Youth Leaders ROCKed the VALLEY In Benefit Concert

Click the graphic to visit the web site developed by the Youth Leadership members.

A smiling Ryan DeCamillo is surrounded by his new friends from the Youth Leadership Program.

On Saturday, October 18, 2003, Valley United Way’s Youth Leadership Program Rocked the Valley at Warsaw Park to benefit a 14 year old Derby boy, Ryan DiCamillo, in his fight with Leukemia. 

Local bands, food, raffle prizes and more were featured during the concert!  Members of the Youth Leadership Program prepared for the benefit concert by raising additional funds through a successful car wash to help underwrite the costs of putting on the concert. Phone Charge Corporation of Ansonia has shown its support of  the Youth Leaders by giving a generous donation to the cause.  In addition, G&K donated Rock the Valley T-Shirts that were sold during the concert and raffle prizes were donated by Smiles Entertainment, River Restaurant, Zois Pizza,  Walmart, Adams and Shaws. All of the proceeds will directly benefit Ryan DiCamillo and his family in order to assist with medical expenses that they have incurred since Ryan’s diagnosis last summer in 2002. 

Christy Chittem, Grover Dill, A Certain Something, Evoked, Graduate, and The Royal Assassins were the headline acts for the concert. 

Though full results are not yet available, prior to the concert Marc Brumer, President of the Youth Leadership Program said that the goal was to double or  triple the amount of assistance raised in previous concerts. According to Marc, “As members of the Youth Leadership Program we believe that we can accomplish our goal to help Ryan and his family. It is hard when a family is working hard to take care of a loved one that is ill.”  In previous years, families received approximately $1,000.00 to help curtail medical expenses incurred by families.  Joy DeMarchis, Director of the Valley United Way’s Youth Leadership Program stated that “Youth Leadership members really want to help the DiCamillo family as much as we can.  This year we want to double or triple the amount raised in the past because medical expenses have only increased for families throughout the nation.”

Christine Matosian, a Junior at Derby High School and Youth Leadership Member requested that Ryan DiCamillo serve as the recipient of this year’s proceeds from the benefit concert.  According to Christine, “Ryan is the sweetest boy you’ve ever met.  He and his family have a strong faith and he didn’t deserve to have this happen to him.  He’s been very strong and has never given up. Growing up, he was my brother’s best friend and I wanted to have him have the same opportunity as David L’Atrella did last year.”

Ryan’s mother, Beth DiCamillo, is extremely proud of her son’s unfaltering strength throughout the term of of his illness.  “He never complains,” says Beth.  The whole family feels thankful that they have been blessed with the amount of love and support that everyone has shown toward them.  Remarkably, after going through “Hell and Back,” according to his mother, “ Things are finally beginning to look up for Ryan.  He is in remission now.” 

If you have questions about the Youth Leadership Program call Joy DeMarchis at Valley United Way at 203-926-9478or e-mail her at vac.vuw@snet.net. 

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