Are You Registered for the 2011 Walk?

Thank you for your support of the JDRF Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes!  As we announced last month, JDRF has launched an upgraded registration and fundraising website.  The new system offers participants additional features such as the ability to set up a team web page and link your personal fundraising page to social networking sites.  It will also enable walkers to track Walk donations and download donor reports.  Because the system is new, it contains no information from previous years; therefore, all participants will have to register as if they have never registered for another JDRF event before. 

Register your team today!

As a Team Captain, you must first create your 2011 team. The first person to register with the team will automatically be registered as the Team Captain, so make sure that person is you! Other walkers are unable to join until the team is registered. If you find that your team already exists and someone else has accidentally been registered as Team Captain, please register as a walker and then contact your local Walk Manager to become the Team Captain.
We have created a document which will help guide you through the registration process.  If you have any questions, please e-mail or call your Walk Manager so we can help walk you through the process or answer any questions.

We hope that the fun you had with us and the inspiration you felt while making a difference in the lives of people with type 1 diabetes will inspire you to join us again on Sunday, October 2nd!

Can't be there on Walk Day?  JDRF's new registration page now offers registration for "Virtual Walkers" who are not able to attend the Walk, but still want to raise money for a cure!  Virtual Walkers qualify for incentive prizes, team awards, etc.

Register today!

Thank you again for all you do to support JDRF! 

For another exciting way to support JDRF and pay tribute to Ron, please click here to learn more about our 2011 Best of Illinois "Bringing Home A Cure" event on Thursday, May 19th at Wrigley Field!

RON SANTO WALK SPOTLIGHT: SEKO Worldwide, LLC

SEKO Worldwide, LLC, an innovative, flexible provider of first-class transportation services, will once again be partnering with JDRF as a 2011 Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes corporate sponsor. 

SEKO has been supporting the Walk since 2007, and since that time, they have raised over $40,000 through their fundraising efforts!  In addition to their sponsorship, the SEKO Walk team holds JDRF "FUNdraisers" that keep the momentum going all year round!  And they really do put the FUN into fundraising with their fun events, exciting raffles, auctions and various sports-themed pools! 
 

Members of the SEKO team at their 2011 Kick-Off

They officially began their 2011 efforts on April 7th when they held their internal kick-off, which they themed "Opening Day" to coincide with the start of baseball season.  They sold hot dogs, kicked off their season-long baseball pool, and held a raffle for various baseball themed items, including Cubs tickets.  They are also theming their 2011 Walk fundraising efforts to be "In Honor of Ron Santo".  

We asked Holly La Vine, Director, Human Resources, why they chose to support JDRF and this is what she shared:  "SEKO chose to support the JDRF in 2007 primarily because we wanted to give back to the community.  After hearing Erin Miller's JDRF presentation, we appreciated that the fundraising focus of the Illinois Chapter is on the annual Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes and that there isn’t any pressure imposed to raise a minimum dollar amount.  Through our FUNdraisers, we have found that our efforts continually promote two of our five Core Values – Teamwork and Fun as well as it is heartwarming to be a part of the energy on Walk Day.  Our partnership has remained strong through a shared enthusiasm in all endeavors as well as a commitment to meet a goal!"

The SEKO team is on their way to another very successful FUNdraising year!  We look forward to partnering with them again and are so grateful for their continued support of JDRF! Thank you to the entire SEKO Worldwide, LLC team!

To learn more about SEKO Worldwide, LLC, please visit their website at www.sekologistics.com.

Volunteer Spotlight: The Guzan Family

Don, Gale, Jake and CJ Guzan have been volunteering for the Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes since 1999.  Many Lakefront Walkers will recognize them from their numerous years managing the T-shirt Tent.  The Guzan family does not have a direct family connection to type 1 diabetes.  Their dedication mainly comes from their desire to serve their community as well as support friends who have diabetes.


In 1999, Gale and Jake walked and raised donations for the Aon Corporation team while Don and CJ, six years old at the time, volunteered for the first time and were placed at the T-shirt tent.  Since that time, Don and his family have made the t-shirt tent their own:  bringing their own signs, using their perfected t-shirt sizing techniques, and making t-shirt distribution fun and efficient.


Don said the best part of managing the t-shirt tent is “Getting people to laugh.  Making new friends.”  It is not often that organizations see volunteers as dedicated as the Guzan family.  When asked why they continue to volunteer year after year Don responded, “Because it’s the right thing to do.  We are very proud of the fact that our two boys volunteer all the time because of the JDRF Walk.”  As for the 2011 Walk?  “We will be back.”


Thank you to the Guzan family for their commitment, dedication, and hard work year after year.  The Lakefront T-shirt Tent would not be the same without you.

JDRF is grateful for all of our dedicated volunteers.  For more information on how you can volunteer with JDRF, please click here.

Party City Sneaker Sales Campaign

Party City, America's largest specialty party goods chain, has teamed up with JDRF for a sneaker sales campaign that goes until May 14, 2011. 

The campaign kicked-off on April 3rd and since that time almost $30,000 has been raised in their Illinois locations alone! 

JDRF sneakers are selling fast at Party City!

There is still a few weeks to go, so please help us spread the word about this campaign and purchase a sneaker on your next trip to Party City. To find a location near you, please click here. Thank you, Party City!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS - APRIL & MAY

Check out these exciting events coming up to benefit JDRF!

Egg Shell Shuffle - Saturday, April 23, 2011

Friends of Samantha's Steppers Walk team will be hosting a Half Marathon, 5k Run/Walk, and an egg hunt at Busse Woods Forest Preserve.
6:45-8:00am: Race Day Registration ($55 1/2 marathon, $35 5k, $5 egg hunt) and packet pick-up.
8:30am: 1/2 marathon start
8:45am: 5k run/walk start
11:30/11:45am:  Awards (approximate time)
12:00 EGG HUNT BEGINS!

**reduced registration rates if you register before April 23rd**

To register today and learn more about the Egg Shell Shuffle please visit: www.eggshellshuffle.com.

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Freedom from Insulin 2011! - Friday, May 6th
Join the Kouba Family Team at Real Time Sports Bar in St. Charles, IL on May 6th.  Enjoy live music, 50/50 raffle and much more from 6 p.m. - 1 a.m.!

For more information, please contact Gary at: TurbomanG@aol.com.

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Team Nick J, led by 13-year old Summer Evans, is up and running for the 2011 Walk!  Summer created Team Nick J at the Southwest Walk in honor of Nick Jonas. In 2008, at the age of 8, she raised $100.  She grew her total to over $1,200 in 2010 and her goal for 2011 is $5,000!  Summer runs a variety of creative fundraisers from selling JDRF bears, to conducting tag days at the local Jewel or Walmart,(she already raised $130 in one day so far this year), to offering discounted Great America Tickets with a portion of the proceeds going to JDRF. Summer always comes up with unique ways to fundraise.

You can support team Nick J., by purchasing great America Tickets which will be good for May7th and May14th. The price of the ticket is $25.00 and $6.00 will go to JDRF.  To order tickets, please e-mail Summer at jdrfdonations@comcast.net or call 815-603-1169.

Summer will also be hosting a “Wendy’s Night Out” on May 24th from 5pm to 8pm at the Wendy’s located at 2900 Plainfield Road in Joliet.  A portion of all of the evenings proceeds will go to JDRF! Please stop by and visit Summer and support JDRF!   


To keep up with all the Team Nick J fundraisers, please visit: http://teamnickj.yolasite.com/.

Good luck Team Nick J and thank you for all your fundraising efforts!

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Special thanks to the below teams for recently hosting an event or kicking-off their 2011 JDRF fundraising efforts:

 

In March, corporate team Pella Windows and Doors Replacement Division, held a March Madness bracket challenge.  Participating employees donated $5 to JDRF to submit a bracket to enter the challenge.  The winner won a gift card and all donations collected went to JDRF.  To make things easy, they used an online pool administrator to do the leg work of calculating brackets and winners.  What a fun way to raise funds!

* * *

Hyatt Hotels Corporation just had their 2011 Walk planning meeting and set their team goal for an ambitious but attainable $50,000!  Last year Hyatt raised over $47,000 which surpassed their $40,000 team goal.  They hope to get more people involved this year by having at least one team captain per department.  Way to go Hyatt!

Do you have an event coming up to benefit your Walk team?  Please let us know about it! Send your event details to your local Walk Manager.

JDRF Kids Walk to Cure Diabetes

Spring is the perfect time to organize a Kids Walk!  For more information on the JDRF Kids Walk program, please visit jdrfkidswalk.donordrive.com.  To set-up your own Kids Walk, please contact your local Walk Manager.


Read on to see what other Schools are doing...


Getting students excited about raising money for JDRF is just what Rockdale School did on March 25^th!  They held a week-long diabetes awareness week for all their students’ K-8^th grade.  Rounding out the week on Friday with a diabetes guest speaker and a school talent show helped the students raise over $600 to support JDRF.  Way to show your support, Rockdale School students!


Kingston Elementary School in Kingston, IL hosted a Kid’s Walk on April 12th and raised $3,000!  Thank you for your support, Kingston Elementary! Way to go!

Chatsworth Elementary Students, in Chatsworth, IL, a new school walk team, will be spending their spring break collecting proceeds for their JDRF Kids Walk, which they will conduct when they return from break.  You can support Chatsworth and their efforts to fundraise by making a donation to their school fundraising page.  Best wishes to Chatsworth Elementary and thank you for participating in the JDRF Kids Walk program!

St. Philip the Apostle School in Addison, IL will be holding a Kids Walk on May 26th. Good Luck!

Thank you to all of these Schools!  Follow their lead and set-up your own Kids Walk today!  Contact your local Walk Manager to learn more.

2011 Walk Fundraising Ideas

Start your Walk fundraising early this year! Take a look at our Summer FUNdraising flyer (below) for some great ways to keep the kids entertained this summer, while raising money for your Walk team. Have questions? Please contact your Walk Manager.



Click to enlarge and download.



JDRF Illinois Advocacy Needs Your Voice in the 17th Congressional District of Illinois!

JDRF sponsors a New Member Outreach Initiative (NMOI) for newly elected members of Congress intended to introduce new members to JDRF and its mission.

A meeting has been scheduled with Representative Schilling (17th Congressional District) on Thursday, April 21, 2011. The meeting will take place at Rep. Schilling's Moline office (3000 41st St., Suite 2) at 3:30 pm.

This is a great opportunity for Rep. Schilling to hear from his constituents! Please email Brian Annulis at bdannulis@sbcglobal.net if you are able to attend the April 21st meeting (please include the names of attendees).

If you are not already an advocate, please be sure to sign up today!