Paintballers For A Cause

For those who have’nt heard or noticed I have been gone all week, my mother, Roxanne Crane was diagnosed with brain cancer on Tuesday. She is currently at University Hospital and underwent brain surgery on Tuesday night. The surgery went well but with cancer this is just the beginning.

HeadRush will remain open for normal business hours during this time. I will be around some of the time but will be in and out for the next couple weeks so Pat, Capria or Gwen should be able to help you out with anything if I am not around.

Some people have asked if they could donate to her and her recovery so I have set up a donation link at: http://www.headrush.com/ken/donate/ if you would like to donate. I am not asking nor expect donations and please do not feel bad if want to but can’t. It is simply there for those who wish to.

And to everyone who have helped out in anyway I thank you very much for your kindness.

Ken

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From PB4AC & myself, I would like to extend my best wishes, and wish Ken’s mother & his family a speedy recovery.Sincerely,

Scott

Paintball Players Unite to Fight Ankylosing Spondylitis
By Brian Warner
Nov 26, 2007, 14:40

Young guns are preparing for a battle-the guns are loaded with paintballs and the enemy is Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). A new nonprofit in Ohio, Athletes Joined Against Spondylitis (AJAS), has been created to raise awareness and funds to fight a crippling form of arthritis-through paintball.

Veteran paintball player Brian Warner experienced severe back pain for years, which progressively limited his mobility and ability to compete in paintball tournaments. Finally, after 10 years of fruitless tests, he was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a form of arthritis. Warner immediately decided to direct his passion for paintball toward raising funds for AS education, research and treatment. And thus Athletes Joined Against Spondylitis was born.

“I’ve been playing tournament paintball since 1995,” says Warner. “It was getting harder and harder to compete in the sport that I loved. There were days that I was physically unable to walk, and no one knew what was wrong with me. I waited 10 painful years for someone to recognize my disease for what it is-no one should have to go though that. Ankylosing Spondylitis just isn’t a household name, even amongst doctors. There’s too little research, too little understanding. If I can change that, even a little bit, through my passion for paintball and athleticism?it’s just what I have to do.” AJAS will use its proceeds to support AS research and treatment with a many-faceted attack:

During the 2007 off season, Warner will be assembling “Team FUSE” competitive paintball teams, to focus a spotlight on Ankylosing Spondylitis by competing in national paintball tournaments and disseminating information about AS. AJAS will donate the majority of its proceeds to the Spondylitis Association of America. SAA’s mission is to help find a cure for AS and to empower people with AS. AJAS embraces that mission and intends to extend it by providing financial assistance to the underinsured and providing a very-real platform for publicizing their efforts, through Team FUSE and competitive paintball.

AJAS/Team FUSE will host annual FUSE days, wherein area youth with disabilities will be able to experience the fun and competition of paintball to the best of their capabilities. “AS strikes mostly young males in their 20’s,” says Warner. “Since this is the major paintball demographic, the sport is a perfect platform to raise awareness and funds for AS.” In addition to raising funds and awareness, Warner hopes to become a personal role model for young people ? boys and girls alike-who have disabilities.

Team FUSE will be competing in the National Professional Paintball League (NPPL), Division II, for the 2008 season and will be holding tryouts on January 12 and 13, 2008. Warner, AJAS, and Team FUSE are currently soliciting donations, sponsors, volunteers and participants to gear up for the 2008 season. To learn more about Ankylosing Spondylitis, Athletes Joined Against Spondylitis or Team FUSE, contact Brian Warner at 513-617-5374 or email brian.warner@joinedagainst.org.

About Ankylosing Spondylitis
AS, a systemic autoimmune disease, is a type of arthritis that affects the joints between the vertebrae of the spine, especially those found in the lower back. AS causes inflammation in the areas where tendons or ligaments attach to bone, which then makes the vertebrae merge ? or fuse ? together. Gradually, the disease moves up, affecting joints higher and higher on the spine. Besides the joints, the lungs, heart and eyes can also be affected. A study conducted by Harris Interactive (on behalf of the Spondylitis Association of America) presented a grim view of life with AS:

55% reported their spine had at least partial fusion.
60% had limitations to their daily lives.
29% reported that when pain was at its worst, they were unable to move and were incapacitated.
51% had trouble breathing because of the disease.

More than one million people have AS. It most commonly strikes men in their 20s-and children account for about 5 percent of all cases diagnosed. It is estimated that more than half of those patients had to search for more than five years to be diagnosed; almost a third took 10 years or more.

Athletes Joined Against Spondylitis: raising awareness and standing tall.

© Copyright 1999 - 2007, 68caliber.Com

This is terribly sad news for this new father.  Being a father myself, my greatest nightmare is unfortunately this mans realty.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/102407dnmetbittersweet.3645b29.html

Please pray for him, his baby & family.

Even though there doesn’t appear to be anything going on here, there’s plenty being done behind the scenes.  Paintballers For A Cause is going to expand to a much larger organization.  I am currently working on setting up a non-profit organization with all the official things needed to make sure this becomes what it needs to be successful & helpful.

Thank you to all those people who visit & check up on us.  We hope to have more news soon.

In the mean time, if you know anyone who might need a hand or could use a prayer or 2, please email info@paintballersforacause.com with the information, and we’ll post it.  If they want to be anonymous, we can do that too.  Just as long as some attention is brought to them or what pains them, that’s all that matters.

Best of luck to everyone,

Scott

On Sunday September 16th, Xtreme will be hosting the Rays of Hope Paintballers Against Breast Cancer event. The event will raise money through admission, donations, and a raffle during the day. That money will then be donated to the Rays Of Hope Walk Toward the Cure Of Breast Cancer that is held annually. This year the walk is on Sunday October 28th and we encourage all that are able to attend and wear their favorite paintball shirt.

When: Sunday September 16th, 10 am to 4 pm

Where:
Xtreme Paintball
369 Main St
Agawam MA 01001

Costs to Play on the 16th:
$15 entrance fee
$38 per case of 2000 rounds Draxxus Recsport paint
$24 1000 rounds of Draxxus Recsport paint
$13 500 rounds of Draxxus Recsport paint

$35 rental package includes gun, mask, all day air, admission for the day, and 500 rounds of paint

The raffle tickets will be on sale throughout the day, with many prizes to be given away. You do not have to be present to win the raffle, as long as you clearly print your name/phone number on the ticket you will be notified of your prize.

Here is a post from PBNation.com about the son of Rick & Maggie Annuziata. Rick & Maggie ran R&M Paintball, as well as owned Binghamton Blackout in the AXBL.

We hope to have more information on where donations can be sent soon.

 

A lot of NY paintballers know Rick and Maggie Annunziata, owners of the R&M Paintball shop and field operated in the Southern Tier region of New York. The Annunziatas have been involved in the local paintball scene for many years, and have created a close nit family and tremendously loyal following. Rick is also the owner/coach of Binghamton Blackout. Some of you may have heard the painfully sad news of the passing of Rick and Maggie’s son, Dominick. Dom was the Annunziata’s first child, and died a few days ago from a rare disease called lymphangiomatosis. He battled the disease from a hospital in southern PA for most of the summer but left a lasting impression on anyone who was a part of his tragically short life. The heart of the R&M community goes out to Rick, Maggie and their family.

The team members of Blackout decided to start a collection in tribute to Dominick, and to show our respect and love for Rick and Maggie. A donation will be made in Dom’s memory to the LYMF Foundation. The goal of the LYMF Foundation is to become the global “home” for patients diagnosed with LYMF, the physicians treating those patients, and researchers and scientists interested in learning more about this disease, how it affects different patients, and find effective treatments and potential cures for LYMF.

After a few people outside the team expressed interest in helping, we felt it was appropriate to accept donations from anyone in the paintball community. No one should feel obligated to donate, but we would appreciate any and all contributions. If you would like to make a small donation in Dom’s memory, please speak with Kevin Angelone (Blackout #1), Armando Testani (Blackout Coach), or anyone on our team at the AXBL finals this weekend. Please do not try to contact the Annunziata family directly during this extremely difficult time. If you are unable to make a donation, you are welcome to show your support by posting in this thread, or in the one on the R&M forums.

Thank you,

Binghamton Blackout and the R&M Family

Click here to make a donation in memory of Dominick. All donations benefit LYMF.

Hello & welcome to Paintballers For A Cause (PB4AC).  This website is dedicated to the personal side of paintball in an attempt to help our paintball friends when they need some.   We are a not for profit website, with the hopes of filing the proper paperwork in the near future (as long as this site’s received well).  Every penny of profit will be given to those that we are trying to help.

We hope to have a paypal donation link set soon, as well as a “garage sale” program that we will announce soon.  For now, we will bring forward information about friends & family of the paintball community that need our help.

Thank you very much for any help you can provide, now or in the future.

Sincerely,

PB4AC