The 3rd Annual Avian Allen Memorial Basketball will once again see the Staff of Gavilan Peak play the students. This year a special guest, Eric Kilstrom, President of We Care in Anthem, will be joining the male staff to add some height and perhaps some humor to the game. The affable Kilstrom backs himself as a “baller,” but the speed of the younger legs may see him struggle to get back on defense.

The game will be held Friday, February 27 at the Boulder Creek High School Gym. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. for food and fun activities such as bounce houses and face painting. Tip off for the girls’ game is set for 6:30 p.m. and the boys’ 7:30 p.m.

Admission is $1, with all proceeds going to We Care in Anthem.

By Paula Theotocatos, ImagesAZ, September 2008

We Care In Anthem is hosting its 7th Annual Golf Benefit on November 21, 2008 at the Anthem Golf and Country Club, Ironwood course. The We Care organization, as many of you know by now, was formed in 2002 by Eric Kilstrom and a group of other concerned citizens to help seriously ill children and their families in Anthem and nearby communities. During the last six years, the organization has raised lots of money to help pay many families’ medical bills.

This year’s golf tournament is for the benefit of Joshua Coppoth, the young fifth-grader from Anthem, who had emergency surgery last year for a brain tumor (Medulla Blastoma). The surgery successfully removed the tumor, but Josh has had to undergo a grueling series of chemo and radiation treatments. His chemo therapy terminated at the end of May this year and he took the summer off to recuperate. Josh goes to regular physical therapy sessions to help him regain the physical capabilities he lost as a result of his illness, like the ability to walk backwards, jump, or catch a ball. Luckily, his intelligence has not been affected and this gifted student aced his AIMS tests in all areas! (He is one of the students who has been identified as “Gifted and Talented” in Gavilan Peak’s SAGE (Student Advancement through Gifted Education) Program.) In addition to attending his regular and gifted classes, Josh attends regular PE sessions at Gavilan Peak Elementary as Assistant to the PE instructor, even though he is not quite ready to perform the required activities. Recently, Josh was presented the Anderson Security Citizenship by Award Petty Officer Nick Waguespack, a Navy Seal who had been adopted by Josh’s class as their pen pal – a thrilling moment for the two heroes.

Life is not a bed of roses for this young hero, and he gets frustrated sometimes. But with his mother Diana’s help, he retains a sense of optimism. “Josh has a heart of gold,” Diana says. “We have a lot of faith and that’s what keeps us going.” Every month, Diana takes a day off from work to take Josh to his oncologist. His eyes were affected by the tumor, and he also wears special inserts in his shoes and a hearing aid. When the chemo was finished, Diana insisted on the removal of the portacatheter inserted in Josh, even though the doctor was reluctant to remove it “just in case we have to put it back in.” Her motive was to have Josh experience some finality to this part of his treatment – to feel that he was making some progress. Smart Mom! Throughout this entire ordeal, Josh retains his sense of humor. He currently has a bet with a woman he met at the hospital as to which one of them will grow their hair faster!

Benefit Details

So, golfers, get your drivers and putters ready to take a few swings for a good cause. Following are the details for the We Care In Anthem Benefit:

7th Annual Golf Benefit
Anthem Golf and Country Club, Ironwood
November 21, 2008
10:00 AM Registration
11:00 AM Lunch
12:30 PM Shotgun Start

Red Sponsor – $5000

* Presenting Sponsor –only one
* Foursome of Golf and Lunch
* Logo on Welcome banner
* Logo on all Hole Sponsor Signs
* Name on all press releases to all newspaper and periodicals in Arizona
* Large logo placement on all advertising, which includes placements on an ad in ImagesAZ Magazine for two months and an ad for two weeks in In & Out Magazine. This will be an ad to promote the event.

Blue Sponsor – $1000

* Medium logo placement on all advertising, which includes placements on an ad in ImagesAZ Magazine for two months and an ad for two weeks in In & Out Magazine. This will be an ad to promote the event.
* Logo on all Hole Sponsor Signs
* Twosome for Golf and Lunch

White Sponsors – $250

* Name on all on all advertising, which includes placements on an ad in ImagesAZ Magazine for two months and an ad for two weeks in In & Out Magazine. This will be an ad to promote the event.
* Name on Hole Sponsor Sign at either a tee box or green

Payment options:

Paypal: wecareinanthem@yahoo.com

By Checks Payable to:
We Care in Anthem, 3655 W Anthem Way, STE. A-109-280, Anthem, AZ 85086

Info: Chris Prickett at 623-297-2557 or Lisa Jackson at 623-455-9630

Valley 4th-grader honored by Navy Seals
May 14th, 2008

azfamily.com’s Tess Rafols’ tells a story of courage and honor concerning a 4th-grader named Josh Coppoth who is battling a brain tumor.

Watch the video

Join us at Madelyn’s Restaurant on May 3 for a fashion show and delicious food to support We Care at Anthem. Lunch will be served at 12:00, followed by the show at 1 p.m.

The fashion show will feature clothes from Mode Boutique and jewelry from Rocks Gemwear. Also on-site will be Hand & Stone, offering chair massages, a custom jewelry designer, and a custom handbag designer. Raffle tickets will be sold for great prizes.

All raffle proceeds as well as a percentage of sales for the day from Madelyn’s Restaurant and Mode Boutique will go to support Josh Coppoth.

We Care is a sponsor of Emma’s Run 2, held in honor of Emma Addison Simpkins. The Emma’s Run Organization is dedicated to raising donations, building community, and the physical fitness of children and adults. All donations to the Emma’s Run Organization go directly to help children’s charities here in the “Valley of the Sun” and around the world through various charities.

Emma’s Run 2 takes place Saturday, April 12, at Boulder Creek High School in Anthem.

The 5K and 10K races start at 8:00 a.m. The kids 1K run starts at 9:00 a.m.

On-site registration is from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. All races will start and finish at the Boulder Creek High School Track and Field facility. The Kids 1K run will be held on the track and will not leave the facility.

Click here to register for the event.

Online registration closes on April 8, 2008, 12:59 p.m.