Team Jack Celebrates First Volunteer Day In New Location

Team Jack has a new, permanent home.

The Team Jack Foundation, established by the family of Jack Hoffman after Jack was diagnosed with pediatric brain cancer in 2011 to raise funds and awareness for pediatric brain cancer research, has spent the first few years of its existence in temporary locations and hosting volunteer events at the library.

Due in part to support from the Nebraska Cornhusker football team, the foundation has gained national publicity and has grown rapidly over the years. With the need for a more permanent location, a spot was finally decided on east Highway 20 in Atkinson.

"We moved in in January," said Kylie Dockter, executive director of Team Jack Foundation.

The foundation decided to celebrate the move by hosting its first volunteer day at the permanent location May 18 and 19. 

"Typically we would have our volunteer days at the Atkinson Library or a community location," said Dockter. "This is the first time we've done volunteer days here."

Their was a specific reason for having the first volunteer days in May as well. May is brain tumor awareness month. Every May, the foundation sends out a direct mailer. According to Dockter, volunteers help to send out nearly 1,700 mailers, mostly to previous donors, with information on brain tumor awareness month, Team Jack, and how to get involved with the foundation.

The new location now gives the foundation a place to host volunteer events, a place for the two full time and one part time employee, and includes all the Team Jack shirts that are sold to help raise funds for pediatric brain cancer research. 

"We just got our t-shirt store back here," Dockter said. "We have all of our t-shirts here so people are welcome to come in and visit anytime or look at the shirts."

Their is a large variety of shirts available at the new location. The shirts are all adorned with the pediatric cancer awareness ribbon, and many of the shirts allude to Jack's favorite football team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. There is also a large variety of shirts in their all-star line, sporting the names of many well known supporters of Team Jack such as Rex Burkhead, Alex Gordon and Jim Kelly, among others.

"There are different shirts," Dockter stated. "We have the all-star shirts and they're on sale. They range from $9.99 to $12.99. We have the take a stand shirt, which is our main brain tumor awareness shirt."

Shirts can be purchased on-line or in person at the foundation's new location. Thanks in part to the shirts, along with various fundraising efforts and donations, the foundation has raised over $2.6 million dollars for pediatric cancer research.

Dockter is looking forward to seeing people at the new location.

"We encourage people to stop by and visit us," she said. "They can look at our shirts or just come and see the new office. We're here Monday through Friday, eight to five, so we certainly encourage people to come on in."