The Funding Fathers
Great Dads Coming Together for a Great Cause
Who are the Funding Fathers?
These 12 dads were chosen for their commitment to their families and the community. They will have until the middle of August to fundraise. They will be doing virtual spots, fun events, securing sponsors and asking friends to support their campaigns. The dad who raises the most will be crowned The Father Figure.
What and Where is The Father Figure?
The Father Figure is the Relationship Foundation of Virginia’s signature event honoring the Funding Fathers. On August 27th, 2022 from 7-11pm at The Diamond, we will come together to celebrate our great dads, amazing volunteers and great corporate partners. We will also announce the winner of the title, The Father Figure!
Dale Baake
My kids will tell you, I am definitely the COOLEST dad they know. Just kidding, just kidding - but I really do try. I've been Iron Man, an inflatable T-Rex, a zombie, and finally Kristoff (from Frozen) for Halloween...so yeah, I aspire to be a good father, just like the one that raised me. My wife, Kasey, is the ringleader of this circus, and I am so lucky to do life (and business) with her. As owners of our team Boone Residential at EXP Realty, she calls me "the talent" and herself "the brains" - which I won't argue. Our three kids - Benton (9), Chloe (7), and Fischer (1) - are constantly teaching me how to be a better human, and I look forward to being able to teach them how to pay it forward!
Donate to Dale!
COREY BURTON
Hi Everyone, I'm Corey Burton. I was born and raised in RVA. I am a proud JMU Duke where I met my beautiful wife. We have three boys under four and another boy in Heaven who blessed us with our youngest two through adoptions. It's been a wild ride in our first few years of marriage to say the least! I help folks navigate the homebuying process to grow and develop in their communities. I am fired up to be a part of this great foundation and look forward to connecting with many dads and families.
Donate to Corey!
ZACH BUTLER
Hi. I'm Zach Butler and I grew up in Richmond. I love it here. I'm the husband of a beautiful wife Mandy (10 years) and have two beautiful daughters (Hazel 6 and Poppy 4). I love being a father to both of my kids, just like my dad was for me. I grew up playing basketball and going to Richmond Spiders games. Now, I love to take my girls to the games with me. We are members at our local pool, Ridgetop, and enjoy taking the kids up there to spend summer nights swimming and hanging out with the local community. I’m glad FFVA reached out to me and am thrilled to be a Funding Father this year. I believe in what the organization is doing and am excited to support the Fatherhood Foundation of VA.
Donate to Zach!JEFF DONHAM
Donate to Jeff D.!
As a self-proclaimed Super Dad to 2 wild kids, Derek (4) and Avery (2) and lucky husband to my wife Leah, I have learned that it really does “take a village." Growing up in the Richmond area, I have loved being a part of the community. I played baseball at Tuckahoe Little League growing up and now have the opportunity of corralling 4- and 5-year-olds around the tee ball fields as their coach. I have also found a community at S3E CrossFit, where I also was introduced to FFVA by some other awesome dads. You can also find me playing out at Hermitage Country Club or in various tournaments. As a Senior Wealth Advisor for The Colony Group, I have been lucky to find a profession and company that helps cultivate and inspire families to reach their own personal goals.
JUAN JIMINEZ
I love my family. My favorite part of being a father is giving a love to my children that I never experienced , and knowing they will pass that on to their children. I never could have imagined in a million years that I’d have four kids but I love every bit of it.
Being a small business owner gives me the freedom to be present in their lives in ways I didn’t think were possible. I’m excited to be part of this organization that recognizes the importance of great father figures, and is on a journey to create more of them.
Being a small business owner gives me the freedom to be present in their lives in ways I didn’t think were possible. I’m excited to be part of this organization that recognizes the importance of great father figures, and is on a journey to create more of them.
Donate to Juan!
ERIC LAYNE
I’m a newbie dad and loving every second of it! Our beautiful daughter, Clara James, joined us in Spring 2020 and we feel blessed every single day. Of course, we couldn’t do it without my wonderful wife Amanda, who has taken on the challenge of staying home with Clara daily. In 2006, it was love at first sight on the doorstep of our freshman dorm building at Virginia Tech. After 4 years in Blacksburg, a move to RVA seemed like a good option and we’ve been here ever since. The furry guy in the picture is Toast (named after our favorite RVA restaurant). He’s a true companion and his relationship with Clara is growing stronger every day, especially around Clara’s mealtime with constant floor scraps. When I’m not at home with the family, you can find me serving clients of my wealth management firm started in 2015 or catch me on stage tickling the ivories. I’m blessed for the opportunity and I couldn’t do it without my brilliant team members and the rock of my life, Amanda. Out of all lifetime goals, being a great father figure to the family is #1. Every day is a learning experience, and I hope to make my mark on helping other fathers this year with my partnership with RFVA.
Donate to Eric!
BJ REVIS
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio by loving parents who have now been married for 47 years, I made a trip down I-81 to JMU. It was there that I met my wonderful wife Krystal. Our first son Brady, who just turned 10, taught us what it means to be a parent. Our middle child, Lucy, is 6. She inherited my desire to break the rules and be bold... for which I absolutely love her. Our youngest, Alex, is 4 and is turning into his own person. He has an incredible zest for the little things in life. With my parents plus my wife and three kids, I realize I am incredibly blessed. And I also recognize that not every child is so fortunate. For this reason, I want to do my part to help the RFVA help other fathers and children find their own blessings.
Donate to BJ!
JODY ROGISH
In my eighth year as WRVA’s afternoon drive talent, the Jeff Katz show continues to dominate the market in ratings/revenue. My program appeals to listeners across the political spectrum with former Governor Doug Wilder joining me in the same week as Senator Ted Cruz. I am very proud of my humanitarian efforts. I have repeatedly received The President’s Award for Volunteer Service. I serve on the Hanover County Community Services Board and am the Mayor of Beaverdam. I also serve on the Board for The Friendship Circle which serves disabled Virginians like my daughter. I donate my time to Childrens’ Hospital of Richmond, Virginia Medical Reserve Corps and now RFVA. I've been named a “Hometown Hero” by Allen & Allen and received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award. The readers of the Richmond Times-Dispatch voted my show as the Best Local Afternoon Radio Show. I have been married to Heidi for 22 years and we live in Hanover County. We are the proud parents of Harry, a sophomore at Stanford University, Julia who is a special needs student at Patrick Henry High School and Joe who is a sophomore at PHHS.
Donate to Jody!OWEN THATCHER
Born and raised in VA Beach, I made my way to JMU (Go Dukes!) where I met my wonderful wife, Morgan. We moved back to VA Beach after college to start our careers, but RVA was called to us. In 2018 I decided to join Providence Hill Real Estate. Our daughter, Birdie, was born in October 2021. We reside in Tuckahoe with our dog (June) and our cat (Willow).who isn't sure why we keep bringing new people home.
Growing up I never wanted to be firefighter, police officer, or astronaut, the goal was to be a dad. Throughout my life I had the opportunity to learn from my Dad, mentors, and friends of what it looks like to be a great father. Since Birdie was born, I have never experienced this type of love, joy, and growth. Being apart of FFVA gives me an opportunity to continue to learn from other great dads and to help others become even better.
Donate to Owen!
WAYNE VAUGHAN
As an RVA region native, faith, family, fellowship, and function have always driven me. After marrying
my wife Debbie (married 33 years this August), being a father and grandfather have been the biggest
blessing and challenge in my life. I was fortunate to be raised in a loving home by parents who just
celebrated 55 years of marriage on April 1st (no joke). My sons
are 31 and 27 and my granddaughters are 3 and 5. As a parent, I experienced garage bands, Marvel
movies, video games, and sports through the eyes of a child. Now I am experiencing the world of
princesses, dancing and tea parties
In my current role as VP of Sales and Marketing at TK Promotions, I enjoy helping clients execute brand
strategies using promotional products and creating heroes. We have supported FFVA in several ways historically,
and I am honored to serve as a Funding “Grand”Father this year.
Donate to Wayne!
CHARLIE VECCHIO
There have been three monumental moments in my life. 1. The day Christ saved me. 2. The day my wife agreed to put up with me forever. 3. The day my son entered the world. Each moment brought a different perspective and an immeasurable amount of love. As a family, we enjoy reading, dancing, road trips, cooking, and Liberty Flames football. During the day, I help families with the most important financial decision of their life, buying a home. Being a mortgage loan officer has allowed me to serve people as they experience their own monumental moments. My greatest heroes are my parents. As the oldest of five kids, I was their guinea pig. While imperfect, they loved (and continue to love) us unconditionally. They both remain a constant source of wisdom and comfort. I realize that I am fortunate to have grown up with such incredible parents. It is an honor serving among a great group of dads, to restore family values in our community.
Donate to Charlie!
JEFF ZALINSKI
Hello everyone, I am honored and proud to be a part of this year’s Funding Fathers campaign for FFVA.
As a small business owner, father and veteran, I have learned the value of relationships with my family, my employees and those around me. The value of being able to give back to our communities is invaluable. To be able to take my Family to the Chesterfield Food Bank or have my daughter come help with a tech drive for Tech for Troops, are just some of the life lessons they will never forget.
I have two beautiful daughters at Midlothian High School. Thank you in advance for any support for this fantastic cause.
As a small business owner, father and veteran, I have learned the value of relationships with my family, my employees and those around me. The value of being able to give back to our communities is invaluable. To be able to take my Family to the Chesterfield Food Bank or have my daughter come help with a tech drive for Tech for Troops, are just some of the life lessons they will never forget.
I have two beautiful daughters at Midlothian High School. Thank you in advance for any support for this fantastic cause.
Donate to Jeff Z.!
KRS Holdings
Kyle Stephenson is a proud dad excited to once again be supporting Richmond's only event honoring great fathers in our community. We are very lucky to have KRS Holdings as a signature sponsor for The Father Figure for the past 6 years. Cheers to KRS for their commitment to families.
Garden Grove Brewing andUrban Winery – 2022 Corporate Partner of the Year
RFVA is proud to recognize Garden Grove as their 2022 Corporate Partner of the Year. Thanks to this company, we have our own labeled beer and wine which has generated over $2,500 in donations. Not to mention hosting Date Nights and Happy Hours in which we have had to turn people away. Cheers to Garden Grove for their commitment to DADS and relationships in our community.
Christine Probst- 2022 Volunteer of the Year
For over 5 years, we have asked Christine to do things such as create Christmas Tree for a competition or secure items for an event. She always says YES. She has been instrumental in our growth over the years not only as a volunteer but as an advocate for the mission. In addition to volunteering, she sits on FFVA's Board of Directors. Christine epitomizes FFVA by promoting strong family values in everything she does. We are pleased to recognize her as the 2022 Volunteer of the Year.
Thanks to the 2022 Sponsors of The Father Figure
