New Sport for Visually Impaired Athletes Comes to YC

Superhero Dash!29th Annual Race Day

5K and 1Mile Walk/RollSeptember 20Lakewood Park

Lakewood

Harvest Family Fun DayOctober 11

Hanna Perkins Center Shaker Heights

Ladies Holiday BazaarNovember 9

Youth ChallengeWestlake

Holiday ShowDecember 14

Magnificat High SchoolRocky River

Gallery GalaAnnual Benefit and Auction

April 18, 201578th Street Studios

Cleveland

Come Join Us!

“My daughter has never been interested in playing sports. I told her she had to try at least once. Coach Mackenzie and the volunteers had such a big impact on her, she couldn’t wait until the next practice. Because of her positive experience with goalball, she wants to continue at YC this summer.” Michelle, mother of participant Jennifer

“It’s fun! This is the first group sport I have ever played and I really like it. I like the way the court is set up that you can feel where you are supposed to be when you play the game.”

Jace, YC participant

youthchallengesports.com

Jace gets ready to roll the ball during goalball practice. Goalball is YC’s newest Paralympic sports team.

Goalball is one of five Paralympic sports offered at YC, providing participants and volunteers with a unique team experience, many for their first time!

To play goalball, some players wear eye coverings to create visual equality. Participants compete in teams of three, and try to throw a ball into the opponents’ goal. The ball contains bells so that defenders can hear it coming.

A new team sport debuted at YC this year that requires players to rely heavily on their senses of hearing and touch. In January, YC began offering goalball, a Paralympic team sport designed specifically for blind and visually impaired athletes.

Boundaries are marked on the YC gym floor with taped-down wire so that players can feel the boundaries with their feet and hands.

Volume 38, #2 SUMMER 2014

RH EGNE

LLACyouth challenge

A Note from Mary Sue Tanis, CFRE Founder & Executive Director

This Spring our Board and Staff recommitted to our vision statement which documents our aspirations to become a leader in adapted sports and recreation for the select population we serve. It also reflects our ambition to actively train and inspire youth to serve this population in a significant volunteer role, alongside our dedicated staff of professionals. It reads:

“Youth Challenge will be recognized as Northeast Ohio’s leader in bringing together children with physical disabilities and youth volunteers who enrich each other’s lives through one-on-one participation in safe, quality sports, arts and recreation. We will expand our involvement in existing and into new communities through measured growth and strategic partnerships. We will promote this youth development in diverse modes. These include formation of service initiatives, social activities, and empowerment projects.”

In this fourth decade of my own service, it has been a joy to see these dreams unfold and become the fruit of our labor. Teen volunteers are energized and realize their unique role in improving our community. We are constantly witnessing the enlightening difference that being part of the YC family makes to each child and their family.

We adapt, we grow, we change, we stay true to our mission. This is reflected throughour 2014 projects:

• Paralympic Sports (five of them!) give our young participants a never before offered opportunity to play on an organized team. 80% of children enrolled at YC have been involved in a Paralympic sport activity this year.

• 18Up Club transformed into YELP, our “Youth Empowerment Leadership Project” initiative. Teen participants and volunteers alike asked to learn more in-depth about college applications, dorm life, living independently, healthy food choices and cooking, along with many life skill topics.

• Expansion to reach Cleveland’s east side has gained traction in new communities and neighborhoods. Easy access to YC at the Hanna Perkins Center in Shaker Heights has strengthened that effort. We will present three activities per week there this Fall, and hope to grow that new base each day.

A dedicated and generous partnership forged by our Board of Trustees extends to you and your role within “Team YC.” Thank you for whatever contribution you and your family make to the YC cause. It matters!

Mary Sue Tanis with Sean Walker, YC alumnus and Head Boccia Coach.

Your support helps YC participants like Harrison and his friends experience a wide variety of adapted sports.

Want to Help? Ways to Give...•Matching Gifts - Please check with your company to see if it offers matching gifts to increase the impact of your gift. If eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer. Send the completed and signed form with your gift. We will do the rest.

•Secure Online Donations can be made at youthchallengesports.com. As a private non-profit 501(c)3 organization we rely on support from friends, corporate and community partners to achieve our mission.

•Planned Giving Opportunities - For information about planned giving opportunities, please contact Mary Sue Tanis at 440.892.1001 x11 or by email at mstanis@youthchallengesports.com.

•Fuel Perks - Keep our fuel tanks full and our vans rolling! Get your YC fuel perks card today. Call Terry at 440.892.1001.

Some people might find watching a golf tournament on TV relaxing. Not Scott and Julie Mawaka. A televised event inspired the Hudson couple to create a foundation and organize their own golf tournament to raise money and awareness for local charities. That was in 2004. The Scott & Julie Mawaka Charitable Foundation will host its 11th Annual Golf Outing at Shaker Heights Country Club on August 25th.

Over the years, family, friends, and colleagues of the Mawakas’ have generously pitched in with sponsorships, raffle prizes, and participated in golf and dinner. In honor of their two young daughters, the Mawakas selected Youth Challenge to be the beneficiary beginning in 2009. In five years, the Scott & Julie Mawaka Charitable Foundation Golf Outing has

Summer Fun!

Mawaka Foundation Golf Outing Benefits YC

Julie and Scott Mawaka at the Scott & Julie Mawaka Charitable Foundation Golf Outing.

Zac and Brandon demonstrate “YC Style” golf at a Mawaka Foundation outing.

50 YC programs took place during June, July and August. The YC gang had a blast at activities all around Greater Cleveland. Here are just a few of the MANY highlights.

donated over $115,000 to benefit the Youth Challenge mission.

“The continuous generosity ofScott and Julie Mawaka through the Mawaka Charitable Foundation means so much. Their support empowers Youth Challenge to create high quality accessible sports opportunities to each child we serve.” Mary Sue Tanis, Youth Challenge Founder

and Executive Director

Check youthchallengesports.com to view highlights from the 2014 golf outing.

Krazy Kamp at the Zoo with the Cleveland Browns rookie class

East Side Sports & Swim at Memorial Pool in Euclid

Regatta & Cookout hosted by Edgewater Yacht Club and Members

Help Youth Challenge Through Your United Way PledgeMake Youth Challenge the Designated Agency (#52988) for your United Way pledge. As a member of their Federated Campaign, YC receives funds only through your personal designation of our organization.

Youth Challenge brings together children with physical disabilities and youth volunteers who enrich each other’s lives through one-on-one participation in adapted sports and recreational activities.

Please Join Us... Annual Benefit & Auction

800 Sharon Drive 19910 Malvern RoadWestlake, OH 44145 Shaker Heights, OH 44122

440.892.1001●youthchallengesports.com

Annual Gallery Gala Raises Nearly $200,000

PLATINUM PLUSPat Catan’sSmart Business

PLATINUMNational Safety ApparelBakerHostetler

GOLDMAI Wealth AdvisorsMr. & Mrs. Charles J. NockThe Nock and Son CompanyNordson Corporation

Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy Co. LPAOatey Co.The Sherwin-Williams Company

SILVER First Federal of LakewoodFrantz Ward LLPGrant Thornton LLPHenkel CorporationMr. and Mrs. Jack KahlKeyBankMcDonald Hopkins LLC

Andrea and Mark MelaragnoStacy and Steve NockPartsSource, Inc.PolyOne CorporationPwCRocky River Urgent Care/ Ridge Park Urgent CareShurTech Brands, LLCSkylight Financial GroupThompson Hine LLPUlmer & Berne LLPMary Lu and George Wasmer

Special Thanks to our 2014 Benefit SponsorsFRIENDSThe Fedeli GroupKuechle Family FoundationMedical Mutual of OhioMike’s KidsSummers Family FoundationMark and Stephanie Summers Family

MOBILE BIDDING UNDERWRITERHyland Software

Summer Online Team Challenge Supports YC The Youth Challenge Trustees, Participants, and Volunteers teamed up in June and July to take part in the Sponsor My Summer of Fun online giving challenge. This new initiative was a huge success. Twenty-five teams participated in the challenge and helped to raise nearly $30,000 to fund programs.

Congratulations to our winning teams. Thank you to all who participated!

First PlaceTeam Sarah D. - $5,805Sarah Dooley, ParticipantJulia Heck, VolunteerBernie Garrah, Trustee

Third PlaceTeam Logan M. - $2,895Logan McCartney, ParticipantMax Giuliano, VolunteerChris Carney, Trustee

Second PlaceTeam Myles - $3,250Myles Ketterer, ParticipantSarah Melaragno, VolunteerMark Melaragno, Trustee

Timothy D. PembridgeHyland Software

John H. PetersenConvenience Store Decisions

Robert C. PsaropoulosEaton Corp.

Kathleen A. SchwartzerNACSCORP, LLC

Richard D. SwartzR.W. Beckett Corporation

Justin S. ThomasPricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP

Arnita L. WilkesNita’s Nest DayCare

Gabrielle F. Bova*Avon High School ’14

Kendra E. Cundiff* Saint Joseph Academy ’16

Ernest E. Vargo, PresidentBakerHostetler

Christopher J. CarneyBrouse McDowell

Mark J. DvoroznakThe Sherwin-Williams Company

Thomas J. FraserFirst Federal of Lakewood

Bernard T. GarrahSkylight Financial Group

Greer T. GibbonsThe Lubrizol Corporation

Charles L. GrossmanNational Safety Apparel

Darren J. HilliardOatey Co.

Charles A. KochPartsSource, Inc.

Lisa K. KunklePolyOne Corp.

David L. LoweryKeyBank

Ellen M. McCarthyNurenburg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy

Christy L. McGuckenErnst & Young

Mark J. Melaragno, MDCleveland Clinic

Michele G. MerrillBakerHostetler

Colleen C. MurnaneFrantz Ward LLP

Stephen J. NockThe Nock & Son Company

Marcia A. ObrockShurTech Brands, LLC

Advisory Board

Juliana BellRobert & RoseMarie LeimkuehlerWilliam R. OateyMark H. SummersDonald & Karen StrangJack & Nancy TanisGeorge & Mary Lu Wasmer

Mary Sue (Anter) Tanis, CFRE Founder & Executive Director

Kenneth J. KaslerChief of Operations & Program Oversight

*Student Interns

2014 Board of Trustees