SDA values Community Service
Every Spring, Sherwood Dance Academy hosts an annual fundraiser for a local family or organization. Supporting our community has always been a high priority for me, both personally and as a business owner. It’s also a value I see the communities of Sherwood and our neighboring towns also holds dear. We rally around those in need! Service to these individuals and groups allows us to connect and be part of something greater.
~Liana, Owner & Director
This year our fundraiser is benefiting the non-profit, Breast Friends (based locally!). Breast Friends’ mission is to ensure that no one goes through a diagnosis of breast cancer alone. They strive to be relevant, accessible, and inclusive of all people. Regardless of where someone is in their journey, Breast Friends is there for them, helping people navigate their new and challenging path in life with support and understanding.
Previous Fundraisers
-
Hair Aid has two vital volunteer campaigns:
First, they travel to developing countries and teach the skill of hair cutting to people living in poverty. Once they've been trained people can start their own micro business, cutting hair in their own communities, earning money. This empowers people to better support their families, educate their children, and move into housing.
Second, Hair Aid hosts Community Cuts, where volunteer hairdressers work with local organizations that support people in need. Free haircuts are given, helping provide dignity and respect. This can help empower people to take positive steps forward.
-
In March of 2019, at the age of 14, Mallory was admitted to Doernbecher Children's Hospital where she had her first grand mal seizure. Mallory had developed 5 different types of epilepsy, a condition where her brain incorrectly regulates electrical charges and results in violent thrashing of her limbs and extreme whole body muscular contractions. While many people with epilepsy can manage their seizures with medication, Mallory has tried nearly 2 dozen different anticonvulsant medications, and not a single one has worked well for her.
Mallory had to grow up far too fast, with a limited capacity for independence. A service dog would be the closest thing Mallory can get to achieving the freedom that an 18 year old deserves to have. This epilepsy alert dog would be trained to know Mallory’s chemical changes that occur in her body before she has a seizure, and be able to make her aware that she is going to seize soon. This alert gives Mallory the opportunity to get to a safe location, make those around her aware, and call for help if she needs. These specialized dogs are extremely expensive, which is why we are looking to the community for help.
We were thrilled to have raised over $4000 to give to Mallory for her pup. And even more thrilled when we found out that Erin Schweitzer, our guest speaker at the show, donated the remaining funds needed and Mallory is got her dog!
-
As news of the unthinkable tragedy of the deaths of Amelia Green, age 11, and Elliana Kramer, age 16, spread through Sherwood, the community rallied in support.
We wanted to bring the community together again and hold a fundraiser & silent auction for the families of Amelia and Elliana. Not only to continue to show these families support, but also to give our community and the classmates of Amelia and Elliana the chance to process our grief.
-
Sherwood’s first Talent Show, bringing together performers of all kinds from our community! With special local judges Renee Brouse, Alex Wilson, and Rob Kelly. Winner of the talent show got a cash prize! Hosted by Christopher Flores. This was a fundraiser for the Good Neighbor Center, helping homeless families in Washington County become stable and find permanent housing.
-
Katie Baca was experiencing medical issues for months while doctors tried to get to the root of the problem. This escalated and without notice, she was rushed for an emergency hysterectomy. Post-surgery it became very clear that something had gone wrong. After another exploratory surgery, it was discovered that her Bladder and Ureter were damaged during the hysterectomy. This damage is so severe that she has to have another major surgery to repair the the punctured ureter. She is in chronic pain and is unable to be active due to the severity of the pain and the medications used. On bed rest, she has been unable to work since December. The medical bills are already piling up. Suddenly having their two-income household reduced to just one is causing tremendous financial strain for their basic, everyday needs.
Katie and her husband, Tim, are two extremely generous people. They are always there to help everyone around them. They've been known to pay someone's power bill so their electricity wouldn't be turn off and offer their home during other's time of need. If there is a way they can help - they do.
In 2016 Tim and Katie volunteered their time and creativity to design and build our Robin Hood float. They were a complete joy to work with and we were constantly astonished at their selflessness and desire to help. We hope to help them this time!
-
CTF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to finding effective treatments for neurofibromatosis (NF). NF can cause tumors to grow on nerves anywhere in the body, including the brain and spinal cord. Affecting one in 3,000 people, it can lead to blindness, bone abnormalities, cancer, deafness, disfigurement, learning disabilities, and excruciating and disabling pain. The fundraising show consisted of a silent auction, dance performances by The Sherwood Dance Showstoppers, mixed martial arts and jui-jitsu demonstrations by The Scramble, a musical performance by There is No Mountain, and featured local children and families affected by NF.
-
In collaboration with Musa Martial Arts, the Mixolydians, and the Sherwood High School Jazz Band, the Showstoppers put on a fundraiser at Sherwood High School to benefit the Rose Family.
At the beginning of the 2014 school year, Sherwood High School counselor Jeneva Rose, found out her brain cancer had progressed. It had been in remission after an 11 year battle, so the news was devastating. Jeneva's health insurance company, despite even an appeal by her oncologist, denied her claim for testing that needed to be done. This left the Rose family with a large out of pocket expense.
It seemed the family couldn't catch a break when, Jeneva's husband, Jim, found out he needed to have open-heart surgery to repair damage to his aortic root and aortic valve due to a genetic defect. Jim's surgery happened at the beginning of December and he has needed to take a couple of months off of work to recover.
-
Michael Perez was taken suddenly from his wonderful wife Jenny, their two daughters and all those who loved him on February 23, 2014. At the age of 32, he fell victim to an aortic aneurysm. Sherwood Dance wanted to give support to Jenny and her daughters Isabella (almost 4 at that time) and Madilynn (15 months at that time) as they had to carry on without their irreplaceable husband and father.
Just 2 weeks after Mike’s death, the Showstoppers had a performance at Sherwood High School to benefit the Perez Family. Our fundraiser was able to able to contribute over $2500 to the Perez Family.