Author: ravenchair (Page 15 of 16)

Charity Auction 2016

March 10, 2017 / ravenchair

In 2016, RavenCon’s Charity Auction supported the Dialysis Patients Citizens Education Center. The Center is dedicated to improving kidney patients’ quality of life and reducing the occurrence of ESRD (end-stage renal disease) through education and by developing awareness of dialysis and kidney disease issues, improving the partnership between patients and caregivers, and developing favorable public policy solutions.

The Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) Education Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and the affiliate organization of Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC). Founded in 2012, the Center is led by a board of directors composed of 10 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, including six currently on dialysis and four transplant recipients.

In the opening months of 2016, we lost our good friends Ed Pope and Bud Webster. Our donation to the DPC was made in their names.

Charity Auction 2015

February 22, 2015 / ravenchair

RavenCon chose the Richmond Animal League (RAL) as 2015’s charity in memory of our late Vice Chair, John Patrick Jones. John was very fond of animals and RavenCon was happy to support one his favorite organizations.

Since 1979, Richmond Animal League has been finding homes for homeless dogs and cats in the Richmond area.

For many years they rented a kennel in Chesterfield County. In 1987 the property was sold to a residential developer and they were asked to leave the facility. In spite of this setback, they continued to care for many needy animals and boarded them at veterinarian offices and foster homes. Their goal was to raise enough money to build a brand new facility.

After seven years of fundraising activities and the generosity of their community, their dreams became a reality! In May 1994, they opened their new kennel near Chesterfield Towne Center. This facility can house up to 30 dogs, and 60 cats and kittens.

Since their facility opened, they have helped thousands of animals. They found homes for over 1,700 animals last year.

Though there is now a small staff of eight full-time employees, RAL has always been led by a volunteer board dedicated to reducing euthanasia rates in their community.

In 2009, they saw the great need for a low-cost, high-volume spay neuter clinic on the south side of the James. A year later, they opened an onsite clinic. The Loving Spay & Neuter Clinic provides low-cost services to municipal shelters, rescue groups, and private pet owners, as well as free services for feral cats. Free spay and neuter services are available for pet owners who meet low-income guidelines.

Their history continues to be written as they grow.

Charity Auction 2014

June 14, 2014 / ravenchair

RavenCon chose the Foundation Fighting Blindness as 2014’s charity.

The Foundation Fighting Blindness is dedicated to funding innovative research to find preventions, treatments, and cures for inherited retinal degenerative diseases that lead to blindness and affect more than 10 million people in the United States.

The urgent mission of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc. (FFB) is to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), macular degeneration, Usher Syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.

Anita Bruckert

March 14, 2014 / ravenchair

Vice Chair

Anita is a multi-media artist who has enjoyed RavenCon from day one, and has progressively become more involved.

In her art, she has exhibited in galleries throughout the Central New York and Adirondack region, Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Richmond, VA. As a henna artist, she has covered the feet, hands, and backs of local Richmonders.

Aside from her that, she spent many years in theater, working primarily behind the scenes designing sets and costumes. She worked on the sets for A Midsummer Nights’s Dream, Sleeping Beauty or Coma, Anything Goes, The Sound of Music, Little Shop of Horrors, and All in the Timing to name a few. She now makes costumes just for herself and friends, and focuses more on her artwork, and working with the cast members of Charming Underclothes in Roanoke, VA as she plays Magenta.

The boring info: she has several degrees; Fine and Performing Art, Studio Art, and Curriculum Design and Instruction. She is a certified corporate trainer and is a practicing licensed Optician and Arbonne Consultant.

mailto:vice-chair@ravencon.com

Charity Auction 2013

June 13, 2013 / ravenchair

RavenCon chose the Huntington’s Disease Society of America for 2013’s Charity Auction beneficiary as a way to honor the memory of an attendee who passed away at the 2012 convention.

In March 2000, the Huntington’s Disease Society of America named the University of Virginia Health System a Center of Excellence for the care of patients with HD and their families. The UVA HD Program was one of the first ten Huntington’s Centers of Excellence in the nation and is the only one in Virginia.

Charity Auction 2012

June 13, 2012 / ravenchair

The beneficiaries of 2012’s RavenCon charity auction were the American Cancer Society and the National Breast Cancer Foundation. A member of the RavenCon family, Mike Manning, lost his mother, Reba, shortly after the 2011 convention due to undiagnosed breast cancer. We would like to honor her memory and that of everyone close to us that has lost a loved one to cancer.

Thank you for helping us raise $1500 to support cancer research.

Charity Auction 2011

June 13, 2011 / ravenchair

Commemorative Air Force

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) was founded to acquire, restore and preserve in flying condition a complete collection of combat aircraft which were flown by all military services of the United States, and selected aircraft of other nations, for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations of Americans.

Much thanks to our donors for making this possible! With their help, we raised $1500 for the CAF.

Cheryl Jones

January 5, 2011 / ravenchair

Fan Table Director

“Starfleet utilized a little known reactivation clause. In other words, Admiral, they drafted me!” —Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Yes, this is how it all began. I, a past commander of the USS Chesapeake, was drafted by the current captain to join RavenCon.

I am Cheryl Lynn “Chessie” Jones, and I am the Fan Table Director for RavenCon.

mailto:fantables@ravencon.com

René

January 5, 2011 / ravenchair

Dealers’ Room Director

I have volunteered at conventions for over fifteen years. I was president of the USS Chesapeake (a chapter of Starfleet International) in Richmond for eight years, now I’m second in command. The Chesapeake is a non-profit charity organization that supports Ronald McDonald House, the Battered Women’s Shelter, and other charities in the Richmond area.

Crystal Ritchie

January 5, 2011 / ravenchair

Science Track Director

Crystal Ritchie is a convention veteran. She is constantly networking and mixing with con-goers all across the South. Her mission is to find out who they are reading, what topics they are interested in, and who they would like to see as Guests of Honor at their “dream convention”. When she isn’t in con-mode, she can often be found acting as hostess at the Baen Barfly’s Hospitality suite.