Local Stand by Me charity the beneficiary

By Robert Williams

Editor

Frazee-Vergas junior and current Miss Frazee Teen Sophia Strand and her basketball teammates from both the boys and girls teams will be hosting the fifth annual Hornets Hoops & Hope fundraiser Saturday, Jan. 27.

“It’s just a big fundraiser for the Stand By Me foundation that the Helmers started,” Strand said. “It’s mainly a big, silent auction that goes on throughout most of the games and then some of the tables will close at halftime of girls varsity and the other tables will close at halftime of boys varsity.”

Thaddeus and Kristin Helmers created the Stand by Me charity to help families whose older children have childhood cancer. The Helmers eldest son Vincent was diagnosed with brain cancer in his senior year at Frazee High School.

In spring 2019, Vincent underwent brain surgery, and he was comatose for two weeks. 

Lying there in his hospital bed, his blood pressure would become elevated, and the only thing that stabilized it was the feeling of one of his parents, holding his hand.

That precious physical presence became the driving force behind Stand by Me, a 501(c)(3) charity which steps up to pay essential bills for families who have older children, up to age 25, with childhood cancer.

“Vincent had that big heart,” Kristin said. “He wanted to help people.”

Revenue to support the foundation is raised by fundraisers such as an annual dinner and silent auction, rummage sales, and the annual Hornet Hoops & Hope coordinated by Strand.

“It’s a pretty successful thing,” said Strand.

Sophia provides a checklist for players on all teams to assist them in creating baskets for the silent auction. The event is completely team-based and supported, other than the T-shirts the teams wear, which were provided to the teams and then designed this year by fellow junior Emma Ketter.

“Obviously, the basketball games are going on, so there’s entertainment, but come out and bid or donate at halftime. The Stand by Me foundation can use all the donations they can get and it’s something that hits home for all of us. It’s community-based, so it’s not leaving the community or anything. Please come out, bid and donate and enjoy some good basketball, because both teams are doing really well this year,” said Strand.

The Helmers’ youngest son Alex will be on the court with the boys team, making this a special year for the fundraiser.

As a junior, Strand has also been working with underclassmen from both squads, Katie, Rachael and Carson Courneya, on continuing Hornets Hoops & Hope after her graduation.

“There’s three of them that will last a while and Katie is obviously no stranger to public service, so she’d be really good at taking it over for at least a couple years,” said Strand. “I’m trying to make sure Rachael is there too, when I’m doing stuff.”

Katie Courneya was Miss Teen Frazee 2022 and led multiple fundraisers and completed a very successful year-long reign with then-Miss Frazee Marcella George.

Strand has been a fundraising go-getter since first grade after finding out her teacher had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Strand felt compelled to do something about it. Her combined fundraisers have surpassed $50,000 raised.

“With just this event, probably like $20-25,000,” said Strand. “One year, we raised close to 10-grand alone.”

The Hornets will be hosting New York Mills Saturday, Jan. 27 with games beginning at 11:30 a.m., with the junior varsity girls and the C-team at noon. The girls varsity game is scheduled for 1 p.m., the boys JV at 1:30 p.m. and the day wraps up at 3 p.m., with the boys varsity game.

During halftimes, there will be games like shoot for a buck and pass the bucket, providing more ways to donate to the fundraiser.

Editor’s Note: Lori Fischer Thorp contributed to this story.