The Elba High School gym was packed on Friday night.
Friends and family gathered to help raise funds for a mom, a sister, and a daughter of the Elba community, Jordyn Torrey Augello.
The Elba Alumni Association was able to put together a men’s and women’s alumni basketball game to raise funds for the family that has deep roots in Elba.
(Photos submitted by Michelle Augello-Ostroski)
After the alumni game earlier this year, everybody wanted to play again, according to Jeremy Thompson/Organizer/Elba Hall of Fame Committee.
“We had enough for two games, a girls game and a guys game,” says Thompson.
“Basketball is Elba, everybody wanted to come out and support the cause and watch all of our alumni come out and play.”
The Friday night event was put together in about a month and fundraising efforts will continue into the coming months and beyond according to Jordyn’s sister.
(Submitted photo/Molly Anderson)
“My sister loved basketball, she coached in the youth program in Elba after graduating from Elba High School and basketball has always been a part of her life,” says Molly Anderson, Jordyn’s older sister.
“When the Alumni Association said they were going to put this together and half the proceeds were going to Golisano’s Children’s Hospital in memory of my sister we were super excited.”
Anderson says people from across the country have reached out to the family through donations.
“It has been tremendous, people that we do business with, even if it just $10, that adds up when you have this amount of people who are willing to do something for a great cause.”
Jordyn was just 30 years old when she was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer while she was 6 1/2 months pregnant with her daughter Franny in 2016.
Two days after the diagnosis, Jordyn had to give birth to her baby at Golisano’s Children’s Hospital.
In January 2017, Jordyn passed away after the cancer had spread throughout her body. She left behind her baby, a 2 year old son, Carmine and husband Charles.
Thanks to Golisano’s Children’s Hospital, Franny is doing fine and is a healthy girl because of the care she received while at the NICU at the hospital.
Since Jordyn’s passing, her family has been raising money for the hospital to thank them. As of Friday evening, $91,000 has been raised. The family is hoping to raise $100,000 to place Jordyn’s name on a NICU room at Golisano’s Children’s Hospital.
(Photo submitted by Jerah Slater Augello)
The Elba Alumni Association presented the Torrey/Augello family with a check for $1,155.00 after the Friday night community fundraiser.
“We are almost at our goal and we will continue every year raising money, its not just gonna stop once we get to the $100,000,” says Anderson.
“Jordyn loved playing and coaching and we want her kids to grow up with that and we want everybody to remember her. This is the type of community Elba is, she is one of their own and our family is a big part of this community. Its generational, we appreciate everything everyone has done in memory of Jordyn and in support of the terrible situation we are in, but we are going to make light of it where we can and celebrate the positive things.”
Because “Team Jordyn” was the top fundraising group in the 2017 “Stroll for Strong Kids & 5K Run” last year, they will lead the walk this year on Saturday June 2, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at Genesee Valley Park.
