Jake Fine, 15, is the reason Team Brotherly Love was founded in 2004. He was only seven when he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. He is now a freshman at Peddie School. The Fine family of West Windsor is very involved and has created four initiatives — Dollars for Diabetes, Lacrosse Against Diabetes, Kicks for Cash, and Fine Friends.
Dollars for Diabetes is a fundraising campaign where TBL volunteers place fundraising buckets in stores throughout their community. Volunteers also take time to storm sports fields, asking for donations. “Most importantly, TBL has not only raised money, but has provided other kids the opportunity to become leaders in their own social circles,” says Debi Fine, Jake’s mother.
Team Brotherly Love and the Fine family are also involved in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Golf and Tennis Open on Monday, June 11, at Greenacres Country Club in Lawrenceville. They have raised more than $1 million in honor of Jake, who will be at the event setting up prizes, working on the golf course, and organizing the young volunteers.
Lacrosse Against Diabetes is TBL’s largest initiative, where each year apparel is designed and sold at lacrosse tournaments throughout the year. Jake and his older brother, Daniel, are responsible for managing the end-to-end process from product design to inventory management. TBL apparel is now sold in High School North and South, Grover and Community middle school, Peddie School, Hun School, and Pennington School. The money raised is donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Kicks for Cash brought the JDRF’s idea of paper sneaker sales from storefronts to schools. Volunteers seek permission from administrators to sell the paper sneakers for $1 to $5 during lunch periods.
The organizations have raised close to $200,000 to date and the momentum continues. “Over the last few months, TBL has garnered awareness at regional lacrosse events and allowed these initiatives to expand from our West Windsor and Princeton community to Mountain Lakes, and Canton, Ohio,” says Debi.
Several months ago, Jake connected with the International Diabetes Federation and was made aware of how much more difficult it is for kids in developing countries to manage Type 1 Diabetes. As a consequence, TBL decided to expand the by supporting a clinic in an underdeveloped country. Jake orchestrated a vote amongst the student population at Peddie and Nigeria was chosen as the country to be the recipient of some of the money raised by TBL. Team Brotherly Love now ranges from New Jersey to Nigeria.
The Fine family has lived in West Windsor for 20 years. Debi is an executive in New York City. Jake’s father, Rick, is an anesthesiologist in Philadelphia.
Jake and Daniel both attended WW-P schools through eighth grade and transferred to Peddie for high school. Daniel graduated from Peddie in 2011 and is a student at Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania. At Peddie Jake serves on the student council and is the head tour guide, in the entrepreneur Club, and on crew.
“Fine Friends is a program that connects children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes with families already living with type 1 to offer companionship, positive support, and advice,” says Debi.
“We also strive to achieve something else —- to achieve something that cannot be measured in dollars, lives, nor hours,” says Debi. “Through raising money and awareness, the concept of philanthropy, community values, and doing good has been ingrained in the many kids who participate in our various endeavors.”
— Lynn Miller
Golf and Tennis Open, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Greenacres Country Club, Lawrenceville. Register. Golf, $395; tennis, $195; dinner, $95. www.jdrf.org or 732-296-7171.
