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After Brooke Alden, an 11-year-old star
athlete, was diagnosed with a rare form
of cancer, a group of Corona del Sol
High School alumni decided it was time
to help her as well as the community.
Thus was born East Valley Sol, many of
whose members have known each other
since childhood.
“It is amazing how close we have stayed
throughout the years,” said Tim Vasquez,
a Corona graduate, baseball standout and
successful area businessman.
“We play softball together and have
talked for a long time about doing
something for the good of the community.
It took Brooke getting sick to help us
to get started.”
Close friends with Vasquez and other
members of the group is Scott Alden,
Brooke's father and also a member of the
1993 baseball state championship team.
Their friendship over the years helped
build the foundation for the group's
philanthropic efforts, which began with
Alden's accident.
During her hospital stay, X-rays showed
that Alden's femur was broken, and more
tests concluded that the bone had been
taken over by a type of cancerous tumor
called Osteosarcoma.
It was shortly thereafter that East
Valley Sol's founders decided to get its
members involved.
The group's first project for Alden will
be a private party called “Fiesta del
Sol.” All of the proceeds will go
directly to the family.
The party, which is by invitation only,
will feature casino games, live bands
and other activities that will generate
money for Alden’s fund. The party will
also be sponsored by Someburro’s
restaurants, which Vasquez and his
family own.
East Valley Sol hopes to raise $10,000
at the party, which would represent only
a fraction of Alden’s projected $1
million medical bill.
This is not the only project East Valley
Sol will be taking on, according to
Vasquez, who says he sees it becoming
something similar to the Tempe Diablos.
“We want to have fun events and try to
raise money for good causes,” Vasquez
said.
“(Proceeds from) the first event will be
going to Brooke; then after that well
see what we can donate to.”
In the near future, Vasquez said, East
Valley Sol will be holding a golf
tournament, which also will raise money
for the Alden family. The event will be
open for on-line registration sometime
soon on www.eastvalleysol.org.
“We like to focus on the youth,” Vasquez
said.
“Whether it be raising money for
illnesses or some sort of scholarship,
we really are not focused on one
particular cause.”
This past weekend, there was a charity
run for Alden, and her school has
promoted various fundraising programs
for her as well.
Alden is expected to make a full
recovery from the disease and is well on
her way there, according to Vasquez.
Doctors say the cells have not reached
her lungs and she has had to go through
extensive chemotherapy and bone
replacement surgery. Her therapy will
not be over until October.
For an up-to-date report on her
treatment schedule as well as how Alden
is recovering, well-wishers can visit
www.brookesjourney.com. Donations can
also be made on that site and at
www.eastvalleysol.org. |
