Ronnie James Dio's widow, Wendy Dio, who also served in the role of Dio's longtime manager, has released the following two statements to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:
"Statement 1:
"Regarding Rock [THE RODS frontman/ex-ELF guitarist David Feinstein] and [MANOWAR bassist] Joey DeMaio's relationships with Ronnie:
"Rock and Ronnie were cousins, they loved each other like brothers, they spent time together, called and sent text messages to each other all the time, our families vacationed together. Rock was one of the pallbearers that carried Ronnie's casket at the funeral.
"Ronnie knew Joey DeMaio, they were not friends.
"Can we now put an end to this?
"I am sure there will be people name-calling me for what I say, but everyone has a right to their own opinion, including me!
"Statement 2:
"In answer to [registered BLABBERMOUTH.NET user who goes by the name] 'alternativemonkey', who has every right to ask, instead of assuming, [whether] the Ronnie James Dio "Stand up and Shout" Cancer Fund is my supposed 'slush fund,' as some of you have already accused me of:
"I received the Articles of Incorporation of The Ronnie James Dio "Stand Up and Shout" Cancer Fund, a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation on June 1st, 2010. Registration # 3295083 from the Secretary of State of the State of California. Which states: This corporation is a nonprofit corporation and is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is organized under the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law for charitable purposes. The specific purpose of this corporation is primarily to provide free cancer-screening programs and testing to the public regardless of any individual's ability to pay for same, to provide financial assistance to cancer patients who are burdened with the cost of health care. Additionally, this corporation may engage in activities that are reasonably related to, or in furtherance of, its stated charitable purposes or in any other charitable activities. This Corporation is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code).
"The Board of Directors are as follows: Gloria Butler, Wendy Dio, Dr. Lois Lee, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, Stanley J. Diamond (attorney at law), John Doran CPA, Adam Parsons, Tim Murch, Paul Newman, Nick Jackson, Neil Warnock, Robin Shaw, Maureen O'Connor, Dean Schachtel and Sheila Melody.
"The funds are being held in Wells Fargo Bank. To date we have received donations of $170,620.69 through PayPal, and $38,003.05 in cheques. We received a $10,000 donation from METALLICA, and generous donations from DEEP PURPLE, Slash and Metal Blade Records and from all the wonderful friends and fans.
"We held our first Board meeting on June 9th and discussed our first release of funds going to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Texas, The T.J. Martell Foundation and other cancer centers, we will be requesting proposals from each organization as to how the donation will be spent to be considered by the Board, before any funds are released to them.
"I will keep you updated of where your money is going, and can assure you it will NOT be going into any administration costs, but to the people that need it. This is the main reason I wanted to form this fund, so we do know where the money goes and not eaten up by a big corporation that does have administration costs.
"The T-shirts and buttons were made and sold to us at cost by Blastwaves, the memorial books I personally paid for, and we have to charge postage, as the post office does not mail out for free, there are NO other administration costs. The memorial packages are packed and addressed at my office, by friends and Board members who volunteer their time."
He dicho
