Waukesha shoot tops $1 million for MACC Fund
WAUKESHA – In just nine years, a local sporting clays event held in honor of a Delafield boy who died from cancer has become one of the top fundraisers in the 43-year history of Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer.
Christopher’s Shoot is named for Christopher Schraufnagel, who was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 7 in 2011 and died the following year.
On Wednesday organizers of the shoot, including Christopher’s parents Peter and Lisa Schraufnagel of Delafield, presented a check for $270,998 to Jon McGlocklin, MACC Fund founder.
The sum was raised at the 2019 edition of the shoot, held July 12 at Waukesha Gun Club. About 300 people participated in this year’s event on the club’s sporting clays course.
With the latest donation, Christopher’s Shoot has now contributed more than $1 million to help fund childhood cancer research.
“What you have accomplished is simply remarkable,” McGlocklin said Wednesday to Lisa and Peter Schraufnagel, Steve Schraufnagel (Pete’s brother) and Pat Gerbensky, president of Waukesha Gun Club.
McGlocklin said the MACC Fund benefits from about 75 events each year.
But only a handful generate more than $100,000. And in the 43-year history of the MACC Fund, only 10 events have surpassed $1 million in cumulative contributions, according to Colleen Moran, a development officer for the fund.
The inaugural Christopher’s Shoot was held in 2011 after Christopher was diagnosed with brain cancer.
While Peter and Lisa Schraufnagel were deeply involved in trying to find the best treatments for their son, Steve Schraufnagel and Gerbensky began to organize a fundraiser at Waukesha Gun Club.
The Schraufnagels are long-time members at the club. Peter and Lisa suggested the MACC Fund as beneficiary of the event.
The 2011 event was highlighted by a visit from Christopher, who despite the effects of treatments and the disease, cheered participants from a golf cart. Christopher passed away on June 27, 2012.
“We were fighting the fight with him for over a year,” Pete Schraufnagel said. “Now we’re turning our efforts to helping raise as much money as we can for cancer research. My son’s dream was to cure cancer.”
Although 5-year survival rates have improved for childhood cancer patients, the research desperately needs to continue to produce more positive outcomes, said Lisa Schraufnagel.
“When Christopher was hospitalized, at one point I remember saying ‘Is this the best treatment you have to offer?’ “she said.
Since 1976, the MACC Fund has contributed $65 million to cancer research at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, the Medical College of Wisconsin the University of Wisconsin’s Carbone Cancer Center and Marshfield Clinic’s Children’s Oncology Group.