KSP Officer Rides to Raise Money for Young Cancer Patient

 
KSP Commercial Vehicle Officer Larry Farris is riding for a cause this year at the Can-Am PoliceFire Games in Dublin, Ohio, where he will ride under the KSP colors to benefit a cancer stricken boy from Maysville, Ky. Farris is an avid rider and regularly competes in racing competitions, logging around 6,000 miles a year. 

He will compete in four events at the 2010 Can-Am Games held Aug. 15 - 27, including the Time Trial, Criterium, Sprint and Road Race. Farris says these games will be extra special to him because he is riding for Maysville four-year old Luke Teegarden.

“Luke is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer diagnosed as Burkitt’s Lymphoma,” says Farris. “I am attempting to raise funds from friends and local businesses so that extra proceeds will go to Luke’s family for his medical care.”

Teegarden's father, Walter Teegarden, is a Maysville firefighter. Farris said he got to know Walter Teegarden when he was a police officer for the city of Maysville.
 
Farris said he typically rides for about two hours after work each day and will ride for six or seven hours on weekends. To be competitive on an amateur level, Farris said he needs to put in about 300 miles each week and does different types of training.

The Can-Am Police Fire Games were established to promote physical fitness and camaraderie among and between law enforcement and fire service personnel and agencies. The games are held in the United States once every four years.  You can find more information about the games at http://www.canampolicefiregames.org/.

KSP employees and friends can make monetary donations through the Kentucky State Police to benefit the Luke Teegarden Medical Fund by sending a check to the Media Relations Branch.  The check should be made out to Kentucky State Police and in the memo line write ‘Luke Teegarden Medical Fund.’ 

Luke Teegarden, Maysville, Ky. child battling cancer

"Even if somebody donates $5 it would be a help," Farris said. "(Luke Teegarden's) medical bills have got to be just astronomical."

After the games, Officer Farris and KSP Representatives will make a presentation of funds to the Teegarden family.

If you would like to send Luke a letter of encouragement you can do so by writing him at Rylan Luke Teegarden, 307 Commerce Street, Maysville, Ky. 41056.

The KECC Has Begun

Sometimes kindness is as easy as opening a door for someone, or even saying “good job” to a co-worker. Every day we have countless opportunities to show we care. However, some problems are bigger than what everyday actions can offer. Sometimes, to make a difference, we have to reach out. 

Because we care, Kentucky employees do so each year. Through KECC, over the last 17 years, we’ve changed thousands of lives. You can read about them at kecc.org, by clicking on the charity names on the left.

Even during tough times, helping others doesn’t take much…but it does take all of us.  If you haven’t given before or if you think a small amount won’t matter, this year, consider making a donation. If every state employee gave just $5 per paycheck, the campaign would be able to help three times more people than it ever has, and we’d raise over $5 million dollars!

The charities are working harder than ever to help our friends and neighbors get through tough times.  Think about where you would turn if you needed help and give that $5 per paycheck, or more.  But, no matter how big or how small, because YOU care, this year…make a gift.  Thanks for all you’ve done, now let’s make this the most powerful KECC ever!

March of Dimes

On June 22, 2010, the Frankfort and Lawrenceburg March of Dimes held their annual awards ceremony at the Kentucky History Center for the 2010 March for Babies. The Personnel Cabinet received an award for being a $2000+ Fundraising Team. Also, Amy Mosby of the Deferred Compensation Authority received the 1st Place Personnel Cabinet Walker Award for the second consecutive year!

The Personnel Cabinet’s 2010 March of Dimes Team consisted of the following members: Jamie Allen, Katie Barber, Mary Brouse, Kim Dennis, Melinda Giles, Nila Meeks, Dawn Moreland, Alaina Myers, Lee Payton, Megan Poe, Joyce Schrenger, Rebekah Singleton and Jeff Wiley.

The Compassionate Friends Organization

The Compassionate Friends (TCF) is an organization no one wants to belong to, but when you have experienced the death of a child from any age, you are glad to find it. TCF is a national support organization for families grieving the death of a child, sibling, or grandchild with more than 620 chapters in this country, 13 of which are in Kentucky.

In the words of TCF founder Simon Stephens -The Compassionate Friends is about transforming the pain of grief into the elixir of hope. It takes people out of the isolation society imposes on the bereaved and lets them urally natexpress their grief. With the shedding of tears, healing comes. And the newly bereaved get to see people who have survived and are learning to live and love again. Families are also helped as they find a purpose in life that suddenly seems so empty after the death of your child.

Besides providing support for local chapters, the national organization holds an annual conference, Walk to Remember, and Worldwide Candle Lighting. The annual conferences, held in varying locations around the country, feature well-known keynote speakers and more than 100 workshops related to grief after the death of a child. As many as 1,400 persons participate in the Walk to Remember, the culminating event of the conference. Those walking carry the names of more than 10,000 children from across the country who are loved, missed and remembered.

The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting, in remembrance of all children who have died, is held the 2nd Sunday in December at 7 p.m.  local time around the world. It is believed to be the largest mass candle lighting in the world. The local Frankfort chapter holds a corresponding Candle Lighting at the Capital Plaza Hotel each year for families.

TCF’s national website at www.compassionatefriends.org has a tremendous amount of grief material for bereaved families and chapter locators for your area or call 877-969-0010.
 
Please visit the local Frankfort chapter’s website www.thecompassionatefriendsfrankfortky.com, for meeting information and upcoming local events.