Step It Up To Cure Pancreatic Cancer
Rochester SCORE Helps STEP IT UP TO CURE PANCREATIC CANCER
Develop an Organizational Strategy
In the fall of 2009, three individuals discovered an unlikely and unfortunate bond that would change their lives forever. Through the John Hopkins Discussion Board for Pancreatic Cancer, these three ladies discovered that each of them had something in common -- they were all from the Rochester area, and all three were fighting pancreatic cancer in some way. Two of the women had lost loved ones, and one had a loved one fighting the disease. They discovered that each had a strong and fervent desire to battle back and fight this horrendous and dreadful disease that had impacted their families and loved ones. Judy Rockafellow lost her husband in June 2009; Lynn Platt recently lost her mother in July 2010; Mary Pettinaro lost her brother in September 2009. They decided to form a volunteer committee along with other individuals from around the Greater Rochester area who have been impacted by pancreatic cancer in some way. Their mission is to turn their personal pain into something meaningful and helpful in the fight against pancreatic cancer. They hope to make a difference in people’s lives and in generations to come by raising awareness and raising funds to help support the research efforts at Wilmot Cancer Center. They are determined to make the Step It Up To Cure Pancreatic Cancer, The Path is Research Walk an annual event and not let their cause or their loved ones be forgotten!
On Sunday, November 7, 2010, their all volunteer committee joined hundreds of others to help end the devastating effects of pancreatic cancer by walking in the 1st annual Step It Up To Cure Pancreatic Cancer, The Path is Research Walk. This took place at the Robert B. Goergen Athletic Center at the University of Rochester. The event raised an astounding $43K on its inaugural effort for pancreatic cancer research. Proceeds from the walk benefitted Dr. Hezel and his team's research at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center. This success was followed by a desire to create a more formal organizational structure that kept faith with the intentions of the founding members.
In December of 2010, Mary Ellen Smith, one of the organization’s volunteers, contacted SCORE Rochester asking for assistance in putting an organizational structure in place. “We asked SCORE to help us in the areas of creating a formal organizational structure that would allow us to continue our success and build on that,” Smith says.
SCORE Counselor Bob Zinnecker met with Smith and together they developed a step-by-step planning outline that would lead to the adoption of a more formal organizational structure. The first step was to meet with a small group of volunteers to create a proposed structure that would be presented to the organization’s three founders for consideration and, ultimately to all of the volunteers for adoption.
In early January, 2011, Zinnecker met with Smith, Scott Verrenti and Lorie Perez. Working together, they developed an organizational structure that would put in place a leadership group composed of five committee chairs, one of the founding members and a member-at-large. They also prepared high-level committee activity descriptions. “SCORE guided us through this process in a manner that allowed us to create what we wanted to present without trying to impose their views on us,” Verrenti says. Lorie Perez adds, “We were able to fully discuss what we wanted to do and come away with a structure we felt the Founders would accept.”
Mary Ellen Smith, Lorie Perez and Scott Verrenti
“I was impressed with their willingness to work together to improve their organization. They have not created a 501-c-3 but have affiliated themselves with the Wilmot Cancer Center. That is in keeping with the United Way Sustainability Coalition’s objectives of encouraging collaboration and resource sharing among non-profit organizations,” Zinnecker Says. SCORE Rochester is a member of the Coalition.
In mid-January, Smith, Verrenti, Perez and Zinnecker presented their proposal to the group’s three founders. After a good discussion, the founders approved the proposal for consideration by the entire group of volunteers. “The presentation they made to us was well thought out and preserved what we had hoped to achieve when we started the organization,” Pettinaro said. Platt adds, “The manner in which SCORE helped us to consider this avoided any controversy.” “I was impressed with SCORE’s professionalism in this process,” Rockafellow said.
In early February, the proposal was put before the volunteer group and adopted. The organization will now move forward to put the people in place to staff the organizational structure and move forward with plans for its next event and for eventual expansion of its role within the greater Rochester community.
Volunteer group
“I believe everything was embraced easier because of SCORE’s unbiased role in the process. I’ve always found SCORE to be a great help in the for-profit sector and now I see its value in the nonprofit sector too!” Smith concludes.
Register now for the 2nd Annual 5k Walk on Nov. 6th 2011. Visit their website to register.
Step It Up To Cure Pancreatic Cancer can be reached:
By mail at:
303 Manitou Beach Rd.
Hilton, NY 14468
By phone at:
585-225-8046
And at their website:
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