Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Rhythm & Brews fall gala in Malvern raises $50,000
EXTON » The Kolbe Fund recently held its third-annual fall fundraiser, Rhythm & Brews, Saturday, October 21 at The High Point in Malvern. The event, which featured live and silent auctions, live music, catered food, and specially curated craft beer selections, was the non-profit’s most successful to date, raising $50,000. Covex served as the presenting sponsor.
The Kolbe Fund, based in Exton, Pa., was founded in 2013 by Aaron and Kate Schnittman, the parents of Maximilian Kolbe Schnittman, who was diagnosed with a tumor on his pituitary gland at the base of his brain at the age of four. A healthy boy today, Max inspired his parents to start a non-profit to provide lodging and other needs for families who must travel to receive medical treatment for their sick child. Through the Hopeful Nights program, The Kolbe Fund has provided more than 2,100 nights of lodging to over 700 families in need utilizing its partnerships with children’s hospitals and hotels around the country. The Hopeful Days program addresses similar needs for families burdened with exceptional out-ofpocket travel expenses such as gas, parking, and food.
The Kolbe Fund announces its new program manager, Leah Roman, MPH, and four new board members: Jennifer Breton, Esq.; Jaime Lynn Curley; Patrick Doyle; and Megan Kolter, DO. Roman and the four new board members each bring professional knowledge and personal insight that will benefit The Kolbe Fund as it continues to expand to meet the growing needs of families caring for a sick child.
“We are so thrilled to bring on these new leaders who each bring discrete knowledge and unique perspective to our organization,” said The Kolbe Fund’s executive director Jayme Gittings. “We look forward to seeing the impact they will make on The Kolbe Fund and its families as we grow in our outreach and services in the years to come.”
Working as a public health and health education professional for the past decade, Roman has designed, managed, and evaluated public health programs on a variety of topics from college health to injury prevention, with a particular personal interest in child health following the birth of her son eight weeks premature. Roman’s son spent a month in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit before he was ready to come home and her family has continued to feel the health effects of his prematurity in the years since. Roman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of San Diego and a Master of Public Health degree from Boston University. She also holds the designation of Master Certified Health Education Specialist. She lives in Havertown with her husband and son.
Jennifer Breton owns Jennifer Breton Law, a West Chester law firm specializing in estate planning and small business legal services. Breton finds helping give young families and families with special needs children peace of mind for the future the most rewarding part of her job. Breton is also the current president of the Caln Township Board of Commissioners. She is a graduate of West Chester University and Widener University School of Law, and lives in Caln Township with her husband and three children.
Jaime Lynn Curley, a former retailer turned networking mompreneur, is passionate about giving people choices of nutrition, wellness, and time freedom. As the founder of The Tailor-Made Life, she believes balance is the key to having it all and, with the time freedom to design her days her way, she can now give back to others in a more meaningful way. Curley, who lives in Downingtown with her husband and three daughters, fell in love with helping children when she fundraised for Make-A-Wish while training for the Dublin Marathon in 2004. She continued to volunteer and donate to many non-profits in the following years. Curley recently developed a strong sense of devotion to helping families as she witnessed three friends lose their young children to brain cancer, giving her a deep understanding for how much families require support, love, and the absolute best medical assistance.
Patrick Doyle, who lives in Jeffersonville with his wife and two sons, is the Chief Operating Officer of Forerunner Holdings Corporation, a healthcare and pharmaceutical software company. Previously, Doyle was a senior executive for a local leading healthcare organization for 30 years where he held multiple leadership roles within the organization before assuming the role of COO. Doyle has served on the board of directors for numerous non-profit and civic organizations, and has specific expertise in scaling organizations during growth periods, strategic planning, fundraising and capital campaigns. He has helped non-profits from a variety of vantage points, including president, director, executive director, treasurer, consultant, founder, incubator, lobbyist, teacher, trainer, and volunteer.
Megan Kolter, who lives in Chester Springs with her husband and four children, earned her medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and is board-certified in Family Medicine. She is a Medical Director at Executive Health Resources and an Urgent Care physician for Main Line Health. Currently, Kolter is pursuing an MBA in Healthcare with the hope to increase efficiency within medical and charitable organizations so that they can continue to provide compassion, advocacy, and vital resources to patients. As witness to the financial and emotional stress experienced by the families of her acute and chronically-ill pediatric patients, Megan is committed to bringing awareness and aid to these often under-recognized hardships. She is also involved with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The Frankford
Friendlies, and Women Physician action groups.