4730 E Indian School Rd. Open 7 Days A Week Twitter Facebook The Flu The flu is going viral. We can help. 1-877-617-4186 | NextCare.com Visit website for a list of accepted insurance. We can help you year-round with: On-Site X-ray & Labs N . A r c adia Dr. Indian School N. 44th St. 48th St. Arcadia H.S. Safeway Proud sponsor of Arcadia High School Page 21 March 2016 By Mallory Gleich Michael Bendok, Samuel Steiner, Matthew Linhart and Xander Black are on a mission. Last November, Michael decided that he wanted to contribute to his community. He hoped to start a fundraiser, but was unsure of where to go from there. His friend Samuel suggested the idea of raising money for rare diseases. Samuel’s little brother, Harry, has a lung disease called obliterative bronchiolitis. This disease has given Harry only 30 percent lung capacity. Because of this, Michael and Samuel decided they wanted to start a charity to benefit research not only on behalf of Harry, but also for other children who have rare diseases. Samuel and Michael got together with the Translational Genomics Research Institute, or TGen, to develop a plan to raise money for research. The boys then enlisted the help of their friends Matthew and Xander to help with their vision to raise funds. Once the boys decided what cause they wished to donate to, they came up with the name: Kidz for Causes. The first event the boys held was a coin drive at Samuel’s house in January. “During our morning meeting we had a PowerPoint where we showed everyone what our goal and mission was and invited them to come,” Michael said. During the coin drive the boys had cookies and refreshments to give to people who came to visit and donate. In all, the boys raised more than $1,300. “I am impressed beyond belief. You see children that have these ideas, but to follow through with it and have them work so well together, it’s been an amazing learning experience for them,” said Daisy Steiner, Samuel’s mother. Each of them has a specific committee within the fundraiser that they take care of. Michael is in charge of logistics and volunteers, Xander helps with the website, Samuel is in charge of sponsorships, and Matthew handles social media and treasury. The boys have also enlisted the help of fellow classmates at their school, Phoenix Country Day School, to assist them with other parts of the fundraiser. The next event the boys are planning is a one-mile and 5K run along the Arizona Falls canal on 56th Street and Indian School Road next to Herberger Park. There will be live music and the first 100 people who register will get a T-shirt. MidFirst Bank is bringing their coin truck, and will match the first $1,000. All proceeds from the registration will go to Kidz for Causes. The boys also plan on having a basketball tournament in April or May at Talking Stick Arena for kids ages 10 to 14. “Our goal is to raise $20,000 by the end of this school year, and despite how big this number seems to us now, we know that with our hard work, we will strive to accomplish much more than this in the future,” Michael said. Samuel, Matthew and Xander feel the same way. “I felt like this was an opportunity where we could really help out our community, and with the resources and help from others, it went from small to big,” said Samuel. By the end of their high school career, the boys hope to raise $150,000 to $200,000. For more information about the upcoming run, visit runforrarediseases.weebly.com. You can also visit tgen.org for more information about Kidz for Causes. Matthew Linhart, Xander Black, Samuel Steiner, Michael Bendok.
