Displaying items by tag: American Cancer Society

SARATOGA COUNTY — David DeMarco, president and CEO of Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company, has made a commitment to represent Saratoga County throughout the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, by wearing pink every day, all 31 days, of the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign.

DeMarco, one of a dozen prominent men throughout the Capital Region, will take a stand against breast cancer by encouraging the community to take action, raising funds and awareness about this life-threatening disease. Each Real Men Wear Pink candidate is charged with a fundraising challenge and will compete to be the top fundraiser among the other candidates by the end of the campaign.

"It’s a first time event in the Capital Region, but it’s been done in other parts of the country with some success,” said DeMarco. “I’ve been involved with the American Cancer Society for most of my career, on the board of directors in Glens Falls and shared the first Relay for Life up in Queensbury when I lived there, so when they asked me to participate, it was kind of a no-brainer, an easy decision to get involved. I thought it would be fun for a great cause.”

Starting October 1, the 12 participants must wear pink every day, a task that will not be too difficult for DeMarco. “Luckily, I have a number of pink ties and some pink shirts,” he said. “Every couple of weeks or so I’d wear pink anyway. I hope to take a picture every day, make it fun. Since we’re doing it to raise awareness, there’s a little bit of a competition, though. We’ve been asked to raise $2,500 primarily through social media and personal asks.”

DeMarco hopes to engage Saratoga’s business community, as well, to support this initiative. “Our company is certainly supporting me. Once a month, we have a dress-down Friday where people pay $5 and it typically goes to United Way, but in October our parent company is encouraging people to do it for my campaign against breast cancer,” said DeMarco. “Hopefully all of our employees will be in pink on Friday, October 21.”

The 2016 Real Men Wear Pink participants are:

Carm Basile – CEO, CDTA

Bob Blackman - Vice President Business Development, Realty USA

Dr. Rufus Collea – Oncologist, New York Oncology Hematology

David S. DeMarco - President & CEO, Saratoga National Bank & Trust Co

Corey Ellis – President, Corey L. Ellis Consulting & Management, CECM

Jason Gough – Meteorologist, WNYT-TV

Andrew Guelcher – Director of Variable Operations, Mohawk Honda

Dr. Richard MacDowell, Breast Surgeon, Albany Medical Center

Dr. Lee A. McElroy, Jr - Director of Athletics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Chad O’Hara – Program Director, B95.5

Dr. Duncan Savage - Radiation Oncologist, St. Peter’s Cancer Care Center

Bill Sherman - Vice President Government Relations, American Cancer Society.

According to the American Cancer Society “Cancer Facts & Figures 2016,” an estimated 246,660 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and an estimated 40,450 will die from the disease this year. In New York, over 16,000 women will be diagnosed this year and 2,410 will die from the disease. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, and it is the most common cancer diagnosed in women other than skin cancer.

“I’m not sure there’s anyone around these days whose lives haven’t been touched by breast cancer,” said DeMarco, “My wife’s grandmother died from it, and we have a couple extremely close friends, one who is a 13-year survivor and one just diagnosed recently. We aren’t asking for large contributions – just whatever you can give. I’m the only Real Man Wearing Pink from Saratoga County. I’m hopeful people here will support me, that we’ll have a good showing that Saratoga cares about supporting breast cancer research, that people who don’t even know me but care about this will support me.”

For more information about breast cancer or the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, visit MakingStridesWalk.org/Albany or call 800-227-2345. To support the Real Men and read their stories, visit MakingStridesWalk.org/RealMenAlbanyNY. To support David DeMarco’s Real Men Wear Pink Campaign, click here.

SCHUYLERVILLE — The community of Schuylerville is coming together to help neighbors recover from two events that have affected the Schuylerville Central School District family.

The Schuylerville junior varsity and varsity football teams will be trading in the pigskin for golf balls on Saturday, Oct. 18 to help support the Bateman family. Jack Bateman, father of team member Skyler Bateman, is recovering from a serious motorcycle accident that happened in August. Jack Bateman is making progress at Sunnyview Rehabilitation Center after spending five weeks in Albany Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit but according to his family, he still has a long road ahead of him.

The football teams will host a fundraiser at the Sunnyside Par 3 Golf Course in Queensbury to help the Bateman family pay for medical costs. Each player is collecting sponsors and will play nine holes of golf in the “best ball” or “scramble” format. All proceeds will go directly to the Bateman family.

“Not only is this an effort in helping a friend and family in need, it’s also a way to give back to someone who has given a great deal of his time and dedication over the years, especially to the youth football program,” said Laurie Griffen, Schuylerville parent. “It’s a chance to support a teammate and give back to someone who’s given to them.”

The fundraiser will begin with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. and food and drinks will be provided.

However, the golf game isn’t the only fundraiser the Schuylerville Central School District has going on this weekend. The school community is also showing support for one of its teachers – Mrs. Penniman.

Penniman, a fifth grade teacher, lost her house to a fire on Saturday, Sept. 27. Flames had fully engulfed her one-story home by the time fire crews arrived on scene, destroying the home and killing three pets – one dog and two cats. The Penniman family was not injured but they did lose all of their possessions.

On Friday, Oct. 3, Schuylervile students and staff wore red to show their support for the Penniman family and to highlight the importance of Fire Prevention Day. Principal Gregg Barthelmas and Mrs. Penniman’s fifth grade team presented her with generous donations that the elementary school, middle school and high school collected.

If you would like to help the Penniman family, the SCSD faculty and staff are hosting a Spaghetti & Meatball Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Schuylerville American Legion. 

Friends of the Penniman family have also set up a Go Fund Me account called the “Penniman House Fire Fund,” with a goal of raising $2,000 for the family; the account has already collected just over $1,300.

To make a donation, visit www.gofundme.com/f70yfk.