September Heroes Art Session
Falling Into Fall
Childhood cancer heroes and their families spent the afternoon creating wonderful Fall crafts. The children made vibrant sun catchers that shined like fall leaves in the sunlight. They painted trees with colorful fall leaves. They connected with nature through terrarium-making. Each child created tiny, ecosystems using dirt, stones, little decorations, and beautiful air ferns. Watching the children create reminded us that the changing beauty of autumn can be captured not just in nature, but in the art we create.
We are grateful to the volunteers who created with the children. It was really special to have a team of pediatric oncology nurses who work on the 12th Floor where most of our heroes are admitted when they are in the hospital. The nurses enjoyed seeing the kids outside of the hospital.
Hero Families: Aschemund, Caleb, Charlotte, Kennedy, Ruby, Tay, Tecumseh
Volunteers: Adelaide, Ashton, Brittany, Emily, Gurbani, Gracie, Kristie, Laura, Maddie, Meredith, Nancy, Olivia #1, Olivia #2, Phyllis
About Heroes Art Session With Childhood Cancer Heroes And Their Families
Our Heroes Art Sessions provide a supportive environment in which childhood cancer heroes and their siblings can make art and build community with other hero families. At the sessions, you feel a collective sense of healing by creating and being together. We are grateful to Visual Arts Center for giving us the space for an open studio. And to our donors who allow the Heroes Art Sessions to happen at no cost to our families and to supply the artists with their materials.
Go Gold In September
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. A month when the world is asked to “Go Gold” for pediatric cancer. Gold was chosen to represent pediatric cancer because gold is a precious metal. And children are our most precious treasure.
Go Gold is also an opportunity for local businesses to support local childhood cancer heroes. Discover how you can shop and give back to hero families.
If you’re a fashionista, sneakerhead, or heel fanatic who loves one-of-a-kind footwear, then check out Saxon Shoes in Short Pump. Saxon Shoes partnered with local artists who hand-painted pairs of shoes. How do you get your hands on these shoes? You gotta win them in Saxon’s online auction.
Proceeds will benefit Connor’s Heroes and two other worthy nonprofits (who also help childhood cancer hero families) – ASK and Noah’s Children. The bidding is now open. It ends on September 30 at 6 pm. Saxon Shoes is at Short Pump Town Center.
Once again, our friends at Once Upon A Child in Midlothian will stand up for childhood cancer heroes with a fundraiser during September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Every FRIDAY in September — 15% of your purchase is given back to Connor’s Heroes.
Once Upon A Child buys and sells gently used kids & teens’ clothes, shoes, toys. You can find your favorite brands at affordable prices. And help children who are battling cancer.
Once Upon A Child in Midlothian is at 9770 Midlothian Turnpike. Come by on Fridays.
2024 Hero Squad Soiree
2024 Hero Squad Soiree
DATE: Wednesday, October 9
TIME: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
TICKETS: $25 purchase online: onecau.se/_689391
LOCATION: ZZQ — 3201 W Moore St, Richmond, VA 23230
Join us for a night of great food, open bar, live music and one amazing cause. The Hero Squad is 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! Your ticket includes ZZQ BBQ & open bar.
Summer Send Off
Cancer Hero Families Came Together
The Summer Send-Off keeps growing. This year over 100 hero kids, family members and friends joined us at Hardywood. The Summer Send-Off is one of our biggest family events of the year. We invited children who are in treatment and out. Parents loved meeting other hero parents, especially knowing their children are on similar cancer journeys. They shared advice, encouragement, and lots of hugs.
Summer Fun For Everyone
The kids made terrariums and fairy gardens! They carefully filled each container with dirt, rocks, and accessories. They picked out cute air ferns to live in their homes. Good luck taking care of your new PFF — Plant Friends Forever!
Big Herm’s Catering delivered an incredible spread of BBQ with all the fix’ns. Everyone’s favorite, The King Of Pops, handed out their cool popsicles. The main event is always Jonathan The Juggler. He entertained kids (and parents) with his slapstick, magic tricks, and incredible juggling skills.
“I Had So Much Fun!”
Thank you to our amazing volunteers, board members (and donors) for making this event possible. Our friends at ARCO Design/Build helped with the crafts, tattoo station and even put their building skills to work constructing the perfect roll of cotton candy using the cotton candy machine. Thank you to Jennike for face painting. You transformed the kids into tigers, dogs, dragon, or whatever they imagined.
Connor’s Heroes hosts events for hero families — like the Summer Send Off — thanks to your generous donations. We offer these events free of charge to patients, parents, caregivers, and siblings. Thank you for giving our families a playful, wonderful evening together.
If you work for a company or service organization who likes to give back, Connor’s Heroes has opportunities for short-term volunteering or a day of service. Email Dayna at dayna@connorsheroes.org for information. Or visit our online volunteer portal: https://www.connorsheroes.org/ways-to-give/
2024 Jr. Hero Squad
During the month of July, teams of kids, from preschool to college, pledged to raise $500 each for childhood cancer heroes. The Jr. Hero Squad is a fun way for kids to help kids and share in the spirit of caring for others.
19 kids — from toddler to teen — joined the 2024 Jr. Hero Squad. Working together, the 2024 Jr. Hero Squad raised over $17,000 — tripling their original goal!
At Connor’s Heroes Night at Gelati Celsti, we had a mini-medal ceremony honoring the Jr. Hero Squad members.
A big thank you to the 2024 Jr. Hero Squad: Annabelle & Isaac, Emily, Finn, Hal & Maren, Julianna, Lincoln, Lauren, Lucas & Lily, Mark, Sarah Jane & Boden, Poppy, Valentin & Florian, and Wyatt. You were the hero who children with cancer needed. We were honored to have childhood cancer heroes Emily, Wyatt, Mia, Lauren & Valentin on the squad. They know first hand the impact Connor’s Heroes can have on a family.
The Jr. Hero Squad is one way you can raise money for children with cancer using the power of your community. For example, instead of gifts on your birthday, ask for gifts to Connor’s Heroes! Connor’s Heroes makes it easy for you to fundraise online. We will set you up with a personal fundraising website. You share the link with your friends and family. They donate towards your goal. Email ceci@connorsheroes.org for more information.
You can:
PLEDGE YOUR BIRTHDAY (or any special event in your life)
HOST A GIFT CARD DRIVE (from our Amazon wishlist)
JOIN THE HERO SQUAD (for young professionals, college students, or retirees)
July Heroes Art Session
Christmas In July
It was “Christmas In July” at the July Heroes Art Session. The kids had a great time making holiday-inspired crafts. They made reindeers out of clothes pins & pipe cleaners (a craft classic), snowflakes out of colored beads, and decorated paper trees. Everyone was happy to have homemade ornaments for the holidays.
Every year, Connor’s Heroes hosts a Holiday Open House for hero families whose children are in active treatment over the holidays. We surprise each family with their favorite gifts, gift cards, and a $250 Visa to help with holiday expenses. Keep an eye out for our e-newsletter, Heroes & Hope, and how you can give a hero a magical holiday. If you have not subscribed to Heroes & Hope, sign up online: https://bit.ly/heroes-and-hope-newsletter
Hero Families: Ruby, Kennedy & Lauren
Volunteers: Ellen, Gurbani, Phyllis, Olivia, Ana, Emily, Katie, Laura and Adelaide
About Heroes Art Session With Childhood Cancer Heroes And Their Families
Our Heroes Art Sessions provide a supportive environment in which childhood cancer heroes and their siblings can make art and build community with other hero families. At the sessions, you feel a collective sense of healing by creating and being together. We are grateful to Visual Arts Center for giving us the space for an open studio. And to our donors who allow the Heroes Art Sessions to happen at no cost to our families and to supply the artists with their materials.
Peek Inside Willow & Amy's Hospital Rooms
Decking Out A Hospital Room
Thank you to our community of heroes. You allow Connor’s Heroes to bring comfort to a childhood cancer hero — one hospital room at a time! Willow and Amy — two childhood cancer heroes — started their long hospital stays in rooms decorated by Connor’s Heroes. See how we made their rooms special (and sparkle) as they went through a crucial bone marrow transplant.
Willow’s Hospital Room
Hello Kitty… Rainbows… Gabby’s Dollhouse
Three-year-old Willow and her mom needed some positivity sent their way for Willow’s long stay in the hospital for her bone marrow transplant. Jillian, Program Director, knew what would make Willow smile. From Hello Kitty to Willow’s favorite snack, chocolate covered pretzels. Jillian decorated Willow’s hospital room with all of her favorite things.
Amy’s Hospital Room
In the quiet of the night, Connor’s Heroes brought joy and light to a child’s hospital room. 16-year-old Amy began her bone marrow transplant journey in a hospital room decorated by Connor’s Heroes. Amy discovered her room decked out with rainbows and Care Bears.
Donate Your Talents As A Hospital Room Decorator
When a child registered with Connor’s Heroes is admitted to the hospital for a bone marrow transplant, the hospital staff often asks us to decorate the child’s hospital room. We shop and decorate the room in the child’s favorite colors, superhero, celebrity, or sport team.
Connor’s Heroes is in need of creative people (who have a knack for decorating) to be Hospital Room Decorators! If you are interested in learning more about decorating a child’s hospital room, fill out our online interest form: https://bit.ly/connors-heroes-volunteer.
Dayna, Program and Volunteer Manager, will contact you. You will learn how you can transform a room from hospital to magical for a child battling cancer.
If you can not donate your time, you can donate. A $250 donation covers the cost of decorations for one child’s hospital room. Make your donation online: https://bit.ly/BeAHero_Donate
June Heroes Art Session
June Springs In The Studio
The June Heroes Art Session was focused on one thing… F-U-N! As you can see from the pics, the kid were really into the art projects. They made bird houses, cute bugs out of clothes pins, painted tote bags, and made thank you cards. The reward for all their hard work? Unlimited treats from Kona Ice! Which was the perfect treat for the blistering, hot summer day.
Having cancer is very isolating for a hero family. Children often miss out of school, sports, and vacations. Thanks to family events hosted by Connor’s Heroes (and funded by our generous donors), families can be together in a safe and fun space.
Hero Families: TK, June, Ava M. & Ava T., Ruby & Tay
Volunteers: Kristie, Phylis, Emily, Olivia, Ana, Chante, & Gurbani
About Heroes Art Session With Childhood Cancer Heroes And Their Families
Our Heroes Art Sessions provide a supportive environment in which childhood cancer heroes and their siblings can make art and build community with other hero families. At the sessions, you feel a collective sense of healing by creating and being together. We are grateful to Visual Arts Center for giving us the space for an open studio. And to our donors who allow the Heroes Art Sessions to happen at no cost to our families and to supply the artists with their materials.
Installation of "Calling All Heroes" Painting
A Big Moment
It all comes full circle… “Calling All Heroes” was the last painting auctioned at the Heroes Art Ball on May 3. The catch was it wasn’t a painting for the winner to hang in their house. We would present it to the hospital for 12th floor (aka The Turtle Floor) where most of our childhood cancer heroes are admitted. We couldn’t believe the bidding war that erupted between our guests. The final bid was the highest single bid every made for a painting in the history of the Heroes Art Balls!
Painting Welcomes Families
Thank you Ted and Mary Linhart for your transformative gift. The painting hangs outside the Connor’s Heroes Family Room — a reminder of how Connor’s Heroes will make sure no family will face their child’s cancer alone.
❝All the kids on the stage cheered on the crowd. I couldn’t believe it when “Calling All Heroes” hit such a high bid. When I realized it was Ted, I knew it was a gift that came deep from his heart. He and Mary want to make sure every child with cancer is fully supported by Connor’s Heroes. The painting is a beautiful addition to the gallery of art throughout the hospital.❞ — Celia Tetlow Martin, Executive Director
Thank you to Hero Artist Mentor Katya Herndon for creating the piece with the children at a Heroes Art Session.
Leave A Legacy Of Caring
There are many ways you can leave a legacy to help children with cancer in Central Virginia. Connor’s Heroes accepts gifts through donor-advised funds (DAFSs) such as Community Foundation Richmond, Fidelity Charitable and Schwab Charitable. You can name Connor’s Heroes as the beneficiary of an IRA, a Bequest, or a Trust. Click here to learn more about legacy giving to Connor’s Heroes: https://www.connorsheroes.org/legacy-giving/
Today's Helping Hero: CarMax & The London Company
Today’s Helping Heroes: CarMax and London Company
Today’s Helping Heroes are two Richmond companies. CarMax and The London Company entrusted their teams to find a cause that was important to them and to go out and make a difference. Connor’s Heroes is honored to be their nonprofit-of-choice. For the short time the teams were in the Connor’s Heroes office, we saw their dedication not only to their work, their teammates, but also our childhood cancer hero families.
CarMax Cares
Through a partnership with the Community Foundation, CarMax issued a generous grant to Connor’s Heroes for our Family Fun Packs. A Family Fun Pack is a box filled with games, movies, or crafts to help families enjoy time together, especially when a child is in treatment and often has to stay home.
With the grant from CarMax, we shopped for all things summer: bubbles, sidewalk chalk, sprinklers, lawn games, and water balloons. We even purchased gift cards for ice cream for a family to enjoy on a hot day.
But here is the best part. CarMax employees assembled the Summer Fun Packs at our office. They decorated each box so the family knew something special was inside. Each team member packed a box with a family’s favorite things. By the end of the afternoon, 25 boxes were mailed to children in active treatment. Thanks Carmax for delivering summer sunshine.
London Company Loves
The London Company showed up at our office with cars loaded with boxes and boxes of snacks. They purchased the snacks from the Amazon Wish List.
Snacks are popular with families who practically live in the hospital during their child’s admission. In the Connor’s Heroes Family Room we keep a cabinet stocked with bagged snacks, oatmeal, cookies, mac-and-cheese, breakfast bars, yogurt drinks, and plenty of coffee. When our Program Team makes rounds to visit families, they have bags of snacks to leave in the child’s hospital room.
The London Company increased our supply of snacks with their one donation. The team decorated the snack bags and stuffed them with sweet and salty treats. Within hours, Connor’s Heroes Program Team handed a dozen of them out to families in the hospital.
Getting Involved
Thanks to the hard work of CarMax and The London Company, hero families know they are not alone in their child’s cancer journey. If you work for a company who wants to make a difference like CarMax and The London Company, Connor’s Heroes makes it easy for you. Email Dayna at dayna@connorsheroes.org with your contact information and budget. She will talk with you about the ways your team can volunteer. We have in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities. You too can be a hero to a child with cancer!