Miracle Makers: Team Taylor Wins by a Landslide

Outstanding Commitment by a Grateful Parent

There are no champions for children quite like parents. Parents are an essential part of the Golisano Children’s Hospital community. They rally friends and families together, share stories from the heart and tirelessly work as advocates for our future generation. This year, a special category has been created to celebrate the remarkable efforts that parents have made to help Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Our first-ever grateful parents Miracle Maker Award was awarded to Jennifer and Tim Brush. Jennifer and her husband, Tim, have turned what started out as a small gathering to remember their daughter Taylor into one of the most anticipated and well-attended fundraisers of the year for Golisano Children’s Hospital: the Taylor Brush Dinner Dance. Team Taylor, which Brush affectionately calls the group of friends and family that support Jen and Tim’s efforts, has raised more than $115,000 for Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Now in its seventh year, the Taylor Brush Dinner Dance is attended by hundreds of people annually. “It’s been kind of a snowball effect. I invited my friends, then they invited theirs, and the next thing you know, we had 335 people who were braving a snowstorm to come,” said Jennifer Brush, referring to the 2008 event. The event has a dinner and is followed by music from dedicated DJ David E., who has provided music for the event for years. The raffle boasts a variety of items, all donated by the community. This year’s event auctioned off a diamond necklace, worth $2,000 and donated by Jerry’s Jewelers, a Nintendo Wii donated by Bob Jacobson of B&L Wholesale Supply, and a garage door and opener donated by Brush’s family’s company, Tracey Door.

“We try to make the event a fun night out. We show a movie every year to share local stories. Even though Taylor’s not here, we want to showcase a few of the many success stories out there,” said Brush. Brush, a third grade teacher, reaches out to other teachers and students to find stories about kids who have been helped by Golisano Children’s Hospital and to encourage them to get involved.

A little bit of encouragement goes a long way. Brush started attending children’s hospital events when a friend got a letter about the Stroll for Strong Kids and suggested starting a team. Brush invited 10 family members and friends to join the walk, ironed “Team Taylor” on some t-shirts, and a dynamic fundraising team was born.

Brush emphasizes that it is actually “Team Taylor” that has earned the Miracle Maker Award, not just Brush. Ever a team player, Brush recognizes that by working together, miracles can happen.

“I know that we’re the ones getting this award but it’s really not just us,” insisted Brush. “It’s our friends, our family. We’re just a very small part of it. It’s really the team. ‘Team Taylor’ has been incredible, and it’s a small testament to the impact Taylor has had on everyone in this community.”