2009 Walk Award Winners

JDRF Illinois celebrated the 2009 Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes and the $4.9 million generated at the Walk Awards Dinner on January 14th. It was a wonderful evening and we enjoyed having the opportunity to thank all of our supporters and top fundraisers.

Take a look back at Walk Day...




Congratulations to our Top Fundraisers of 2009!

2009 Team Cup Winners (Top Fundraising Corporate & Family Teams by site)

Lakefront Site
Top Corporate Team: Ford Motor Company
Top Family Team: Carson’s Thunder and Margaret’s Miracles

Busse Woods Site
Top Corporate Team: Emkay Inc.
Top Family Team: Samantha's Steppers

Libertyville Site
Top Corporate Team: Aldridge Electric, Inc.
Top Family Team: Family & Primetime Friends of Michelle

Lisle Site
Top Corporate Team: Exelon
Top Family Team: Jack's Team

Orland Park Site
Top Corporate Team: Team Miniat
Top Family Team: Sydney's Angels

Peoria Walk Site
Top Corporate Team: Caterpillar’s Production Center of Excellence
Top Family Team: Edna’s Angels

Congratulations to all of our teams! JDRF is grateful for your continued support and dedication to finding a cure!

2009 Team Totals

Ron at the 2009 Walk

Team totals are in! Congratulations to everyone who supported the 2009 Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes! You all are helping us climb to $5 million once again! To view your team total, please visit the JDRF Illinois website.

Whether you were a first time team in Peoria like For Blake’s Sake, a returning corporate team in Busse Woods like Emkay; the Dream Chasers team in Orland Park; a returning star team in Nalco at Lisle; a new family team, Colleen's Crew, in Libertyville, or new corporate supporter BMO/Harris Bank at the Lakefront site: you help make our collective effort a winning one.


Walk day has passed; team totals are run; and we’re winding down 2009, but did you know you can still collect 2009 Walk donations? You can raise additional dollars on-line or by using a collection envelope. You can work with others to generate funds through the time-tested ways: sneaker sales; dine for diabetes restaurant events; the kids walk to cure diabetes; employee matching gift programs and volunteer opportunities. Help us continue to collect the much-needed dollars for diabetes research!


Wishing you and your families a safe and healthy New Year! JDRF is so grateful for your continued support and dedication.

Supporting JDRF during the Holidays

JDRF Holiday Cards
Send holiday greetings to family, friends and business associates, and contribute to a worthy cause! MorethanCards.com has raised more that $1 million for JDRF in the last 7 years. To view the card designs and order online, please visit: www.jdrf.org/cards. Cards are able to be customized.

For more information or to order cards designed by local children, please contact the office at 312/670-0313. You can view the designs on the JDRF Illinois website. We are not able to customize these cards.

MJ2 & Celebrity Friends for JDRF
MJ2 is proud to announce the release of, “You Can’t Say Love Enough,” A musical event brought to you through SweetSong Nashville. This all star single, featuring Dolly Parton, Wayne Newton, Heidi Newfield and many more will raise untold dollars for JDRF and Diabetes Research and Outreach. This one of a kind song will be available on iTunes, exclusively with all net proceeds being donated to JDRF.


Creedence Run with Rudolph
The band Creedence Clearwater Revisited has recorded a cover of the holiday classic “Run Rudolph Run” for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s charity fundraising compilation CD Hope For The Holidays – Rockin’ Christmas for a Cure. The group is based around the Creedence Clearwater Revival rhythm section: bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug “Cosmo” Clifford. The band has toured regularly since 1995, playing classics from the Creedence catalogue. Other artists contributing unreleased material to the diverse Hope For The Holidays album include: Weezer, Collective Soul, the Beach Boys’ Mike Love, Whitesnake’s David Coverdale and Jon Anderson of Yes. Proceeds from the recording will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

For more information, and details on where you can purchase the CD, please visit http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=EA304E24-1279-D3DC-F9383E9549F2B26E&page_version_id=0937DAC8-1321-C844-13787CA3C8DD32B6.

2009 Team Totals

All money that was received by December 7th will count toward your team's 2009 Walk team total and award level. Awards are distributed at the Walk Awards Ceremony in January. Team totals will be posted on the JDRF Illinois website, www.jdrfillinois.org, so check back soon to view your total.

Walk Team Award Levels
$3,500 - $9,999 Bronze Achievement Award
$10,000 - $24,999 Silver Achievement Award
$25,000 - $49,999 Gold Achievement Award
$50,000 - $99,999 Platinum Achievement Award
$100,000 - $199,999 Diamond Achievement Award
$200,000 + Ron Santo Award

Happy Thanksgiving!

JDRF is thankful for YOU!

It's that time of year where we all celebrate the things we are thankful for in our lives. JDRF is thankful for you, our generous supporters who continue to work hard to raise money for vital research. Celebrate the hope of a cure this Thanksgiving holiday!

November is also National Diabetes Awareness Month. Visit www.jdrf.org for ongoing coverage of the month's activities.

Don't Stop Now!

We need your continued help to reach our $5.6 million goal! Now is the time to turn in any additional donations you may still have at your home or office. Turn your money in so it can be counted toward your team total. Donations can be sent in a collection envelope or mailed to the JDRF Illinois Chapter office at 500 N. Dearborn, Suite 305, Chicago, IL 60654-3387. Please be sure to include a note with your site, team name and walker name.

Still have a little way before reaching your team's goal? Keep up the great work by trying one of these ideas:

• Plan a holiday party benefiting JDRF!


• Follow-up with friends or family who still need to send you their donation.


• Include an appeal in your holiday card.


• Ask your child's school to hold a Kids Walk. The Kids Walk Program gives students the opportunity to help fellow classmates affected by diabetes AND raise money for their school. Schools can receive 10% of the money raised! For more information, click here or contact your local Walk Manager to set-up a Kids Walk.


• Incorporate JDRF fundraising during football season.


• Ask a local business to donate a percentage of sales back to JDRF.


• Auction off a close parking space at the office during the cold winter months.


• Collect change for JDRF - every cent counts! JDRF canisters are available. Contact your local Walk Manager to place an order.


• We still accept money well into the New Year!

Take a look at these post-Walk fundraising events & activities - let's keep those dollars coming in!

• Congratulations to the 3 Coffeys, No Sugar family team for receiving nearly $1,700 through the Race to Cure Diabetes held on October 31st in Peoria’s Detweiller Park. The annual event is organized by a family friend and had more than 75 race participants.
  
• The Nalco team is expecting an additional $20,000 for their team! Nalco is matching their team fundraising and will now have a team total of over $53,000. That’s nearly $30,000 more than in 2008. Congratulations to Dave Flitman and the Nalco team!
  
• Congratulations to Geja’s Café on their 10th Annual Great Growths Wine Tasting & Auction! This event raised over $26,000 for research and surpassed last years’ record-breaking total by $9,000!
  
• Special thanks to Omaha Steaks for generating over $4,000 for diabetes research through their sneaker sales campaign!
  
• Go Roma is partnering with JDRF during the month of November to help raise funds for diabetes research. Visit any Go Roma location on a Saturday in November and bring this flyer, and Go Roma will donate 20% of all sales back to JDRF. What a great way to help support a great cause and enjoy some great food! Please forward this on to all of your friends and family.
  
• Build-a-Bear Workshops will offer an exciting new fundraising program for JDRF thru November 30th. A special JDRF donation prompt will be on the “pin pad” checkout stations in all U.S. store locations. The pin pad will prompt all credit/debit card customers for a charitable donation, which will directly benefit local JDRF Chapters.
  
• Walgreens is holding its annual JDRF retail fundraising event now through November 30, 2009. The chain-wide “Lend a Hand” co-promotion features a $1 “give & get” coupon. Give $1 to help fight juvenile diabetes, and receive a $1 coupon for a Coca-Cola product. Be sure to spread the word to your family and friends and ask them to visit a Walgreens store today! Every dollar raised brings us closer to a cure!
  
• Thank you to the Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. and their holiday gift to all our JDRF Walk participants! They are giving all our Walk Team Captains complimentary passes to the 9th Annual One of a Kind Show. The One of a Kind Show Chicago is an extraordinary holiday shopping show featuring the best in fine art and fine craft from more than 500 artists, artisans and designers from across North America. Each item for sale at the show will be made by hand one piece at a time and every artist represented will be in attendance--offering shoppers the wonderful opportunity to buy pieces directly from the artist who created it. Complementing one-of-a-kind shopping, you will be treated to live music, fashion shows, expert presentations, gourmet cafes, bars and special events.
  Your ticket is good for you and a friend, and all four days of the show. Click here https://www.microspec.com/tix123/etic.cfm?code=OOAKCHG09 and enter ECPPartner as the promotion code to receive your complimentary pass. Be sure to visit the JDRF Booth where you can view the two beautiful Project Snap mosaic pieces that will be auctioned off at our Chance of a Lifetime Gala on Saturday, December 12th. You can also purchase your own poster of the mosaics. 25% of all proceeds from poster sales will benefit JDRF Illinois.
  

Incentive Prize Reminder

Walk Incentive Prizes
Walkers who raise a minimum of $200 by November 9, 2009 are eligible for an incentive prize. You can view the prizes on-line at www.jdrf.org/greatprizes.

You can also choose not to receive a prize so your full contribution can be spent on research!

If you are interested in receiving a prize, notify us on-line or send in this form (one form per Walker). Once you notify us, a catalog will be sent to you with specific prize ordering instructions. Please note that there is no guarantee that prizes will be delivered by the end of the year.

To choose your prize level online or to indicate that you do not wish to receive a prize, log-on to your Walk Central account at www.walk.jdrf.org.
• Click on the ‘My Profile tab’.
• Click on the ‘Prize Selection’ tab.
• Select your prize level and confirm by clicking on ‘Update Prize Selection’.
• To choose your prize level by mail, fill out the below form and fax or mail to:

JDRF Illinois
Attn: Walk Prizes
500 N. Dearborn, Suite 305, Chicago, IL 60654
Fax: 312.670.0250



Questions? Please contact your local Walk Manager.

Thank You!

THANK YOU for your support of the 2009 Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes. It is our hope that we will raise more than $5 million for diabetes research. Help us get there – send in outstanding contributions today, or make an online donation.

Walk Deadlines

Important! Upcoming Walk Deadlines

As Walk day approaches, please make note of the below logistic and fundraising deadlines:

September 11th - Team Tent deadline. If your team would like to order a tent for Walk day, please contact Sharyn at Indestructo at 847.375.8510. Teams are permitted to bring their own tent, but they must contact their local Walk Manager for size approval and placement. Teams who bring their own tents must set them up on Saturday, October 3rd.

September 18th - Team Table deadline. Teams who have 10 or more walkers registered by 9 a.m. on Sept. 18th will have a reserved table on Walk day. Team tables will be in alpha order by team name.

November 9th - Incentive Prize deadline. If you would like to receive an incentive prize, please make your selection in your Walk Central account or by completeing and returning a form that will be mailed directly to you. To view all the award levels and prizes, visit www.jdrf.org/greatprizes. Only one prize per walker. JDRF branded prizes and catalogs will be mailed with 10 weeks of the Walk. If you choose not to receive a prize, your full donation will go toward finding a cure.

December 7th - Team Total deadline. All money received by December 7th will count toward your team's 2009 Walk team total and award level. Awards are distributed at the Walk Awards Ceremony in January.

Save the Date & Spread the Word!

Welcome to our new Walk blog and the 31st Annual Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes! We are thrilled to expand into Central Illinois this year with our 6th official Walk location. Save the dates and help us find a cure!

Sunday, September 13, 2009 in Peoria.

Sunday, October 4th in 5 Chicagoland locations:

Chicago (Lawrence Avenue at the Lakefront)

Northern Suburbs (Independence Grove, Libertyville)

Northwest Suburbs (Busse Woods, Schaumburg)

Southwest Suburbs (Centennial Park, Orland Park)

Western Suburbs (Community Park,Lisle)

Register for the 2009 Walk at www.walk.jdrf.org today!

Why Walk?
As many as 3 million Americans have type 1 diabetes, a disease most often diagnosed in childhood that strikes suddenly, lasts a lifetime, and carries the constant threat of deadly complications, including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and amputation. JDRF's mission is constant: to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Thanks to dramatic research progress, a cure is now within our reach.
The Walk draws people together in a healthy activity for a worthy cause, raising money to help find a cure for diabetes. It's fun for families and builds camaraderie among company employees. Above all, you’ll feel great about doing something good.

Click on the envelope below to e-mail this Save the Date to your friends, family, co-workers, etc.!