Teen honors uncle with Down syndrome by raising $10K through sports card fundraiser
By Rachel Whelan
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AMBERLEY, Ohio (WLWT) — A shared love of sports cards between a nephew and his uncle turned into something much bigger this weekend in Blue Ash.
Seventeen-year-old Ezra Cohen, a junior at Cincinnati Country Day School, raised more than $10,000 for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati after organizing his own sports card fundraiser called “Cards for Community.”
The event was held Sunday at Black Sheep Performance and featured more than 40 vendors selling and trading sports cards, Pokémon cards and collectibles.
But for Ezra, the event was never just about cards.
“I started getting into sports cards with my uncle with Down syndrome,” Ezra said. “His name is Uncle Herschel. We would just open packs when I was younger and have fun. If he pulled a name that he knew or I knew.”
That uncle is Herschel Gutman — someone Ezra says has always brought joy and energy everywhere he goes.
“He always has fun with everything he does, and it’s really enjoyable to be around him,” Ezra said.
Over the years, Ezra’s hobby grew into his own business, Beacon Cards and Collectibles, where he buys, sells and trades sports cards at shows around Greater Cincinnati.
This year, he decided to use that passion to give back.
The high school junior spent months recruiting vendors, passing out flyers across Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, and promoting the fundraiser — all while balancing finals week.
At one point, Ezra said he worried the event might not come together at all.
“My original goal was $5,000,” he said. “After the first few weeks, I was unsure if I’d even get to 5,000. It blew my mind when I saw the final total.”
By Sunday afternoon, hundreds of people had attended the event.
Ezra says while the money raised was important, he also hoped the fundraiser helped people better understand the Down syndrome community.
“I just want them to know that they’re real humans too, and they have feelings and they’re really fun people,” Ezra said. “So no matter who the person is, if you get to know them, you might really love them.”
The event also became a proud moment for Ezra’s family.
During an interview after the fundraiser, Ezra’s younger brother interrupted to tell him how much he admired what he accomplished.
“I love how you put on the card show and tried to do stuff for the community,” his brother told him. “I love how you started your own business when you were young.”
Ezra says he hopes this year’s event is just the beginning and would love to continue growing “Cards for Community” in the future.
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