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People On The Move - Monica Vermeulen
04/26/2010 - By Tobi D. Tesoriero
SPREADING HOPE AND HELP
Individuals like Monica Vermeulen remind us that life holds challenge as well as joy.
Monica is the founder of the Ashley Lauren Foundation, an organization dedicated to bring hope and help to children who have been diagnosed with cancer. It is a New Jersey non-profit that was founded in 2005. Their goal is to provide financial, material and emotional support to families to help ease the daily burden of this disease. They are headquartered on Route 34 in Colts Neck.
As Monica explains many families are put under tremendous financial pressures when a child receives a cancer diagnosis. Many times one parent (sometimes both) need to leave their job(s) to care for their child. In other instances insurance does not cover all the family’s medical expenses. Then there are related expenses such as travel that comes along with the treatment. Also, everyday expenses need to be met.
The Ashley Lauren Foundation also tries to put “sunshine” into the lives of the child and their family by making sure they have presents at holiday time and at birthdays. They also remember the importance of children just having fun by sponsoring trips to amusement parks or even just a gift certificate to a restaurant.
Monica shares that having been a parent of a child diagnosed with cancer she understands first-hand the multitude of pressures and needs that these families have. Her own experience in fighting this disease prompted her to found the non-profit organization. The foundation is named after her daughter Ashley Lauren, who at the age of three was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor a type of kidney cancer. Monica also fought the disease herself and unfortunately lost her mother to cancer.
Monica was so motivated to help others and make sure her foundation would be successful that as an adult she went back to college in 1996 to learn about nonprofit ventures. The Ashley Lauren foundation was officially started in 2005 - quite humbly; the first board meeting was held at a local diner. It was there that they decided to make the foundation statewide in an effort to help as many children as possible rather than just one county.
Since that time the Ashley Lauren Foundation has grown. A cadre of volunteers have aided in meeting its mission along with generous donors and caring people.
The foundation hosts events throughout the year to raise funds for the children. Slated for this spring and summer is the Garden State Concours d’Elegance, a classic car show to be held at the East Freehold Showgrounds on Koslowski Road on May 23. Also on tap on June 6 is the Second Annual Polo Event at Bucks Mill Park, and on June 27 will be a Band Concert in downtown Red Bank. Then in August the Kidz-4-Kidz Day at the Blue Claws will be hosted. (Kidz-4-Kidz is a group founded by Ashley and her friend Kate Lindstrom that raises money for the kids diagnosed with cancer through dance and theatrical performance with children.)
Ashley Lauren is doing fine and is now pursuing a dancing career in New York City. She is in school and trains at a studio there. Additionally she has trained with the world famous Rockettes and hopes one day to kick up her heels and join the line!
Monica says she is touched by the support the Ashley Lauren Foundation has received from the people of Colts Neck. That they have opened up their farms to the children. The children have had the opportunity to go fishing, horseback riding, and play with farm animals. Monica feels this is all very therapeutic and would like to eventually have a sanctuary where the kids and their families can spend some time convening with nature. Maybe even one day having a facility where families could stay overnight and decompress in serenity.
Monica reiterates that organizations like this are not just one person, that she can’t do this alone, that she is supported by wonderful volunteers. She also mentioned that the Colts Neck Business Association has been wonderful in reaching out to the foundation. Ashley Lauren Foundation is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in learning more about events or volunteering please visit their website at www.ashleylaurenfoundation.com.
STATS
FAVORITE RESTAURANT
Tao, NYC
FAVORITE MUSIC
Primarily Christian music, but oldies in secular
FAVORITE MOVIE
The original black and white version of “Wuthering Heights”
PET PEEVE
Printed materials with spelling errors
THREE PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH
Any three of the children we assist as that would mean that they are doing well enough to go out
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