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Highlands Today

Tanglewood Raises $55,000 For Cancer Research

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By JOE SEELIG

Highlands Today

Published: February 19, 2009

SEBRING - Through a series of fundraising events that began in January and culminated Tuesday, the Tanglewood community raised $55,000 earmarked to the American Cancer Society for cancer research.

Event co-chairmen Tom DiGrazia and Tom McKeever helped coordinate four main events in the Tanglewood American Cancer Society Benefit for Research, all held within the manufactured home and RV park.

DiGrazia said with the economy the way it has been he was pleasantly surprised the event, in its 10th year, surpassed last year's total.

"I did not envision exceeding our last year number of $49,000," he said.

"It's basically a residents' benefit," said DiGrazia. "We run it for approximately two months prior, starting with an Italian dinner in January, with 700 people that raised $5,200 just with the dinner alone."

Heartland National Bank sponsors the Italian dinner.

"The key word is residents," said McKeever. "All the money is raised within the community by people living in the community."

"Also in January we do a show," said DiGrazia.

For the past two years they had Paul Todd, a singer and composer. He wrote the music for the Marine Toys for Tots and for the Make A Wish Foundation.

About 800 people attended the show and they raised another $3,300.

Other monies were raised by smaller groups within the park. Some raised $100 and others raised $5,000, they said.

There are 12 committee heads.

"They're the core of the drive itself," said McKeever.

Another event is the luminary program. Residents purchased 1,350 bags, which were placed around the circle at the center of the community, in remembrance of those who have died of cancer, those who survived cancer, those who are currently fighting cancer and their caregivers.

Tanglewood has about 1,200 home sites and is home to part-time and full-time residents, about 2,200 in all, they estimated.

Tuesday's event, which included disc jockey Tom Weed providing entertainment, Toby's Clowns, raffles, door prizes and meatball sub sales, generated $17,000 alone, within three hours.

As part of its raffle prizes, park management donated four free lot-rent packages valued at a maximum of $400 each, he added. "That's a big draw," he said.

The event was sponsored by Myron and Linda Pickering in the year 2000, as a fundraiser for a resident named Bill Stottlemyre, who was diagnosed with incurable cancer.

"Back then all we were was an RV area," said DiGrazia.

RV'ers are known for partying.

"Bill said, 'Let's celebrate,'" DiGrazia said. "'I want to celebrate my life.'"

They had their party and raised $300, which Pickering and Stottlemyre donated to the American Cancer Society in Stottlemyre's name.

Relay for Life is not a sponsor, but it is a supporter, said DiGrazia. The Tanglewood American Cancer Society Benefit for Research event is recognized in Florida as one of the American Cancer Society's big fundraisers.

Highlands Today reporter Joe Seelig can be reached at 863-386-5834 or jseelig@highlandstoday.com

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