John & Caroline Bateman-Sudhoff

Please join me in congratulating Mr. and Mrs. John & Caroline Bateman-Sudhoff on being our Herbies Heroes. Caroline has been part of the Ellerbe family since around 1982 when she and Mark met in High School. Her genuine love for people and family was something to be envious of if you didn’t share the same qualities. Her friendship with Mark led in to not only a lifelong friendship with him, but the entire Ellerbe family. There were many outings for pizza and movies with Caroline throughout High School that left quite an impression on us as a family. Although she and Mark had not been in contact with each other since graduating, the bond that developed has lasted the test of time. Thankfully Facebook came around and it was no time before the two reconnected. Unfortunately the situation was so that Herb Ellerbe was in the midst of Cancer treatment and not doing well at all. The moment Caroline and her hysterically humorous husband John (aka my adopted brother) were informed of the founding of the Organization Herbies Heroes, honoring my father Herb Ellerbe, they immediately wanted to help spread the word, and help support the cause to finding a cure for this disease. An opportunity recently came about where John and Caroline bought a % of Mark playing in a Poker Tournament at the World Series of Poker in which she ended up profiting in the endeavor, and to no ones surprise, she of course donated the entire amount right back to Herbies Heroes in order to continue supporting the annual Herbies Heroes Scholarship given to a graduating Senior from our alma mater Orange Park High School as well as other recipients. Please join me in thanking them and congratulating John and Caroline Bateman-Sudoff, and my friend, on being our Herbies Hero.