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Mortgage Motivation
Beating Cancer, Building Community: Insights from Joel Baque's Story of Resilience
Join us for an intimate and inspiring conversation where Joel recounts his journey, not only through the trials of cancer but also his passionate engagement with the American Cancer Society. His work as the co-chair for past events and his lead role in the upcoming 2024 black and white Gala is a testament to the power of community and the difference we can make when we come together for a cause that touches us all.
Our dialogue with Joel doesn’t stop at his personal narrative; it extends to the very heart of community involvement in the fight against cancer in Louisiana. He sheds light on the impact of the black and white Gala, an event that epitomizes elegance and altruism, rallying the Acadiana community to contribute to cancer research and support services for patients. Furthermore, Joel invites listeners to look beyond the glitz of the gala and consider joining the leadership breakfast, underscoring the importance of collective efforts and volunteerism. This episode promises more than just a story—it's an opportunity to be part of an ongoing battle where every contribution, big or small, carries the potential to save lives.
Welcome to this episode of Margage Motivation. Today I have Joel Backe with me. I know everyone knows Joel through the residential commercial real estate world, but today we're joining forces together for a great cause throughout Acadiana, one that he holds very passionate to his heart, and I'm very grateful and thankful that you're going to share your story and your information about this event, which is America Cancer Society. Welcome, joel.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Thank you so much for having me here again.
Speaker 1:So tell me a little bit about the event we have here in Acadiana and your involvement and why you got started. Let us know it all, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I am a cancer survivor. In 2011. I was diagnosed with bladder cancer and got treated for that. Everything is fine. I've been cancer free now for 13 years.
Speaker 2:So, January this year. Yeah, so that's amazing. And then in 2021, I was approached to receive a spirit of hope honoree for the American Cancer Society, the local chapter here, and that's how I got introduced to the American Cancer Society and the black and white Gala. And then, ever since then, I volunteered, I was the co-chair for the events in 2022 and 2023. And this year I will be the auction chair of the 2024 black and white Gala. And that is just a big event where it's a sit down dinner, an evening for people to get together, dress up and you know formal, and it's formal.
Speaker 1:attire black and white yeah.
Speaker 2:And we just come together and we talk about the mission of American Cancer Society, which is to fight to end cancer worldwide every cancer, every life to raise money and awareness for a cure. And it's a really amazing event. It's a whole lot of fun. It takes a lot of planning we spend practically a whole year planning the event but it's a really, really amazing opportunity to go and to learn and to again raise money for American Cancer Society.
Speaker 1:And I think our kickoff, our leadership breakfast, is around the corner, right.
Speaker 2:Yes, march 14th at the Petroleum Club, we have a leadership breakfast where we can just bring about 200 people together from the community and we just talk about the mission of the American Cancer Society, which is, you know, you hear, american Cancer Society. You think it's a big, large charity organization, which it is, but we talk about how the money raised in the state of Louisiana is actually spent in Louisiana and stays in Louisiana to help With cancer research, lodging and transportation for cancer patients as well in the area.
Speaker 1:Well, at GMFS, we have been for many years one of the main donors to MaryBeth Perkins in Baton Rouge. In every mortgage that we close here we make a donation to MaryBeth Perkins on behalf of our borrower. Our borrower gets a letter in the mail that says we've made a donation on your behalf. So if you close the mortgage with us, a portion of that. We've just been impacted so much as a company at home with cancer, and I mean the entire state of Louisiana. Just, I feel like every time we turn around recently just lost a good friend who had been battling for 10 years. So everyone I feel in our area is affected by someone some way. So how is affected from cancer. So we're going to I'm going to ask that you join forces with us and let's support Joel in this event coming up so to attend the breakfast. What do they need to do? Do they need to register or do they have to be willing to donate or assist?
Speaker 2:The breakfast is completely free. You know, we have a link that I can share with you where people can go and register to attend.
Speaker 1:And again.
Speaker 2:it's just, it talks about the mission of American Cancer Society and if you're interested in getting involved ways you can volunteer not only for the black and white gala but other events that we have throughout the year to raise awareness and money.
Speaker 1:And let's talk a little bit about the gala, because that is just such a fun event. Y'all do such a wonderful job. That date is August 24th, right? Saturday August 24th correct, and in order to attend, you need a ticket. And how does one obtain a ticket?
Speaker 2:We sell by table. So the table includes eight tickets and it's a sponsorship level of starting at $3,500. And then there's different sponsorship levels going up from there, so there's 5,000, 10,000, all the way up to 25,000. Our Lady of Lourdes is our big presenting sponsor this year.
Speaker 1:And the gala consists of an auction where it's additional funds that are raised. Y'all always have a wonderful meal, wonderful presentation, but y'all do honor certain people throughout Acadiana. Can you explain that process, correct?
Speaker 2:Yes, so we have what are called the Spirit of Hope Honorees, which is normally 10 to 13 individuals in the community. They can be cancer survivors, they can be caregivers, doctors. Also, we honor a posthumous honoree as well, and these are just people that embody the Spirit of Hope in the fight against cancer, be it through their own journey with cancer, through helping others, or through their service through medical means, through being a doctor or a nurse or something like that.
Speaker 1:And the tables will go on, so shortly right.
Speaker 2:Correct. Yeah, I mean we have sponsorships available now. You can reach out to me through Joel at regionrealtorcom or contact me. I mean I can give you a packet as well if they want to contact here about getting a table as well.
Speaker 1:And for more information. Please join us March 14th, which is next Thursday, at the petroleum club for more information on American Cancer Society and how it benefits all of Acadiana. Again, thank you for your efforts, thank you for sharing and I'm looking forward to dressing up and having a great time for a wonderful cause.
Speaker 2:It's so awesome Live band, open bar, silent auction and, you know, just a big great gathering of people from Acadiana to raise a tremendous amount of money for an amazing cause. So thank you again for having me, mimi. We appreciate it.
Speaker 1:You're welcome, thank you.