The Jimmy Fund
Encyclopedia
The Jimmy Fund raises vital funds to support adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1948 to raise funds for patient care and the fight against children’s cancer, the Jimmy Fund now supports the search for new cancer treatments and cures for both adults and children at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since its founding in 1948, the Jimmy Fund has raised more than $750 million, including $61 million in 2010. Eighty-nine cents of every dollar raised supports Dana-Farber’s lifesaving mission.
of New England (now the Variety Children's Charity of New England). The club organized a radio broadcast from the bedside of a young cancer patient dubbed Jimmy as he was visited by members of the Boston Braves baseball team. Contributions poured in to buy Jimmy a television set so he could watch the Braves play.
Jimmy's story began in 1948, when Gustafson was a 12-year-old patient of Dr. Sidney Farber
, founder of the Children's Cancer Research Foundation (eventually renamed Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) and a pioneer of modern chemotherapy.
Dubbed "Jimmy" to protect his privacy, Gustafson longed for a television set so he could watch his favorite baseball team — the Boston Braves. He was selected to speak on Ralph Edwards
' national radio program, "Truth or Consequences
," on May 22, 1948, which was broadcast from the boy's hospital room. During the broadcast, Edwards spoke to the young cancer patient from his Hollywood studio as Braves players crowded into Jimmy's hospital room in Boston. The show ended with a plea for listeners to send donations so Jimmy could get his TV set. Not only did he get his wish, but more than $200,000 was collected in one year to support Dr. Farber's research, and the Jimmy Fund was born.
After his "welcome back" to Dana-Farber, Gustafson's story was featured in People Magazine and Sports Illustrated
, and in newspapers nationwide. In 1999, his home state of Maine
held a Recognition Day for him, and he was named honorary chairman of the Jimmy Fund.
Gustafson's many efforts on behalf of the Jimmy Fund since his re-emergence included recording public service announcements for radio and television, visiting patients at Dana-Farber, and appearing at Jimmy Fund events such as the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, and numerous golf tournaments. He also drove a trailer truck with the charity's logo and slogan— "Because it takes more than courage to beat cancer"— emblazoned on it.
Gustafson died of a stroke at age 65 on January 22, 2001.
is recognized by the National Cancer Institute
as one of the world’s leaders in cancer treatment and research. The Jimmy Fund is a fundraising arm of Dana-Farber.
, Dana-Farber researchers have made strides against virtually every type of cancer that strikes children, from solid tumors that involve individual organs to those that affect blood or lymph.
The clinic was designed to appeal to children, with Disney paintings on the walls, and playrooms.
The Red Sox formed a partnership with the Jimmy Fund on April 10, 1953, and has continued to support the organization since. The anniversary of the partnership generally falls just before the Red Sox Home Opener. It is celebrated with the display of the Boston Red Sox/Jimmy Fund logo on the "Green Monster
" in Fenway Park. In addition, the Red Sox team with radio station WEEI
and TV station NESN to hold Jimmy Fund Day at Fenway Park
and a 48-hour radio-telethon.
was the single most influential person in helping to raise funds for the Children's Cancer Research Foundation (now Dana-Farber Cancer Institute). He was an important aid to founder Dr. Sidney Farber, spreading word of Farber's research to help save children (and later adults) from the scourge of cancer.
Ted Williams was the Red Sox' biggest star when the Jimmy Fund was founded in 1948. He had a special love for children and was always willing to visit them in the hospital with no fanfare. He also continuously took part in Jimmy Fund fundraising efforts on behalf of the Red Sox organization, going to Little League
games, American Legion
banquets, temples and churches, movie houses, department store
s for autograph sessions, even cookouts on Boston Common. Williams also announced that all donation checks for the Jimmy Fund sent to Fenway Park would be endorsed with his autograph for the donors.
It is estimated that Williams is personally responsible for raising millions of dollars in the fight against cancer and other related diseases.
— who was chairman of the Jimmy Fund for more than 25 years — says that working for the Jimmy Fund was the best thing he's ever done in his life.
Andrews' commitment began during his rookie season with the Sox in 1967 when he spent a few minutes with a patient before a game at the request of Bill Koster, then chairman of the Jimmy Fund for nearly 30 years. After retiring from baseball in 1973, Andrews agreed to work as a part-time volunteer for former Red Sox announcer Ken Coleman, who had just been appointed executive director of the Jimmy Fund. After a month, Andrews dedicated himself to the charity full-time and was appointed chairman of the Jimmy Fund in 1979, a position he held until 2010.
Since 1989, the B.A.A. has provided volunteers and logistical support to the Walk, the only event other than the Boston Marathon that is sanctioned by the B.A.A. to use the official marathon name and 42.195 kilometres (26.2 mi) route. The B.A.A. has partnered with the Marathon Challenge since 1990, by providing official race entries to runners who raise money for the Institute.
Variety Club members became involved after hearing Dana-Farber founder Dr. Sidney Farber, MD, speak about his research into children's cancer in 1947. The club raised $45,000 in its first fundraising drive to support Farber's research at the Children's Cancer Research Foundation.
Later that year, it was a Variety Club barker who convinced Ralph Edwards of the "Truth or Consequences" radio show to hold a radio broadcast from the bedside of a 12-year-old boy dubbed "Jimmy" - a campaign that raised $200,000 to launch the Jimmy Fund.
The Jimmy Fund/Variety Children's Charity Theatre Program, started in 1949, added to that amount, and within four years, Farber was able to cease working in the basement of Children's Hospital and move to roomier quarters in the new four-story Jimmy Fund Building.
Thanks to the efforts of the organization, Hollywood stars such as John Wayne
, Dean Martin
, Jerry Lewis
, Joan Crawford
, and Frank Sinatra
have given their time, talents, and influence to solicit contributions for the charity. In 1953, Deborah Kerr recorded an on-screen appeal which aired in theaters following showings of "From Here to Eternity". The Variety Club now sponsors an annual golf tournament to benefit the Jimmy Fund, and its theater collections program.
Jimmy Fund Walk gives participants the opportunity to follow the course of the 42.195 kilometres (26.2 mi) Boston Marathon in honor or memory of friends, family, co-workers, and patients facing all forms of cancer. It is the only event other than the Boston Marathon itself that is sanctioned by the Boston Athletic Association to use the historic route. Walkers choose from one of three route options designed for everyone from the marathon enthusiast to the youngest walker.
The PMC is a fully supported bike-a-thon, which provides food and waterstops, mechanical and medical assistance, luggage transportation, and lodging through 43 towns across Massachusetts. Cyclists choose from 10 routes of varying mileage designed to cater to all levels of cycling strength and time availability.
, features a 2- and 5 miles (8 km) walk-a-thon down Worcester's cultural Shrewsbury Street, along with a Battle of the Bands between groups nominated by prominent Central Massachusetts high schools. Food, a Chinese auction
, and games for the whole family are also highlights of the day. The fundraiser directs its proceeds towards Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer programs at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
.
/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon is an annual 2 day radio-telethon, usually held in mid- to late-August, featuring celebrity guests and callers as well as personal stories of the patients, doctors and researchers supported by the Jimmy Fund. Since 2002, this event has raised around $15 million for the Jimmy Fund, including several gifts from George Steinbrenner
, owner of the New York Yankees
.
has sold a series of scratch tickets with all proceeds going to the Jimmy fund. Each "Chance for Kids" card will win a prize donated by Burger King, Blockbuster Video and other companies valued at a dollar or more. Originally ran only in the eastern Massachusetts region, the event is now held in all six New England
states, New York
, New Jersey
and Pennsylvania
. As of the beginning of the 2010 event in July, the event has raised over $8.5 million since its inception.
. All donations went to the Jimmy Fund.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana–Farber Cancer Institute is part of a Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute. It is a major affiliate of Harvard Medical School and is located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts.-Overview:...
in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1948 to raise funds for patient care and the fight against children’s cancer, the Jimmy Fund now supports the search for new cancer treatments and cures for both adults and children at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since its founding in 1948, the Jimmy Fund has raised more than $750 million, including $61 million in 2010. Eighty-nine cents of every dollar raised supports Dana-Farber’s lifesaving mission.
History
The Jimmy Fund was launched with the help of the Variety ClubVariety, the Children's Charity
Variety, the Children's Charity is an organisation founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 10, 1927, when a group of eleven men involved in show business set up a social club which they named the "Variety Club". On Christmas Eve 1928, a small baby was left on the steps the Sheridan Square...
of New England (now the Variety Children's Charity of New England). The club organized a radio broadcast from the bedside of a young cancer patient dubbed Jimmy as he was visited by members of the Boston Braves baseball team. Contributions poured in to buy Jimmy a television set so he could watch the Braves play.
The boy who launched the Jimmy Fund
From his first radio broadcast that launched the Jimmy Fund in the late 1940s to his countless appearances at Jimmy Fund events, Einar Gustafson, the Jimmy Fund's original "Jimmy," was an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of people throughout New England.Jimmy's story began in 1948, when Gustafson was a 12-year-old patient of Dr. Sidney Farber
Sidney Farber
Sidney Farber was a pediatric pathologist. He was born in 1903 in Buffalo, New York, the third oldest of a family of 14 children. He was a graduate of the University of Buffalo in 1923. He took his first year of medical school at the Universities of Heidelberg and Freiburg in Germany. He entered...
, founder of the Children's Cancer Research Foundation (eventually renamed Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) and a pioneer of modern chemotherapy.
Dubbed "Jimmy" to protect his privacy, Gustafson longed for a television set so he could watch his favorite baseball team — the Boston Braves. He was selected to speak on Ralph Edwards
Ralph Edwards
Ralph Livingstone Edwards was an American radio and television host and television producer.-Early career:Born in Merino, Colorado , Edwards worked for KROW-AM in Oakland, California while he was still in high school...
' national radio program, "Truth or Consequences
Truth or Consequences
Truth or Consequences is an American quiz show originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards and later on television by Edwards , Jack Bailey , Bob Barker , Bob Hilton and Larry Anderson . The television show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication...
," on May 22, 1948, which was broadcast from the boy's hospital room. During the broadcast, Edwards spoke to the young cancer patient from his Hollywood studio as Braves players crowded into Jimmy's hospital room in Boston. The show ended with a plea for listeners to send donations so Jimmy could get his TV set. Not only did he get his wish, but more than $200,000 was collected in one year to support Dr. Farber's research, and the Jimmy Fund was born.
1998: Jimmy is found
Following his brush with celebrity and the remission of his cancer, Gustafson returned to his family's farm in northern Maine and later lived for many years in Massachusetts, the home of the Jimmy Fund. Despite clues over the years to Jimmy's fate and identity, everyone at Dana-Farber assumed that he had died, because cure rates for pediatric cancers were so low during the era in which he was treated. While never intentionally concealing his role as "Jimmy," Gustafson remained anonymous until 1998, the 50th anniversary of the original radio broadcast.After his "welcome back" to Dana-Farber, Gustafson's story was featured in People Magazine and Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, and in newspapers nationwide. In 1999, his home state of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
held a Recognition Day for him, and he was named honorary chairman of the Jimmy Fund.
Gustafson's many efforts on behalf of the Jimmy Fund since his re-emergence included recording public service announcements for radio and television, visiting patients at Dana-Farber, and appearing at Jimmy Fund events such as the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, and numerous golf tournaments. He also drove a trailer truck with the charity's logo and slogan— "Because it takes more than courage to beat cancer"— emblazoned on it.
Gustafson died of a stroke at age 65 on January 22, 2001.
Affiliation with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Ranked as the top cancer hospital in New England, Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteDana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana–Farber Cancer Institute is part of a Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute. It is a major affiliate of Harvard Medical School and is located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts.-Overview:...
is recognized by the National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
as one of the world’s leaders in cancer treatment and research. The Jimmy Fund is a fundraising arm of Dana-Farber.
The Jimmy Fund Clinic
The Jimmy Fund Clinic is one of the world's premier centers for pediatric cancer research and treatment. Starting in the 1940s, when Institute founder Sidney Farber, M.D., used drug therapy to achieve the first-ever remissions of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemiaAcute lymphoblastic leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a form of leukemia, or cancer of the white blood cells characterized by excess lymphoblasts.Malignant, immature white blood cells continuously multiply and are overproduced in the bone marrow. ALL causes damage and death by crowding out normal cells in the bone...
, Dana-Farber researchers have made strides against virtually every type of cancer that strikes children, from solid tumors that involve individual organs to those that affect blood or lymph.
The clinic was designed to appeal to children, with Disney paintings on the walls, and playrooms.
Boston Red Sox Partnership
The relationship that the Red Sox and the Jimmy Fund share is the longest standing, most extensive, and significant team-charity relationship in all of professional sports.The Red Sox formed a partnership with the Jimmy Fund on April 10, 1953, and has continued to support the organization since. The anniversary of the partnership generally falls just before the Red Sox Home Opener. It is celebrated with the display of the Boston Red Sox/Jimmy Fund logo on the "Green Monster
Green Monster
The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the thirty-seven foot , two-inch high left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team...
" in Fenway Park. In addition, the Red Sox team with radio station WEEI
WEEI
WEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
and TV station NESN to hold Jimmy Fund Day at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
and a 48-hour radio-telethon.
Ted Williams
Ted WilliamsTed Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
was the single most influential person in helping to raise funds for the Children's Cancer Research Foundation (now Dana-Farber Cancer Institute). He was an important aid to founder Dr. Sidney Farber, spreading word of Farber's research to help save children (and later adults) from the scourge of cancer.
Ted Williams was the Red Sox' biggest star when the Jimmy Fund was founded in 1948. He had a special love for children and was always willing to visit them in the hospital with no fanfare. He also continuously took part in Jimmy Fund fundraising efforts on behalf of the Red Sox organization, going to Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
games, American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
banquets, temples and churches, movie houses, department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s for autograph sessions, even cookouts on Boston Common. Williams also announced that all donation checks for the Jimmy Fund sent to Fenway Park would be endorsed with his autograph for the donors.
It is estimated that Williams is personally responsible for raising millions of dollars in the fight against cancer and other related diseases.
Mike Andrews
Former Red Sox second baseman Mike AndrewsMike Andrews
Michael Jay Andrews is a retired American Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics. He is currently the chairman of The Jimmy Fund, an event fundraising organization affiliated with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston,...
— who was chairman of the Jimmy Fund for more than 25 years — says that working for the Jimmy Fund was the best thing he's ever done in his life.
Andrews' commitment began during his rookie season with the Sox in 1967 when he spent a few minutes with a patient before a game at the request of Bill Koster, then chairman of the Jimmy Fund for nearly 30 years. After retiring from baseball in 1973, Andrews agreed to work as a part-time volunteer for former Red Sox announcer Ken Coleman, who had just been appointed executive director of the Jimmy Fund. After a month, Andrews dedicated himself to the charity full-time and was appointed chairman of the Jimmy Fund in 1979, a position he held until 2010.
Boston Athletic Association
One of the oldest athletic clubs in the country, the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) plays a primary role in the success of two fundraising events that benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute — the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk and the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge.Since 1989, the B.A.A. has provided volunteers and logistical support to the Walk, the only event other than the Boston Marathon that is sanctioned by the B.A.A. to use the official marathon name and 42.195 kilometres (26.2 mi) route. The B.A.A. has partnered with the Marathon Challenge since 1990, by providing official race entries to runners who raise money for the Institute.
Massachusetts Chiefs of Police
The Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association adopted the Jimmy Fund as their official charity in 1953. Even before that date, the chiefs visited young patients at Dana-Farber and began raising money to support its mission by holding softball games, picnics, canister collections, and other special programs that still continue today.Variety Children’s Charity of New England
A non-profit charity associated with the entertainment industry, the New England chapter of the Variety Club (now called the Variety Children's Charity of New England) was instrumental in the creation of the Jimmy Fund.Variety Club members became involved after hearing Dana-Farber founder Dr. Sidney Farber, MD, speak about his research into children's cancer in 1947. The club raised $45,000 in its first fundraising drive to support Farber's research at the Children's Cancer Research Foundation.
Later that year, it was a Variety Club barker who convinced Ralph Edwards of the "Truth or Consequences" radio show to hold a radio broadcast from the bedside of a 12-year-old boy dubbed "Jimmy" - a campaign that raised $200,000 to launch the Jimmy Fund.
The Jimmy Fund/Variety Children's Charity Theatre Program, started in 1949, added to that amount, and within four years, Farber was able to cease working in the basement of Children's Hospital and move to roomier quarters in the new four-story Jimmy Fund Building.
Thanks to the efforts of the organization, Hollywood stars such as John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
, Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
, Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
, and Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
have given their time, talents, and influence to solicit contributions for the charity. In 1953, Deborah Kerr recorded an on-screen appeal which aired in theaters following showings of "From Here to Eternity". The Variety Club now sponsors an annual golf tournament to benefit the Jimmy Fund, and its theater collections program.
Fundraising Events
The Jimmy Fund consists of dozens of special events organized by the charity as well as hundreds of other events organized by volunteer supporters who wish to raise money in honor or memory of loved ones, many of whom have been treated at Dana-Farber. The following events are some of the best known.Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk
Started in 1989, the Boston MarathonBoston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
Jimmy Fund Walk gives participants the opportunity to follow the course of the 42.195 kilometres (26.2 mi) Boston Marathon in honor or memory of friends, family, co-workers, and patients facing all forms of cancer. It is the only event other than the Boston Marathon itself that is sanctioned by the Boston Athletic Association to use the historic route. Walkers choose from one of three route options designed for everyone from the marathon enthusiast to the youngest walker.
Jimmy Fund Golf
Founded in 1983, Jimmy Fund Golf is the largest organized charity golf program in the U.S. After more than 25 years, the program has grown to 170 tournaments annually. In 2010, tournaments collectively raised more than $7 million for the Jimmy Fund. Jimmy Fund Golf has raised more than $60 million since 1983.Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl
The Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl is the nation's largest all-you-can-eat ice cream festival. Founded in 1983, this annual three-day event dishes out 10 tons of summer's finest to nearly 30,000 ice cream lovers from across the nation. Made possible by the generous contributions of 10 of the industry's largest ice cream companies, the Scooper Bowl has raised more than $2 million for the Jimmy Fund.Jimmy Fund/Variety Children’s Charity Theater Program
Every summer since the theater program started in 1949, participating movie theaters show a short film of the work being done at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Then, an announcement is made asking if anyone would like to donate to the Jimmy Fund followed by volunteers going around the theater with canisters collecting from the audience money for cancer research and patient care.Fantasy Day to Benefit the Jimmy Fund
For die hard baseball fans who would love to play ball at Fenway Park, Fantasy Day is their chance to step up to the plate to support the Jimmy Fund. Batters get 15 chances to hit a ball over Fenway's famed left field wall (the "Green Monster"), while fielders get to test their skills at snagging fly balls or making double plays for an hour on the manicured field.Pan-Massachusetts Challenge
The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) is the nation's original fundraising bike-a-thon and today raises more money than any other athletic fundraising event in the country. The PMC generates nearly 50 percent of the Jimmy Fund's annual revenue and is its single largest contributor.The PMC is a fully supported bike-a-thon, which provides food and waterstops, mechanical and medical assistance, luggage transportation, and lodging through 43 towns across Massachusetts. Cyclists choose from 10 routes of varying mileage designed to cater to all levels of cycling strength and time availability.
Walk and Rock
The Walk and Rock for the Jimmy Fund, organized by the students of Worcester AcademyWorcester Academy
Worcester Academy is an independent coeducational preparatory school spread over in Worcester, Massachusetts in the United States. The school is divided into a middle school, serving approximately 150 students in grades six to eight, and an upper school, serving approximately 500 students in...
, features a 2- and 5 miles (8 km) walk-a-thon down Worcester's cultural Shrewsbury Street, along with a Battle of the Bands between groups nominated by prominent Central Massachusetts high schools. Food, a Chinese auction
Chinese auction
A Chinese auction is a combination of a raffle and an auction that is typically featured at charity, church festival and numerous other events. Can also be known as penny social, tricky tray or pick-a-prize according to local custom, or to avoid any reference to nationality.The difference between...
, and games for the whole family are also highlights of the day. The fundraiser directs its proceeds towards Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer programs at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana–Farber Cancer Institute is part of a Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute. It is a major affiliate of Harvard Medical School and is located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts.-Overview:...
.
WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon
The WEEIWEEI
WEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon is an annual 2 day radio-telethon, usually held in mid- to late-August, featuring celebrity guests and callers as well as personal stories of the patients, doctors and researchers supported by the Jimmy Fund. Since 2002, this event has raised around $15 million for the Jimmy Fund, including several gifts from George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
, owner of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.
Burger King
Since 2000, during August and September Burger KingBurger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
has sold a series of scratch tickets with all proceeds going to the Jimmy fund. Each "Chance for Kids" card will win a prize donated by Burger King, Blockbuster Video and other companies valued at a dollar or more. Originally ran only in the eastern Massachusetts region, the event is now held in all six New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
states, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. As of the beginning of the 2010 event in July, the event has raised over $8.5 million since its inception.
Power Tower Stair Climb
(Discontinued) Started in the late 90's, it allowed kids and parents to walk to the top of one of Boston's tallest skyscrapers. A dinner party along with reward ceremonies were held at the top of the building. Often associated with Red Sox players, particularly John ValentinJohn Valentin
John William Valentin is a former shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played most of his major league career with the Boston Red Sox, with his final season being for the New York Mets. He batted and threw right-handed...
. All donations went to the Jimmy Fund.