WE ARE AT THE PORTION OF YOUR PROGRAM WHERE I LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS. MY NAME IS IDA GOECKEL AND I AM A TWO TIME BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR. THIS BENEFIT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE ROSWELL PARK COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER’S BREAST CARE CLINIC AND RADIOLOGY STAFF PROVIDED ME A SECOND CHANCE THAT LED ME TO INDEPENDENTLY EXPLORE MY OPTIONS. WITH CARING, COMPASSIONATE TREATMENT AND UNDERSTANDING, THEY AND THE WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER, GAVE ME HOPE FOR A NEW FUTURE AND SPOKE TO ME AS AN EQUAL ADULT, NOT LIKE A CHILD. AS A RESULT OF MY OWN RESEARCH, COMBINED WITH THEIR INPUT, I WAS ABLE TO EMPOWER MYSELF TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS REGARDING MY CARE. IN AN EFFORT TO SHOW MY GRATITUDE, I ORGANIZED THE FEMALE MUSICIANS FIGHTING BREAST CANCER BENEFIT SO THAT OTHERS, WHO MAYBE NEEDED MORE SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE, COULD BENEFIT FROM THEIR SERVICES. THIS YEAR, IS ABOUT FAMILY, OUR BLOOD FAMILIES, OUR WORK FAMILIES, OUR MUSICAL FAMILIES, AND OUR SURVIVOR FAMILIES. EACH BAND THAT PLAYED THIS YEAR WERE FAMILIES IN EVERY SENSE OF WORD: OUR FIRST BAND HAD A SON FLANKED BY HIS MOM & DAD, THE 2ND BAND HAD TWO SISTERS, THE 3RD BAND WERE A TIGHT MUSICAL FAMILY, AND OUR FINAL BAND was A BROTHER AND SISTER TEAM. THIS YEAR WAS DEDICATED TO TWO WOMEN FOR WHOM FAMILY WAS AND IS THE CENTER OF THEIR LIVES: THE LATE JULIE ROTH NEVILLE FROM GRAND ISLAND WHO LOST HER BATTLE LAST YEAR, AND MY RETIRED CO-WORKER, DONNA ROBBINS, WHO IS CURRENTLY FIGHTING INVASIVE BREAST CANCER.
I ALWAYS SAY THIS AND MEAN IT FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART: IT IS BOTH HUMBLING AND HEALING TO HAVE FOUNDED AND ORGANIZED THIS BENEFIT. I PROMISE YOU MY EFFORTS WILL NEVER STOP AS LONG AS THERE ARE BREAST CANCER PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS WHO RELY ON THE KNOWLEDGE, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT OF THIS CENTER. I HAVE MADE IT MY MISSION TO RAISE MONIES THAT GO DIRECTLY TO THIS SPECIFIC AREA AT ROSWELL BECAUSE PATIENT CARE, COUPLED WITH SELF-ADVOCACY AND EMPOWERMENT, IS THE KEY TO A POSITIVE MINDSET BEFORE, DURING, AND POST DIAGNOSIS.
THIS YEAR I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT WITH AN IMPRESSIVE ROOM OF 200 STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, MUSICIANS, AND ATTENDEES, WE HAD OUR BEST YEAR YET, RAISING A TOTAL OF 4386.00!!!!!
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT I DON’T PUT A FUNDRAISING AND AWARENESS ENDEAVOR TOGETHER LIKE THIS ALL BY MYSELF. I VIEW MYSELF AS MERELY THE FACILITATOR THAT WATCHES AS HER IDEA COMES TO FRUITION EVERY YEAR. THIS FUNDRAISER RECEIVES NO FINANCIAL CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP BUT IS A COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY SPONSORED EVENT BY ALL THOSE WHO HAVE A HAND IN MAKING IT HAPPEN. NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HELP AND SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE, WHO I’D LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME NOW TO THANK FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART:
1. MY HANDFUL OF EXTREMELY AND FAITHFULLY DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS:
a. MARGARET FREIERT-TICKET TAKER/DOOR PERSON/EVENT DAY COORDINATOR/SET UP/BASKET WRAPPER
b. JOHN GRACE– MERCH SALES
c. NANCY WEIMER– SET UP/RAFFLE TIX SALES
d. RENAE GOECKEL– THIS YEAR’S OUTSTANDING MC EVER
e. NINA GRACE– SET UP/MONITOR
f. BONNIE MERTZ– SET UP/ RAFFLE TIX SALES
g. DAWN CLAYBURG -SET UP AND RELIEF HELP
h. DAWN MCCASLIN-TIX SALES
i. TRACY MARIE – MERCH SALES
2. DWANE HALL, DENISE HALL, JASON HALL, AND KENNY BIRRINGER-OF THE SPORTSMEN’S TAVERN FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND GENEROUSLY DONATING THE VENUE, SOUND, LIGHTS AND BACKLINE AS WELL AS SEVERAL AMMENTITIES/GUIDANCE, AND TIX SALES TO ENSURE THE EVENT GOES SMOOTHLY. IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THEM. THANKS TO THE HARDWORKING BARTENDING AND KITCHEN STAFF. ALSO THANKS TO THE SUPERB SKILLS OF TONY CONIGLIO ON SOUND AND LIGHTS!
3. ROSWELL PARK’S ALLIANCE FOUNDATION AND TEAM ROSWELL/JULIA HARVEY & ALEXANDRIA HOUGLUND – FOR THE SANCTIONING OF THIS EVENT AND HELP WITH PROMOTIONS, TEAM ROSWELL KIT, AND FOR SENDING ALEX TO REPRESENT HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF ROSWELL. ALSO TO ANGELA BROWN, WHO RUNS THE WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER.
4. ED HOENECK– FROM NIGHTLIFE MAGAZINE FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT IN ADVERTISING AND PROMOTING THIS EVENT, AND OUR SURPRISE COVERAGE BY SPECTRUM AND CHANNEL 4 NEWS.
5. VANESSA REHAC FOR PRINTING AND DENNIS GRACE FOR SIGN MAKING EVERY YEAR WITHOUT QUESTION.
6. TO ALL THE PERFORMERS:ROCKABILLY STEVE AND BR3, VISITING KING, FREIGHTRAIN, AND BBL! WHAT A GREAT, SUPPORTIVE, SELFLESS, TOP NOTCH LINEUP OF TALENT!!
7. KATIE HILDRETH/NOIZEPRO.COM-THIS YEAR’S ONCE AGAIN OUTSTANDING POSTER DESIGN AND WEB SITE DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE, FACEBOOK PAGE, AND PROMOTION.
8. PHOTOGRAPHER, KATHALINE WOODRUFF AND VIDEOGRAPHER, FRANK PIORE– FOR DONATING THEIR OUTSTANDING TALENTS, TO COMMEMORATE THE EVENT DAY!
9. THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES/INDIVIDUALS WHO GENEROUSLY CONTRIBUTED DONATED RAFFLE PRIZES IN ORDER TO ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING EFFORT. THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY, FOLKS:
Joe/Allentown Music, Rob/West Seneca Music, Jamie & Sarah/Guitar Factory, Marcus/Guitar Center, Vince/Music City, Paul/Buffalo Drum Outlet, Barry/Terrapin Station, Cathi Grace& family, Tops Markets, Party City, Margaret Freiert, Joan Bellus, Natalie Deluca, Carmen Torres-Bursie, Kelley Mathieson, Candy Pacitti, Denise Gugino, Carolyn Nowicki, Jeanne Frain, Melissa Jackson,Thersa Fitzgerald, Hilary Hilfenstine and all my generous co-workers from ACCES-VR, Eileen Corcoran, Bonnie Mertz, Wendie/Scoop Shop Consignment, Vinny/Anchor Bar, Dawn & Annie/Hard Rock Café, Kathaline Woodruff, Michael/Bomi Jewelers, Kim/Elwood Fire Protection, Max Willig, Celia O’Brien, Lynn Schmeidler, Kevin Bowen/Industrial Nostalgia, Doreen Deboth/Artsphere Gallery & Studio, Michelle Graves/Blackrock Historical Society, Ellen Bourn, Cindy/City Fare Restaurant, Greek To Me, Dave/The Phoenix at 269, Hutch/Ernie from Hutch’s Restaurant, Amanda/Holistic Organic Skin Services at Affinity Salon, Dawn Clayburg, Dawn McCaslin, , Richard Sargent/BMHOF, Elizabeth Schichtel, Nancy Weimer, Krista Van Wagner/Krista’s Kitchen, Eve Wackett, Butch Kalson, Clean Green Mart, Lynn Rose/Right Angle Salon, and Jan Wood. Thank you for your sense of community support and generosity! BE PROUD!!!!
10. AND FINALLY, TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED, AND THOSE CARING PARTICIPANTS, WHO TOOK THE TIME OUT TO SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE, WITH MUSIC AS THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER FOR ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR!