Dallas Santa is a wife, mom, schoolteacher, and friend to the community. Right now, she’s also a fighter and a believer in miracles. She beat breast cancer and was cancer-free for three years, but now she’s battling brain cancer. Santa, her husband Roberto (a St. Lucie County firefighter) and the couple’s three children need our support and help. While we all may feel a bit jaded and old sometimes, we are hoping that on Wednesday, June 21, 2017, if only for one night, the whole community can show that we believe in Santa!
As you can imagine, the treatment for her cancer has taken a physical, emotional, and financial toll on Santa and the entire family, so to assist them during their time of need, the Van Duzer Foundation will be hosting a very special holiday celebration on Wednesday, June 21st at Big Apple Pizza and Pasta in Fort Pierce, just across the street for Indian River State College’s Main Campus. The fun will begin at 4 p.m. and go until 10 p.m., and there will be bounce houses, music courtesy of Traxx Entertainment, laughter, and loads of fun and support for Santa’s family enduring a difficult time.
Rumor has it that Summer Santa will be vacationing in the Sunshine State (it is almost exactly six months from Christmas, you know?), and you may have a chance to have your family’s photo taken with Summer Santa at the event. And haven’t you always wondered what the jolly old elf wears when the weather gets warm anyway? This is your chance to find out if it’s flip flops and bermudas or Birkenstocks and white socks. As always with a Van Duzer Foundation fundraiser, one hundred percent of all food and beverages sold, along with staff salaries and tips will be donated to the family being helped, so every slice of pizza sold helps Santa’s family. You’re going to be hungry that night anyway – why not make your meal count for something special and show a little love and support for a family in need?
Nine years after deciding to create a small, grassroots non-profit foundation to help individuals and families in St. Lucie County who were experiencing difficulties due to unforeseen tragedy or illness, the Van Duzer Foundation is still about helping one family or one individual with creativity, style, and caring. And while the Foundation may have taken a few side trips along the way, like creating the First Step program in Fort Pierce to give children a positive place to spend time, learn, and grow into positive and contributing members of the community, the Foundation has always been, at heart, a small, community organization which wants to have fun, share pizza, friendship, and good will with others, and provide an opportunity for others in the community to help out when one of its neighbors or friends is experiencing difficulty. To learn more about the Van Duzer Foundation or to donate, please visit www.thevanduzerfoundation.org or call 772-528-3467.
