BREW-HOP 5k SEPT. 18TH, 2016 @ RANDALL'S ISLAND, NYC "JOHN HENRY'S JASPERS"

Anthony and Chari wanted to find a way for John's friends and family to come together to remember John and to celebrate the impact he has left on each of our lives.

September 4th marks one year since John left us. On September 14, 2016, he would have celebrated his 38th birthday. None of us have forgotten John and yet it's not always easy to find the time to just stop and remember him. Please consider joining us on September 18th for that time, a time to share and hear stories of John.

What is the Brew Hop?
The Brew Hop is a 5K race followed by a craft beer festival. The day starts off with a 5K race that you can run or walk and then finishes into a festival featuring the best local breweries in NYC. All attendees will receive unlimited beer from NYC's best breweries, finisher's medal, tasting glass, beer koozie, and access to the festival.
There will be non-alcoholic beverages available. Food trucks will also be on site, but is a separate cost (please bring cash!).

For more info:
http://www.thebrewhop5k.com/nyc/

Details of the Brew Hop:
The event will be held on Randall’s Island. Registration begins at 10am and the race starts at 12pm. The festival is from 12:30-4:00pm.

Why join us?
Anthony and Chari wanted to find a way for John's friends and family to come together to remember John and to celebrate the impact he has left on each of our lives.

The Brew Hop is an independent event, but it allows us the opportunity to come together. Because we currently don't have the funds or manpower to create an independent event in John's honor, we selected the Brew Hop as it is an event that all can participate in by running, walking, or cheering. So many of us get consumed by the daily grind - the Brew Hop will provide us with a time and a place to simply be together and celebrate John’s life.

Because the Brew Hop is an independent event, the registration fees to join are independent of our efforts.

Why should I join the team?
We created John Henry's Jaspers in an effort to raise funds for John's scholarship fund at Manhattan College. 
We ask that participants who join our team commit to having 5 people make a contribution to John’s scholarship fund in addition to contributing him/herself. That way, each team member is responsible for raising about $200 towards the scholarship. We suggest a $38.00 per donor donation; however, any contribution that donors are comfortable with making are greatly appreciated. 
Because the BrewHop is an independent event, we are asking all donors to please donate directly to the fund as there are fees associated with the various fundraising tools and e-pay systems. Our intention is that every penny donated goes directly toward the scholarship.

We ask that all donors please add “John Henry’s Jaspers” in the comments section on the scholarship site so that we can gauge the success of our efforts.

Our team is unified by our ties to John. We do not have an official t-shirt but will be providing buttons to all who come out for John to be distributed on the 18th. We are encouraging our team members to wear a heather grey colored top if possible. 
If you are interested in purchasing a T-shirt for the race, I am working with Manhattan's Alumni office to see if we can have a percentage of the sales of the T-shirt below go toward the scholarship. I will update when I have confirmation. 

What if I don't want to run or walk?

You can still join us!  Register for "festival only" and be sure to join the team.  You can be part of our cheering squad!

For our purposes, the race is actually secondary. We just want John's friends and family to have an opportunity to come together to celebrate his life while joining efforts to raise money towards his scholarship fund.  

*** Please note: You must be a registered participant to join the event. 

For the logistics:
11:45 - team members to meet by registration area. I plan to have a bunch of red balloons as our marker for us all to find each other prior to the race and after the race. We will release the balloons when we all come together during the festival. 
I've delegated point people for runners, walkers and the cheering squad in an effort to all be on the same page.
Runners will be led by Anthony Cosme
Walkers will be led by Chari Corpuz
Cheering squad will be led by Angela and John Mark

How do I register?
http://tinyurl.com/JHJaspers

How do I make a donation to John’s scholarship?

Click on the "DONATE" tab or
http://tinyurl.com/JHscholarship

What if I have more questions?
Please contact Chari Corpuz at chari_corpuz@yahoo.com

Thank you and please, please join us!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Thanks to Vici's hard work and dedication, the CHRISTMAS IN JULY fundraiser for the Major John H Mark Jr. Scholarship Fund is now found on Facebook as an event in the John H Mark Jr Fan Club page.

We are excited to offer gift cards to one contributor and one to the sponsor of that contributor, as a thank you for supporting the Manhattan College Major John H Mark, Jr Scholarship Fund.  The scholarship will be awarded to a student from Manhattan, in the Fall and the Spring Semester, who will study abroad and become involved in the culture of the host country.

You may click on the tab above to donate.

BROADWAY OVERTOOK WOODSIDE

On Sunday evening, April 17, 2016 "Broadway Comes to Woodside" was a fantastic success, filling Corpus Christi's auditorium with fans cheering the Broadway Show tunes. It certainly was a night to remember and will be talked about for some time to come. 

A huge thank you to Matt Matthew LaBanca and each of the spectacular performers and technical crew who put their all into this Broadway Class event. Their talents and their professionalism made this a spectacular show.

Fr. West, the accomplished stand-up comic, wowed the crowd with his routine; no doubt boosting attendance at his Sunday Masses by people hoping for a repeat performance. Fr. West, in addition to providing the venue and promoting this benefit performance, most generously shared the proceeds of the evening to support the Major John H Mark, Jr., Manhattan College Study Abroad Scholarship.

The raffles were a tremendous hit with the audience thanks to: Karen's organization and beautiful baskets; the prize contributions by Cathy and Family; Patrick of The Brewery; Gianluca  of In Vino Veritas; Anna of Plaka; and, of course the volunteers who offered the raffle tickets, and most importantly the supportive audience who boosted the Scholarship Fund by participating in the raffle.

Press coverage in the local papers and Manhattan's Quadrangle, (https://mcquad.org/2016/04/14/study-abroad-scholarship-honors-late-manhattan-alum-and-veteran), helped boost attendance to an estimated 350+ enthusiastic, cheering people.  

The Major John H. Mark, Jr. Manhattan College Study Abroad Scholarship is quickly becoming the most valued and talked about scholarship at Manhattan.  Next semester's Manhattan College student who exemplifies John Henry's "Adventure with Service"  and qualifies for this award will be announced during the Summer school break.

Broadway comes to Woodside

On Sunday, April 17th at 7:30 p.m. Matthew LaBanca, an accomplished Broadway performer, is generously offering his talents and time to produce and present an evening benefit of music and dance performance at Corpus Christi Auditorium (3129 60th Street, Woodside, NY). Performances will feature cast members from memorable shows such as Young Frankenstein, White Christmas, Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, Sweeney Todd and more.

For a fraction of the cost of a typical musical, attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy these extraordinary Broadway performers --  all the time knowing that their entire ticket price is going to a wonderful cause.

All proceeds of this benefit will be shared by Corpus Christi Church and the Major John H Mark, Jr, Manhattan College Scholarship Fund. 

For tickets ($20 adult / $15 seniors and students) you may visit:

:www.BroadwayWoodside.BrownPaperTickets.com  

To see press coverage, check out::

 http://qns.com/story/2016/03/28/broadway-performers-are-coming-to-woodside-queens-for-a-concert-in-memory-of-a-local-war-veteran/

FEB. 2016: GRANDMA MARY LUCA BIRTHDAY EVENT

Once again Vici organized, and JH's many generous and devoted friends and family members supported, an event to establish the Major John H Mark, Jr Memorial Scholarship as the most prestigious study abroad scholarship at Manhattan College.  

The goal, to help celebrate Grandma Mary's  97th birthday,  was to have 97 contributors donate to the scholarship.  It should come as no surprise that the goal was exceeded.  As of the close of the event on Sadie Hawkins Day, more than 100 friends and family contributed over $3,500.00 to make JH's "Call to Adventure with Service" a reality.  

JAG MEMORIAL

On the rainy morning of 01 October 2015 Major John H. Mark, Jr.'s US Army Commander, LTG Flora D. Darpino, hosted a Military Memorial Service at the Fort Myer Memorial Chapel, adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, providing the opportunity for more than 200 of his Comrades in Arms to honor John Henry's service and memory. 

The ceremony was conducted in the chapel with the Fallen Soldiers' Monument prominently displayed near a life sized photo of Major John Mark.  Chaplain (LTC) Timothy L. Hubbs offered the invocation and a Memorial Benediction.  Tributes extolling Major Mark's dedication to God and Country (as well as the NY Yankees) were offered by The Judge Advocate General, Flora D. Darpino and Col. Michael E Mulligan; as well as the heartfelt, personal recollections of colleagues Major Yolanda Schillinger and Captain Matthew A. Freeman, who served with him stateside and during deployment. 

For those not familiar with the US Military traditions, the Memorial Ceremony is an emotional gathering of soldiers, with family and friends, to honor a fallen comrade.  The US Army Band played selections throughout the ceremony.  A most poignant part of this ceremony occurred when Command Sergeant Major Joseph P. Lister conducted a roll call of members of Major Mark's unit.  As Major Mark did not respond, CSM Lister repeated his name.  With still no response from Major Mark, CSM Lister reported his passing to the assembly.  A lone bugler stood at the open center doors of the Fort Myer Memorial Chapel and blew Taps in his honor.  Immediately after Taps, members of the US Army's "Old Guard" (soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington) fired a 21 gun salute.  The Memorial Ceremony concluded with each person present passing by the Fallen Soldier Monument to pay respects to Major John H. Mark, Jr.; some leaving military coins as a thank you to him.

Learn about the several successful fund raising events to establish and perpetuate the most prestigious Study Abroad Scholarship...

Hats off to Vici Sheffield's tireless, innovative and successful organizing initiative to establish and ensure the future of the Major John H. Mark, Jr. Study Abroad Scholarship at Manhattan College ( connect.manhattan.edu/majorjohnhmarkjrscholarship ).  Following very quickly after John's sudden death, several of John's friends including, Gianluca and Barbara Rottura, Cara Elizabeth,  John Colgan, and Vici, established the Facebook group "John H. Mark, Jr. Fan Club" while sitting at table discussing how to memorialize JH.    Vici has used the Fan Club to provide John's friends and family an opportunity to pause, to think of John and to think of John's commitment to educational excellence by organizing several online events to generate interest, support and contributions.  A few of the successful events were the Halloween; Veteran's Day; Thanksgiving; and the recent Christmas / Hanukkah opportunities.

 Although her requests for contributions were a modest $11 for Veteran's Day (Nov. 11); $8 for the eight days of Hanukkah, or $12 for the Twelve Days of Christmas, the outpouring of support for the scholarship has been so successful that the early January 2016 reports from Manhattan College Development Office, confirm that the Major John H. Mark, Jr. Study Abroad Scholarship has met the minimum requirements to be perpetually endowed.    

Keep watching the John H. Mark, Jr. Fan Club page on Facebook.  Vici has some interesting events planned.   The goal is to make the Major John H. Mark, Jr. Study Abroad Manhattan College Scholarship ( connect.manhattan.edu/johnhmarkjrscholarship ) the most prestigious Manhattan College scholarship, honoring the person for whom it was established.  

All contributions to the scholarship fund are tax deductible and qualify for matching gifts programs.