THE KEATON F COKER FOUNDATION INC

IN 2023, THUMBS UP MISSION REACHED SEVERAL NOTABLE MILESTONES: (1) WE SERVED OUR 1000TH GUEST FAMILY (2) WE SET YET ANOTHER RECORD FOR DONATIONS AT OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER, DRESSED TO KILL CANCER (3) WE HIRED AN ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE AND (4) WE RECEIVED A DONATION THAT WILL ENABLE US TO BROADEN OUR MINISTRY REACH. THE PARAGRAPHS BELOW EXPOUND ON THOSE MAJOR MILESTONES. WE HOSTED TWO SUCCESSFUL RETREATS IN 2023. OUR FIRST WAS IN FEBRUARY AT GREAT WOLF LODGE IN LAGRANGE, GA. WE HAD 78 GUEST FAMILIES IN ATTENDANCE COMPRISED OF 366 INDIVIDUALS. AT THAT RETREAT, WE MARVELED AT THE WAY GOD HAS ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH MORE THROUGH THUMBS UP MISSION THAN WE EVER DREAMED. THE ELLINBURG FAMILY FROM VALDOSTA WAS OFFICIALLY OUR 1000TH FAMILY SERVED CANCER PATIENT, 7-YEAR-OLD AMELIA ELLINBURG, WAS CELEBRATED ON STAGE ALONG WITH THE REST OF HER FAMILY. AS A STAFF, IT WAS A MOMENT TO PAUSE AND REFLECT AND OFFER THANKS TO GOD FOR EXPANDING THE REACH OF OUR ORGANIZATION BEYOND ANYTHING OUR EARTHLY PLANS MAPPED OUT. IN NOVEMBER WE HOSTED OUR SECOND RETREAT, ALSO AT GREAT WOLF LODGE. WE HAD 84 FAMILIES AT THIS RETREAT COMPRISED OF 352 INDIVIDUALS. ANOTHER NOTABLE MILESTONE WAS REACHED AT THAT 20TH RETREAT: WE SURPASSED 5000 INDIVIDUAL FAMILY MEMBERS SERVED. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT IN OUR NONPROFIT BUSINESS MODEL IS THAT WE PLACE JUST AS MUCH EMPHASIS AT EACH OF OUR RETREATS SERVING THE PHYSICALLY HEALTHY MEMBERS OF EACH FAMILY (PARTICULARLY THE HEALTHY KIDS), AS WE DO THE ACTUAL CANCER PATIENTS. BY NECESSITY, THESE KIDS ARE OFTEN SHUFFLED TO EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBERS OR FRIENDS DURING TREATMENT TIMES. THEY OFTEN PERFORM AT SCHOOL FUNCTIONS OR PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETICS WITHOUT HAVING THE SUPPORT OF THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY IN ATTENDANCE. THEY ARE VICTIMS OF THE "DIVIDE AND CONQUER" STRATEGY FORCED ON EVERY FAMILY IN THE BATTLE. AT OUR RETREATS, THOSE HEALTHY KIDS ARE TREATED LIKE ROCK STARS. AS WE ATTEMPT TO FILL THEIR HEARTS BACK UP WITH LOVE AND ATTENTION, FAMILY UNITS GET STRONG AGAIN AS A UNIFIED GROUP. THE ANNUAL FUNDRAISER, DRESSED TO KILL CANCER, ACHIEVED YET ANOTHER RECORD-SETTING PROFIT MARGIN IN 2023. THE EVENT RAISED 158,240 WHICH WILL FUND AN ENTIRE RETREAT. LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THE GAINESVILLE AREA CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR ORGANIZATION WITH AMAZING GENEROSITY. ANOTHER ACCOMPLISHMENT IN 2023 WAS THE HIRING OF ANDREW MCCLESKEY AS A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE OF THUMBS UP MISSION. ANDREW BRINGS NEARLY 20 YEARS OF NONPROFIT MINISTRY EXPERIENCE TO THE TEAM AND WILL SERVE AS OUR OPERATIONS DIRECTOR. INITIALLY HIS FOCUS WILL BE TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD CARRIED BY FOUNDERS, MILES AND SHARON COKER. BEYOND THAT, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE CREATIVITY AND NEW MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES ANDREW WILL BRING TO OUR ORGANIZATION. ONE FINAL HIGHLIGHT OF 2023 IS THE RECEIPT OF A SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUAL DONATION OF 2.4 MILLION. NOT ONLY IS THIS THE LARGEST SINGLE DONATION IN THE HISTORY OF OUR ORGANIZATION, IT POSITIONS US TO FOLLOW GOD'S LEAD FOR THE FUTURE OF THUMBS UP MISSION. THE INITIAL PLAN IS TO SIMPLY DEPOSIT THAT MONEY AND SEEK GOD'S DIRECTION AS AN ORGANIZATION. WE HAVE BEGUN DREAMING OF A WAY TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR GUEST FAMILIES AFTER THE WEEKEND RETREATS ARE OVER, RATHER THAN BEING "ONE AND DONE." IT APPEARS GOD IS PROVIDING FOR US BEFORE HE EVEN REVEALS THE SPECIFICS OF THAT PLAN. ALL GLORY TO HIM AS WE ENTER 2024