August, 2012          

Dear Friends,

We are very pleased to be able to share the wonderful successes and achievements that have blessed the Trust over the past year.  As always, because of the ongoing generosity and support of so many of you , we were able to continue and expand our charitable work. This year’s Birchwood Awards were presented in June to two most deserving Nyack HS seniors, Helen Rudolph-Shabinsky and Matthew Wylie, The Red Bandanna Scholarship at Rockland Conservatory of Music, presented last October, funded a young violinist’s schooling for the year.  A grant was made to a young woman to support her participation in a volunteer program in Goa, India under the auspices of InterExchange.  Once again the Trust sponsored a Teacher Recognition Award created by the Tribute WTC Visitors Center at Ground Zero for teachers from around the world who have made a significant contribution in teaching 9/11 history.  The 7^th Annual Welles Remy Crowther Service Award at Boston College was presented in May by Paige Crowther to BC Senior Claire Geruson, who designated Casa del Cipote in Panchimalco, El Salvador to be the recipient of the Trust’s grant.

We continue our annual gifts to Bonnie Brae, NJ; Cristo Rey NY High School, Harlem, NY; Institute for Educational Achievement, NJ; Children of Bellevue, NYC; C.O.R.S.E. therapeutic riding, Scituate, MA; Just One Soccer League, NJ; Nyack Library; Rockland YMCA, Rockland Symphony’s Young Peoples’ Concert, MusicWorks, Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks (The Wild Center), HSLAP and many other fine programs.  This year, the 5^th Annual Red Bandanna Service Award was presented at the Bonnie Brae Polo Classic to Novartis for the company’s commitment to charitable works on a corporate level.  The grant is given to Bonnie Brae, a residential treatment center for at-risk adolescent boys that the Trust has supported since the Trust was established.

Our international giving includes the Smile Train and Fundhamer Cebes Scholarship Fund.  Please visit our website to learn about more of the good work we are doing through the Trust.

Last September 4^th, an ESPN documentary, produced by Welles’ BC friend Drew Gallagher, aired.  This splendid documentary captured Welles and his story perfectly.  Within days it had drawn attention from all around the world.  University of Central Florida was scheduled to play Boston College on Sept. 10.  Two UCF students organized a media campaign, and 5,000 UCF fans wore red bandannas in honor of Welles.  BC flew our daughters down for the game, and two weeks later BC organized 6,000 BC fans to wear red bandannas at their home game against Duke.  BC graciously invited all of the Crowther family to be their guests for the game.

As a result of the documentary, over the past year, Jeff and I received invitations to speak at schools across the country.  If you haven’t seen it, we suggest that you visit www.ESPN.com and, if necessary, search for "Man in the Red Bandanna".  In January, another friend of Welles from BC, Timothy Epstein, invited us to submit a proposal for a partnership with the Fetzer Institute and participate in their mission to understand and promulgate the power of love and forgiveness throughout the global community.  Our proposal was accepted, and we have embarked on the Red Bandanna Project to create character development curricula for young people based on Welles’ story.

The Red Bandanna 5k Run at Boston College, sponsored by BC’s Volunteer and Service Learning Center, was a huge success last year.  Over 1400 runners registered for the Run, an increase of 1,000 runners over past years!  Dan Ponsetto, Director and Kate Daly, Asst. Director of the VSLC, senior leaders and many student volunteers rose to the challenge with characteristic grace and enthusiasm.  The event went off without a hitch and continues to be the largest fund-raiser for the Trust.  The fine efforts of our Trust team: Jessica Alberti, Michael Barch, Marielle Sack Bush, Paige Crowther, Chris and Kate Ferrarone, George Leuchs and Jody Steinglass, plus many of Welles’ friends from Nyack and BC continue to support the BC organization.  We hope you will join us this year!

The Inaugural Welles Remy Crowther Red Bandanna Golf Classic was also a wonderful success and great fun, with two very, very close calls for our hole-in-one prizes.  This year the Red Bandanna Classic will be held on Monday, October 1 at Patriot Hills Golf Club, Stony Point, New York.  Golfers of all abilities and non-golfers are invited!  Lead organizers for this event are Michael Barch, Rob Lewis, George Leuchs and Honor and Rick Fagan.

Golfers will enjoy a continental breakfast, box lunch and barbeque dinner after a glorious day of golf on the beautiful, scenic Patriot Hills course.  Fun contests and Hole-in-One prizes will include a $25,000 50/50 (split with the Trust), a trip for 2 to play 4 rounds of golf per person at British Open courses in Scotland, with 8 days/7 nights accommodations and round trip air fare included, and a two-year lease on a Ford vehicle, donated by Schultz Ford of Nanuet, NY.

Non-golfers are invited to join us for the barbeque and enjoy the splendid mountain views from the Patriot Hills Country Club patio with live and silent auctions filled with wonderful prizes.

The Bonnie Brae Knights Drum Corps will again perform at the awards dinner.  The Drum Corps, composed of Bonnie Brae students, was invited to perform in President Obama’s Inaugural parade in January, 2009, in Washington, DC.

To register online, please visit www.golfdigestplanner.com/21189-RedBandannaClassic.  For more details about the event, places to stay, activities available for non-golfers, please visit our Trust website at www.crowthertrust.org/golf2012.html.

The Crowther Cup at Redtail in Canada, hosted by Jon Drake and organized by George Leuchs, has continued as a fund-raiser for many years, generously matched by the Drake family.  The Crowther Cup will once again take place this August.

The 11^th Annual Concert for Remembrance, 9/11 will be held on Sunday, September 16, 5 pm at Grace Episcopal Church, 130 First Avenue, Nyack, NY.  As always, the free admission concert will be a beautiful gift to the community from the many fine professional musicians who volunteer their time for the concert.  Please visit our website at crowthertrust.org/concert_remembrance.htm for details.

The 2012 Red Bandanna Classic will be held on Monday, October 1 at Patriot Hills Golf Club, Stony Point, NY.  For online registration, sponsorship, advertising or donation please visit www.golfdigestplanner.com/21189-RedBandannaClassic.

The 8^th Annual Welles Remy Crowther BC’99 Red Bandanna 5k Run will be held Saturday, October 13th, at Boston College; race start time is 9:00 am.  Day-of Registration will open at 7:30 am.  Come join us!  For complete information, online registration or to sponsor a runner or donate, please visit our Run website, www.redbandannarun.com.

We cannot thank you all enough for your continued support!  Please visit www.crowthertrust.org for a complete listing of all of the good works we are doing with the dollars you contribute every year.  Thank you for keeping Welles' spirit alive and working in others.  Please help us to continue these good works.  A donation of any amount will be so important and very much appreciated.  Together we will bring much Good into this troubled world.