Second Chance Fundraising

04/04/2026

We had a great time last night with some of our long-time sponsors and volunteers celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Second Chance Fundraising. None of the activities that we do would be possible without the amazing community support we’ve gotten over the past decade. Here’s to more years of celebrating and advancing the gift of life! 💙💚

03/22/2026

We had a great time yesterday at our Mark Kresak Memorial Donate Life Hockey Game with our friends from Center for Organ Recovery & Education and the Johnstown Tomahawks! An amazing night to remember Mark and to honor Colin Keough, a young man who saved lives as an organ donor. Thanks to all who came out!

Be a hero. Be a donor. 💙💚

02/16/2026

Very excited to announce Sydney Vitko as the winner of the 2026 Laurie L. Smith Memorial Scholarship!

Sydney is a Forest Hills High School graduate and a current sophomore at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown studying nursing. She hopes to work in oncology after her graduation.

“Oncology is not about just treating the disease, it’s about offering hope, compassion, and guidance through difficult times. I want to be a part of that journey, helping patients and families navigate treatment with empathy and sympathy.”

Please join us in congratulating Sydney and thanking her for carrying on Laurie’s legacy of compassion and helping others! ❤️

Special thank you to the 1889 Foundation for their help in facilitating this scholarship!

02/12/2026

Attention Star Wars Fans!

We are super excited to announce that the Pswcs - Pennsylvania Star Wars Collecting Society has chosen Second Chance Fundraising as their benefiting non-profit for their 2026 Medallion Fundraiser. You can now pledge to purchase this custom designed Star Wars Commemorative Medallion, with proceeds being donated to Second Chance Fundraising.

If you are a Star Wars fan or simply want to help support our organization, I encourage you to help the PSWCS make this year’s fundraiser a a success!

Thank you to Bill Cable and the rest of the PSWCS for choosing Second Chance Fundraising this year! 💙💚

PSWCS.org Launches 2026 Medallion Fundraiser in Support of Second Chance Fundraising

The Pennsylvania Star Wars Collecting Society (PSWCS.org) is proud to announce the official launch of its 2026 fundraiser pledge campaign benefiting Second Chance Fundraising, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness for organ donation. PSWCS.org is inviting Star Wars fans, collectors, and supporters of life-saving causes to participate in this unique fundraising effort through a limited preorder pledge program for commemorative medallions.

https://pswcs.com/charity/pledge.cfm

Now through March 9, 2026, participants can secure their pledge for the 2026 PSWCS.org medallion — with pricing determined by the total number of preorders received. This dynamic pricing model ensures that supporters benefit from lower costs as more pledges come in, while maximizing funds raised for Second Chance Fundraising.

Dynamic Pricing Details:
• If 500 preorders are received, medallions will be priced at $19.59 + shipping.
• If 1,000 preorders are reached, the price drops to $12.02 + shipping, with tiered price reductions available at each 100-unit milestone above 500.
• Medallions will only be produced if the 500-unit minimum preorder threshold is met.

"We're excited to launch our 2026 fundraiser for Second Chance Fundraising, and approaching it in an entirely different manner is a new challenge" said PSWCS.org President Bill Cable. "We're committed to raising $7000 for the charity, and we hope our long-time supporters embrace this new system."

Pledgers may reserve their medallions now with no upfront payment — invoices will be sent following the close of the preorder period. Once produced, all medallions will be shipped via USPS Ground Advantage with tracking.

About PSWCS.org:
Founded by passionate Star Wars enthusiasts, PSWCS.org has a long tradition of charitable support through collectible medallion fundraisers. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and works to combine fan engagement with philanthropy across Pennsylvania and beyond.

About Second Chance Fundraising:
Second Chance Fundraising is a nonprofit organization based in Johnstown, PA focused on increasing awareness and support for organ donation — empowering individuals and families affected by organ failure.

How to Participate:
Preorders are being accepted through the PSWCS.org fundraising pledge page now through March 9, 2026. For more details, visit the pledge form at https://pswcs.com/charity/pledge.cfm

01/26/2026

Reminder that applications for the Laurie Smith Memorial Scholarship are open until this Friday. If you or someone you know is in nursing school in the area please consider applying!

This scholarship was created to honor the legacy of Craig’s mom, Laurie Smith. Laurie graduated from Forest Hills High School and the Conemaugh School of Nursing in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She worked as a nurse at Cleveland Clinic and at Mercy Hospital in Johnstown. Laurie was a passionate supp....

12/16/2025

🚨APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!!🚨

We are now accepting applications for our 2026 Laurie L. Smith Memorial Scholarship for nursing students!

✅ $1,000 scholarship awarded every spring

✅ Winner must be a student from Cambria or Somerset County and studying nursing at a school in Cambria or Somerset County

✅ Winner must spend no less than 8 hours volunteering at a community health clinic to receive their full scholarship

✅ Scholarship applications will close on January 16th, with a winner decided by February.

If you or anyone you know are interested in applying please see the link below.

This scholarship was created to honor the legacy of Craig’s mom, Laurie Smith. Laurie graduated from Forest Hills High School and the Conemaugh School of Nursing in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She worked as a nurse at Cleveland Clinic and at Mercy Hospital in Johnstown. Laurie was a passionate supp....

11/04/2025

💙💚

November is Eye Donation Month, a time to honor cornea donors, celebrate recipients, and raise awareness about the life-changing gift of sight. Join us in recognizing those heroes who make vision restoration possible through the gift of cornea donation. Learn more: https://restoresight.org/cornea-donation/

10/16/2025

Today marks the 10-year anniversary of my heart transplant. At times it feels like it just happened yesterday and other times I can’t comprehend all that has happened since I received my second chance. Transplantation isn’t possible without the amazing work of our healthcare workers so we spent the day at Allegheny General Hospital visiting with and giving treats to the doctors, nurses, and staff who make it happen. It was great to see my former coordinator Kari as well as the man who did the surgery himself, Dr. Bailey!

Huge thanks to Center for Organ Recovery & Education and Duquesne’s SODA: Student Organ Donation Advocates - SODA National chapter for joining us for the day as well.

If you haven’t already made the pledge for life I encourage you to consider becoming an organ donor so someday you may be able to give someone else their second chance. Here’s to the next ten years! 💙💚

08/22/2025

Proud to support this great program again.

Good luck to all the students!

💙💚

The Campus Challenge is back for its third season, presented by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations - AOPO and Eye Bank Association of America with DONATE LIFE TEXAS and Second Chance Fundraising!

From August 20–November 16, students nationwide will team up, rally school spirit, and compete to educate their peers about organ, eye, and tissue donation.

With every point earned, students bring us closer to a future where more lives are saved and healed.

📣 Game on, give life! Join the roster at sodanational.org/campuschallenge.

08/11/2025

🚨RECORD BREAKING YEAR🚨

We had an amazing time at the 9th Annual Second Chance 5K Run/Walk on Saturday! Thanks to all of you we were able to break both our attendance and fundraising records! With your help we raised $17,000 for important organ donation awareness initiatives throughout Western Pennsylvania and beyond.

We can’t say enough about all of our generous sponsors, basket raffle donors, our amazing volunteers, and of course all of our supporters who came out to the race! Thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you all next year! 💙💚

08/09/2025

We will have more pictures and information soon but for now, here are the results of today’s race.

https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/168978

Thanks again to everyone who came out and participated in any way! 💙💚

The Second Chance 5k is on Saturday August 9, 2025.