Sims Family Tours & Travel

Dear Friends,

Thank you for visiting cruise4acure.simsfamtrav.com.

Those who know Connie and I, know that we are avid college sports fans. As a four year member of the Ohio State University Marching Band, and as life members of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, we've had many great experiences through college sports.

What many of you do not know, is that in the fall of 2003, Connie was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery, and six months of chemo and radiation through the early parts of 2004, she's been cancer free to date. She was 40 years old, I was 42. It's changed our lives forever.

How this ties back to college sports is this. In December of 2005, we were watching college basketball on ESPN. It was the Jimmy V Classic from Madison Square Garden in New York City. At halftime, they replayed Coach Valvano's memorable speech ("Don't Give Up, Don't Ever Give Up") from 1993 shortly before his death at the ESPY Awards. We cried. We hugged. Then we decided we wanted to jump in and help fight this dreaded disease. We started planning a Cruise For a Cure, which we did in December of 2006 for the first time with 37 passengers.

Coach V said in that terrific speech that he urged all of us "to enjoy your life, the precious moments you have. To spend each day with some laughter and some thought, to get your emotions going." What does that describe if it doesn't describe cruising? On December 6, 2010, we're going to hold our 4th annual "Cruise for a Cure" to benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research. We've held 30 staterooms aboard the Carnival Fantasy which is doing a 5 night Bahamas itinerary from Charleston, South Carolina. We hope it's not enough!
Since 2006, we've raised almost $10,000 for the V Foundation. We need more!

How, you might ask, will going on a cruise raise money? It's very simple. Carnival has a fundraising program for non profit organizations, like The V Foundation for Cancer Research. $25 from each passenger's cruise fare will go towards the Foundation, Carnival will match that $25 donation, bringing a total of a $50 donation per guest. We've held space for 100 guests, which if we sell out, would be a donation of $5000.

We chose the first week of December because we're hoping that ESPN will be holding the Jimmy V Classic again that week. Nothing would be better than watching the big screen above the pool of the ship showing that tremendous speech again.

How can you help? Naturally you, or someone you know could sail with us. If you can't sail with us, please forward this to everyone you know whose life has been touched by cancer. If they can't go, maybe they could sponsor someone from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, or your local cancer survival organization to go. Someone might want to sponsor a cocktail party for everyone, or a group photo, or sponsor a speaker to speak to the group. There are many, many ways people can help raise money for this worthy cause. Of course, to help raise money for a cure and spend time on a cruise ship to the Bahamas -- they need to come with us!

Prices start at $376.08pp for an inside stateroom, $416.08pp for an oceanview. Taxes, fees and fuel supplements are included in this price. Deposit amount of $50pp is due at the time of booking, $150pp by July 9, 2010, with the final balance due September 7, 2010. $25pp is tax deductible as a donation.

Connie and I can't write a check for $5,000. Together, though, with the great people whom we've met over the last several years, we could make a difference. Coach V couldn't have said it better when he said: "We need your help. I need your help. We need money for research. It may not save my life. It may save my children's lives. It may save someone you love."

Thank you for taking the time to read this.