Quad Cities River Bandits Support Genesis Projects With $50,000 Donation
The Quad Cities River Bandits are helping make sure Quad Cities kids who have been impacted by cancer in their family will be able to enjoy a summer camp experience.
The family-friendly River Bandits today presented a check of $50,000 to the Genesis Foundation for health initiatives benefiting kids.
For the 11th year, Genesis is sponsoring Camp Genesis, a free camp for children entering 4th through 9th grade who have been affected by cancer in their family. The camp is hosted by Camp Shalom Christian Camp in Maquoketa, Iowa.
“The Quad Cities River Bandits are an outstanding partner for Genesis. The River Bandits fans and owner Dave Heller have generously supported Camp Genesis, Flu-Free Quad Cities, the Family Connects program and projects benefiting the youngest Genesis patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,’’ said Missy Gowey, executive director of the Genesis Foundation. “Because of the support of Dave Heller, the River Bandits and our other community partners, Genesis can provide beneficial projects to improve the health of the communities.’’
In 2019, Genesis Health System and the River Bandits collaborated to raise $101,000 in flood relief for those impacted by historic flooding.
The River Bandits have consistently earned national recognition for the organization’s philanthropy, including the 2019 Ballpark Digest award for charitable giving.
“You beat cancer by the way you live, and we want to help these young people forced to deal with cancer by creating lifetime memories’’ said River Bandits’ owner Dave Heller. “The River Bandits are not in the sports business, and we’re not in the entertainment business. We’re in the memory-making business. Working with Genesis and Gilda’s Club to create lifetime camp memories for Quad Cities children going through a tough time is the best reward for our organization and our fans.’’
Those memories will be created the week of June 21-26 at Camp Genesis.
“Kids going through a difficult, stressful time will have the opportunity to take a break and be kids again,’’ Gowey said. “Parents, who may be in the midst of a cancer journey, will be able to send their kids off for a traditional camp experience at no costs in a safe, loving environment with campers going through the same experience in their lives.
“The bonds created by the shared experience of cancer benefit these kids. They become very close, very quickly.’’
Activities at Camp Genesis include swimming, archery, canoeing, arts and crafts, ball games, rope courses and cancer education and bonding facilitated by the staff of Gilda’s Club of the Quad Cities. Campers learn more about cancer with a “road trip’’ to the Genesis Cancer Care Institute during the week.
Applications for Camp Genesis are available at gildasclubqc.org or by calling the club at (563) 326-7504.
