Hopecam Celebration Dinner 2019

On Thursday September 17th, we celebrated Hopecam's 16th Year at our Hopecam Celebration Dinner. The event was held at Bazin's On Church in Vienna, VA. $70,000 was raised that evening, to connect more children fighting cancer!

We started the evening off with amazing hors d'oeuvres and socializing. Our founder Len Forkas then welcomed everyone to the event. Virginia Delegate Kenneth R. Plum took the stage and gave a moving speech about why Hopecam is so important to children fighting cancer and their families.

Len Forkas with Matteo Lambert and Virginia Delegate Kenneth R. Plum

Virginia Delegate Kenneth R. Plum and Hopecam Child Poppy

Mr. Forkas presented 4 special awards for ‘Outstanding Service’ to Hopecam Board Members Jeannie Buhr and Carol Kaffenberger and to Hopecam volunteer Amanda Wolfe and Pediatric Oncology Social Worker Cathy Bottrell.

Hopecam Alumni Child Elyssia then gave a beautiful speech about Hopecam and Logitech and how we helped her during treatment while attending school.

Hopecam Alumni Child Elyssia

Hopecam Alumni Child Elyssia with her Dad and Mom

Watch Elyssia and how Logitech Video Conferencing helps Hopecam connect children with cancer to their support systems.

Hopecam Child Poppy attended the event and her mom and Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Fries both gave inspiring speeches about Poppy when she was in treatment she used Hopecam and was able to connect with her friends at school when she could not go.

The event was sold out and Bazin's On Church provided an amazing 3 course dinner!

After dinner Len Forkas introduced Matteo Lambert. Matteo is Hopecam's Race For A Reason Champion. Matteo who is only 9 years old is running 32 5Ks across the United States to raise funds for Hopecam so that more children fighting Cancer can connect. At each race he wears a cape of a different Hopecam child, and after the race is completed he sends his medal and the cape to the Hopecam child. Sometimes he gets to meet them in person! Matteo has raised over $54,000. Please visit his website to see where Matteo is racing next and to make a donation. Len surprised Matteo with a special award that night for everything he has done for Hopecam and being a voice for children fighting cancer!

Matteo receiving his special award from Len Forkas

Members of the Apple Federal Credit Union also attended including CEO Andy Grimm, Senior Vice President of Community Relations Robert Sowell Sr., Cynthia McAree and Alicia Debow and they presented Matteo and Hopecam a check for $15,000!

Robert Sowell Sr., with Alicia Debow, Hopecam Child Poppy, Matteo and Apple Federal Credit Union CEO Andy Grimm

Len Forkas with Matteo and the $15,000 check to Hopecam from Apple Federal Credit Union

Thank you to all of our sponsors for the night:

Apple Federal Credit Union

Lindsey Joelle Miller Memorial Fund

Donohue and Stearns

The McLean Group

Jacky and Jeff Copeland

Carol and Will Kaffenberger

Wendy and Jim Maiwurm

Ron Police

Eva Perdahl –Wallace

Leigh Ann and Christian Schultz

A special thank you to our Hopecam Team Lauren Priestas, Sara Dia, Sam Rosko and Brett Fox for working tirelessly to ensure a successful and fun evening.

Left to Right: Sam Rosko, Brett Fox, Sara Dia and Lauren Priestas

Thank you to Emiritus Board Member Scott Stewart for engaging the crowd to raise the paddles and help connect more children to life!

Thank you to all of our amazing Hopecam volunteers for everything you do for Hopecam!

Thank you to Gregg Landry from Blue Rock Productions, for capturing all the photos at the celebration dinner. See more scrolling photos of the 2019 Hopecam Celebration Dinner above.

The Forkas Family: Len Forkas, Elizabeth Forkas, Viena Forkas and Matt Forkas

THANK YOU FROM ALL OF US AT HOPECAM!

Mr. Rizzo Lets Help Kids Be Kids - Give Us A Moonshot

Hopecam’s Champion Matteo met with Chicago Cubs baseball player Anthony Rizzo On July 19th. Anthony was 18 and just drafted and he was diagnosed with cancer. Now he's a 3 time All Star and Superhero and knows personally what kids go through fighting cancer. Matteo gave Mr. Rizzo a hand written letter that asked him for a “moonshot” for kids with cancer and not only did Anthony give him one but he got a Grand Slam! Watch the Chicago’s WGN9 Video of Matteo and Anthony Rizzo.

Using Video Conferencing to Keep Students with Cancer Connected to Classmates

Thank you to Video Conferencing Daily for the article on how “Hopecam Uses Video Conferencing to Keep Students with Cancer Connected to Classmates”.

Click on the image to read the full article.

19th Annual Hopecam 5K

On Sunday May 5th, we held our 19th Annual Hopecam 5k.  The rain did not stop the runners or the fun.  Thank you to everyone that came out to honor Hopecam child Poppy.  500 people attended and we raised $59,000 to help connect more children with cancer!

Matteo welcoming Len Forkas across the finish line. Matteo is running 100 miles to help connect more children with cancer! Visit Matteo Runs to learn more.

Hopecam Founder Len Forkas with Hopecam Alumni Children Ava and Lily, presenting the check!

Hopecam Child Poppy’s Family

Hopecam Child Elyssia and her family with Hopecam Founder Len Forkas. Watch Elyssia’s story here.

Len Forkas with Hopecam Child Fletcher - Fletcher was our honored child at last years event. Hopecam Alumni Child Lily and Matteo join him.

Thank you to all of our Hopecam 5K Sponsors!  

• Our Title Sponsor was Matteo Runs.

• Our Gold Sponsors - Peterson Companies, and Cooley.

• Our Silver Sponsors - AT&T, Lululemon in Reston, Stang Orthodontics, and Creative Systems and Consulting.

• Our Bronze Sponsors - Amazon Web Services (AWS), Miller, Miller & Canby, Earth Networks, Wax & Oils and Mindseeker.

• Additional Sponsors: David Flanagan, Milestone Communications, Bare, Reston Shirt, Wegmans, Wheat's Landscaping, Chick-fil-A, Glory Days, Carol and Will Kaffenberger, Bill and Kim McLeod in memory of Alex Green, Alex Rose, Mark Dorian and Giant Food.

Len Forkas and Matteo

A Moment Of Magic Princesses WVU

Thank you to all the vendors that participated: Good Grubbin' Food Truck, Face painting by Sandra Fox at Pixie Dust Creations, Ballon Twister, A Moment of Magic Foundation - chapter from WVU, and to Fire Station 421 for bringing your Fire Truck and to Steph Snaps Photos for capturing the photos at our 5K!  

Thank you to the following corporate teams: Accenture, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Apptium Technologies, Blackbaud, Cooley, Creative Systems and Consulting,  KTGY Architecture + Planning, Mindseeker, Peterson Companies, Renature, and Unanet.

MINDSEEKER TEAM

GIRLS RUN CLUB

THE AMAZING HOPECAM TEAM!

Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers, Hopecam Team and Board Members for helping.  This event would not have been so successful without all of your generous time and help!

To view all of the Hopecam 19th Annual 5K photos, please visit the following webpage:  Hopecam 5K 2019 Photos, the password to download the photos is 2062.

Logitech Video Conferencing Helping Children Connect

Thanks to our partnership with Logitech Video Collaboration and Zoom Video Communications, Hopecam is able to help kids like 9th grader Elyssia connect to her school while homebound for treatment of Leukemia. Watch Elyssia’s story below and find out how you can help.

Logitech Video Conferencing Helps Hopecam Connect Children with Cancer to their Support Systems

Read the Logitech Hopecam Case Study here: Logitech Hopecam Case Study

AWS DeepLens Health Challenge

Hopecam's founder, Len Forkas, talks about how you can use AWS DeepLens to boost mental or physical health and support children overcome challenges with cancer.

What is the AWS DeepLens Health Challenge?

*For the Health Challenge, you can use your DeepLens to develop a project about boosting your mental or physical health. Think of something in your life you want to improve, and figure out how DeepLens and AI might help get you there. We’re hoping to see projects that range from helping patients with chronic diseases through to yoga pose recognitions and exercise counting.

*excerpt from AWS DeepLens Challenge

Giving back
For each project that meets the AWS DeepLens Health Challenge entry criteria, AWS will give you $50 in AWS credits, and Hopecam will receive $249 from AWS!

Learn more about the Health Challenge at - AWS DeepLens Health Challenge.

The Tech Life Podcast - Hopecam

Our founder Len Forkas was recently interviewed by Rich Conte about Hopecam. Listen to the podcast here: The Tech Life Podcast

RAAM 2018 Benefiting Hopecam

Race Across America (RAAM) starts on June 12th, 2018.  This year, Frank Fumich will be competing in RAAM for Hopecam!  RAAM is a 3,089 mile solo cross country bike race from Oceanside CA to Annapolis MD.

Frank's goal is to raise money for Hopecam so we can connect more children to their classroom, friends, and support system while they are in cancer treatment.

Who is Frank Fumich?  He is a husband, a father to two girls, a business owner, and ultra-endurance athlete/adventurer.  Read more about Frank here: FrankFumich.com 

Thank you Frank Fumich for racing across America to help Hopecam defeat social isolation and put more smiles on the faces of children fighting cancer!