Patient Assistance

2/3/23

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Effective immediately, we will no longer process Applications for Patient Assistance. After over 21 years of providing various types of assistance to leukemia patients, such as financial grants and assistance with bone marrow donor drives, we find it necessary to proceed to “close up shop” which we plan will soon include filing Articles of Dissolution to cease all activities as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit Foundation. Age and health-related issues have helped us to reach this difficult decision.

2/3/23

As with the decision noted to our Board in February, 2021 to stop hosting Bone Marrow Drives due to a lack of any response to the totally digital drive held in 2020, we have also decided that we have run the course with actively seeking to provide financial assistance to leukemia patients. Age and some related health issues have also helped us to reach this decision. With that said, while we still operate briefly as an incorporated Foundation, we'll try to process any reimbursement requests we receive, but we'll gradually begin to "close up shop" which we understand will finally involve filing Articles of Dissolution with the appropriate Florida and Georgia agencies.

Football Auction - Georgia

December 27, 2011

Duds…and we’re not talking Milk Duds. Another expression that comes to mind is “reality versus expectations”, which seems relevant, as well. Having established this 501(c)(3) non-profit Foundation  in Shannon’s memory several months after her death in May, 2000, I would humbly say the following two events over the years would apply to the above descriptions:

1. Most recently, the Football Charity Auction we promoted through 12/12/11, as described below,  to raise funds to be used to reimburse some expenses of leukemia patients not covered by their insurance that received ZERO bids; and, 

                      
2. The initial annual combination blood and bone marrow/stem cell donor registration drive held in May, 2001 in Shannon’s memory, that registered far fewer donors to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) registry than the initial goal I had set for the drive.

Football Charity Auction
There, of course, were some highlights from the events. For instance, because of my plan over the past several months to try and get the autographs of the current and previous 3 head coaches from both Georgia and Florida on their respective footballs, it provided the incentive necessary for me to obtain our current new website package that provides more flexibility and features than the original website design we had from as far back as when Shannon was battling the leukemia that eventually took her from us.

I also met some very nice people during the process over the past several months and became familiar with other outlets in cyberspace that can be valuable tools in promoting different events in the future. In terms of expectations and based somewhat on input received from the sports memorabilia specialists who provided me with the ‘good faith estimate’ of value for each ball, $300, but also suggested that much higher bids could be anticipated from the respective alumni and fan base from each school, I actually thought there would be some avid Bulldog and Gator fans who would have perhaps offered up to $1,000 for each ball…a nice round number that would have enabled our Foundation to provide full financial assistance to 2 leukemia patients for a whole year.

However, to honestly and humbly evaluate the overall project based on the number of man hours devoted to it compared to the results, it was definitely a dud! Perhaps the economy was a key factor; if not, the way I chose to market the footballs must have been a bit too optimistic.

In any event, we still have the footballs and may well try another path to market them to raise some much needed funds to help other leukemia patients with their expenses.

Initial Annual Combination Blood and Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Donor Registration Drive
Well, when Shannon was battling leukemia and in desperate need of a matching bone marrow donor in early 2000, to even have a chance at an extended life, we held a drive at our church in Decatur, GA and had 420 new donors added to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) registry. So, it seemed reasonable that 1,000 donors at Shannon’s mega-church in Duluth, GA (Perimeter Church) would be a good target goal to achieve at the initial annual bone marrow drive in her memory in May, 2001, a year after her death from leukemia and the effects of a less than perfect bone marrow match. 

In preparation for this initial drive, we received tremendous support from the co-hosts of the drive with our Foundation: the American Red Cross, the NMDP and Perimeter Church. We promoted the drive extensively in the community and Teresa and I even spoke at several Sunday morning classes at Perimeter the 2 or 3 weeks prior to the drive being held. A great amount of time, effort and emotional energy was expended into making this drive a huge success and, yet, we registered 42 new donors. While every new donor on the registry is important and appreciated, just from a numbers perspective based on the established goal, this too was a DUD!

However, as related to both of the above events, I often recall what my dear mother used to say to me from time to time: “nothing ventured...nothing gained”. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Blessings,

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Current High Bid:                 TBD

Minimum Opening Bid:    $300.00  

11/22/11

The Auction: The above unique Georgia Bulldog football is being  offered by The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. (“Foundation”). The person with the highest bid over the Foundation’s good faith estimate of value of $300.00 (“Reserve Price”) for the football will become the proud owner of this football that has been autographed by past coaches Vince Dooley, Ray Goff, Jim Donnan and current coach, Mark Richt. 

100% of the proceeds received by the Foundation for the sale of this football will go toward providing financial assistance to leukemia patients in the form of reimbursements for expenses not covered by their insurance.

Our sincere hope is that the opinions of the independent sports memorabilia specialists who helped to establish the Reserve Price are accurate; i.e. that the auction of this unique football will result in a significantly higher amount being offered over the Reserve Price by an enthusiastic Georgia supporter, while giving the successful bidder a valuable keepsake that will be treasured for many years. See Auction Bidding Instructions Below.

Full Disclosure:  I had the privilege of playing for Coach Vince Dooley from 1964 – 1967 during his first four seasons at the University of Georgia. The newspaper picture below from the 43rd annual Georgia - Florida game on 11/6/65, shows yours truly (#35), along with teammate Ken Pillsbury and Florida's Steve Spurrier and Charlie Casey. 

Charity Auction/Tax Information: According to accounting information received by the Foundation, Donors who purchase items at a charity auction may claim a charitable contribution deduction for the excess of the purchase price paid for an item over its fair market value. For purposes of this auction and based on input from outside sports memorabilia specialists, the Foundation has set a good faith estimate of $300.00 for this Florida football autographed by the four coaches. Assuming the donor has no reason to doubt the accuracy of the published estimate, if he or she pays more than the published value, the difference between the amount paid and the published value may constitute a charitable contribution deduction. Consult your tax advisor for further clarification.
 
History of the Football:

During the past summer, I purchased this football and took it by the Athletic Department with a request that Coach Dooley and Coach Richt autograph it, so that, hopefully, after later getting Coach Goff and Coach Donnan to sign it, our Foundation would have success in auctioning/selling it to raise some much needed funds for use in our Patient Assistance program. Upon getting the signed ball from the Athletic Department,  I did have the opportunity to meet with Coach Donnan at his home and Coach Goff at his office, and they both graciously agreed to also sign the football.

The objective has always been to use this ball in a fundraising effort to help provide additional financial assistance to patients who are dealing with the horrendous effects of leukemia. Since the Foundation’s initial reimbursement check to the first leukemia patient we assisted over 10 years ago on 6/11/01, it has been our privilege to have been able to provide 43 leukemia patients a total of 179 financial grants totaling $37,316.75 through November 21,  2011.

Whether or not you bid on the football, if you would like to provide financial support to the Foundation on a one-time or on-going basis, please either click on a PayPal button and proceed accordingly or, if you would prefer to donate via mail, make your check or money order payable to The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. and send it to the Foundation at: 3589 Rock Elm Court, Auburn, GA  30011. A receipt will be provided for each donation received.

NOTE: THE SHANNON MOSHER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, INC. (REG. #13950) RECEIVES 100% OF EACH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION (THERE ARE NO PROFESSIONAL SOLICITORS OR FUNDRAISERS CONTRACTED BY THE FOUNDATION WHO RETAIN ANY PERCENTAGE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED).  A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

Stuart Mosher

Executive Director

The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc.