For Personal and Business donations

Please mail check payable to:
PBA 362 SKYDIVE CHARITY
PBA LOCAL 362, ATTN. CUFFS
P.O. BOX 27
BERLIN, NEW JERSEY 08009

With a $200.00 donation, all business names and logo,
including link to your website, will appear on the C.U.F.F.S. sponsors page.

Make your donation directly to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

By Lavinia DeCastro, Courier-Post Staff, July 19, 2010

WASHINGTON TWP. — Melissa Jones kept telling herself it was all for a good cause.

"It was terrifying, but I loved every second of it," said the Sewell resident, who went sky diving for the first time on Saturday. "The fact that it's for a good cause is what got me here because I never would have done it otherwise."

Jones was among the nearly 400 sky divers taking the plunge this weekend at Freefall Adventures in Williamstown to benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Saturday marked the start of the fifth annual Cops United Free Falling Spectacular -- CUFFS for short -- at the sky diving school.

The two-day event, sponsored by Local 362 of the Policemen's Benevolent Association, has raised $40,000 for charitable organizations in past years.

"We help those who help others," said Albert Clements, the Berlin Borough police officer who organized the event. "Alex's Lemonade is an organization that does a lot of work at finding a cure for childhood cancer. It's definitely a cause that is worthy."

For every $180 tandem dive this weekend, Freefall Adventures donates $30 to Alex's Lemonade.

Those who want a video to remember their free fall can purchase one for $95, with $5 going to the foundation.

About 230 jumps were scheduled for Saturday and about the same number of people are expected to jump today, Clements said.

Clements, who has been sky diving for 15 years, said most people who attend the event are first-time jumpers.

"It's so freaking intense," said Nancy Scelso, of Marlton, who jumped for the first time on Saturday. "I'll have to do it again."

Scelso, who was with a group of nine family members and friends, said they've always wanted to give the sport a try, but decided to do it this weekend because part of the money would go to charity.

"Every year, we try to challenge ourselves to do something," said Scelso, who tried the zipline and an aerobatic ride on an open-cockpit biplane. "My daughter did it in Australia, so we wanted to give it a try."

The brainchild of Alex Scott, who decided to raise money to help children with cancer by selling lemonade back in 2000, the foundation has raised more than $30 million for childhood cancer research and awareness.

Alex succumbed to neuroblastoma at the age of 8, but her parents continued her dream with the help of an army of volunteers touched by their daughter's story.

Jay and Liz Scott, Alex's parents, could have picked any of the hundreds of fundraisers to attend this summer but decided to spend Saturday at Freefall Adventures.

"It's so unique," Jay Scott said of the fundraiser. "I just wanted to check it out and see what it's all about."

The couple kept their feet on the ground during the event, but Jones, a social media specialist with the foundation, was one of three workers who gave sky diving a try.

"I wanted to be here to support them," Liz Scott said.

Children who were too young to try enjoyed a variety of activities, such as face painting, a dunk tank and a moon bounce.

Wearing a lemon-shaped hat, 6-year-old Cole Fitzgerald watched as Jones floated down.

A 3-year survivor of the same cancer that claimed Alex's life, Cole is a familiar face at Alex's Lemonade events throughout the area.

"A lot of times, it's not about the money, it's about awareness," said Kerrie Fitzgerald, Cole's mother, who has had 10 lemonade stands in the area. "I don't think there is enough attention given to pediatric cancer."

Of all the fundraisers the family has attended, Fitzgerald said this was unique.

"I think it's completely amazing because it brings people together from all walks of life who have a little daredevil streak in them," Fitzgerald said.

Contact Information

Charity email: cuffsevents@gmail.com

Ptl. Albert Clements: 856-767-4700 ext. 160

Chief Robert Cararra: 856-767-4700 ext. 143