Number of Participants: 30
Hours Donated: 2
Value of Time Served: $507
Event Type: Children & Youth
Sport: Basketball
School: Byron-Bergen Jr/Sr High School
Date: January 30, 2022
Location:
Byron-Bergen Senior High School
West Bergen Road, Bergen
NY
About:
On Monday, January 31 and Tuesday, February 1, the varsity basketball teams are collecting donations for Saint John Fisher College’s Teddi Dance for Love. The Dance-a-thon is in memory of Elizabeth “Teddi” Mervis in whose honor Camp Good Days and Special Times was founded. All funds go to support Camp Good Days and Special Times.
The Dance for Love is the largest fund-raiser for the Teddi Project, and the largest activity on the SJF campus. Byron-Bergen’s Superintendent Pat McGee, Varsity Boys Basketball Coach Roxanne Noeth, and Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Nick Muhlenkamp all attended and played basketball for SJF. As such, the varsity basketball teams would like to support this very honorable fundraiser.
Background:
Since 1982, SJF celebrates Teddi. Elizabeth “Teddi” Mervis was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1979. As with any child suffering from terminal illness, Teddi experienced many adult feelings at such an early age. Her father, Gary, wanted to do something to ease some of the pain in Teddi’s life and to bring some of her childhood back again.
Within a year of Teddi’s diagnosis, Camp Good Days and Special Times was born. There children with cancer could come and be kids a gain. They realized that they were not the only ones in the world fighting this terrible disease. At camp, they can fish, hike, swim, canoe, build campfires, and play without being surrounded by sadness, and reminds them that they can do everything other children can do.
Teddi enjoyed the happiness of Camp Good Days until her death in February of 1982. Since then, Camp Good Days and Special Times Inc., has grown internationally. With over 17 programs, they help children, not only with cancer, but those with AIDS, sickle cell anemia, burn victims, and even brothers and sisters of sick and disabled children. One of these programs is the Teddi Project, which helps to fulfill the special wishes of terminally ill children.
Dr. Lou Buttino, a former professor as St. John Fisher College and close friend of Gary Merivs, thought that his students might be able to help. After talking with a small group of students, a 24-hour dance marathon was suggested. The Dance for Love began in 1982 with only a few dozen dancers. That year they raised approximately $7500. Since then the dance has multiplied in size with over 400 dancers and volunteers raising an average of $50,000 each year.