Frank’s Chili Fest 2023
Our 3rd annual Chili Fest raised just over $22,000, and we were able to grant a net amount of $12,000 to the SUDC Foundation to support their work with bereaved families. This year’s grant is in celebration of the life of Carrie Linda Snell (April 8, 1993 - November 22, 2021) and aims to bring awareness to her condition, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS). Carrie was born with a rare genetic disorder and defied the odds every single day. Through it all, she loved life and brought smiles to everyone she met with her wholly unique and overflowing personality. She is loved beyond belief. We’ve been fortunate to have met Carrie’s mother, Cathy, and to learn more about the impact Carrie had on those around her. With this grant in honor of Carrie, Frank McLean Forever has officially broke the $100,000 mark in giving to support Frank’s mission. Spreading awareness, advancing research, supporting families, and celebrating lives.
This year’s chili fest was a massive success thanks to all of our participants and our community that came out with an appetite. With a field of over 20 chefs, the 1,200+ crowd still almost finished all the chili by 4:00!
Winners:
Judges Vote: #1 SupperLand, Chef Stephen Gaddy, #2 Whiskey Wharehouse, Chef Justin Morton, #3 Marshal’s Madness, Chef Steve Marshal, #4runners up tie Dish, Chef Amanda Cranford and Midwood Mom’s, Your Mom’s Chili. Most inovative: In the Army Que, Chef Antoine Sadler
Frank’s Finest (Peoples Choice Vote): Dish, Chef Amanda Cranford; Honerable mentions: Jario Santos, SuperLand, Chef Homeboy (Ricky Winchester), In The Army Que.
Frank’s Sunflowers 2023
For Frank’s 6th birthday we continued to spread his joy with our 3rd annual sunflower sale. This year’s funds were granted in celebration of Henry Caldwell to Novant Hemby Children’s Hospital and the SUDC Foundation, totalling $10,000!
Frank’s Chili Fest 2022
Our 2nd annual Chili Fest built on last year’s success. Over 1,200 folks came out to enjoy the day and helped raise over $23,000 to support SUDC awareness, research, and family support. With three bands, three breweries, over 30 local merchants, and 20 chili teams, it was one heck of a street party. We look forward to continuing to make this a marquee community event. Thank you for coming out to celebrate Frank with us and support his mission!
Frank’s Sunflowers 2022
For Frank’s 5th birthday you all helped us raise $10,935 to advance SUDC Research and local bereaved family support services! With the proceeds from this event we were able to make grants in celebration of the lives of two beatiful children, Claire Aldrich and Reese Valesquez. Our first grant of $5,500 went to Novant Hemby Children’s Hospital is in celebration of Claire Aldrich. Claire died at 9 months from a rare and little understood medical disorder that may be associated with genetic mutation. Claire and her mother, Sally, had left a memorial gift for Frankie at our house shortly after he died and before Claire had her diagnosis; we have been in touch ever since. If you live in Plaza Midwood you can visit Claire’s memorial tree at the north entrance to Midwood Park. Claire’s legacy continues at The University of Otago in New Zealand with early education engagement programs designed to educate and inspire future leaders in genetic research. Our second grant of $5,500 went to the SUDC Foundation in celebration of Reese Velasquez. Reese died on March 10th in 2019 at 14 months and had no known medical conditions or family history. After thorough investigation and autopsy his death was categorized as undetermined. Reese loved animals, his toy Ford pickup truck, and when his dad would dramatically read "In the Park-Vamos Al Parque." We were introduced to Reese’s mother, Amanda, at local SUDC event in 2019 while both grieving the loss of our sons.
A Toast to Kalahan: Kalahan Emery & Jeff Bennett Memorial Fundraiser
On March 16th Frank McLean Forever partnered with The Workman’s Friend to celebrate the life of Kalahan Emery. The team at Workman’s hosted live music, a raffle, and all around good time. The evening raised $1,000 that will be granted in the name of Jeff Bennett to support undetermined pediatric death research and family support.
2022 Kindermourn Duck Race Donation Match
Jessie and Joni Cohen are the amazing parents of Sophie, Ben, and Sid. Every year they raise funds in Sid’s name for KinderMourn’s Duck Race. Thanks to the generosity of FMF donors, for our second year we have partnered with the Cohen family and KinderMourn and offered a $5,000 match to help their efforts. We are happy to say that the match was triggered and we also funded an additional $1,000 bonus for breaking last years fundraising effort. A total of $6,000 was given by FMF.
Our partnership with the Cohen family and KinderMourn is part of FMF’s ongoing mission to support bereaved family services and affectively assist those that have suffered unthinkable loss. Our match, and the funds raised by the Cohen family, will directly support no cost grief services including play therapy, individual counseling, and bereavement support groups for parents, teens, and children navigating tragedy. It is part of our commitment to ensuring quality grief support regardless of race, economic, or ethnic background.
Frank’s Chili Fest - 2021
On October 23rd we held our first major Charlotte event to raise funds for undetermined pediatric death research and bereaved family support services. The day featured over 20 restaurants and chefs competing in our chili cook off, 25 merchants in our “merchant village”, 4 local breweries, and 5 live bands. We had well over 1,000 people come to enjoy the festivities and raised a gross amount of over $21,000. With the net revenue from the event, and funds held in reserve, grants were made to the SUDC Foundation ($5,000) and Kindermourn ($3,000) in celebration of Armin Rafie and Jonathan Mariano. Armin, like Frank, was two when he passed away with no identifiable medical cause in 2019. Jonathan passed away in a car accident in 2019; he was a survivor of spinal cord trauma and dedicated much of his time volunteering at the Pediatric Trauma Survivors Network at Levine Children’s Hospital.
A special thank you to all of our volunteers (especially Jenna Simons, Beth Dozier, Kristen Wile, and Ben Jarrell) and local sponsors who helped make this event a success! The Hough Foundation, Steve & Kate Lowry, The Plaza Midwood Merchant Association, Thomas Street Tavern, Common Market, Esther & Elsa, Robert Bobby Art, Kaska Sun, Whirly Pig Design, and all of our chili chefs who donated their time and food.
Congratulations to our chili cook off winners:
Pro Division: 1st Coltrane’s , 2nd Legion Brewing Plaza Midwood, 3rd Legion Brewing South Park
Home Chefs: 1st In The Army Que, 2nd Jario Santos & The Traveling Comida Show, 3rd The Craft Beer Guys
Most Innovative: In The Army Que
Frank’s Finest (people’s choice award): Jario Santos & The Traveling Comida Show
Frank’s Sunflowers 2021
In celebration of Frank’s 4th birthday we farmed 1,200 potted sunflowers and gifted them to donors. Donors helped raise $8,314 for our mission and gifted 500 sunflowers to first responders and medical professionals in our community. Another 500+ sunflowers were taken home to enjoy. Frank’s foundation added an additional amount to grant a total of $10,000 to the SUDC Foundation in celebration of Ruby White.
SUDC Awareness Month - March 2021
In March 2021 we distributed 1,400 sunflower planting kits each with information about SUDC and our mission. Thank you to all our volunteers. We look forward to seeing the flowers bloom in June for Frank’s birthday!
KinderMourn Duck Race Donation Match - September 2020
KinderMourn’s annual Duck Race had to go virtual in 2020 due to corona virus. We partnered with the Cohen family and with a $5,000 match helped raise over $12,000 to support KinderMourn and their work with grieving families in Charlotte.
Tailgate for Frank: October 26th 2019
Thank you to our 2019 tailgate sponsors! Kate and Steve Lowry, Jannifer McLean and Tom Klekner, Tom and Kerry McLean, Mark and Eric Szerlag and their team at the Thomas Duke Company, The Horning Family - Tyler and Caitlin, The Walsh Family - Ryan and Emily, The Patton Family - Beth and Danny, Group Sponsorship: Johnny Quint, Evan Aue, Tim Wilson, Erik Anderson, and Chris Verheek.
Our 2019 tailgate, despite miserable weather, was a great day to celebrate Frank with wonderful people. Together we raised over $8,000 and furthered our mission. We can’t thank all those who participated enough.
Michigan 45 - Notre Dame 14
