: https://www.connorsheroes.org/rooms-filled-with-hope/
Hero Mom Dedicates Birthday
When Ann celebrated her birthday in July, she did something special this year. She turned her birthday into a GIVING DAY. Instead of gifts, she asked her friends and family to give to Connor’s Heroes.
Ann knows what it is like to have a child in treatment. Ann’s teenage daughter Ryleigh started her cancer journey in 2022.
“I knew if Ryleigh made it to remission I could give back to those who helped her along the way. Connor’s Heroes monthly gift cards helped us with gas to get back and forth to the clinic for treatment. I had someone to turn for help when I needed it.”
Connor’s Heroes makes it easy for you to set up a website where you can collect donations in honor of your birthday or any special occasion. Every dollar given in your honor will give hope to a brave child who needs Connor’s Heroes. Register your birthday, even if it already happened. A few weeks before your birthday, we will email you so you can start your birthday giving!
You can pledge not only your birthday but any special event in your life like an anniversary, child’s graduation, or wedding. Register your special day and turn it into a giving day to help a child with cancer.
Summer Send Off
A beautiful, but not too hot, summer day greeted the childhood cancer heroes who joined Connor’s Heroes staff and board members for our Annual Summer Send-Off. We invited families with children in treatment and out of treatment to be together and have fun. This year, we brought in Richmond’s legendary street performer, Jonathan the Juggler! Parents and kids were in awe as Jonathan did slight-of-hand, card tricks, rode a unicycle, juggled fire sticks, and made a rabbit magically appear.
It was magical to see the children, who often pass one another in clinic, to play and laugh together. Same with the parents. Children became fast friends and parents found caring partners to help them through their child’s treatment.
Celia said “Seeing our hero families come together and enjoy each other’s company made me smile. While everyone’s journey with childhood cancer is different, these families have a unique bond. I am so glad Connor’s Heroes is able to host fun events like our Summer Send-off and continue to support our hero families every step of the way!”
Connor’s Heroes can host this annual summer event thanks to the generosity of our donors. Also, we want to thank the Salty Pig for the BBQ dinner, Hardywood for hosting the event, Connor’s Heroes program staff for organizing, and our wonderful volunteers: Lariza, Sydney, Alison, and Ashleigh, Damian, and Ellen.
2022 Jr. Hero Squad
You know that superheroes come in all sizes. Well, here is a group of mini-heroes who arrived in the nick of time to help kids who are in treatment for cancer. Our 2022 Jr. Hero Squad exceeded their $2,500 goal and raised over to $6,700! How did they do it???
- Mark raised his money while on summer break from the United States Air Force Academy. Mark was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 2015 and knows first hand the impact Connor’s Heroes has on families. Talk about being a TOP GUN!
- Lilah used her entrepreneurial skills to reach her goal. She sold her own jewelry and walked dogs.
- Connor, Kenley, Luke, Parker, Reese, and Vivian had an epic lemonade sale in their neighborhood.
- Emily and her teammates made a donation for every home run they made. Seeing they raised more than $1,000 – they made a lot of runs around to home plate! Emily’s brother Parker started treatment for ALL in April.
- Thanks to Layla & Nadia, who got a late start joining the Jr Hero Squad. They sure did rock our signature blue shirts and sunglasses!
The Jr. Hero Squad is one way you can raise money for children with cancer using the power of your social network. Connor’s Heroes makes it easy for you to set up a personal fundraising website. You share the link and watch the donations roll in.
You can:
PLEDGE YOUR BIRTHDAY (or any special event in your life): https://www.connorsheroes.org/pledge-birthday
HOST A GIFT CARD DRIVE (from our Amazon wishlist): https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/SLL7B9BCE1KK?&sort=default%20_blank
JOIN THE 2022 HERO SQUAD (for young professionals, college students, or retirees): https://www.connorsheroes.org/hero-squad/
Dylan Lynch & Kind Hearted Strangers present: NOW.HERE ~ Benefiting Connor's Heroes
DATE: Saturday August 20
START TIME: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM EDT
PRICE: $20.00 per ticket + Fees
TICKET WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/NowHereRVA
LOCATION: 1011 Commerce Road, Richmond, VA 23224 in city’s Manchester District
A portion of ticket sales, art sales, and merch sales will go directly to support Connor’s Heroes.
Artist Dylan Lynch and musicians Kind Hearted Strangers will arrive at NOW.HERE Studios, a 4,000 sq ft warehouse in Manchester, with no pre-made content. This collaboration will take place over 7 days. It will culminate on Saturday, August 20 with an Art Exhibition + Live Performance. Dylan will showcase his new works and Kind Hearted Strangers will perform, for the first time, their new album, written and arranged that week in NOW.WHERE Studios.
Enjoy food trucks, beer and wine.
Thank you to Cara Dickens (Rocket Pop Media / RVA Galleries), Todd Divel (Sound Engineering), and Grant Joerger (Videography).
