The impact that one individual can have on the trajectory of another’s life is quite remarkable. Think about it. What can you do today?
— KevinDareFoundation (@KJD_Foundation) April 12, 2013
The Kevin Dare Foundation is a non-profit, 501 3(c) organization based in State College, PA. Our mission is to assist high school student athletes, who have suffered a debilitating injury or illness, achieve their dream of earning a college degree. We serve as a resource for these students and the families and communities that support them, offering guidance and support as they navigate their new medical situation.
We also provide financial assistance through our Life…Back on Track Scholarship Program, which awards funds to selected recipients to be used at the College or University of their choice.
The Foundation is led by Executive Director Samantha Russell, an Executive Board, and a Volunteer Committee. We host events throughout the year, and all proceeds raised go to supporting our programs and assisting the injured and ill student athletes who need it most.
The Kevin Dare Foundation and its Life…Back On Track scholarship program provides the necessary funds for selected student athletes to attend the college or university of their choice. Kevin’s life exemplified a legacy of integrity, inspiration and indomitable spirit. With that, we are inspired to help injured and ill athletes who exhibit the courage, strength and fortitude to rise above their own personal challenges in determination to achieve their dreams!
We are now accepting scholarship applications for the Fall. Applications must be POSTMARKED by May 31st, 2013.
As an accomplished and experienced pole vaulter, Kevin James Dare loved to soar like an eagle. On February 23rd, 2002, Kevin, a sophomore at the Pennsylvania State University, was competing at the Big Ten Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships. Just before he went to make his first vault of the day, Kevin turned to his father, Ed, and said, “This is my day, Dad.” They were the last words that Kevin spoke before sprinting down the runway, planting his pole, and launching himself high into the sky.
Kevin died after hitting his head on the metal planting box where he had planted his pole for the jump.
After years of trying to further improve the safety mandates of the sport, prompting development and urging use of the world’s first approved pole vault –specific helmet, the world’s first SoftBox and trying to create awareness of the dangers and stricter safety standards needed for the sport, the Foundation realized that the true legacy of Kevin Dare could be found within how he lived his life, not just from the cause of the end of it.
With the ten year anniversary of Kevin’s passing, the Foundation is focusing its mission and fundraising efforts to help high school student athletes with debilitating injuries/illness, through financial scholarships, achieve their academic goals – the true legacy of Kevin Dare – a legacy of integrity, inspiration, and indomitable spirit – to help others to get life…back on track.
This scholarship is intended for high school student athletes that have suffered a debilitating injury or illness (examples: cancer, catastrophic injury) to help them achieve their academic goals at a four-year academic institution. Download the 2013 Application
Kevin was known for supporting the underdog and standing up for what he believed was right. He was fiercely competitive and a high achiever. His family and the Foundation hope that his legacy of integrity, inspiration, and indomitable spirit can serve to motivate student athletes who find themselves facing new challenges and obstacles that have interrupted the track their lives were on. Overcoming and conquering life-changing events, while still having the courage and determination to attain a four year degree, takes a strength of will, spirit, and integrity that will exemplify the recipient of this scholarship. The Foundation is acknowledging the hard work and incredible sacrifices already made by this individual and feel that the candidate deserves to have one more obstacle smoothed away in their pursuit of getting life…back on track.
The Kevin Dare Foundation will continue to provide free helmets that they helped develop to athletes and schools that cannot afford them.
In memory of Penn State pole vaulter Kevin Dare, the Penn State Track and Field staff would like to introduce a new way of honoring Kevin. The “Kevin Dare Heart of the Lion” Award is being created to promote courage, sportsmanship and leadership in track and field. Penn State Track and Field asks that each competing team/coaching staff that attend the Kevin Dare Invitational each January nominate an athlete for the award, one boy and one girl winner to be determined from the nominees. Criteria to consider (but is not limited to):
Our volunteer committee puts on a number of events throughout the year to both raise funds as well as educate and bring awareness to the Foundation. Scroll through to read more about:
The Kevin Dare Memorial Golf Tournament
The Life…Back on Track World Record Run
The Kevin Dare High School Invitational (and the Heart of the Lion Award)
The volunteer committee is working hard on our Premiere fundraiser and we are excited to announce the details for The 8th Annual Kevin Dare Memorial Golf Tournament. Invitations and Sponsorship opportunities will be mailed in mid-May, and you will also have the option to register or make a sponsorship online.
Interested in contributing to our Silent Auction? Find more information here.
Monday, September 16th, 2013
Centre Hills Country Club
State College, Pennsylvania
11:00 AM Shotgun Start
Awards Dinner immediately following Tournament
Great Prizes, Complimentary Foursome Photo, Commemorative Gifts & Silent Auction
Proceeds Benefit the Life…Back on Track College Scholarship Program for seriously injured and ill student athletes.
Date: Monday, August 27th, 2012 – Friday, August 31st, 2012
Venue:University of Minnesota – State College
Ten runners attempted to run a 1000 mile relay World Record to celebrate Kevin’s life. From the vaulting pit at The University of Minnesota where Kevin lost his life, the runners passed through six states on their way to State College, where Kevin grew up, and home to Penn State University, where he went to school and died proudly competing for.
The World Record stood at 99 hours 3 minutes and 27 seconds. In honor of Kevin, and in the spirit of his competitiveness and ambition, our runners undertook a grueling non-stop schedule with the goal surpassing this time. Goal accomplished!!! Our runners Ryan Foster, Ryan Blood, Brian Fuller, Owen Dawson, Kyle Dawson, Nick Hilton, Vince McNally, Teddy Quinn, Luke Watson, and Dennis Pollow set a new record at 95hours 3minutes 4seconds!
We are awestruck by the inspirational feat these 10 men accomplished.
One of the runners, Teddy Quinn, said it best:
“For the college student-athlete, there’s school, practice and competition. Artie Gilkes said it best: ‘Look, you have four or five years to be a division one student-athlete. You have the rest of your life to be a [screwoff].’ It’s a special time and it’s filled with opportunity. Filled with people building you up. Your teachers inspire, your coaches instill confidence, and your family supports your every move. Ten years ago Kevin had that life, and then it was taken.
Today, Lynette is fighting. Her struggle is not one for socioeconomic status or athletic ranking, but the simple things that make us go on each day. Lungs that laugh and breathe; a brain that dreams and reasons; a heart that loves and beats. She’s fighting to live. Her parents tried to protect her from the hardness of life but life cannot be held back. Now she fights each day with the hopes of seeing the next. She fights to go to college. Dreams of a future where she gets a job, starts a family, grows old in life.
And then there’s us: a team of ten post-collegiate runners; some in graduate school, some working full time, some married, some single. But all of us runners driven to excel. This run was conceived as a way to honor Kevin’s legacy and a way to inspire and provide support for people like Lynette. Yes we ran for a World Record, but we also ran for much more.
There were moments of pain and moments of beauty. Every single one of us reached a point (or several) when the pain seemed too great. When the lack of sleep seemed too much. We wanted to quit. We each probably rationalized it. ‘The team can go on….we’re over halfway there and these other guys are going so strong and could probably take up the slack.’ We wanted to quit. We desperately wanted to quit, but we didn’t. Something propelled us, some deep urge to keep going. Some powerful force told us to ‘shut up and run.’ To fight back the demons and keep moving forward. I have a hunch where that force came from…”
To read Teddy’s thoughts in full or to learn more about this incredible adventure, please visit www.lifebackontrack.com. Ryan Foster, you’re the best!
Congratulations to this year’s winners!
Date: Saturday, January 19, 2013
Venue: Horace Ashenfelter III Track at the Penn State Multisport Facility, State College PA
One of the most highly anticipated high school track meets in the Northeast, the Kevin Dare Memorial High School Invitational is an indoor track and field competition held every year in memory of Kevin.
The meet was held at the Horace Ashenfelter III Track and Penn State University. For results http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/kevin-dare-hsi.html
In memory of Penn State pole vaulter Kevin Dare, the Penn State Track and Field staff introduced a new way of honoring Kevin in 2012. The “Kevin Dare Heart of the Lion” Award is presented to promote courage, sportsmanship and leadership in track and field. Each accepted team will be asked to nominate an athlete from their boys’ and girls’ program.
Winners of the 2013 Kevin Dare Heart of a Lion award: Aaron Roy of Manchester Valley and Elizabeth “Libby” Nolan of Hershey High.
Winners of the 2012 Kevin Dare Heart of a Lion award: Ryan Horgan of Holy Ghost Prep and Lizzy Shadle of Methacton High.
The Kevin Dare Foundation is committed to student athlete safety. Coaches, athletes and parents can all secure complimentary helmets for your team, courtesy of the Foundation. Please contact Samantha Russell at srussell@kevindare.com or 814-231-2249 to make your request. Silver KD Pro Helmets are available in sizes S/M and L/XL.
Lance Shaner and Shaner Office Holdings, LP have generously donated storage space for the KDMax and KDPro helmets we donate to schools and student athletes! We wanted to thank them for this generous support that allows us to keep making pole vault a safer sport.
The Kevin Dare Foundation’s Board of Directors, along with the Dare family, Foundation volunteers, sponsors, and supporters, are pleased to announce the 2012 Kevin Dare Foundation “Life… Back on Track” Scholarship winner is Lynnette Henshaw of Hammonton High School, New Jersey.
In February of this year, Lynnette, a straight A student, was diagnosed with large cell anaplastic lymphoma. She has accomplished an impressive list of achievements in academics, athletics, and community service. Lynnette plans to attend The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia where she will undertake a six year program to earn a Doctorate in Pharmacy.
“When we received Lynnette’s application, we had a strong feeling that she was the one. We saw in her, someone like Kevin, who wasn’t willing to give up, to work hard, and fight even harder to achieve her dream”, said Kevin’s father Ed Dare.
The last year has seen many changes for The Kevin Dare Foundation, and the awarding of this scholarship is a culmination of the hard work behind those changes.
After receiving the news, Lynnette said she was honored to have been awarded the scholarship, but even more so when she found that she is the inaugural recipient of the new Kevin Dare Foundation Life…Back on Track scholarship.
“I worked really hard to get where I am today, and I’m proud of my accomplishments”, she said, “It feels good to be recognized and to know that it was all worth it.”
“When I was diagnosed with cancer, everyone else was starting their track season,” Lynnette said. “It’s hard to watch everyone else at meets knowing that I’ll never get to compete again, but Kevin’s story inspired me to think of all the good I still have in my life and support all my teammates. That’s why this scholarship means so much to me. Good sportsmanship and hard work is everything I stand for, and Kevin and I are very similar in that aspect. He accomplished so much, and I’m glad I can help keep his legacy alive.”
The Foundation believes that Lynnette is someone who will have an amazing impact on her community, as well as serving as a role model to others that are determined to get life back on track despite life changing obstacles. Lynnette’s ambitions and determination go a long way toward underscoring that belief.
“After I graduate from pharmacy school, and even during my fifth and sixth year, I want to start research for better medicines to cure cancer, or work in a hospital close to patients,” she said. “I want to do whatever I can to be able to help others and even one day give out scholarships of my own. Even though I have cancer, I still want to go on and achieve my goals. I know it is going to be hard, but nothing good is ever easy, and I know it will be worth it.”
President & CEO, Partners Financial Group (PFG), CLU,ChFC,CLTC
366 Walker Drive, Suite 100, State College, PA
As President & CEO of PFG, Ed Dare has 35 years of experience in the financial industry. Since its inception in 1960, PFG has evolved into a powerful national financial services company with over 150 registered associates, including attorneys, financial planners, insurance experts, and accountants. For more than 50 years, PFG has assisted Financial Advisors in designing and implementing comprehensive wealth and security strategies to help their clients accumulate, protect and transfer wealth. While Ed’s primary responsibility is executive oversight of PFG, he currently works individually with a select group of clients throughout the United States providing comprehensive financial planning services. Ed is a Registered Principal with Walnut Street Securities, and a founding principal of PFG Financial Advisors, a federally registered Investment Adviser. He holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 24, 26, 63 and 65 registrations.
Ed has served on several boards and held advisory positions with numerous corporate, institutional and non-profit organizations, including ARIS Corporation, the Centre County Community Foundation, the Kevin Dare Foundation, Representative Advisory Council to Walnut Street Securities and NASD (now FINRA). In addition, he has written numerous articles published within the financial services industry. He has been the recipient of the National Management Awards and the Master Agent Award from the National Association of Life Underwriters and the General Agent and Manager Association (GAMA), respectively.
Prior to his association with PFG, Ed was a marketing Vice President for Prudential Insurance Company of America. He received Prudential’s highest award, the President’s Citation, five times. Ed received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Major in Business Management from Temple University, as well as receiving a Master’s Degree in Financial Services from The American College. Ed is the founder of The Kevin Dare Foundation and the father of Kevin Dare.
Executive Vice President, PFG & Founding Principal, PFG Wealth Advisors, LLC
366 Walker Drive, Suite 100, State College, PA
In his capacity as executive vice president of PFG, Eric heads PFG’s Risk Management, Qualified Plans and Financial Planning Divisions. In addition, he is responsible for the development of corporate growth strategies and recruiting. Eric entered the financial services business as an advisor in 2003 and is the Founding Principal of PFG Wealth Advisors, LLC where he manages over $60 million in client assets. He also founded PFG’s Professional Athlete Division and is registered as an NFLPA Registered Player Financial Advisor.
He received his B.S degree in Marketing from the Smeal College of Business Administration at Penn State University and is a Certified Financial Planner professional. He holds the Series 7, 66 and Pennsylvania Life and Health licenses.
Eric is active in the community and serves as board member of Beating The Odds Foundation and steering committee member of Uplifting Athletes. He lettered as a defensive back for the Nittany Lions and played under legendary head coach Joe Paterno for four years. He was also captain of Penn State’s Track & Field team and placed 5th in the Javelin at the Big Ten Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He and his family reside in State College, Pennsylvania.
Sr. Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer, Retail Opportunity Investments Corp.
8905 Town Centre Drive, Suite 108, San Diego, CA 92122
Laurie A. Sneve is Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer of Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (NASDAQ: ROIC) and has over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. In her role at ROIC, she is responsible for oversight of the accounting department, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and SEC financial reporting.
Ms. Sneve was the Chief Financial Officer of Coreland Companies, Inc. from 2007 – 2012. In her position at Coreland Companies, a full-service commercial real estate firm, Ms. Sneve was responsible for all financial operations of the company including oversight of the accounting department, human resources and information technology.
Prior to Coreland Companies, Ms. Sneve worked for Pan Pacific Retail Properties, Inc. (NYSE: PNP) as Vice President and Controller for over eleven years. In her tenure with Pan Pacific she was responsible for overseeing SEC financial reporting, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, including oversight of all Company internal controls, property accounting, audit, tax and information technology. She was instrumental in the Company’s 1997 Initial Public Offering, subsequent issuances of equity and corporate senior notes and the acquisitions of Western Properties Trust in 2000 and Center Trust Inc. in 2003.
Prior to joining Pan Pacific, Ms. Sneve worked at The Hahn Company, an owner and operator of regional shopping centers, where she was Controller, Director of Accounting and Internal Audit Manager. Ms. Sneve became licensed as a Certified Public Accountant during her tenure with Arthur Andersen & Company. She received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from The Pennsylvania State University. Ms. Sneve belongs to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California State Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Retired Executive Vice President, US Distribution, MetLife
10 Park Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07962
Michael K. Farrell was the executive vice president for US Distribution, MetLife’s sales organization that provides products and services to millions of individuals and more than 60,000 employers across the US, including over 90 of the top one hundred FORTUNE 500® companies. The division provides employee benefit and retirement solutions, insurance and other financial services through MetLife’s Employee Benefits Sales, Individual Distribution and third party distribution (through MetLife Investors) channels. He had oversight of the sales support functions and a team focused on the operations, sales and investment product management for MetLife’s four broker-dealers (MetLife Securities, New England Securities, Tower Square Securities, and Walnut Street Securities).
Farrell has more than 36 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining MetLife in May 2001, he was president of Michael K. Farrell Associates, Inc. Founded in 1990, the firm specialized in corporate qualified retirement plans and retirement plans for not-for-profit organizations. At the time of its sale to INC in 2001, the firm had over 1,500 clients. Over the span of his career, Farrell has held the positions of president, Mutual Benefit Pension Corporation, and senior vice president, Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company. He served as national sales director for ReliaStar Retirement Plans, and as a member of the ReliaStar Enterprise Council. Farrell is active in community affairs and also serves as a board member of the Boys and Girls Club Life Camp. He is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Professor of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA & CEO EB Jacobs
300 South Burrowes Street, State College, PA 16801
Dr. Jacobs has been at PSU since 1979. He holds a bachelor’s degree from UCLA, a master’s degree from San Diego State University, and a Ph.D. from UC Berkely. Dr. Jacobs has received several national awards for his work including the Ghiselli award for research excellence from the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (1982), the Yoder-Heneman award for research from the Society for Human Resource Management (1992), the William Owens award for research from the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (2000), and the Robert McDonald advancement of organizational research methodology award from the Academy of Management (2010). He has been awarded major research grants from the US Departments of Labor and Transportation, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and PNC Bank. He is the author of over 50 research articles and book chapters and a fellow in the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society. Dr. Jacobs is a Senior Fellow at the Justice and Safety Institute, a member of the Schreyer Honors College Distinguished Faculty, and on the Board of Advisors for the Presidential Leadership Academy. He developed and leads the PNC Bank Leadership Assessment Center where each year, 48 students from the Schreyer Honors College, Presidential Leadership Academy and Bunton-Waller Scholars are assessed through a full-day business simulation.
As head of EB Jacobs, a consulting firm specializing in selection and assessment, Dr. Jacobs sets strategic vision for the company, consults with private and public sector organizations on the design of selection and appraisal systems, and works with them on matters of fair employment. Prior to forming EB Jacobs, he was Vice President of Consulting, North America, for SHL, a worldwide consulting organization operating in 40 countries. In that capacity, he was responsible for the 40 consultants operating in 7 offices in the US and Canada. He was also part of the international research initiative at SHL and worked with clients on developing assessment programs that could succeed across geographic and cultural boundaries.
Member, Affinity Law Group, LLC
1610 Des Peres Road, Suite 100, St.Louis, MO 63131
Kathleen graduated from St. Louis University with degrees in Accounting and Theatre. She received her law degree and LL.M. in Taxation from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. She is the recipient of the Gary I. Boren Memorial Award for attaining the highest overall grade point average in the LL.M. program.
Kathleen specializes in estate, business and executive benefits planning and estate and executive compensation planning with life insurance. Formerly, she was a member at of the Advanced Markets Group of MetLife, where she provided training and advanced underwriting support for the top producers of MetLife and its subsidiaries. Prior to joining GenAmerica Financial (a MetLife company) in 1996, she was in private practice.
She is a member of the Missouri and Illinois bars as well as an active member of the American Bar Association and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. She is a nationally recognized speaker and author and adjunct professor in the LLM program at Washington University’s School of Law. She is a founding member of Affinity Law Group, LLC, a firm dedicated to providing legal services to businesses, their owners and executives at every stage of their life cycles.
Kathleen is a member of the Business Insurance & Estate Planning Committee of the Association of Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU), and a Registered Financial Advisor for the National Football League Players Association. She is past volunteer Legal Chair for the Junior League of St. Louis and currently sits on the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Legacy Advisors, the Society of Financial Service Professionals (St. Louis Chapter), the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), and the St. Louis University Bequest and Gift Council. She was named one of Missouri Lawyers Weekly’s Up and Coming Lawyers and received the Accredited Estate Planner designation from the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. She recently presented at the Top of the Table Meeting for the Million Dollar Roundtable.
National Sales Director, Income & Protection Solutions Group, MetLife
1300 Hall Boulevard, Bloomfield, CT 06002
Jay Kaduson is the National Sales Director over the Internal Sales Desks and Advanced Sales Center for MetLife.
Prior to Jay’s current role, he was responsible for the Life Sales Desk, On-Boarding/Installations, Wealth Advisory Group, Training and Meeting Planning divisions for Protection Product Wholesaling. In addition, Jay was the Senior Liaison to MetLife’s operating areas, which include Legal, Compliance, New Business, Underwriting, and Compensation.
Jay began his career in the financial services industry in 1998 as Supervising Manager of the Settlement Division for John Hancock Life Insurance Company in Boston, MA.
Jay graduated Magna Cum Laude from Muhlenberg College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a JD from the New England School of Law. He resides in Chatham, NJ with his wife Tara and their 3 daughters. Licenses include: Massachusetts Bar, Professional Degrees: JD
Founder and Vice President of Edge Advantage, Inc.
State College, PA
Currently, Ed is the founder and Vice President of Edge Advantage, an operational and financial consulting company. With more than two and a half decades of experience in the medical field, Ed has an array of knowledge that encompasses management, finances, medical billing and compliance. Ed is often described as assertive for his leadership qualities.
Ed recently retired as the CEO and founder of Keystone Oncology from 1999-2012. With 5 million dollars revenue annually he was responsible for creating and implementing annual operating plans that supported the business’ strategic direction. During his tenure, he oversaw the development of annual budgets exceeding 3.5 million dollars.
Prior to Keystone Oncology, Ed was the Vice President at Equimed and Oncology Services from 1987-1998. He managed multiply locations, 1,500 staff members and 40 million dollars in revenue.
Active in the community, Ed manages a $55,000 State College Area School District Scholarship and oversees a yearly 5k race benefiting the cause.
Our Volunteer Committee assists with both the day-to-day operations of the Foundation, as well as Special Events. Whether you are looking to volunteer your time for just one day, or throughout the year, we have a place for you to lend your talents. Our committee is comprised of sub-committees that work on special events, sponsorships, community outreach, promotion, and student & family coordination. Contact Samantha Russell at srussell@kevindare.com for more information.
Donations are the lifeblood of the Foundation, allowing us to continue to offer services and support to student athletes and their families. Every donation counts, no the amount! You may choose to make a contribution in two ways:
Online
Mail a check (payable to the Kevin Dare Foundation):
The Kevin Dare Foundation 476 Rolling Ridge Drive, Suite 300 State College, PA, 16801.We also collect items year- round for our Silent Auction, held in September each year during our annual Golf Tournament. Past popular items have included:
You (or your company) can support the Foundation by contributing an item or service, and will receive a receipt for your tax-deductible contribution. Every item donated helps the Foundation raise more money for the young people we support. Thank you!
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