AREA NEWSThe Putnam Examiner

Jumpers Go Freezin for a Reason in Lake Mahopac

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Jumpers running into the water.
Jumpers running into Lake Mahopac.

By Breanne Post

During the 11th annual Freezin for a Reason Fundraiser, hundreds of people showed up at Mahopac Golf Club to support Jacqueline Stack and many others in the fight to help cure cystic fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is a life threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States, 70,000 worldwide.

Jacqueline Stack, a 12 year-old Mahopac resident, was diagnosed when she was only eight months old.

Even though a medication was recently approved by the U.S. Federal and Drug Administration to help Jacqueline, her family still is dedicated to fighting for the rest of the 96 percent of the people who have this disease and to help them get through it and find a cure that works for them.

“We are celebrating and we are happy. But we are not going to stop because our baby has been helped,” Jacqueline’s mother Christine Stack said. “Our job will not be done until we have helped the other 96 percent.”

Mary Heady (left) and Maria Stiefled as sumo wrestlers.
Mary Heady (left) and Maria Stiefled as sumo wrestlers.

The core of the event is simple. Jumpers and there teams work to raise all the money they can and then they end up jumping into the water of Lake Mahopac on the cool March day. The jumpers raised over $138,000. Additional funds are raised through silent auctions and other efforts.

The top team of jumpers was Team Bella Moda Hair Design. Team members Maria Stiefeld and Mary Heady showed up ready to fight the tragic disease. Every year the duo shows up in costume to be fun and make it even more enjoyable.  This year they were the fighting sumo wrestlers. The Bella Moda team was able to raise $8,381 to help fight the cure.

“Jacqueline and the Stack family are our motivation for us to come.” Stiefeld said. “They were clients of Bella Moda and became very close friends from there on out”. Stiefled and Heady are very committed and motivated to attend and help out a close friend in the fight to raise money for the young child Jacqueline Stack.

“It changes us for all of the better, and helping another mother and both myself and Mary are huge supports and die hard CF fighters,” she added.  “This event is a great way to show your support for the many people who are fighting this disease every day of their lives.”

Stiefled and Heady are already looking forward to next year’s event and having even more people join the Freezin for a Reason fundraiser.

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