“This is a very tight knit community that comes together to assist friends, family and community members in a variety of ways.”
The Siani Strong Foundation was started in March 2014 by Tracey and David McCurry, the parents of Siani McCurry. Siani was a Burlington Township student and soccer player who passed away in January 2014. Siani was a recovering leukemia patient who passed due to complications from her bone marrow transplant.
“The foundation is the result of David’s vision, to help other families who go through what we went through,” Tracey said. “The community supported our original fundraiser and has been faithful and dedicated in supporting our events since then.”
Siani’s classmates and friends continued to help the McCurry family by starting their own fundraisers. The Siani Strong game held during the girls soccer season is just one of many events throughout the year.
“We have our annual Gala in 2018, where we will be celebrating the class of 2018,” McCurry said. “We also have the Siani Soccer Classic in June, which see the proceeds donated to Siani Strong Foundation. Even while Siani was still with us, her friends held a carwash fundraiser and a band drive and donated the money to assist our family. This group of kids is phenomenal on top of compassionate.”
The money raised by the foundation goes to financially assist families with children who are suffering from blood and/or bone disorders that cause lengthy hospital stays at both the Children’s Hospitals of Philadelphia and New York as well as Robert Wood Johnson. The money helps pay bills for them, such as rent/mortgage, utilities, phone, cable, car payment, insurance, medical and others.
“Since its inception in 2014, we have raised an estimated $40,000 to $50,000,” McCurry said. “Our aims are to go even higher, and we feel we can do that with the support of others.”
Burlington Township High School defeated Rancocas Valley 2–1 in this year’s edition of the Siani Strong game on Oct. 3, coming back from a 1–0 halftime deficit.
“The players, coaching staff and families have been honored to be part of Siani McCurry’s memory and contribute to the Siani Strong Foundation these past four years,” Burlington Township head coach Kim Lamanteer said. “This is a very tight-knit community that comes together to assist friends, family and community members in a variety of ways.”
The Lady Falcons wore pink T-shirts during warm-ups, as well as purple bows in their hair during the game. The high school also held a purple/denim day with the staff donating $5 each to the foundation.
“There will never be a day where Siani’s memory is forgotten,” senior Lindsey Macrae said during her halftime speech. “Though this is the last year of the Class of 2018 being all together here, we will never let her (Siani’s) memory fade, it will live on with us, wherever we may go.”
Even though Siani may be gone, her parents still hope the foundation can continue to grow and the yearly game continues to be a tradition in the community.
“Siani was just a beautiful person, inside and out, full of life and fun with a caring heart and a winning smile,” McCurry said. “My hopes for the Siani Strong dedication game is that it is fun, memorable and successful, and that the compassion and dedication of the team is recognized this year and forever. I also hope that this tradition does not end because it is near and dear to us, and we are eternally grateful for these girls keeping Siani’s memory alive.”
Donations are always accepted, and can be done by sending checks to the Siani Strong Foundation, P.O. Box 38, Willingboro 08046. More information on the foundation can be found at http://www.sianistrong.org.
