{Hopping 4 A Cure}
A fundraising event that began with two Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students joking about competitive hopscotch is returning to South Florida to support families affected by multiple sclerosis and childhood cancer.
Hopping 4 A Cure will host the Recess Olympics South Florida on Sunday, Nov. 15, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Clive Daniel Home, 1351 NW Boca Raton Blvd. in Boca Raton.
The event will feature traditional playground activities, including hopscotch, four square, jump rope and hula hoop competitions. Proceeds will be divided equally between Hopping 4 A Cure and the Coconut Creek-based Arielle Anacker Cancer Foundation.
The nonprofit’s origins date to October 2010, when Coral Springs teenagers David Nassau and Gary Wexler, then juniors at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, wore suits to school after being inspired by the television show “How I Met Your Mother.”
The pair jokingly declared themselves varsity hopscotch players and eventually developed rules for competitive hopscotch.
Three months later, Nassau, Wexler and Nassau’s mother, Marla Jaffe, organized their first fundraising tournament to support families affected by multiple sclerosis, a disease Nassau’s father had lived with since David was in elementary school.
“We couldn’t cure my dad’s MS, so we did the next best thing. We got people together to hop for a cure, and raise money to help other families like mine along the way,” Nassau said.
Since its founding, Hopping 4 A Cure has expanded to more than 10 chapters nationwide, raising money for college scholarships, caregiver support and alternative medical research.
The upcoming event will include several hopscotch competitions, including speed, endurance, head-to-head challenges and an obstacle course relay race designed for participants of all abilities.
The organization hopes to fund at least one scholarship for a South Florida student this year.
The event will also benefit the Arielle Anacker Cancer Foundation, established in Coconut Creek in 2009 by Diane Trivelli in memory of her daughter, Arielle.
Arielle was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, at age 7 and died in 2001 after three years of treatment.
The foundation helps families of children battling cancer pay household expenses while supporting cancer research and memorial funds established in Arielle’s name.
“When a child has cancer, the bills don’t stop,” Trivelli said. “Every hop for a cure on Nov. 15 helps families in need keep the lights on while their child fights cancer every day.”
Registration costs $20 per participant and includes a personal fundraising page. Schools, businesses and community organizations are encouraged to form teams, and students can earn community service hours by volunteering.
Sponsorship opportunities begin at $100.
Participants can register at recessolympics.org/fl. Donations and sponsorships are available at recessolympics.org/donate.
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