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SAVE THE DATE! Party For A Cure

Hello loyal supporters of Party For A Cure and The Barbour Group, LLC:

We wanted you to know that PFAC’s annual gala is Saturday, September 10th. We are changing our venue to The Center Club of Baltimore – 16th Floor, to provide you with stellar ambiance and gourmet food, along with live entertainment, to raise funds to support Marylanders afflicted with neuro-muscular diseases. We are excited to have Denise Koch back as our emcee. Parking will be free and there is a secure garage below the building at 100 Light Street. The Center Club has arranged for generous discounts for several nearby hotels. See the list provided. I would book your room as soon as possible. We need sponsors to send us an email if you wish to advertise in our event brochure. Invitations will be out very soon. They will be mailed via USPS and sent via PDF.

We are sad to report that Darren Guest passed away on June 3rd. He was just 30 years old.  We will miss his works of art he generously donated to help raise funds during our live auction.  More importantly, we will miss him.  His Celebration of Life will be held at the George Washington Carver HS on York Rd on July 23rd. More details to follow. Please keep his family in your prayers.

Thank you,

Karen Barbour

PFAC Founder


909 Baltimore Blvd, Suite 144, Westminster, MD 21157

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PFAC Anual Party 2020 – Online Auction is Coming!

Dear Friends and Loyal Supporters

Thank you for your support of Party For A Cure. I regret that due to COVID-19, our 12th annual gala scheduled for June 5th, 2020 is cancelled.  To keep our annual fundraising alive and well, I am happy to report that we are hosting an on-line auction starting June 5th  6:30 pm running to June 12th 6:30 pm. We will provide a link soon for you to register and participate.  Please support our on-line auction to help this great cause.  Our on-line auction event will also showcase some clips of our families and an opening statement from Denise Koch.

Party For A Cure is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers help and hope to local children and adults that are battling neuromuscular diseases. A neuromuscular disease makes difficult things we take for granted like standing, walking or climbing. It robs people of their smile, of swallowing and breathing. It takes away their ability to hug their family members. It steals their independence.

Since Party For A Cure’s inception, we’ve helped so many local families living with muscle wasting diseases: Help, such as a home accessibility remodel, accessible van repairs, a service dog purchase, accessible bathroom remodel, stair glide repair, generator purchase for ventilator use, and annual Mobility bus passes for independence; Help, such as sending children and their counselors to MDA summer camp where a kid can be a kid with no boundaries, affording them boating, fishing, arts & crafts, swimming, zip lining, wheelchair baseball & football as well as s’mores around the campfire; and, Help, such as donating vital funds directly to University of Maryland Hospital and Johns Hopkins Hospital to aid neuromuscular research professionals in their quest in finding treatments and cures for the 43 diseases known as muscular dystrophy.

We have a special project in mind for this year.  We want to help the Eggers Family who live in Cecil County.  They have two children, Julianna, 18 and Dustin, 16 with Duchenne’s disease.  Their 900 square foot home is in much need of repair.  Cost to repair their home and create an addition for two bedrooms and a bath (660 square foot) will cost roughly 85,000.  You see, they also want to take in a  young man, Leroy, who also has Duchenne’s disease, age 19, whose mother is dying of cancer.  He is good friends with their children. They met years ago at MDA Summer Camp. Mr. Eggers (Ray) is a service disabled veteran.  Mrs. Eggers (Bobbi Jo) is a stay at home mom and healthcare provider, who was recently involved in an (non-at-fault) accident that totaled their access van and permanently damaged her upper vertebrae.  Their story will be posted on our site this week.

Please bid on our auction items, or make a donation of any amount you can to help. During these uncertain times, kids and adults with neuromuscular diseases are at high risk. It’s critical that they get the care they need as safely and as soon as possible. 

You can make a donation today at https://pfac-md.org/campaigns/pfac-annual-party-2020/. Thank you for your support.

If you have any auction items you wish to donate, please contact me on my cell, 301-343-8932.  

And, please mark your calendars for June 11th, 2021 for our 13th annual gala to be held at Turf Valley Resort.

Thank you so very much

From all of us, Karen Barbour, Joe Laney and John Vardavas – Board Members of PFAC.  Stay safe and well!

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11th Annual Party For A Cure Gala 2019 – The Results Are In!

Thank you to all who attended our 11th Annual Party For A Cure Gala at Turf Valley Resort on Friday, June 14th. This year we raised $125,000 to support individuals with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and other life threatening diseases that limit strength and mobility.  To-date the gala has raised $1,152,000!!  We greatly appreciate all of the support that helped achieve such great results. Please enjoy these photos from the event, taken by Steve Ruark Photography.  We are happy that Steve will be our photography for our 13th Annual Party For A Cure to be held on June 11th, 2021.  His contact information is listed below as well.

https://www.ruarkphoto.com/partyforacure2019

Photos can be downloaded directly from the gallery, individually or as a group.

Steve Ruark
(443) 562-7799
www.ruarkphoto.com

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Local Artist Darren Guest, Diagnosed With Muscular Dystrophy, Has Found ‘Freedom’ Through Artwork

Categories: News, Local News, WJZTV

Darren Guest was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of two. Although Guest is confined to a wheelchair, he has found “freedom” in his artwork.

Darren Guest of DarrenGuestStudios is a visual artist. Native to Baltimore, Maryland, Guest has had an unending passion for art and is no stranger to adversity and overcoming. Having been in a motorized wheelchair since the age of six, with Muscular Dystrophy (MD)—the disease that weakens the muscles that make the human body move—Guest’s spirit is anything but weakened. And in his words, he does not consider himself as having a disability. He simply has a different ability.

Guest began taking art classes at age six and the drive continued through middle school, attending Sudbrook Magnet Middle School, majoring in Visual Art. Like most children, he watched cartoons after school and would sit in front of the television drawing pictures of the characters. Disney characters were his specialty during that time and some of his favorite programs were The Proud Family, The Rugrats, Hey Arnold, and Sponge Bob Square Pants. In 2005, Guest’s childhood dream became a reality as The Make a Wish Foundation granted him his wish of visiting Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, CA. Care and thought was put into his travels, making him comfortable, and fulfilling his dreams as he traveled by limousine, meeting Bruce W. Smith, creator of The Proud Family. The visit only deepened his passion to develop his animation studies.

Guest applied for and was accepted to George Washington Carver Center for the Arts and Technology, a place that is consistently recognized in Newsweek magazine’s annual list of America’s top high schools. He credits the hands-on approach from his instructors, Carroll Cook (photography), Theresa  Shovlin (drawing/painting), Joe Giordano (drawing/painting), and Robert Miller (multimedia) for assisting in allowing his true artistic ability began to shine through. During this time, he was introduced to oil and acrylic painting and ink washing techniques; along with drawing and painting live and still objects, using graphite and charcoal. Under the guidance of Robert Miller, these works of art were enhanced by utilization of computer art techniques.

In May 2009, graduating from The Carver Center, Guest was honored during the Senior Awards Ceremony with The Spirit of Carver award. This award is given to students who “exemplify Carver: its uniqueness, its energy, its culture, its spirit, its diversity, its trademark respect, and its tradition of excellence”. Additionally, Guest’s name will be engraved on a plaque and permanently displayed in the trophy case in the main lobby of the school. Always the student, in fall 2009, Guest attended the Maryland Institute College of Art for a semester, but due to lengthy class schedules and his disability, he was unable to continue. Never giving up and always attaining ways to succeed, he has since been taking landscape and portrait classes at Zoll Studios in Timonium, MD, continuing to perfect his skills.

Guest’s portfolio is expansive, rendering numerous commissions as well as his work on illustrations for children’s books.

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10th Annual Party For A Cure Gala 2018 – The Results Are In!

Thank you to all who attended our 10th Annual Party For A Cure Gala at Turf Valley Resort on Friday, June 15th. This year we raised $130,000 to support individuals with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and other life threatening diseases that limit strength and mobility. We greatly appreciate all of the support that helped us surpass our goal of beating last years donations. Please enjoy these photos from the event, taken by Lindsay Archer from Lindsay Archer Photography.

Find pictures from the event here:
10th Annual Party for A Cure Gala Pictures

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10th Annual Party For A Cure

Our 10th Annual Party For A Cure raised in excess of $120,000 to help children and adults with muscle wasting diseases that live in Maryland. Party For A Cure Corporation is excited to announce that we received our 501(3)c non-profit status just in time for our 10th Annual Party For A Cure gala.  As such, we now can make direct contributions to children and adults (and their families)  to help with quality of life issues, such as home access, home repairs, new medical equipment and repairs, transportation needs, service dogs, and much more.

This is in addition to supporting the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Baltimore’s Summer Camp and medical research overall.  We would be remiss not to thank Jennifer Gilbert, News Anchor for Fox 45 news, for all her support over the last nine years as our emcee, capturing great press for our cause as well.  She was unable to emcee for our 10th Annual Gala.

Bruce Cunningham, our own Fox 45 News Anchor and “Voice of the Ravens,” happily stepped in for Jennifer Gilbert this year.  He, too, knows many of the families who attend and volunteer who have children afflicted with neuro-muscular diseases because of his long-time support of Jerry Lewis’ Telethon and the Muscular Dystrophy’s summer camp. In addition to what we raised, over $175,000 of time, material and labor were donated by stellar construction companies and vendors to correct access issues to the Fallon’s home, many of whom attended the gala.

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8th Annual Party For A Cure

June 3, 2016 – Ellicott City, MD

The Barbour Group Co-Hosts Gala to Improve Lives for MDA Children and Families

More than 180 guests at Turf Valley in Ellicott City to support the 8th Annual Party for a Cure to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association in Maryland. The event raised an amazing $160,000 that will directly help kids and adults with muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases that severely limit strength and mobility live longer and grow stronger.

Gina Clark, Director of Business Development of MDA said, “We are extremely grateful to have the support of The Barbour Group, Gaines and Company, Vardavas & Concannon and all of their friends, family members and business associates. It is with their generosity that we will be able to empower MDA families with life-enhancing resources and support that open new possibilities and maximize independence so they can experience the world without any limits.

ABOUT MDA

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is the world’s leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to finding treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neuromuscular diseases. It does so by funding worldwide research; by providing comprehensive health care services and support to MDA families nationwide; and by rallying communities to fight back through advocacy, fundraising and local engagement. Visit mda.org.

Sloane Brown reports on the 8th annual Party for a Cure that benefits the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Maryland. This June 3, 2016 event took place at Turf Valley.

Click here for the video.

 

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7th Annual Party For A Cure

June 3, 2015 – Westminster, MD

The Barbour Group, Medifast, Vardavas & Concannon, and Gaines and Company, Inc. Team Up to Raise Money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)

7th annual Party for a Cure event was a major success by raising $125,808 for MDA

The Barbour Group, a surety bond and commercial insurance agency known for its passionate approach to delivering bonding solutions to construction firms and government contractors, Gaines and Company, a top ranked underground utility contractor operating in Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions, Vardavas & Concannon, a full service accounting firm, and Medifast, Inc. (NYSE: MED), a leading manufacturer of easy-to-use, clinically proven, portion-controlled weight-loss programs, co-hosted the 7th annual Party for a Cure event Wednesday, June 3, 2015 held at the L’Hirondelle Country Club of Ruxton.

Event attendees enjoyed live entertainment by Jeff Harding, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a heartfelt presentation of gratitude by MDA Goodwill Ambassador Hannah Fallon. Dr. Charlotte Sumner of Johns Hopkins Hospital provided the keynote and remarked on clinical research efforts which aim to eradicate neuromuscular disease. The gala was emceed by Jennifer Gilbert, evening news anchor for Fox 45 News.

Through the event and the silent auction, the 7th annual Party for the Cure, raised the bar this year, donating over $125,808 to MDA. MDA is a nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research as well as providing comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education.

All of the proceeds will be used to provide hundreds of local children with the opportunity to attend MDA summer camp, which is a specially designed place created for young people who have limited mobility or use wheelchairs to participate in a wide range of activities, receive medical care at the MDA’s clinic at Johns Hopkins, have repairs made to their durable medical equipment and most importantly allow MDA to continue to fund vital research to find a cure.

At this year’s event, Hannah Fallon, MDA’s Goodwill Ambassador, expressed it best when she said that at camp she forgets the barriers of her disability and feels in-place with other children that look like her. The burden with growing up with a physical disability and being noticeably different disappears at camp. “Thanks again for giving these kids an opportunity to create lasting memories and experiences that change the course of their lives. I know it has changed mine,” said Karen Barbour.

About MDA

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is the world’s leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to finding treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neuromuscular diseases. It does so by funding worldwide research; by providing comprehensive health care services and support to MDA families nationwide; and by rallying communities to fight back through advocacy, fundraising and local engagement. Visit mda.org.

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5th Annual Party For A Cure

June 10, 2013 – Westminster, MD

The Barbour Group, Medifast and Gaines and Company, Inc. Team Up to Raise Money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)

5th annual Party for a Cure event was a major success by raising $87,260 for MDA

The Barbour Group, a surety bond and commercial insurance agency known for its passionate approach to delivering bonding solutions to construction firms and government contractors, Gaines and Company, a top ranked underground utility contractor operating in Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions, and Medifast, Inc. (NYSE: MED), a leading manufacturer of easy-to-use, clinically proven, portion-controlled weight-loss programs, co-hosted the 5th annual Party for a Cure event Wednesday, June 5, 2013 held at the L’Hirondelle Country Club of Ruxton.

Event attendees enjoyed live entertainment by Jeff Harding, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a heartfelt presentation of gratitude by MDA Goodwill Ambassador Hannah Fallon. Dr. Thomas Crawford, Associate Professor of Neurology and Pediatricsand co-director of the MDA clinic at Johns Hopkins, provided the keynote and remarked on clinical research efforts which aim to eradicate neuromuscular disease. The gala was emceed by Jennifer Gilbert, evening news anchor for Fox 45 News.

Through the event and the silent auction, the 5th annual Party for the Cure, raised the bar this year, donating over $87,000 to MDA. MDA is a nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research as well as providing comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education.

All of the proceeds will be used to provide hundreds of local children with the opportunity to attend MDA summer camp, which is a specially designed place created for young people who have limited mobility or use wheelchairs to participate in a wide range of activities, receive medical care at the MDA’s clinic at Johns Hopkins, have repairs made to their durable medical equipment and most importantly allow MDA to continue to fund vital research to find a cure.

At this year’s event, Hannah Fallon, MDA’s Goodwill Ambassador, expressed it best when she said that at camp she forgets the barriers of her disability and feels in-place with other children that look like her. The burden with growing up with a physical disability and being noticeably different disappears at camp. “Thanks again for giving these kids an opportunity to create lasting memories and experiences that change the course of their lives. I know it has changed mine,” said Karen Barbour.

About MDA

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is the world’s leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to finding treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neuromuscular diseases. It does so by funding worldwide research; by providing comprehensive health care services and support to MDA families nationwide; and by rallying communities to fight back through advocacy, fundraising and local engagement. Visit www.mda.org and follow us at www.facebook.com/MDAnational and @MDAnews.

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4th Annual Party For A Cure

June 8, 2012 – Westminster, MD

The Barbour Group, Gaines and Company, Inc. and LAI Construction Services, Inc. Team Up to Raise Money for the Muscular Dystophy Association (MDA)

4th Annual Party for a Cure event was a major success by raising $75,104 for MDA

The Barbour Group, LLC, a surety bond and commercial insurance agency known for its passionate approach to delivering bonding solutions to construction firms and government contractors, Gaines and Company, a top ranked underground utility contractor operating in Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions, and LAI Construction Services, Inc., a commercial general construction firm serving the Baltimore and DC metro area, co-hosted the 4th annual Party for a Cure event Thursday, June 7, 2012 held at the Engineer’s Club in Baltimore.

Event attendees enjoyed live entertainment by Jeff Harding, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a performance by Harlem Globetrotter Choo Smith, and a heartfelt presentation of gratitude by MDA Goodwill Ambassadors Hannah Fallon, Hunter Field, Darren Guest and Naomi Hess. Dr. Thomas Crawford, Associate Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics and co-director of the MDA clinic at Johns Hopkins, provided the keynote and remarked on the significant progress made toward eradicating neuromuscular disease. The gala was emceed by Jennifer Gilbert, evening news anchor for Fox 45 News.

Through the event and silent auction, the 4th annual Party for a Cure, raised the bar this year, donating over $75,000 to MDA. MDA is a nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research as well as providing comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education.

All of the proceeds will be used to provide hundreds of local children with the opportunity to attend MDA summer camp, which is a specially designed place created for young people who have limited mobility or use wheelchairs to participate in a wide range of activities, receive medical care at the MDA’s clinic at Johns Hopkins, have repairs made to their durable medical equipment and most importantly allow MDA to continue to fund vital research to find a cure.

“For these children, one frustrating aspect of growing up with a physical disability is being noticeably different from their peers, trying to “fit in” in a world that seams to have been designed for everyone else.” said Karen Barbour, President of The Barbour Group. “At  MDA camp, children are often pleasantly surprised to discover that not only is there a world that’s been created especially for kids with neuromuscular diseases, but also that there are other kids in that world. Thanks again for giving these kids an opportunity to create lasting memories and experiences that change the course of their lives.”

About Gaines & Company, Inc.

Gaines & Company, Inc., located in Reisterstown, Maryland, and Knightdale, North Carolina, is a top ranked underground utility contractor providing its customers with exceptional work in Maryland and North Carolina. Gaines strives to give every project and every customer the highest focus by completing each and every job on budget and ahead of schedule as well as offering many valuable engineering ideas. For more information, call (410)833-9833 or visit Gaines & Company, Inc. online at www.gainesandco.com.

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909 Baltimore Boulevard
Westminster, MD  21157, Suite 144
410-876-9610
info@pfac-md.org

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