ABI, Aubrey partner to support Bendana family
ABI returned to Aubrey ISD on Saturday for a final time to raise money for another district student with a friendly fore on the basketball court.
The nonprofit founded by a pair of amputees, partnered with Aubrey ISD for a third and final year to support the Bendana family whose four-year-old Monaco Elementary student Carlitos is currently fighting leukemia.
“We’ve never experienced anything like this, never lived in a community like this who would put something like this together for our family,” Carlitos’ father Carlos Bendana said.
Andy Kane, a teacher at Aubrey, spearheads the partnership along with his Monaco Leadership Academy, a group of fifth grade boys.
“It teaches them to be selfless, so as part of their admittance to the program they have to participate in and run this,” Kane said.
ABI looks to raise money for families with children fighting cancer or suffering from an amputation.
“It’s a lot of goofiness to let the family get away for a couple hours,” cofounder Scott Odom said. “Everything we raise here at these events, 100% of it goes to them and their family. We try to give them a financial relief and have a fun entertaining event.”
Then events look to raise money in several ways, from ticket and concession sales to a raffle and monetary donations.
“It varies,” Odom said. “Turnouts are usually not as big as what we’d like to, [so] we do an online auction if we can get items. Some events we’ve only raised like $1,200 which I feel horrible about because I wish we could do more. The most we’ve ever raised is $15,000, so it’s a big range. We don’t have a lot of support yet, so it is what it is.”
An online auction, which persists for a few days after the event itself, is sometimes included when items are available.
“I have some friends in high places that are nice enough to donate things to us and then I beg, borrow and steal, ask for help in donating to a good cause,” Kane said.
For the game itself, ABI members hit the court opposed by Monaco teachers and district staff, who led the ABI team in scoring until the final minutes of the game when ABI pulled a comeback victory.
“I’m Sophia’s teacher and I played a little bit of basketball in college, so when I found out, I could not stop emailing Mr. Kane asking him to put me in,” Carlitos’ sister’s teacher Brittany Mulkey said. “When it’s someone in our community, it’s not a ‘why’ question, it’s ‘when do we come.’” The Bendana family came out in force to enjoy the game.
“I hope my kids enjoy it, him especially,” Carlos said. “He’s been talking about it all week, and now he wants a basketball court in his house.”
Carlitos turned to correct him, grinning ear to ear as he waited for the game to begin.
“It would be outside, so I could play with it,” Carlitos said.
