By Gemma Downey SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS–)
Local fundraiser Bucket’s for St. Baldrick’s raised more than $100,000 for cancer research Sunday, March 22, in Syracuse.
St. Baldrick’s is a nonprofit organization that works to find cures for childhood cancer.
The event began five years ago and was founded by Bodie Centore, who was 17 at the time. Centore said he was inspired to start the fundraiser by his experience attending youth basketball camps as a child. The goal of the event was to raise money for pediatric cancer research, a cause personal to Centore and his family.
Centore shaved his head for cancer research for the first time when he was 7 and continued the tradition for eight more years. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he said he wanted to find another way to give back to the community. That led to the creation of Bucket’s for St. Baldrick’s.
“I wanted to try to get as many kids involved in this as possible, in a 3-on-3 style tournament where they can also raise money for St. Baldrick’s and learn about the fight against childhood cancer,” Centore said.
Centore’s initial fundraising goal was $5,000. When that goal was surpassed four times over, he decided to continue hosting the tournament each year.
Since then, the event has grown each year as more children participate in basketball games, shave their heads and raise money for pediatric cancer research.
After last year’s event raised more than $90,000, Centore said this year’s goal was clear. On Sunday, Centore and his mother organized a 12-hour basketball tournament with about 400 kids on more than 100 teams.
“I think when kids are helping other kids, it’s really hard to fail. So it’s important to encourage the kids to do it, whether it’s just selling lemonade or little trinkets. I think any idea that a kid has, they just need to summon up the courage and give it a shot,” said Jeanne Albanese, Centore’s mother, who helps organize the tournament each year.
The community raised more than $100,000 for pediatric cancer research through the round-robin tournament, exceeding the original goal by more than 20 times. Centore and Albanese said they hope to continue the tradition next year and raise even more.