2014 Make CF History Charity Classic will honor "CF Champions"

Each year, the organizing committee of the Make CF History Charity Classic looks for ways to further our purpose in raising awareness (and funds) for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Last year we were inspired by Team Colin, whose Team Captain Steve Lopez entered his team in honor of Colin Mong.  Colin is a CF patient and is the son of a colleague of Steve's.  Having Colin with us last year, and having a team with his namesake win the tournament, brought to light what our event weekend is truly all about.

And with that, inspired by Colin and Team Colin, the 2014 Make CF History Charity Classic will be honoring 14 "CF Champions" throughout the weekend.  Each team will be playing for and dedicating their tournament to a CF patient - who we will be referring to as our "CF Champions".  Each "CF Champion" will be a part of the pre-tournament team photos, as well as a ceremonial puck drop on Sunday before the play-out games to end the event.  

In the weeks leading up to the event, we will be posting spotlight posts on each of our "Champions" so you can get to know them and their story, and see how meaningful it is to have them as an integral part of our event.

16 Teams, 3 Days, 1 Goal: Make CF History

Four years ago, when I sat down at a Tim Hortons with my good friend Chuck Scott to discuss what it would take to create a hockey tournament to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, I envisioned 16 teams coming together for a weekend of fun and hockey to raise money and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis.  A few cups of coffee and some rough doughnut-napkin math later, the Make CF History Charity Classic was born.

The 2013 Make CF History Charity Classic, our 3rd annual event, was everything I had envisioned that Sunday morning four years ago - 16 teams, coming together for a 3-day tournament weekend, all sharing in the one goal behind the Make CF History campaign: finding a cure for CF.  For the first time, we had three full divisions to accommodate three different skill levels - with teams from Dayton, Cleveland, St. Clair, MI, and Columbus filling the divisions. 

Fund Raising Perspective

This year we asked the players to fund raise instead of paying a flat team fee in order to participate.  And fund raise they did - helping us raise over $51,000 as of the time of this writing, with more money still trickling in.  

Our top fund raising team was Chuck Scott's Hatrick Swayze (right), who raised an event leading $6,185!  Thank you guys!

When I think of the weekend from this perspective, it illustrates one very important fact:  although we were 16 different teams wearing 16 different jerseys (a formality in order to distinguish two teams from each other during the games), we were really one team - a team consisting of 235 players joined together to participate in the fight to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.  And for this, I am so very grateful for the players and their time and energy they put into being a part of our 2013 Make CF History Charity Classic.  We will always be Team MakeCFHistory.

The Player Perspective

The 'charity classic' always has been, and always will be, about putting the players first.  It is about creating an event that provides the players a first-class experience, such that they come back year after year.  This includes more than just hockey - it includes free "SWAG" (Stuff We All Get), complimentary food and beverages, game jersey and socks, a Skills Competition and places for the players to hang out together before and after the games.  

The player's pride and enthusiasm of playing in our event is evidenced in the pictures and comments we see on Facebook and Twitter, whether it be updating their profile pictures of them in action from the weekend, or tweeting pictures (left) and positive comments (below) of their time while at the event.  

I wish every weekend was @MakeCFHistory classic!!
— Tyler Moats (@gafn11) June 12, 2013

 
Thank you players for all of your support and participation - without you there is no event, and we hope to see you all again next year!


And now, the rest of the story...

The Ceremonial Puck Drops

This year, we were blessed to have four very special people with us to drop pucks in our ceremonial opening face-offs to kick off our Friday night games.  All four of our "VIP" guests brought to life the purpose of our weekend as they each are living with CF.

Kate Hennessey (left) kicked off the event by dropping the puck before our first game of the weekend.  Kate is the daughter of Marie Hennessey, who is a member of the Board of Director for the CF Foundation of Central Ohio and is the Chair Person of the Fore-Love Golf Outing (taking place September 9, 2013 at Brookside Country Club).



Thomas Mims (right), a Sports Journalism student from Kentucky, came all the way up from Lexington to join us.





Taylor Monturo (left) joined us with her parents from right here in Columbus.



And Colin Mong (right), a CF patient awaiting a double-lung transplant from the Cleveland Clinic, capped off the night by dropping the puck before the opening game of his namesake team, Team Colin, who dedicated their tournament to Colin.  Team Colin would end up winning the Experienced Division, which is a fitting outcome for a team who dedicated their weekend to Colin - who we are all now rooting for to "win" in his battle against CF.

The Lady from Mansfield, OH

At one point in the morning on Saturday, I received an email notification of a donation made on my player page from an "Iona Flores".  I did not know of anyone by this name, and quickly wrote it off to someone who intended to make a donation to another player and made it to me in error.  Later that afternoon, I walked into the lobby of the rink and noticed a lady at the check-in table talking with the staff from the CF Foundation.  As I approached them, the lady turned to me and asked, "Are you Chad?"  "Yes I am", I replied.  "I am Iona Flora", she exclaimed as she reached to shake my hand.  "You made a donation on my player page!", I countered.  "Yes, I did.", she replied.  I couldn't help but forgo a handshake to give Iona a big hug.  She went on to tell us that she had found us on Facebook, and that she came down from Mansfield to be a part of our event.  She also shared that she has two grandchildren living with CF in Texas.  It is moments like these, and people like Iona, who make the Make CF History Charity Classic so special - it brings together people from all over (hockey fans or not) who share in our aspiration to find a cure for CF.  And it is moments like these that make me question the 'fact' that CF effects only 30,000 people in the US - when it seems that most everyone I meet and know have a connection to CF.  Thank you Iona for being there this weekend, and for making my weekend so special.

The Kids Charity Game

This year we ended the weekend with our 2nd Annual Kid's Charity Game.  We hosted two teams consisting of Mites and future Squirts who, like the adult players, were asked to fund raise instead of paying a flat fee.  And, like the adult players, fund raise they did - raising nearly $2,000!   

The game was kicked off with a very special ceremonial opening face-off puck drop by CF patient Serena Scilia (below), who's dad Sam also treated the kids and parents to a very heart-felt explanation of Cystic Fibrosis before the game got started.  And this year, all of the kids jerseys were numbered with the number "65".  Sam eloquently explained the significance of the number "65" to the kids and parents - which is of course symbolic of "65 Roses", what most kids often call cystic fibrosis because "65 roses" is easier to pronounce.   

Thank you to all of the parents and kids who participated in this very special aspect of the weekend.  And, a very special thank you to Sam Scilia and his daughter Serena for making the event that much more special.

Friends and family - new and old

The best part of organizing an event like the Make CF History Charity Classic is getting to see my friends and family, who come from near and far to be there.  With that, I also get to meet so many incredible people who by the end of the weekend are my new found "family".

To our incredible Organizing Committee, all of the volunteers, the players, our sponsors, and to the staff of the Chiller Ice Rink - I wish I could one-by-one shake everyone's hand, give you all a hug, and thank you for making this year's 'charity classic' so special - and for joining Team MakeCFHistory.  

We will be the generation that finds the cure for CF.

THANK YOU to everyone who supported the 2013 Make CF History Charity Classic!

"Team Colin" gives perspective to this year's 'charity classic'

One great benefit that comes with organizing the Make CF History Charity Classic is all of the people I get to meet who I might not otherwise have had a chance to.

Last year we welcomed Trevor Umlah, the goalie who joined us all the way from Halifax, Novia Scotia.  And we now know that he is not just any ordinary goalie, nor any ordinary person for that matter.  His story is an inspiration to all of us who have been affected by CF in one way or another, and we are looking forward to having Trevor with us at our event this year.

This year brings to us another inspiring story - one that exemplifies what our event is all about, and one that will keep everything in perspective for us throughout our event weekend.

When team captain Steve Lopez entered his team - "Team Colin" - in this year's event, he reached out to me afterward with a brief explanation of what his team name represented.  I asked Steve if it would be OK to share his story, and he kindly obliged. And so, here it is:

The story behind Team Colin begins with my connection to Sherry Mong, whose Ph.D. dissertation I supervised in the sociology department at OSU. Sherry's son Colin has CF, and over the years as Sherry progressed through our graduate program, I learned from Sherry about CF and how it affected her son and her family. As she wrote her dissertation on the experiences of family caregivers who perform medically complex home care, I learned more about her family's CF story. Earlier this year, I suggested to my Wednesday night hockey team that we enter the 2013 Make CF History Tournament, and I told them a little bit about my connection to Sherry's family, Colin, and CF. One of the guys immediately said, "That's very cool, man - we should enter the tournament and name the team after him!" So, with Colin's blessing, that's what we're doing. Team Colin is dedicating our effort in the tournament to Colin Mong and his fight against CF. We hope he will soon receive the lung transplant he needs!

And with that, meet Colin Mong:

My name is Colin Mong, and I was diagnosed with CF a few months after birth. With rigorous lung clearance and frequent antibiotic intervention, I was able to enjoy childhood relatively unrestricted. For years I could participate in the "normal" day-to-day activities alongside my peers, attending school and developing a variety of relationships and hobbies. In high school I played on the tennis team, and acquired interests especially in music (piano and singing), psychology, and philosophy. For the past few years I've attended Transylvania University in Lexington, KY, studying psychology and philosophy, and hoping eventually to earn a doctorate in psychology to become a psychotherapist for the VA. This semester I had to take a medical leave from school, and am living at home to await a double-lung transplant with the Cleveland Clinic. I spend my days keeping up with my friends and girlfriend in Lexington, writing and playing piano music, reading, and trying my hand at writing some stories and poetry. After the surgery, I'll return to Transy as a Junior! I want to say thank you to all those who support the Charity Classic tournament! It helps to know that people really care! 

It's stories like Colin's, and people like Steve and his team, that make this event so special.  Their stories gives us perspective - they remind us that while we have 16 teams playing in our event, we really have one team - one team of over 220 players that will come together on the weekend of June 7th - 9th to join in on the fight to find a cure for CF...and to make CF "history" (a thing of the past).


Thank you Steve and Colin for sharing your story and for being such an integral part of this year's charity classic!

Why are we doing this 'Charity Classic' thing?

I often struggle (seriously struggle) with how to best present this thing we call "The Make CF History Charity Classic". And with that, I often question/challenge myself as to how I can be more effective at making sure that the Make CF History Charity Classic is an event that everyone - from the players to the volunteers - feels proud and energized to be a part of.  And in doing so, I keep coming back to this fundamental question: Why are we doing this?

In considering that question, which at times haunts me, I wanted (needed) to be sure that the answer to this question is far beyond the incredible willingness and generosity of the organizing committee and players to support me and this event, which I conjured up over a coffee and doughnut with my good friend Chuck Scott at a Tim Horton's one Sunday afternoon (Seriously, that's how this idea was hatched).

Then, this week, I received this video from my sister Sarah, who has two daughters who were born with CF.   And, bingo, there was the answer - right there, plain as day. Seven minutes and 8 seconds later, as if a calculator reminding me that two plus two still equals four, I was reminded of "why":



This video is courtesy of the Chicago chapter of the CF Foundation. It features my sister's husband RV, and their daughter Gabby (my God Daughter, and the younger of my two nieces with CF), among others who are effected by CF.  Their message, so simple yet so powerful: our efforts are making a difference, and with drugs like Kalydeco we are close...so close to finding a cure.  

And now I know (again) why, and for whom, our "Make CF History Charity Classic" exists. This video reminds us that we are making a difference. It reminds us that because of our efforts, we will be a part of the generation that finds the cure - and when the cure is found, we will have been "on the ice" when the winning goal is scored. We are that close! 

THANK YOU to everyone who supports our Make CF History Charity Classic and the CF Foundation, and for making a difference in the lives of those affected by CF.

2013 Charity Classic putting the 'fun' in fund raising

The 2013 Make CF History Charity Classic is off to a great start, with 12 teams already registered for this year's event.  Our goal is to host a total of 16 teams, and we are prepared to expand the divisions if needed.

A new twist to this year's event requires our players to raise a minimum of $125.00 in order to participate.  In prior years, we simply required a flat team entry fee. Involving the players in the fund raising efforts was an idea suggested by the players in last year's post-event player feedback survey.

With the players now actively participating in our fund raising efforts, we've added some fun and friendly competition to the process as well.  This year we will be giving away great prizes to the top individual fund raiser, as well as to the top team fund raiser.  And with our new and improved event website on cff.org, each player will have their own personal fund raising page to help promote their efforts to friends, family and colleagues.  All donations can be processed online, and the players and teams can track their progress leading right up to the event.  It doesn't get much easier than that!  All donations go directly to the CF Foundation of Central Ohio.  

As for me, I am not exempt of the fund raising requirement (as the Event Chair and Tournament Director), and I have set a personal goal of raising $1,500.00.  My personal fund raising page is ready go, and I plan on exceeding my goal (of course)!

Our total fund raising goal this year is $50,000, and with the growing number of teams and players we expect nothing less than to achieve our goal.  We want to thank the players, and especially the team captains, for their support and participation! 

Happy fund raising, everyone!

ABOUT THE 2013 MAKE CF HISTORY CHARITY CLASSIC
What:  Men's and Women's Adult Amateur hockey tournament (USA Hockey sanctioned), including:

• Kids' Pond Hockey Tournament (for Mites and Mini-mites)
• Skills Competition for the adult players
• Silent and Live Auction
• Public Skate
• Stick-and-puck for kids with Blue Jacket Mascot "Stinger" (TBA)
• Blue Jackets Autograph Session (TBA)

When:  Friday June 7- Sunday June 9, 2013
 
Where:
Chiller Easton Ice Rink
3600 Chiller Lane, Columbus Ohio 43219
614-475-7575
www.thechiller.com

Why: To benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and cystic fibrosis research

Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@MakeCFHistory)

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2013 'Charity Classic' set for June 7-9th

The organizers of the Make CF History Charity Classic are hard at work already, and the first piece of the planning process is in place: the date of next years event! 

Save the Date: June 7th - 9th, 2013.

Once again, the Make CF History Charity Classic will be hosted at the Chiller Ice Rink at Easton.  The Chillers have been great partners for us, and we are proud and excited to bring the event back to the Chiller at Easton.  Many thanks for GM Jeremy Rogers and his excellent staff for their continued support!

What's In Store for 2013
As always, our planning process begins with the players in mind first, and making sure we are creating a first-class experience for them.  There will be room for 16 teams again this year across four divisions.  In addition to the men's Experienced and Intermediate divisions, we will be adding a Beginner's (co-ed) division, and will again be looking to fill a Women's division.  For the players, there will again be a Skills Competition, social activities after the games, and many other great perks!  The tournament will be sanctioned by USA Hockey.

We will again be including kids in the event, and are looking to expand the kid's game into a tournament for four to eight teams of mites and mini mites.

There will again be activities for the general public, including a general skate, a stick-and-puck, and of course the silent and live auctions with great items and packages.

We are creating many new sponsorship opportunities as well for companies to get involved in a variety of ways to support this great cause. 

For inquiries about our event, sponsorship opportunities or how to participate contact Jackie Riedel at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Central Ohio: 
740 Lakeview Plaza Blvd., Suite 225 
Worthington, OH 43085 
p: (614) 846-2440 

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2012 'classic' crossed borders, reached new heights

From Chad Eddy, founder of the Make CF History campaign

"And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” Paulo Coelho wrote that in his best selling book (and one of my favorites), The Alchemist. It's the story of pursuing one's dreams.  My dream is to one day be a part of a generation that found the cure for Cystic Fibrosis, and to know that the Make CF History Charity Classic played an active role in finding the cure.

Sticking with the Alchemist for a moment, "alchemy" is defined as the process of transforming base metal matter into gold. The Make CF History Charity Classic is, I hope, our pursuit of alchemy - bringing together people, products, services, and financial resources for a period of time with one common purpose in mind: finding a cure for CF.

For the second year in a row, our vision for the Make CF History Charity Classic was brought to life thanks to the commitment and hard work of our countless supporters - our Organizing Committee, our sponsors, the players, the broader community, and of course our volunteers.

The Player's Perspective

We established at the on-set of this journey that our priority first and foremost would be from the player's perspective, and creating for them an experience that would be second-to-none. Our goal is to create an experience and an environment such that they would feel special, and taken care of.  And therefore, "success" for this event will always be defined by the player's, and by how many of them come back year after year.

This year, we added two teams, created two divisions and crowned two new Champions.  We had several returning players from last year, as well as several first-time players this year.  Below are some of the comments and feedback we've received from the players over the past few days from this year's event:

"One of the best tourney’s I have ever played in."

"This was one of the most well organized tournaments I've ever played in."

"[This tournament] is first class."

"You put on a first-class event."

"We are already planning on coming back next year."

We can't thank the players enough for their support and participation in this event, and we hope to see them back next year!

Fund-raising Perspective

Going in to this year's event, we set a goal to raise $15,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Central Ohio Chapter.

As of the time of this writing, the results of our fund raising efforts reflect that we have raised over $18,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - exceeding our goal of $15,000! Key contributors to exceeding our goal were: sponsorships, donations from the stick-and-puck sessions; monies from the silent auction, as well as the raffle; pledges raised from the kids' charity game (great job, kids!); and lastly, private donations made from the general public throughout the weekend, which were unanticipated.

Still yet to be realized are the proceeds from the sale of the photographs from the weekend. As we all know, hockey players love to see pictures of themselves in action, and there are plenty of them. Our outstanding photographer Bernie Beck and his team of volunteers worked tirelessly all weekend to capture all of the action, and have posted the photos on their website - BernieBeck.com. They are donating 50% of all proceeds from the sale of these pictures to the CF Foundation, so we encourage all of the players and their friends and family to purchase their favorite pictures from the weekend, and help us continue to drive our overall contribution to the CF Foundation.

The rest of the story...

These are the stories from the weekend about a universe that continues to conspire to help us achieve our goal: a cure for CF.

The "donation" (again!)

You may recall last year the unexpected and on-the-spot donation from the Baron's own Tom Jaroscak which put us over our fundraising goal.  Well, this year it happened again!  On Saturday night I was appraoched by a fellow hockey player (who will remain nameless to protect the innocent) who wanted to know more about our fundraising goal and how he can make a donation.  As I shared our goal of $15,000 and explained that we will likely fall a bit short, he promptly expressed his desire to make a donation to help.  As I started to explain the process for making a donation, he humbly "asked" if a pledge of [something in the four-figure range] would be enough.  As I posted on my Twitter and Facebook page shortly thereafter: once again, the Make CF History Charity Classic has exposed me to people whose generosity leaves me humbled and speechless with gratitude.  Thank you (you know who you are) for being a part of the world which is conspiring to help us achieve our goal!!

The Man from Pittsburgh - Part II

On Sunday morning of last year's event, a man approached me and asked how he can make a donation. He shook my hand and thanked me for bringing together two wonderful things: Hockey and a good cause. He explained that he was from Pittsburgh, and that he was there to see his daughter's fiance play. On Friday of this year, that same man appeared (with his wife and daughter-in-law) in the lobby, and came right up to me and shook my hand - as if picking up right where we left off last year.  Mike Kurtz is his name, and he is the father of Garrett Kurtz who plays on the Dayton team - and I can't thank them enough for their support of what we do.  And I look forward to seeing them again each and every year!

The Family from Michigan - Part II

Last year I met a family from Michigan, whose son played in the tournament. I learned that they have a family member with CF, and they simply wanted to come down to support the event. I've since gotten to know their son, Jesse Predhomme, a bit - and on Saturday morning of this year I had the pleasure of seeing his parents again as they made the trip down from Michigan again to support their son and the event.  To add to this family affair, their cousin Justin played on the CH Robinson Detroit team, as did his twin brother who made the trip from Kentucky to be there this year.  I look forward to seeing the Predhomme's and Ronayne's each year, as our family's share the personal connection to CF and share in the fight to find a cure.

The Goalie from Canada

A few months ago the CF Foundation forwarded me an email from a guy who offered to play in our event.  Simply, the email from him read, "Hi, if you would like to have a goalie with CF play on an entry in your hockey tournament in June, I would be interested." We received several emails from individuals looking to be placed on teams, which we saved for consideration once we had all of the teams registered.  And, on the surface, this email seemed much the same as the others.  That was until the CF Foundation sent me an email the following day with a links to his story - and this is the story of Trevor Umlah from Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Not only did Trevor bless us with his presence this year, he played for two teams (including mine), playing in 8 games in 3 days.  He is truly an inspiration for all of us - both from a hockey perspective, as well as for life in general.  Trevor, you have a standing invite to join us each and every year, and we hope to see you here again!

The Family Affair

As with the inaugural event, the weekend was a family affair for me and others. My wife's cousin Kevin created the tournament logo (gratis), which of course gets it all started. My father-in-law Nick (A.K.A. "Old School") led the Monday Knights, who finished 2nd in the Intermediate division. My brother John came in again from Denver on his own dime and volunteered his time to referee the games. And My sister Sarah drove in from Chicago with her daughter Alison and husband R.V. to be at the event as well. Their youngest daughters Gabby (my God Daughter) and Madi were born with CF, and are the inspiration behind The Make CF History campaign, which I founded in 2006 with the goal of raising $1 million for CF research.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Predhomme's and Ronayne's, who are huge supporters of our event and are personally affected by this deadly disease.

The Final Word...

It goes without saying that one of the biggest benefits of an event like this is getting to meet new people, people who we might not otherwise have had a chance to meet. The weekend was full of powerful moments like the ones above, where seemingly random people came together for a common purpose. And friends and family who came together from near and far to show their support.

The fact that we exceeded our fund-raising goal (again!) is secondary to the fact that the event itself fosters new friendships, continues to drive awareness for CF, and brings together families and friends from far and near.  My sincerest gratitude goes out to the players, our sponsors, our volunteers and my family for making this event such a success!

I look forward to seeing everyone again next year!

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.

“Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act” Passes U.S. House, Heads to President for Signature

Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act” (I-ACT), in a victory for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, its advocates and 120 other health advocacy organizations.

The bill, which passed the Senate Aug. 5, now goes to President Obama’s desk for his signature. He is expected to sign it.

SAVE THE DATE: First Annual "Make CF History" Charity Classic Hockey Tournament

Dear friends, family, fellow hockey players and supporters of the fight to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis:

I am writing to let you know about a very exciting event, and am inviting you all to be a part of the fun and it's very important cause.

As many of you know, I have two nieces who were born with Cystic Fibrosis - or "Sixty-Five Roses" as the little kids call it. Upon learning that my nieces Madison and Gabby would be living with CF, I have made a commitment to be an active part of the generation who finds the cure.

That said, I am taking this fight to the ice (I am otherwise a perfect gentleman on the ice) and am organizing what I hope will be an annual tradition - The "Make CF History" Charity Classic Hockey Tournament. With many details yet to be ironed out, below is the key information I'd like you to know:

SAVE THE DATE

• What: The First Annual "Make CF History" Charity Classic Hockey Tournament
• When: June 3-5, 2011
• Why: To raise awareness and money for the fight to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis
• Who: Adult Amateur (must be registered with USA Hockey)
• Where: Columbus, OH (Easton Chiller)

What You Can Do To Help

* Spread the word - Facebook, Twitter, or traditional word-of-mouth...let everyone know. This event will be for hockey players as well as the general public, and the more the merrier.

* Play - As players, you'll be sure to have a great time competing and enjoying many of the 'special perks' we have in store for you.

* Get Involved - We need leaders for our Organizing Committee and volunteers to make this successful. We'd like to have our Organizing Committee in place no later than September 30. If you or someone you know would like to help, please contact me directly.

That's all for now - please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and I'll be sure to keep you all posted as things progress. Many thanks!!

A little bit about Cystic Fibrosis (CF)

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond. Additionally:

* About 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year.

* More than 70% of patients are diagnosed by age two.

* More than 45% of the CF patient population is age 18 or older.

* The predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is in the mid-30s.

What is "Make CF History"

The idea is simple: Raise $1 million dollars for Cystic Fibrosis research in order to find a cure for CF, and make CF "history" (a thing of the past).

New Health Reform Bill Includes Provisions that Impact People with CF – CF Foundation

New Health Reform Bill Includes Provisions that Impact People with CF – CF Foundation

Esiason.org - Fighting Cystic Fibrosis

Esiason.org - Fighting Cystic Fibrosis

Urgency - Part 2

After thinking more about my most recent blog regarding urgency, I realized that it reflects a very introspective mood which I was in at the time and may send an unintended message. So I write this follow up blog with the hopes of clarifying the more important source of urgency which drives my energy behind the MakeCFHistory.com intiative.

As I have set out all along, this initiative has absolutely nothing to do with me and has everything to do with making a difference in the fight to find a cure for CF. The sense of urgency behind the MakeCFHistory.com initiative is much greater and more significant than my own - it is truly a reflection of the immediate need to find a cure for CF and to make a difference in the lives of those who are living with CF each and every day. And as an uncle of two young nieces with CF, it is my intention to not sit on the bench and assume that someone, somewhere, somehow will get this done before it is too late. And perhaps that is where my sense of self-urgency begins - I want to be in this game now and not later.

The fight to find a cure for CF is undoubtedly a team sport, where we each need to do our part to put points on the board against CF. My goal of raising $1,000,000 for CF research is simply what I want my contribution to be to the bigger picture of finding a cure for CF. And, ultimately, what will matter most is that someday soon we can all look up at the scoreboard and see that our team is the victor against CF. Game over.

Cheers!

A Goal is a Dream with a Deadline

Many years ago I saw a sign in a dugout during a college baseball game that read, "A goal is a dream with a deadline." I've never forgotten it....

I was recently asked "What drives you?" It is a complicated question for me because it drives a myriad of thoughts and ideas - all of which move too fast through my brain to get my head around and connect together in order to formulate a coherent answer. But one sense which is consistently recurring when I contemplate the answer to what drives me - urgency.

Urgency drives me all the time, with a constant need to remind myself to be sure it doesn't instill a self-induced panic, rather create a productive method to my day and life as a whole.

Urgency is the heart and sole behind MakeCFHistory.com. I don't need to try to raise $1,000,000 for CF research. I don't need to build a website and collaborate with the CF foundation. All this entails work - unsolicited work. I could more easily go about attending various fund raising activities and do my part to obtain donations, etc. But I don't want to do that. Why? Without intending to sound critical, that is the easy way out. And I don't want to go down that path. Why? I don't know why - what I do know is that tomorrow is not a guarantee for anyone, and to that end, it is my dream to do something extraordinary with the time I have. Why? I don't know why. All I know is that I better get moving on it now. There it is - urgency.

To that end, it is my dream to be an active member of a generation that finds a cure for CF. In creating MakeCFHistory.com, my dream is now a goal. It's nothing complicated, flashy, or glitsy. It's actually quite simple - people donate to CF, and in turn we recognize them ad infinitum on our site. Simple.

More importantly - we're not looking for a select few to donate millions of dollars - we're looking for millions of people to donate a few dollars.

I am looking forward to seeing this initiative achieve its goal! And my sincere gratitude goes out to everyone who is supporting this initiative and CF research as a whole.

Cheers!

Happy 2009.... so what is in a Number?

Happy New Year! 2009!

What might seemingly be just another new year to some, it's not just another new year for me. There are 2 "numbers" that make the number "2009" significant to me.

First, and of lesser interest, is the number "40". No, not "40" as in U2's song titled after the verse in Psalms. Rather "40" as in how old I will be at the end of this month. And I am constantly getting asked, "So, how does it feel to be turning 40?" "Are you feeling any different?" Ugh...

The second number, and of greater interest, is "1,000,000"...as in $1,000,000. No, not $1,000,000 as in Dr. Evil's ransom money for the free world (Yes, I'm holding my pinky finger to the corner of my mouth). Rather, $1,000,000 as in our target for funds raised for Cystic Fibrosis research through our MakeCFHistory.com campaign.

So - to bring it altogether, my goal now is to raise the $1,000,000 in 2009 while (or before) I am 40. That gives me 12 months (oh boy, another number).

A Very Special Invitation

We've partnered with the Central Ohio Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (thank you Susan!) to offer you this very special invitation: to be a part of internet history and to help make Cystic Fibrosis a thing of the past (History)!

Simply visit our website - www.MakeCFHistory.com - and click on the "Donate!" link anywhere throughout the site to make a donation of any amount. 100% of all donations go directly to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In exchange for your donation, we will place a rose (50x50 pixels) on our website in your name forever! Return to the site (give us a few days) to find your rose and your place in internet history!

Remember: We're not looking for a few people with a lot of dollars to give, rather a lot of people with a few dollars to give. We hope you accept our invitation - and spread the word!

If you are already a supporter of the "Make CF History" Campaign or of CF in general, thank you!! And our only request to you is for your voice - spread the word of this initiative to continue your great work to help find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

On behalf of my two nieces, thank you for your support!

Chad Eddy
Donate today @ MakeCFHistory.com

Susan to the Rescue

Michal Jordan once said:

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.

When I settled on the website and the concept of posting roses on the site ad infinitum (as long as donations came in), I ran into my next major hurdle: processing payments for the donations.

Through the use of PayPal, processing donations is easy. But I certainly did not want to handle the money through a personal account (for obvious reasons). Additionally, I knew that I could not make this happen to the extent I wanted all by myself - I needed a partner to help make this HUGE.

So, I reached out to the Central Ohio Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for suggestions and support. And that is exactly what I got. Thanks to the good people at the Chapter, they created an on-going campaign (called "Make CF History") and with it comes a donation form that sends all donations directly to the foundation for processing. Bingo!

And with that - MakeCFHistory.com was complete. And now for the fun part...getting the website and the concept out to the masses so we can get on with raising the money that will hopefully allow us to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis!

Are you in?

Why MakeCFHistory.com?

I remember very distinctly in 1998 sitting on plane heading for Amsterdam and writing in my Day Runner all the things I want to do before I die. As an uncle of 2 young nieces born with CF, I knew I wanted to be an active participant in the effort to find a cure for CF. My initial thought was to create a non-profit organization geared towards raising money for CF. But since there were so many of those, I thought it would be better to work with them rather than to compete against them. So, I chose to participate in various annual events organized by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as well as other privately sponsored events. But something was missing...I wanted to do something BIG, something WAY MORE than just asking friends and family for sponsorship dollars for a walk or a climb up stairs. But I was not quite sure where to begin...

Should I organize a 10K? Or maybe a nighttime fund raising event? But none of these were resonating.

Then, in 2005 I saw the news about an aspiring high school student who raised $1 million for college tuition by selling the pixels on his website as ad space for $1 per pixel. His website (The MillionDollarHomePage.com) was 1,000 x 1,000 pixels in size, hence, he raised $1 million (actually more because he auctioned off the center square on eBay - brilliant!). Then it occurred to me:

If someone can raise $1 million dollars for college by selling ad space, can't we raise $1 million dollars for a worthy cause such as research for finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis?

At first I thought about "The PageWithAPurpose.com" - a spin-off of the million dollar home page, but for a "purpose". Then, being a U2 fan, I joined the ONE campaign which is geared towards the fight against extreme poverty in the world. Their goal is to "help make poverty history", as in a thing of the past. And that was it - "make CF history"!! And so MakeCFHistory.com it would be.

So, in no way am I claiming to have invented the idea of using the internet to raise money, but I am trying the leverage to good ideas before this one to do what I have always wanted to do - raise $1 million for CF research. And with that, I am heading to blog-o-sphere for help.

Now, in the last year or so we're seeing politicians leverage the internet to raise millions of dollars in a day for their campaigns! Again:

If someone can raise millions of dollars over-night for a political campaign, why can't we raise $1 million dollars for a worthy cause such as research for finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis?

We can - and we will! And I hope you join us!