Letter From the Founder: COVID-19 Response Update

Brittany Hebert, Sky High for Kids CEO & Founder

To our loyal Sky High supporters & volunteers, 

  We are praying for your health and safety during this unprecedented time and hope everyone is taking the advised precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. As a team, we are safe and have been working remotely for the past few weeks. We are monitoring the CDC guidelines closely and making adjustments to our operations and programming as recommended by our city leaders and close advisors.  

  We want to personally thank everyone who has shared encouraging and optimistic messages to our team over the past few weeks.  

 Our organization has been hit by the perfect storm – cancelled community gatherings and a dramatic drop in oil prices. However, we believe there is no storm greater than that caused by childhood cancer. This is why we reiterate to you, our mission is not cancelled. We will rise up during these ever-changing circumstances for the kids and families who count on us!
 

For those of you who are wholeheartedly involved in our fundraising events, especially our Regional Event Chairs, it is extremely unfortunate for us to announce we are officially canceling two of our major events: Buckeye for Sky High & Crestwood Boots & Birdies. These two cancelations will result in more than $2.2MM in lost revenue for Sky High. In 2021, we will come back strong with these two events and I want to say thank you to Buckeye and Crestwood for continuing to support our mission as corporate partners and hosts.  

 We are excited and anxiously awaiting to host our remaining regional events in 2020, beginning with our Annual Lafayette Banquet, August 7th. We will be ready to make adjustments if our local and regional health authorities make new recommendations.  

  Finally, we are making necessary changes to our fundraising efforts, including major budget reductions to our rescheduled events. You may be surprised to hear this, but this has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Our Event Coordinators, with our mission close at heart, are creatively adjusting our 2020 event plans to provide you with unforgettable experiences while also giving the maximum possible back to our major pediatric cancer projects. This year, you may experience a scaled-back version of Sky High events – cash bar, bare-bones décor, simple AV and food buffets. We truly appreciate your support and understanding as we explore all new avenues to drive our expense ratios down. Even though events may be scaled back, the mission is not. Our mission is more important than ever.  

  We are committed to strengthening this organization through this crisis and fighting on behalf of all the families battling Childhood Cancer. You will be proud–as I know I am–of the entire Sky High team’s dedication to saving lives. 

  I am grateful to have all of you by my side. We are sending continued prayers for everyone. 

  God bless, 

 Brittany Hebert 

CEO & Founder