Brandon’s Volunteers Club
Brandon’s Volunteers Club is a group of individuals offering their volunteer services to the Team Ream Foundation. The volunteer club members will assist with event planning, set-ups, merchandise sales, event clean-up and overall coordination of fundraising efforts. Volunteer members will work at the direction of the chair of Brandon’s Volunteer Club. Advanced notice will be made for scheduling purposes and availability of members. The Volunteer Club is very important to the mission of the Team Ream Foundation. Club members will join the Team Ream family in wonderful comradery and fun while making an impact in the fight against cancer. To sign up to be added volunteer list please email: [email protected].
Brandon’s Volunteers Club is a group of individuals offering their volunteer services to the Team Ream Foundation. The volunteer club members will assist with event planning, set-ups, merchandise sales, event clean-up and overall coordination of fundraising efforts. Volunteer members will work at the direction of the chair of Brandon’s Volunteer Club. Advanced notice will be made for scheduling purposes and availability of members. The Volunteer Club is very important to the mission of the Team Ream Foundation. Club members will join the Team Ream family in wonderful comradery and fun while making an impact in the fight against cancer. To sign up to be added volunteer list please email: [email protected].
Fighter of the Year Club
Team Ream Foundation will honor each year The Fighter of the Year. The recipient will be an individual that has demonstrated tremendous strength, persistence, mental fortitude, courage, positive attitude and determination while facing his or her battle with cancer or other serious medical challenges. This individual has set an example for others to follow and serves as an inspiration to all individuals and their families impacted with their individual journey with cancer. To nominate someone you know for Fighter of the Year Club please contact us by email: [email protected]
Past Fighter of the Year Honorees:
2015: Tim Shaw- Former great Penn State football player from 2002-2006. Tim played seven seasons in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, and the Tennessee Titans. Tim was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2014. He has been courageously fighting the disease on a daily basis and has been an inspiration to many around the world. He has published an inspirational book “Blitz Your Life”. The concepts of hope, setting goals and achieving success are the central themes of his message.
2016: Mitch Stover- Penn State Men’s Basketball manager. Mitch was diagnosed with bladder cancer and underwent successful surgery in May 2015. He has been able to return to the work he loves in September 2015 and was able to run a 5K by Thanksgiving.
2016: Kathy Drysdale- Former great Penn State Lady Lion basketball player. Kathy joined the Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics marketing staff in 1988-1992. Kathy was diagnosed in December 2014 with stage 2 Hodgkin Lymphoma and is an inspiration to the entire Penn State community.
2017: Amanda McElhinney- State College resident, wife to Keith McElhinney, former professional BMX athlete. Amanda was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2016 and has undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy while continuing to work as a Clinical Nurse at University Orthopedics and raise their 3 children. Amanda is now taking maintenance chemotherapy drugs, her mom is also a breast cancer survivor.
2018: April Salinas- A Track & Field athlete at Lock Haven University class of 2009, a State College resident for the past 8 years, she was employed at The Village at Penn State as a Fitness Coordinator/Wellness Coach. She was diagnosed with Melanoma in the spring of 2014. Her spirit, faith and energy never wavered. She competed in close to 50 Spartan races and completed a half ironman with the hope to one day complete a full ironman. You would often see April ruling in races throughout Centre County including running with Team Ream every year for the Coaches vs. Cancer 5k. April chose not to let cancer define her, she wanted to define herself. Her love for her family, friends, and community was evident in her everyday life. Sadly, we lost April in November 2017.
2019: Katie Wheeler- Katie Wheeler’s cancer journey began in August 2012 when she was diagnosed with Stage 3C Breast Cancer at the age of 39. She endured 4 surgeries, 6 months of chemotherapy, and 7 ½ weeks of radiation. Cancer is not a battle that she fought alone. Her team consisted of family, friends, doctors, nurses, and the Young Survival Coalition. She chose to face her battle head on and rode in the bike ride, Tour de Pink. She rode with her team, Team Pink and Pearls, which included her husband Jeff and 7 fellow breast cancer survivors. This challenge proved to Katie she was more than her diagnoses. Katie is the Business Manager at our local high school St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy and lives in Bellefonte with her husband, Jeff and her sons Ben and Joey. Cancer is a journey that involves so many people and because of the love and support from family and friends Katie’s journey has a happy ending.
2022: Sarah Finton
2023: Ryan Russell