Planning for 2012 Make CF History Charity Classic underway, goal to top 'magnificent' 2011 event

The second annual Make CF History Charity Classic Hockey Tournament (and more!) is set for June 8th - 10th, 2012.  And while that may seem like a ways off, it will be here before we know it.  And with that in mind, planning for the 2012 Make CF History Charity Classic Hockey Tournament has begun.  

The Organizing Committee will meet for the first time since the inaugural event Wednesday November 2nd to officially kick-off our planning efforts.  And on the heels of a very successful inaugural event in 2011, our goal will be to top last year's event...not by a little - by a lot!

The inaugural event was..."magnificent"

Our ultimate measure of success will always be determined from the player's perspective, feedback from whom following the inaugural event was very positive.  "One of the best tourney’s I have ever played in.", said one player.  And on all accounts, our inaugural event (post-event wrap-up) was, well...simply put..."magnificent":

How do we top that?

Not easily, but certainly the inaugural event has established a foundation for us to build upon (I hope you watched the video above). And as with the inaugural event, our focus will continue to be on the player's experience - and in 2012, we will want more of them!  With 6 teams in the inaugural event, our goal for 2012 is to host 16 teams, including a women's division as well as a "Battle of the Badges" division for teams consisting of firefighters and policemen. And as we did last year, we will be reaching out to teams across the greater mid-west region to invite them in from out of town to join us. 

As for our fund raising goals (which are secondary to the player's experience), we will be looking to more than double our funding raising achievement of last year.  The inaugural event raised close to $11,000 (against a goal of $10,000) for CF, and therefore we will be striving to raise $25,000 in 2012.

Additionally, this year our organizing committee will be led by the Central Ohio Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Their support has been tremendous, and now our partnership is even stronger! 

Thanks to the CF Foundation, the event's official website has taken on new a looks, with new features and functionality:

www.centralohioevents.com/hockey

Teams will be able to register online, and companies wishing to support the event as sponsors will be able to do so online as well. 

And after that?

The goal of the Make CF History campaign is to raise one million dollars for the CF Foundation.  The Make CF History Charity Classic will be our flagship event for achieving this goal.  In the years to come, we envision pursuing world records (http://longestgame4cf.com/), as well as expanding this event to more teams and more rinks such that the central Ohio community will know that each year during the first weekend in June it is "CF Hockey Weekend" in Columbus.

Stay tuned...

A Goal is a Dream with a Deadline - Part II

Napoleon Hill wrote that. "A goal is a dream with a deadline", that is. The first time I saw that quote was on a sign posted in the dugout of a baseball team -- and I've never forgotten it.

That's what I do - I'm a dreamer. And I'm a goal-setter, because we all know what happens when we don't have a goal to shoot at -- we can't score. And we all know what a dream is which is without a course of action -- it's just a dream.

Last August, I dreamed of organizing a men's hockey tournament to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I dreamed of teams coming in from out of town to play, of a silent auction, of "Stinger" (the Blue Jackets mascot) at the rink, and of a Columbus Blue Jackets player signing autographs too. I dreamed of media exposure, and of sponsors. And I dreamed it would be called The Make CF History Charity Classic Hockey Tournament.

By October, the deadline of my dream was set: June 3, 2011

And so, tomorrow night at 7:00 PM, the first puck will drop at the Easton Chiller to kick off the first of three days of games in the inaugural Make CF History Charity Classic Hockey Tournament. Saturday June 4th, starting at 11:00 AM there will be a silent auction, a public skate and stick-and-puck for kids with "Stinger", an autograph session with Jared Boll and Derek Dorsett of the Columbus Blue Jackets, followed by a live auction emceed by Stephanie Greegor from the Other Paper. Tournament games will take place throughout the weekend, and include teams from Columbus as well as Dayton and Detroit, MI.

And on the eve of our inaugural event, I am still dreaming of what this will all look like when it happens...while at the same time uncertain as to what to expect. Regardless, I can't help but reflect on and recognize the fact that one does not achieve a dream without the help of a lot of great people. And that perhaps the best part in the pursuit of a dream is the process of establishing new friendships while renewing bonds with friends of old -- all in the spirit of helping others. It is the greatest feeling!

Announcing the First Annual Make CF History Charity Classic Hockey Tournament

Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

From: The Make CF History Campaign
Contact: thecharityclassic@makecfhistory.com

Announcing the First Annual Make CF History Charity Classic Hockey Tournament

Event to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation includes 8-team hockey tournament, silent auction, public skate and stick-and-puck for kids

WHAT: Men’s adult amateur hockey tournament, silent auction, public skate and stick-and-puck

WHEN: Friday June 3 – Sunday, June 5, 2011

WHERE: Chiller Easton
3600 Chiller Lane
Columbus, Ohio 43219
614-475-7575 | www.thechiller.com

WHY: To benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and CF Research

TEAM REGISTRATION: www.thecharityclassic.blogspot.com/p/teams

One man’s fight to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) hits the ice June 3 – 5, 2011 at the Chiller Easton Ice Rink with the inaugural Make CF History Charity Classic Hockey Tournament.

Chad Eddy, an uncle to two nieces with Cystic Fibrosis, has always been looking for creative ways to be an active participant in the fight to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. “I have always wanted to do more than just participate in other fund raising events. I have wanted to do more for the cause to find a cure for CF.” says Chad.

In 2006, he launched the "Make CF History" campaign, which is an online initiative aimed at raising $1 million for CF research. “Getting the online aspect of the initiative up and running was easy. Getting the word out is a continuous work in progress.” Chad sought to create another forum to spread the word about the Make CF History campaign and more importantly to raise awareness and money for CF research. “Hockey is a passion of mine, and the idea behind this event stems from an outdoor alumni hockey game I played in last January outdoors in downtown Detroit (www.outdoorclassicdetroit.com). It was such a successful event which drew a lot of attention from the media, sponsors and the general public. We want to create a similar event with a similar atmosphere, but for the purpose of supporting the fight to find a cure for CF. This is why I hope the event will inspire players, sponsors, media and the general public to be a part of it.”

The goal of the Make CF History Charity Classic Hockey Tournament is to raise awareness and money for Cystic Fibrosis research, while creating a fun and value-added event for the participants, audience, volunteers and sponsors. The event’s main attraction is a hockey tournament which will match up 8 adult men’s amateur teams, but will also include a silent auction, a public skate and a stick-and-puck for kids. All proceeds from the event will go directly to the Central Ohio Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “The response we’ve received from players, sponsors and the CF Foundation has been overwhelmingly positive, and the folks at the Chiller have been incredibly supportive from the moment I reached out to them. The Easton Chiller was our first choice not only for its proximity to restaurants, shopping and hotels, but also because it is a great facility with an ideal layout for the kind of event we are trying to create.”

Donatos, Tim Hortons, Marriott Hotels and Westchester Golf Course are among the growing list of supporting sponsors of the event. If you would like to support this great event as a sponsor, visit www.thecharityclassic.blogspot.com/p/sponsors for more information.

Teams can now register for the tournament through the entry deadline of April 1, 2011. The registration packet can be downloaded from the event's website at www.thecharityclassic.blogspot.com/p/teams. The tournament is sanctioned by USA Hockey. The event is endorsed by the Central Ohio Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and can be followed on Facebook as well.

About the “Make CF History” Campaign
The Make CF History campaign was launched in 2006 by Chad Eddy, who has two nieces (one being his God Daughter) who were born with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). This internet-based initiative can be found at www.MakeCFHistory.blogspot.com, and has a goal to raise $1 million dollars for Cystic Fibrosis research and to make Cystic Fibrosis a thing of the past (hence “history”). “Think of it as the Million Dollar Home Page meets the Home Page with a Purpose. My main motivation stems from, if nothing else, a sense of urgency – having two nieces with CF, I feel like time is of the essence to make a difference.” says Chad. In partnership with the Central Ohio Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, on-line donations are driven from the website directly to the CF Foundation. “Making a donation is easy, and in recognition of your donation you will receive one rose measuring 50x50 pixels on the website. Roses are permanently posted on the site and will hopefully be seen by millions of people for many years. And when we find a cure for CF, everyone will own their piece of Internet history as the site will represent a time capsule for the part of our generation who actively fought to find a cure for this disease.”

In 2009, Chad established a cause on Facebook (www.causes.com/MakeCFHistory) to increase awareness and drive additional donations. In 2011, the Make CF History campaign is taking the fight to find a cure for CF to the ice, with the inaugural Make CF History Charity Classic Hockey Tournament.

About Cystic Fibrosis
CF is a genetic disease affecting the lungs and digestive system of ~30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). In the 1950s, few children with CF lived to reach elementary school. Today, with advances in research and medical treatments many live into their 30s, 40s and beyond. Current facts:

• 1,000 new cases are diagnosed each year
• 45% of the CF patient population is 18 or older
• The predicted median age of survival is mid-30s
• There is no cure

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For more information, including team registration and sponsorship information, visit the event’s website at www.thecharityclassic.blogspot.com or contact the Organizing Committee at thecharityclassic@makecfhistory.com.