Bre Sambuchino trying to honor her father by reaching $50,000 fundraising goal for Leukemia Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year campaign

By Chuck Gibson

LOVELAND, OH (May 29, 2020) –The clock strikes midnight Saturday, May 30, for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Woman of the Year (WOY) campaign of Loveland teacher Bre Sambuchino.

Bre Sambuchino with her dad Morris Goss (Provided) 

The campaign officially comes to a close with the start of the “Virtual Grand Finale” at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, May 30. The LLS WOY campaign officially kicked-off March 18, just as the coronavirus quarantine started. Sambuchino had a goal to raise $100K, which may or may not have been enough to win Woman of the Year honors, but was intended to get two research grants. She hopes one of those grants will honor her dad. He’s the “Why” for her campaign.  

Her team had plans in place for Grand Finale Table Sales, Reds Opening Day event, Taste of Cincinnati; a total of six events to raise thousands of dollars.

“Then bam,” exclaimed Sambuchino! “COVID-19 hit. Here we are. Had to scrap all of that.”

The campaign had to pivot, then pivot again and again as the coronavirus restrictions kept coming. The coronavirus was not something anyone saw coming. The impact was a direct hit on the primary objective of the LLS campaign.

“The majority of the campaign is to ask people for money,” Sambuchino explained. “People lost jobs, were furloughed, finances just were not what they once were. That was a concern, but, at the same time, people don’t stop having cancer because of a pandemic.”

My why became my team: Margaret, Chuck, Sam, Kristen, Sharon, Cindy, Bernadette, Andrea, Amy, Terry and Patsy. I am so appreciative of their support and their love through this process. (From Bre’s LLS page)

That was the reality of what has been an incredible journey for Sambuchino during her LLS WOY campaign. She is not dwelling in the difficulty of the challenge presented by the circumstances dictated by the coronavirus. Rather, her focus remains on what has been accomplished.

“I’m amazed at what we’ve been able to accomplish given these circumstances,” she said. “The goal is now $50,000. I think we can get there. It’s going to be a challenge. We have a lot of work to do to get there in the final 24 hour leg of the marathon.”

Those final 24 hours will be about getting the word out; getting people to register for the “Virtual Grand Finale” Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. There will be a “Zoom Call”. It’s free to join. The auction will officially close during the day Saturday. The WGRR Married with Microphone duo of Chris and Janeen will emcee the event. Sambuchino expects it to be a fun finish to an emotional journey

Photo taken in Brown County, Indiana as they celebrated dad’s retirement (Courtesy Bre Sambuchino) 

“It’s really emotional,” Sambuchino said. “I am hopeful cause I’d really like to honor my dad. My dad has multiple myeloma. I’d really like to honor him with a grant.”

Sambuchino heaped praise on all her team members whose support has been the most meaningful part of her whole journey for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year campaign. It is a journey which has taught her lessons about the people behind the scenes for LLS.

“I am so impressed with LLS seeing behind the scenes,” she said. “The people are incredible. They work so hard.”  

Click here to visit and donate on Bre Sambuchino’s LLS WOY webpage

Click here to register for the VIRTUAL GRAND FINALE Saturday, May 30, @ 7 p.m.

Bre Sambuchino with her Loveland High School Senior students (Provided)