L to R – Director of Food Quality and CCF Board Secretary Terry McGowan, Giant Food President Ira Kress, CCF President Tasha Museles and CCF Board Chair Jerry Chadwick
On November 6, over 500 guests celebrated at the 37th annual CCF Gala. Emceed by WJZ-TV Sports Director Mark Viviano, CCF presented the 2021 Hero Award to Jean Kettell and the Fighter Award to The Kahlert Foundation. CCF presented the distinguished 2021 Gift of Life Award to Giant Food and Ira Kress. Since 1984, the CCF Gala has recognized local individuals and companies dedicated to improving the lives children and families facing a diagnosis of cancer.
CCF presented over $1 million in grants to area researchers and programs that advance research for treatment and provide critical support to children fighting cancer.
For the first time this year, the Gala was broadcast live for remote participation. A recording of the CCF 37th Annual Gala broadcast is available to view. A digital copy of the Gala program book is also available.
While corporate sponsor employees, individual donors, and honorees joined us for the evening, we are most grateful for the participation of local families that have faced their own cancer journeys. The young people enjoying themselves on the dance floor during the band Spectrum’s performance was one of the most heartwarming parts of the evening. Twelve-year-old cancer survivor Noah Kabia played the drums with the band for the third year in a row and entertained guests for several songs, before rejoining his friends on the dance floor.
CCF extends our appreciation to volunteers, businesses and organizations that donated their time and services to make the evening so successful. We are grateful to all of our Gala sponsors and contributors throughout the year – and especially grateful to Giant Food for committing $700,000 to CCF through their annual pediatric fundraising efforts. Giant Food and other corporate sponsors came together to raise record funding for CCF grants — offering great promise for better treatments and programs for children fighting cancer.
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- CCF President Tasha Museles and Board Chairman Jerry Chadwick present the Fighter Award to Greg Kahlert (center)
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- Hero Awardee Jean Kettell thanks CCF and recognizes her dance studio’s instructors
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- Arnitra Smith accepts a CCF Grant for Nigel’s Neighborhood, a program she founded for her son Nigel.
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- Giant Food presents CCF with the proceeds of the fall’s fundraising campaign.
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- Noah Kabia and the entire Kabia family take time out for a photo booth group pic.
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- Survivor Logan Johnson takes to the dance floor with former Rockette Jean Kettell, Hero Awadee
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- Surivior Noah Kabia entertained the guests with his talents for the third year.
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- Guests were able to peruse the more than 75 silent auction items that included sports memorabilia, trips and jewelry.
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- Jeffrey Toretsky, M.D. of Georgetown University (far R) gathers with Georgetown colleagues and his wife Betsy (far L)
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- Surivor Amber B. dances with her father.
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- Brain tumor fighter Will Mumford celebrated with his parents Eileen and David
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- Surivors Noah Kabia and Payton Oakley get silly with Payton’s older sister Olivia (far R) and her friend
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- CCF Board member Karen Fernandez (L) catches up with Giant Food Director of Comminications Felis Andrade (R) and her sister Natalie Depina
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- CCF Board Member John Carver and his wife Tammy attend every year in memory of their daughter Juliana, who passed away shortly before the 2016 Gala.
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- CCF President Tasha Museles pose with the 2020 Hero Awardees from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department (L to R Jaime Swinimer, Phil Hunt, and Brad Schriefer
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- CCF President Tasha Museles with longtime supporter WTOP Sports Director and the voice of the Caps and Wizards Dave Johnson
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- Brain cancer fighter Vanessa Bishop celebrates with her mother Vicky
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- Survivor Grace Callwood is joined by her mother T’Jae Ellis and her grandmother NeAni Ife
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- Guests were capturing the evening with their selfies
