Kans for Kids Fighting Cancer Foundation, Inc. celebrated it’s 20th Anniversary during the 4th Annual Kans for Kids Auction & Dinner held Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Hoisington Knights of Columbus. With the theme, “Hog Wild for Kans for Kids”, guests enjoyed a fun-filled evening of good food, friends, three silent auctions, a live auction, and a photo booth provided by Kansas Kandids. When it was all said and done, over $25,000 had been raised for the local non-profit organization that provides both emotional and financial assistance for Barton County children who receive a diagnosis of childhood cancer.
Founded by two Hoisington children, Sarah Reif, 11, and Shane Reif, 8, on Sept. 14, 1994 as a simple project of recycling aluminum cans to help their infant cousin who had been diagnosed with cancer, the project grew to become a non-profit in 1996. Since it’s inception, Kans for Kids has provided assistance for 28 children and their families, four of whom  have been assisted twice because of a relapse in their cancer. Dade Cannon, 10,  and Kadin White, 12, Great Bend, both battling leukemia, are currently being assisted by Kans for Kids.
The organization also provides scholarships for any of the children that have received assistance from Kans for Kids as they pursue education beyond high school. The Becky Nicholson Scholarship was established in 1999 in her memory and renews annually. The Jan Aylward Memorial Scholarship was established in 2013 in her memory and renews annually at a higher rate. 2014 Scholarship recipients were Katie Schwartz, Johnny Raat, and Bryce Steiner.
The Kans for Kids Endowment was established in 2008 through the Golden Belt Community Foundation. In so doing, future children of Barton county who receive a diagnosis of cancer will be insured of emotional and financial assistance. The endowment will create a stable, self-sufficient future for the organization at it strives to maintain the original purpose and values that have been in existence since its inception.
In August of 2013 Kans for Kids acquired the fiscal sponsorship of Camp Hope, a camp held for one week each summer at Camp Aldrich for children from across the state of Kansas and western Missouri who are being treated for cancer or are in remission.
Most recently, Kans for Kids was awarded $215,000 in tax credits to assist in the rebuilding of the conference center at Camp Aldrich that was lost in a fire earlier in 2014.
Kans for Kids is under the direction of a 12-member board of directors with Duane and Debbie Reif serving as directors. “Kans for Kids has grown tremendously over the past 20 years. Back then we never dreamed that it would grow to the extent that it has. We certainly couldn’t begin to manage it on our own. Our board is a working board that is extremely loyal and dedicated to Kans for Kids. Most importantly, Kans for Kids wouldn’t exist today if it weren’t for the generous, kind, big-hearted people of Barton County and beyond that support Kans for Kids,” said the Reifs. “Little did we know that our lives would change forever by that one simple act of kindness 20 years ago. We are so richly blessed to have been allowed to be just a small part of the lives of 28 kids that have battled childhood cancer. They’re the bravest, strongest, most inspiring ‘super heroes’ that we’ll ever know.”
For more information on Kans for Kids or Camp Hope go to: www.kans4kidsfoundation.org or call 620-653-2210.