On Feb. 17, 2020, at the age of 64, Jess A. Corch lost his 15-month battle with Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. The 1st Annual Jess A. Corch Memorial Fund for Glioblastoma, a component fund of The Luzerne Foundation, was held on what would have been Jess’s 65th birthday, June 27, 2020.

On Feb. 17, 2020, at the age of 64, Jess A. Corch lost his 15-month battle with Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. The 1st Annual Jess A. Corch Memorial Fund for Glioblastoma, a component fund of The Luzerne Foundation, was held on what would have been Jess’s 65th birthday, June 27, 2020.

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<p>The 3rd Annual Jess A. Corch Memorial Benefit is scheduled for June 26 at the Nescopeck Township Firehall, 510 Zenith Road, Nescopeck, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.</p>

The 3rd Annual Jess A. Corch Memorial Benefit is scheduled for June 26 at the Nescopeck Township Firehall, 510 Zenith Road, Nescopeck, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

<p>C. David Pedri</p>

C. David Pedri

Memorial funds are an excellent way to honor the memory of a loved one and celebrate a life well-lived. Many families choose specific charitable organizations when a loved one passes away. By establishing a Memorial Fund through The Luzerne Foundation, charitable donation decisions can wait until the family has time to consider how best to represent the loved one’s passions and interests.

Donations made to the Memorial Fund may be used to make grants to organizations registered as a 501 (c)(3) public charity in Luzerne County and nationwide. Examples include:

• Places of worship

• Public libraries

• Schools

• Fine arts

• Human service agencies

• Other non-profit organizations

The Corch Family did precisely that. Their story is not only inspiring; it makes a difference for those battling brain tumors.

On Feb. 17, 2020, at the age of 64, Jess A. Corch lost his 15-month battle with Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. According to the National Institute of Medicine, Glioblastoma is the most common and fatal brain tumor in adults, with an average survival rate of only 15-18 months, with treatment. To remember Jess, the family decided they wanted to raise funds for research.

The 1st Annual Jess A. Corch Memorial Fund for Glioblastoma, a component fund of The Luzerne Foundation, was held on what would have been Jess’s 65th birthday, June 27, 2020. As with everything else in 2020, the 1st benefit preparation was challenging. Not knowing if they would be able to have an in-person event or not, due to the pandemic restrictions, they developed a website to have an online option. Luckily, authorities lifted restrictions, and the on-site event was held on a rainy Saturday, and $5,000 was donated to the American Brain Tumor Association.

On June 27, 2021, the Corch family held the 2nd annual benefit. The family decided to move the event to a Sunday with food vendors, more prizes incentives, and a butterfly release. Event participation increased, as did fundraising efforts. To date, The American Brain Tumor Association received $12,000.

The 3rd Annual Benefit is scheduled for June 26 at the Nescopeck Township Firehall, 510 Zenith Road, Nescopeck, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The online event option has proven beneficial for participants who cannot attend in person because of distance or other circumstances. It will be open from June 1 to June 25 at noon, at www.jacforever64.com.

Should you wish to support the Jess A. Corch Memorial Fund for Glioblastoma, you may donate via the website listed below or by mail. If you are similar to the Corch Family and have a cause near to your heart and want to make a difference here in Northeastern Pennsylvania and beyond – please give us a call at the Luzerne Foundation.

Do you want to make our community better? So do we. Let’s do it together.

Because of you and for you, we are … Here for good.™

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C. David Pedri is President and CEO of The Luzerne Foundation. This weekly column series is an advertising partnership between the The Luzerne Foundation and the Times Leader. For more information about the organization, visit www.luzfdn.org or call 570-822-2065.