'Caring for Cade' Scores a Fundraising Touchdown

The community turned out in force Wednesday at in Rancho Santa Margarita to support the "Caring for Cade" drive to help raise funds to offset medical bills for 4-year-old Cade Spinello.

Two days after Mike and Erin Spinello of Ladera Ranch had a daughter by planned C-section, Cade was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After his second operation, on Jan. 17, he suffered a massive stroke. (Check out the story and the gallery of the Ballpark Fundraiser )

Mike Spinello, a teacher at Robinson Elementary, has not yet returned to work but would no doubt be touched by the support shown him and his family Wednesday.

Not only was 20 percent of pizza sales donated to the Spinellos—owner Jim Poettgen estimated that the equivalent of 350 large pizzas were sold on Wednesday alone—but there was also a bake sale and jewelry sale inside the restaurant in which 100 percent of the proceeds went to the Spinello family.

Spinello teaches sixth grade after a long history of teaching fifth, and he is  a linebackers coach on a lower-level football team at Mission Viejo High. Among those at Ballpark were varsity coach Bob Johnson and players, including running back Dallas Kessman "to support Cade, the coach's son."

Yet there were many who had no affiliation with sports. They were familiar with Spinello the teacher, and they were there as much in support of Mike Spinello as they were the cause.

"We love Mr. Spinello," said Deanna Maass of Dove Canyon, who was dining with her husband, Jeff. "He made such an impact on our children's lives, this is the least I can do to say thank you. He cared about the character and quality of the child he teaches."

Although Spinello teaches at Robinson Elementary, Jeff and Carol Walker decided to support the cause because of an announcement about the fundraiser at Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate, where daughter Nicole is a seventh-grader.

"It's great to support people in need. Kids learn about helping others," Carol Walker said. "It's important that they learn to do for others."

Said Jeff: "We've been touched personally by cancer. Who knows when we'll need that support?"

The fundraiser was supposed to be only one day, but response was so intense that Poettgen started offering the deal—mention the Spinellos for 20 percent of the cost to go to the family—days earlier. On a Wednesday night when there might normally be only a few families in the restaurant, the place was packed.

Poettgen said there was only one other time in the 18 years that the restaurant has been open that it was as packed. "After Robbie Dubois' mother passed away, the Mission Viejo football team had a fundraiser here," Poettgen said.

Twice on Wednesday the restaurant ran out of pizza dough."We couldn't keep up with it," Poettgen said. "It backed us up. We said, 'Come back tomorrow.' "

So the fundraiser at Ballpark Pizza will extend through Friday.

"I'd be surprised if we don't raise $3,000 or $4,000," Poettgen said. "These people have been coming back every single day.

"This is the toughest thing for any father. All I want is a miracle. Just give it back to the kid."