Lauren's First and Goal Camp raises money and awareness for pediatric cancer

Naval Academy head coach Ken Niumatalolo was the guest speaker at the seventh annual Lauren's First and Goal Camp on Sunday and praised the event, saying it was the best football camp he had ever been to.

As Lafayette defensive coordinator John Loose made his way across the expansive Metzgar Fields, however, football was not a primary concern. Loose, along with his wife Marianne, founded Lauren's First and Goal Camp and Foundation to make a difference in the lives of pediatric brain cancer patients.

"People often ask me, 'Did you think it would get this big?'" Loose said. "And I really did. The number of coaches grew with the athletes, so we're never overrun, and we definitely have enough space here to handle them all. But the most important thing is we're raising a ton of money."

The veteran football coach was excited to announce that the organization had raised $1,000,000 in seven years thanks, in part, to a very generous gift received the day before.

"We got a check in the mail yesterday," Loose recounted. "The sister of one of Lafayette's players told a friend about the camp. That friend owns a foundation and sent a check for $20,000 with a note that said 'I hope this helps.'"

The charity, named after Loose's daughter, has attracted other big-spenders as well.

"We have a big booster in Leo Govoni from Special Needs Trust Administration," Loose said. "He has pledged a million dollars over a 10-year period, so we get $100,000 a year from him."

Despite describing the foundation as "a mom-and-pop operation that runs out of our house," Loose has high aspirations for Lauren's First and Goal.

"We're always looking for sponsors," he said. "The real money is not the campers. It's about bringing all of these people onto campus and then somebody will know somebody that can get us that big sneaker sponsor or that big sporting sponsor. Someday this will be one of those charities you see on television partnered with guys like LeBron James giving money to these causes."

For information on how to help, visit www.laurensfirstandgoal.org.

From the Express Times