St. Baldrick’s Chairman Chuck Chamness, left, presents a platter to Chairman Emeritus John Bender in recognition of John’s three years of service as board chair.
As Chuck handed the platter to John and the two of them smiled for the camera, I thought about how much John Bender and his family have meant to St. Baldrick’s over the years.
As one of the three founders who began the event on St. Patrick’s Day in 2000, John and his bald head will forever live in St. Baldrick’s history. But that was just the start.
Since that first head-shaving event, John has shaved his head for St. Baldrick’s 15 times and is the only person to have shaved for St. Baldrick’s every year since 2000 — a 14-year streak.
During the past 14 years, John and his family have started many St. Baldrick’s events, and it is truly a family effort. John’s brother, Joe, has started three university events. John’s wife, Alanna, organizes the children’s activities for their Rockville Centre event. John’s mom gets involved by crocheting hats for St. Baldrick’s Honored Kids and making beautiful afghans that fetch a handsome sum at St. Baldrick’s auctions, and his children shave and sell baked goods and other items to support St. Baldrick’s.
Last year, John recruited an event that topped them all. The 2012 AmWins event remains the largest single fundraising event in the history of St. Baldrick’s, raising $916,000 in 2012. And as the President and COO of Allied World, John has overseen corporate gifts and employee contributions in excess of $820,000 to cure childhood cancer.
When you add up all the events John Bender and his family have led and founded, including corporate and personal gifts to St. Baldrick’s, John is responsible for over $5.8 million to find cures for kids with cancer.
John Bender’s leadership and support have helped make St. Baldrick’s the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants. I speak for the entire St. Baldrick’s community when I say what a difference John has made in the lives of children fighting cancer and in the future of childhood cancer research.
Thank you, John.