WHEREAS it is the intention of the Mayor and Council of Cherry Hill Township to focus attention on noteworthy occasions and individuals; and
WHEREAS on March 1, 2015, the Simmers Family of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, will host its 7th annual Family Bowling Night to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and other worthwhile organizations in our region, in memory of their son and superhero, Andrew Joseph Simmers; and
WHEREAS Andrew Simmers was diagnosed with AML Leukemia in July 2003, at the age of 3, and spent much of his time in treatment as a patient on the oncology floor at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS when Andrew’s own battle with leukemia ended, his family – parents Christopher and Jacqueline and brothers Zachary and Christian – wanted to honor his memory by making a difference in the lives of other children in our area; and
WHEREAS to that end, the Simmers Family has walked in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk since 2003, raising more than $18,000 for leukemia and lymphoma patients, their families and important research; and
WHEREAS the family also established its own Family Bowling Night in Andrew’s memory, an event that has raised approximately $14,000 in the last seven years for organizations including the Children’s Hospital Bone Marrow Transplant and Oncology inpatient units, the Camden Rescue Mission, and local Cherry Hill families in need; and
WHEREAS the Mayor and Council of Cherry Hill Township have been so moved by the Simmers’ work to honor their son’s legacy that we wish to formally recognize and memorialize their efforts.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHUCK CAHN, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the Township of Cherry Hill, County of Camden, State of New Jersey, do hereby issue this proclamation in loving memory of Andrew Joseph Simmers, and wish to honor and thank
The Simmers Family
for their various efforts to raise money for and awareness of organizations that support cancer patients, their families, and critical research; for so honorably carrying on the legacy of their beloved Andrew; and for serving as a beautiful example of what makes Cherry Hill such a strong, vibrant, and caring community in which to live, work and play.
