PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
February 2012
Our 2012 Mission of Hope and Honor has officially begun with the achievement of the HITS triathlon event in Naples, Florida on January 8 by Firefighter Robert Verhelst. Congratulations to Robert, and many thanks to the North Naples Fire Department, local merchants, and members of the North Naples community for all of their support. See highlights of the HITS Naples triathlon, as well as media coverage of the event.
Our heartfelt gratitude is also owed to PowerTest, Inc. for their kind and generous support. Thank you, PowerTest!
The Naples event marks the first step toward Firefighter Verhelst's quest to accomplish the unthinkable by breaking the Guinness World Record for number of ironman distance triathlon events completed in a one year period in order to raise funds for our cause. At each event, as he did on January 8, "Fireman Rob" will wear firefighter turnout gear, including air tank and helmet, during the 26.2 mile marathon portion. His purpose in doing so is not only to bring attention to our cause, but also to honor and remember those who lost their lives as a result of 9/11.
Our Mission will follow Firefighter Verhelst throughout the year as he strives to accomplish his incredible goal. See the 2012 Mission and World Record Schedule. We are truly grateful to Firefighter Verhelst for all he is doing to support the cause.
Throughout the 2012 Mission of Hope and Honor, we will also pass on FF Kevin Oldham's eternal message of encouraging our firefighting comrades to stay alert about warning signs and get those early cancer screenings.
We have been receiving correspondence and phone calls from firefighters throughout the country who are in need of financial relief due to their ongoing battles with cancer. While some may have the impression that firefighters are well taken care of when they are diagnosed with cancer, that is not always the case. Read more. It saddens us that our funding has not reached the level necessary to be able to fulfill our purpose of providing financial assistance to firefighters who have been diagnosed with cancer and are facing a financial hardship because of it. Our goal for 2012 is to build a fund sufficient to be able to fulfill that purpose. 
We have set a minimum income target goal of $625,000 for the year. Once we reach that goal, 80% of our funds will go directly to firefighters, active or retired, who are battling cancer and are facing a financial hardship. That would equate to $5,000 being distributed to 100 firefighters, or $2,500 being distributed to 200 firefighters. If we exceed our income goal, the numbers above will be adjusted appropriately and we will be able to give additional funds to more firefighters. It is our hope that, with everyone's kind support, by the end of the year we will, indeed, exceed our $625,000 goal. Individuals can donate here. Those who have more substantial funds to contribute, such as corporations, can learn about the benefits of becoming a sponsor by reading our Sponsorship Brochure. To review income levels over the past 4 years that Code 3 has been in existence, as well as what those funds have been used for, view our financial statements.
Once we reach our income goal, in addition to 80% going to firefighters, 10% of our funds will go to other nonprofits who are fighting the war on cancer, and the remaining 10% will go to our operating costs. In a statement of support he wrote for Code 3 for a Cure, Anthony Robbins said, “When enough of us come together to reach a critical mass of caring, that’s the moment when change happens, and we gain an edge on this epidemic of cancer . . . Collectively, like ripples in a pond, we can generate a force powerful enough to one day defeat this deadly disease.” Mr. Robbins' powerful words point to the fact that we need various organizations that continually strive to defeat different aspects of cancer in different ways. That poignant fact is why the Code 3 for a Cure Foundation would like to distribute 10% of its funds to select nonprofits who are also fighting the war on cancer. Read Anthony Robbins’ full statement, as well as that of other celebrities who have expressed their support for Code 3 for a Cure.
Once again, we want to thank Vice President David Wicks and all the staff members at NASDAQ who went above and beyond to make our ringing of the Opening Bell on December 27 very remarkable, a true honor, and an experience we will never forget.
From all of us here at Code 3 for a Cure, we wish you good health and peace.
Lorenzo Abundiz
President & Founder
Code 3 for a Cure Foundation
MISSION OF HONOR AND HOPE
The Code 3 for a Cure Foundation's Mission of Honor and Hope is a journey taken on a fire engine once a year by a crew of cancer surviving firefighters, both active and retired. The purpose of the mission is to honor and remember those firefighters who have lost their lives to cancer, as well as to promote firefighter cancer awareness. Any firefighter who is a cancer survivor and is interested in becoming a member of the Code 3 Crew for the 2012 journey can contact us.
CANCER RISK GREATER AMONG FIREFIGHTERS
According to the American Cancer Society, half of all men and one-third of all women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. It is becoming more and more apparent just what an epidemic this disease truly is. That is why one of the goals of Code 3 for a Cure is to contribute a percentage of our funds toward organizations that are conducting cancer research, and/or helping those diagnosed. The main focus of our organization, however, is to provide assistance specifically to firefighters who are diagnosed with cancer and their families. Why? Statistics show that firefighters are at a higher risk of cancer than the general population due to their exposure to toxic substances throughout the course of their careers. Read more.
The Code 3 Crew will never forget.