Keller Family Community Foundation

The Keller Family Community Foundation will be hosting a second annual fundraising event for the winter--Snowball Cancer Challenge 2011.  This winter Nick Keller will attempt to break his current world record for most miles snowmobiled in 60 days, which is 19,506 miles!  Nick’s goal is to ride his 2010 Yamaha RS Vector GT over 20,494 miles in 60 days, averaging 340 miles per day, and wants to break a personal high mileage day of over 400 miles by riding on the trails in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.  Nick plans to leave on his snowmobiling adventure sometime shortly after Christmas to start the 60 day event.  The money raised by Snowball Cancer Challenge 2011 will go to the Keller Family Community Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, for disbursement in support of the foundation mission.

 

Snowball Cancer Challenge 2011 is an interactive fundraising event that will allow other snowmobilers to ride during the attempt to break the world’s record for consecutive snowmobiling distance and bring awareness and support to people living with cancer.  The Keller Family Community Foundation is now accepting sponsorships and offering sponsorship space on Nick’s snowmobile to help off-set the cost for this year’s attempt, space on the snowmobile is limited and will go fast.  There will also be a Kick-off Snowball Cancer Challenge 2011 supper with music on Friday, December 17 at The River Station-Grandpa Jerry’s, West Main Street, Richmond, Minnesota from 4pm to midnight.  Music will be provided by the Good Ol’ Boys Band, a local favorite.  The proceeds from this event will go to the Keller Family Community Foundation to fulfill its mission.  KFCF has set a goal to raise over $100,000 in donations for Snowball Cancer Challenge 2011 that, in turn, will be used to help the community.

 

Snowball Cancer Challenge 2010 took place this past winter 2009-2010 with Nick Keller attempting to break a world record.  Nick finished his attempt at the world record for “the Longest Snowmobile Journey” on Tuesday, February 23rd at The River Station in Richmond, MN with 19,506 miles. Nick snowmobiled for 60 consecutive days from Saturday, December 26, 2009 to Tuesday, February 23, 2010 ending with 20,131 miles on his 2010 Yamaha RS Vector GT odometer (he started with 625 miles on the odometer) and 19,506 miles for the record--far surpassing the current record of 12,163 miles currently held by Robert Davis of Maine. The official paperwork has been sent to Guinness in England for official recognition of Nick’s record break and he is awaiting a response.  Nick’s Snowball Cancer Challenge 2010 has been featured in various newspapers, magazines, internet blogs, and SledHead 24/7 on Fox Sports Net featured him in a three part story, available to view via a link on the KFCF website.  The true focus of Nick’s snowmobile riding has and is to raise awareness and funds for people with cancer as part of the Snowball Cancer Challenge sponsored by the Keller Family Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization formed by Nick and his family.  Nick’s journey is available to see via the Snowball Cancer website www.snowballcancer.org under “Nick’s Blog 1, 2, and 3” which features his daily miles driven, a daily blog, and links to his beacon system to see his daily routes.

 

Nick Keller’s mother passed away 25 years ago of breast cancer at the age of 56 and has many other family members and friends that have been affected by cancer.  Nick, a founding member of KFCF, said, “Everyone knows someone with cancer and is affected by it in some way.”  Nick has been an avid snowmobiler for the past 38 years.  He is a distance snowmobiler averaging, in the past, 200+ miles a day and over 5,000 miles a season.  Nick is known throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan in the areas that he snowmobiles in as the “mileage man.”  He is active in his local snowmobile club and participates with the local and state snowmobile associations.  Nick is also involved in various community organizations volunteering his time, talents and financial support.  Nick’s family also enjoys snowmobiling and is actively involved in other community organizations.  Nick and his wife Janet Keller along with their daughters Julie (Dornbusch), Carrie (Burhop Keller) and Melissa (Ngeno) founded the Keller Family Community Foundation to support research, education and informational activities to increase public awareness; and prevent and treat chronic health conditions and diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and depression.  Nick said, “We (KFCF) want to make a real, tangible difference in the lives of people affected by cancer.” Since KFCF started, additional members have joined the foundation along with many volunteers for the various events hosted by KFCF.  The original focus of the foundation was to help people with cancer; however, the foundation has branched out to helping people with other chronic health conditions.  The Keller Family Community Foundation is people helping people—the community.

 

With the generous donations that have been given to date, KFCF has given out grant awards, is currently reviewing grant applications for disbursements winter 2010, and is working to create a specialized fund in partnership with area hospitals. Grant information and applications are available on the Snowball Cancer website for future disbursements.

 

You can keep informed by checking the Keller Family Community Foundation website often for updates.  To donate, apply for a grant from the foundation, for more information about events, or to view photos and links, visit the KFCF website at www.snowballcancer.org , and on Facebook or Twitter under Snowball Cancer or Keller Family Community Foundation.  You can also contact us by postal mail at KFCF, PO Box 164, Richmond, MN 56368.