Florida law firm enhances lives through charitable foundation
Florida Attorney Mark Warzecha gets a kick out of helping kids.
For the past 10 years, the intellectual property attorney and his law firm, Widerman Malek in Melbourne, have organized an annual kickball tournament and family fun day to raise funds for the purchase of medical devices and other necessities for disabled children in the Space Coast community of Brevard County.
The No Bad Days Foundation began as Warzecha’s brainchild with a special assist from its first beneficiary, a now 12-year-old boy by the name of Owen Johnson, who suffered a spinal cord injury at the age of 2 when his parents’ car was rear-ended by a drunk driver. His 4-year-old sister was killed in the accident, and he was rendered a quadriplegic.
“It was a devastating loss for the family and the community at-large,” says Warzecha. “There are really no words to describe it.”
The loss would soon be compounded by word that insurance would not cover the $35,000 cost of a much-needed piece of medical equipment that would help keep Owen’s muscles from atrophying, according to Warzecha.
“That’s when I decided we had to do something to help come up with the money for Owen’s long-term health in the hope that someday there will be a cure for spinal cord injuries,” Warzecha relates.
So, Warzecha and his colleagues at Widerman Malek hatched plans for a fund-raising event in the form of a kickball tournament, rallying community support in a most remarkable way by generating $40,000 in proceeds.
“We were really winging it that first year, since none of us had ever really been involved in a charitable activity of that type,” he admits. “You’d think that a bunch of attorneys would know how to follow all the rules, but everyone knew that our hearts were in the right place. I think all of us at the firm would agree that it was the most rewarding experience we’d ever been involved in.”
Warzecha says seeing the community come together to help the family was “magical.”
After such a great start, Warzecha, employees of Widerman Malek, and friends decided to build upon the momentum by creating the “Kickin’ It for Hope Foundation,” a 501(c)(3) charity that could help other children in need of life-changing medical devices.
The law firm covers the expenses of the event, allowing 100 percent of the money raised through the kickball tournament to go directly to the purchase of medical equipment.
Among the equipment purchased by the foundation are all-terrain wheelchairs, power lifts, special car seats, sturdy strollers, safety sleeper beds, and much more. Some specialty purchases, said Warzecha, can run into the thousands of dollars, while others cost far less.
For the past 10 years, the intellectual property attorney and his law firm, Widerman Malek in Melbourne, have organized an annual kickball tournament and family fun day to raise funds for the purchase of medical devices and other necessities for disabled children in the Space Coast community of Brevard County.
The No Bad Days Foundation began as Warzecha’s brainchild with a special assist from its first beneficiary, a now 12-year-old boy by the name of Owen Johnson, who suffered a spinal cord injury at the age of 2 when his parents’ car was rear-ended by a drunk driver. His 4-year-old sister was killed in the accident, and he was rendered a quadriplegic.
“It was a devastating loss for the family and the community at-large,” says Warzecha. “There are really no words to describe it.”
The loss would soon be compounded by word that insurance would not cover the $35,000 cost of a much-needed piece of medical equipment that would help keep Owen’s muscles from atrophying, according to Warzecha.
“That’s when I decided we had to do something to help come up with the money for Owen’s long-term health in the hope that someday there will be a cure for spinal cord injuries,” Warzecha relates.
So, Warzecha and his colleagues at Widerman Malek hatched plans for a fund-raising event in the form of a kickball tournament, rallying community support in a most remarkable way by generating $40,000 in proceeds.
“We were really winging it that first year, since none of us had ever really been involved in a charitable activity of that type,” he admits. “You’d think that a bunch of attorneys would know how to follow all the rules, but everyone knew that our hearts were in the right place. I think all of us at the firm would agree that it was the most rewarding experience we’d ever been involved in.”
Warzecha says seeing the community come together to help the family was “magical.”
After such a great start, Warzecha, employees of Widerman Malek, and friends decided to build upon the momentum by creating the “Kickin’ It for Hope Foundation,” a 501(c)(3) charity that could help other children in need of life-changing medical devices.
The law firm covers the expenses of the event, allowing 100 percent of the money raised through the kickball tournament to go directly to the purchase of medical equipment.
Among the equipment purchased by the foundation are all-terrain wheelchairs, power lifts, special car seats, sturdy strollers, safety sleeper beds, and much more. Some specialty purchases, said Warzecha, can run into the thousands of dollars, while others cost far less.
Katie Bundyra
Primerus, Ada, Michigan
Primerus, Ada, Michigan
What are your favorite leisure time pursuits?
I love being outdoors. I love anything from hiking and kayaking to gardening and relaxing on the beach – anything I can do with my family.
I love being outdoors. I love anything from hiking and kayaking to gardening and relaxing on the beach – anything I can do with my family.
Cocktails & Conversation
Thursday, September 7th, 2023 @ 4pm EDT
Billing Tips and Strategies
Eric Brenneman
Demler Armstrong & Rowland, LLP, San Francisco, California
Thursday, September 7th, 2023 @ 4pm EDT
Billing Tips and Strategies
Eric Brenneman
Demler Armstrong & Rowland, LLP, San Francisco, California
Coffee & Conversation
Due to the US Labor Day holiday on September 4th, Primerus™ will not be holding Coffee & Conversation on Monday, September 4th. We will return on Monday, September 11th.
Due to the US Labor Day holiday on September 4th, Primerus™ will not be holding Coffee & Conversation on Monday, September 4th. We will return on Monday, September 11th.
If you are interested in being featured in a future edition of the Primerus™ Weekly, please contact Katie Bundyra at kbundyra@primerus.com.
Take Stock of Your Emotions
We so often focus on ways to be happy. But the reality is that we all have an array of emotions, and we cannot be—nor should anyone expect us to be—happy all the time.
Susan David, a psychologist, has made it her professional mission to study emotional agility. When emotions get pushed aside or ignored, they actually get stronger; we feel like we should be happy and, thus, focus on what we think we and the world should be; and we become less able to deal with the world as it actually is, according to David. To the contrary, when people in life and in business are allowed to feel and speak their true emotions, we get more creativity and more productivity.
So, challenge yourself to “sit in your emotions” when need be, and take the time to accurately label them. Rather than say, “I am stressed” (we are not our emotions), say “I’m noticing I’m flustered because I committed to too many things this week.” Labeling emotions more specifically allows us to better address them and formulate concrete steps to address them.
And as David says, radical acceptance of all of our emotions actually makes us happier people.
Susan David, a psychologist, has made it her professional mission to study emotional agility. When emotions get pushed aside or ignored, they actually get stronger; we feel like we should be happy and, thus, focus on what we think we and the world should be; and we become less able to deal with the world as it actually is, according to David. To the contrary, when people in life and in business are allowed to feel and speak their true emotions, we get more creativity and more productivity.
So, challenge yourself to “sit in your emotions” when need be, and take the time to accurately label them. Rather than say, “I am stressed” (we are not our emotions), say “I’m noticing I’m flustered because I committed to too many things this week.” Labeling emotions more specifically allows us to better address them and formulate concrete steps to address them.
And as David says, radical acceptance of all of our emotions actually makes us happier people.
This Wellness Tip was brought to you by the Quality of Life Subcommittee of the Primerus™ Quality Assurance Board and Featured Contributor Nicole Quintana. We also welcome your tips, which can be submitted to Paige Neirman at pneirman@primerus.com for publication consideration.
February 15-16, 2024
2024 PDI Transportation Seminar
Tampa, Florida
SAVE THE DATE!
2024 PDI Transportation Seminar
Tampa, Florida
SAVE THE DATE!
April 18-20, 2024
2024 PDI Convocation
Monterey, California
SAVE THE DATE!
2024 PDI Convocation
Monterey, California
SAVE THE DATE!
International Society of Primerus Law Firms
452 Ada Dr SE
Suite 300
Ada, MI 49301