Click for full-size flyer.

Admission is a $10 minimum donation at the door, and every donation is another chance to win a door prize. Door prize donors (subject to change) include Ralph’s, Trader Joe’s, The Yard House, Regal Cinemas, Pasadena Ice Skating Center, The Improv, and Joe’s Crab Shack. Silent auction donors include Lucky Strike, AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Equinox Gym and Spa, Mijares Mexican Restaurant, Bodega Wine Bar, and Hugo’s Wine Bar.

If you’re free and in the L.A. area this weekend, please drop by Hollywood Billiards (map) and support the cause!

You can get more details about this benefit, including a complete list of door prize and auction donors, on Jane’s Web site.

LIVESTRONG Challenge Update
I participated in the LIVESTRONG Challenge 5K Run/Walk last weekend in San Jose, CA, in honor of my dad and Justine.

The event, which benefits the Lance Armstrong Foundation, raised more $1.3 million in San Jose and just over $1 million in Seattle earlier this year. I personally chipped in $1,470, which exceeded my goal of $1,000. Thanks to everyone who donated!

It was a beautiful and inspiring event, especially seeing all the cancer survivors that participated. I hope that all of you can be part of the LIVESTRONG Challenge next year either as a participant or a donor. I plan on participating in next year’s event, but I’m still collecting donations for LIVESTRONG. If you want to donate, visit my LIVESTRONG Challenge page. For more information on the LIVESTRONG Challenge or the Lance Armstrong Foundation, go to www.livestrong.org.

The CHLA Blood Drive Bus was full all day.

Donors included friends and family from AYSO 46, William S. Hart Pony Baseball, Canyon Country Little League, SCV Fil-Am Association, William S. Hart and Saugus School Districts.

We also met people that didn’t know Justine but helped the cause because they saw a flyer posted in a store, read it in The Signal or heard her story via word of mouth or on the web site. Some of things that people said to me included:

“We are donating because we also have family members that have the same illness or have cancer.”

“I saw the flyer posted in a store and decided to help out because she is only a child”

“I don’t know Justine but I know the family. I am here to help in some way.”

Goody bags with lots of cool stuff from local businesses were handed out to all the donors. Food was donated for both donors and volunteers and Ron at Mustard Seed Graphics made this cool banner.

• The medical staff of CHLA did a phenomenal job with the blood drive, smoothly managing the overflow of donors in 6 hours.
• SC Physicians Urgent Care for letting us use their facilities
• The Hodge family, Alex Ruiz, and Art and Carol Garcia for volunteering their time, creating goody bags for donors, designing banners and flyers, providing snacks and taking pictures.
• Diane at Lady Di’s Cookies (cookies for goody bags)
• Mitch at Newhall Coffee Roasting Company (coffee for goody bags)
• Girl Scouts of SCV (cookies and lollipops for goody bags)
• Dr. Lieberman Dental Office (toothcare kits for goody bags)
• Kinetix Advanced Physical Therapy (pens and stress balls for goody bags)
• Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt (coupons for goody bags)
• Ron at Mustard Seed Graphics (Justine Kicks Cancer banner)
• Le Paris Bakery and Café (pastries and coffee for donors and volunteers)
• Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (chocolate treats for volunteers)
• Physician Partners (provided lunch from Corner Bakery for volunteers)

Thanks again to everyone, especially the donors for supporting Justine. We are fortunate to live here in the Santa Clarita Valley. We didn’t realize how many people come together for one cause. It’s a great community.

Rainel Caranto (right) and Josie Caranto, Justine’s dad and step-mom.

There will probably be more blood drives in the future, but right now we want to focus on platelet donation. There is currently a shortage of blood platelets at CHLA, and donating platelets for Justine is probably the best way you can have a direct impact on her recovery. For donation information, click on the Donating Platelets link at the the top of the page.

Check out more pictures from the event…

More than 90 people showed up to give blood in honor of Justine, which was impressive since there were only supposed to be 60 available time slots and only 45 were filled according to our online reservation system as of Wednesday morning. I got a little worried Tuesday night when we started getting last minute cancellations, but I was also impressed that the online booking system was working out well. The CHLA staff was able to handle the overflow and said it was the most successful community blood drive they’ve ever done.

Rainel said that in addition to friends and family, there were lots of people who had no connection to Justine that came in to donate because they saw a flyer, read it in The Signal or heard about it via word of mouth or this web site. Donations of food were even delivered to the location for blood drive participants.

I think it’s both beautiful and humbling that the community responsed in such a manner. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the blood drive effort. I’m pretty sure future blood drives will occur in the future, but the focus now is on platelet donation. Platelets are key to Justine’s recovery, and a shortage at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles means there’s an ongoing need. For more information on how to donate platelets for Justine, click the Donating Platelets link at the top of the page.

Childrens Hospital Los Angeles will be conducting a blood drive on Wed. April 22 from 9am-3pm at SC Physicians Immediate Care. The address is 23501 Cinema Drive in Valencia.

Thanks again for all your support.