Our Mission Statement

The mission of the Shemenski Foundation is to honor the life of John Shemenski by raising awareness, providing financial support, and spreading the hope, courage and determination needed to beat cancer!

John’s inspiring approach towards life:  “Hope…courage…determination…to live RIGHT NOW”

Our Goals

We are already well on our way to meeting our goals for 2010:
• Raise $20,000 to donate to help beat cancer
• Receive 501(c)(3) not-for-profit designation - DONE!
• Broaden the reach of our proceeds beyond CancerFree Kids.  Cancer Family Care is our 2nd beneficiary for 2010!
• Upgrade Shemenski Foundation website - you’re looking at it!

Our History

On October 29, 2008, John W. Shemenski Jr., age 34, of West Chester Ohio lost his battle with a brain tumor.  While his death was not different from others who suffered the same fate, the way he lived his life before and during cancer was special - John never lived for someday, he always lived for “Right Now”.  It is from the hope, courage, and determination embraced by John that the Shemenski Foundation has been established. 

In January 2009, inspired by John’s hope, courage, and determination, a group of friends and family launched the Shemenski Foundation.  We felt the best way to honor John was to do what he would do, help others - he would have loved that!  We named CancerFree Kids our 2009 Beneficiary, a charity that John believed in and supported.  Our annual signature event was born in August, 2009 - the Shemenski Foundation Bowl-a-Thon “Strike Against Cancer”.  Through this event and the support of friends, family, and the sponsors the Shemenski Foundation donated $20,000 to CancerFree Kids in December, 2009.  Lisa Shemenski represented the foundation and sat on the Grant Selection Committee for 2009 and our donation was awarded through a grant in full to Dr. DasGupta to study the inhibition of pediatric brainstem glioma growth by genetic inhibition. 
 

The Board Members of the Shemenski Foundation:
President - Jeff Eggleston
Vice President - Lisa Shemenski
Treasurer - Jeff Rieder
Marketing Director - Andrea Zahumensky
Events Director - Kelly Heaps

Committee Chairs:
Website Chair: Ryan Davis
Public Relations Chair: Doug Spitz
Communications Chair: Dawn Zimmer
Bowl-A-Thon Registration Chair: Patty Reverman
Bowl-A-Thon Planning & Facilitation Chair: Amanda Kraemer