BOCA RATON, Fla. (March 7, 2012) – Lending a hand to kids battling cancer continues to be the driving force behind the 19th Annual Nicholas R. Chiera Dinner/Auction & Golf Classic. The two-day fundraiser is scheduled for Sunday, April 22nd at the Delray Beach Marriott and Monday, April 23rd at Parkland Golf & Country Club.
The highly anticipated annual event will kick off at the Delray Beach Marriott on April 22 at 4 p.m. with “Stand Up for R.O.C.K. Camp”, a night of hilarious comedy and action-packed auctions. Leading stand-up comic, Sarge, the evening’s entertainment, recently made his first big screen appearance in the film “New Year’s Eve.”
The silent auction and live auction, sure to be a highlight of the evening, will be conducted by local and beloved auctioneer, Neil Saffer. One-of-a-kind auction items include a thrilling ride down the Olympic Bobsled track in Salt Lake City, a diamond necklace from Gregory’s Jewelers of Delray, and a private racing experience with formula one race car driver, Le Mans Champion Derek Bell, who will be in attendance. Olympic Gold Medalist Bob Beamon will also attend as a special guest. An exciting raffle will offer an assortment of prizes including $1,000 cash, a flat screen TV, an iPad and a Kindle.
The golf tournament portion of the event will begin at 7:30 a.m. the following morning with registration and a continental breakfast at Parkland Golf & Country Club. An awards luncheon will follow the tournament.
Funds raised from the event will benefit the American Cancer Society’s Reaching Out to Cancer Kids (R.O.C.K.) programs, which include R.O.C.K. Camp. R.O.C.K. Camp, in partnership with Camp Boggy Creek, brings children with cancer throughout Florida together for a week of fun and adventure at summer camp. Boggy Creek Camp is located in Eustis,FL, and was founded by Paul Newman and Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.
“The Nicholas Chiera Golf Classic has been monumental in changing the lives of many young cancer survivors throughout the state,” said Susan Lee, American Cancer Society’s director of Childhood Cancer Programs. “With the Chiera Family Foundation’s support, the American Cancer Society is able to help send former campers and young cancer survivors to college through our R.O.C.K. College Scholarship Program.”
More than 200 children attend this special camp each year. Campers, ages 7-16, enjoy a full week of camp activities including swimming, archery, fishing, horseback riding, canoeing, a rope course and more. They are referred by pediatric oncology treatment centers, their physicians and parents. There is no charge for attending the camp which is entirely supported by events such as the Nicholas R. Chiera Golf and Tennis Classic.
The Chiera Dinner/Auction & Golf Classic has become one of the largest fundraisers for the American Cancer Society’s R.O.C.K. programs, raising more than $2.7 million in the last 18 years. KSM Electronics Inc. Of Ft. Lauderdale is once again the presenting sponsor.
“My father would be so proud to see how many children are benefiting from this event,” said Louis Chiera, tournament co-chair. “Some of our college scholarship recipients are now graduating as oncologists who are helping kids with the same cancer they battled.”
For more information about becoming a sponsor or participating in the Nicholas R. Chiera Dinner/Auction & Golf Classic, contact the Chiera Tournament Office at 561-799-4601.
Other R.O.C.K. programs include the American Cancer Society’s R.O.C.K. College Scholarship Program which gives young cancer survivors hope for the future and a chance to reach their full potential by relieving the financial burden of a college education. The program is open to all Florida residents who are United States citizens and received a diagnosis of cancer before the age of 21.
Families R.O.C.K. Weekend takes place at Universal Orlando and allows parents and children devastated by cancer to meet and bond with others facing cancer and to share valuable coping skills. Parents learn more about the disease from medical professionals in a casual setting, while the child with cancer and siblings are treated to fun and educational activities
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
About the Boggy Creek Camp
Founded by Paul Newman and General Norman Schwartzkopf, the Boggy Creek Camp in Eustis, Florida is a state-of-the-art summer camp that helps children with special needs enjoy swimming, canoeing, archery, arts and crafts and other fun summer camp activities, but with round-the-clock medical care close at hand.
