I'm shaving my head to raise money for childhood cancer research! Did you know that kids' cancers are different from adult cancers? It's true. And childhood cancer research is extremely underfunded. So I decided to do something about it by raising money for cures. Now I need your help! Will you make a donation? Every dollar makes a difference! While I don't personally know a child fighting cancer, my family recently had to deal with a medical event involving our beautiful 14 year old daughter. Her condition was a comparatively minor heart defect, corrected through a procedure involving running a catheter from her groin and into her heart. Not cancer, but a breathless moment nonetheless, for those of us closest to her. Thankfully all went well. But the experience gave me just a small taste of what those children and their families dealing with cancer must endure. Having to spend endless hours and days and weeks, and sometimes years, just not knowing. I want to honor ALL of the children and their families living with cancer. And hopefully contribute in a small way to making their lives a little easier. And their cures a little closer. But I would also like to honor the memory of a very special man. (Photo below) Jerry Jelinek loved children. Every Christmas you could find him at the Santa House in Arvada. Whether encouraging, accepting or stocking the shelves with donated toys, he wanted to make sure every child awoke Christmas morning to a visit from Santa.

His involvement with Arvada Rotary, including the Santa House, was always oriented toward helping young people. He was particularly proud of a program called AWRSAY (Arvada Wheat Ridge Student Ambassadors for Youth) which he helped create and administer. It provides leadership opportunities and awards scholarships to high school students.

Sadly, we lost Jerry in March 2015. It was sudden and unexpected. His wife and family are still looking to fill the gigantic hole left by his passing.

So, this one's for you Jerry! And for you too, Mom. I Love You!