JDRF Illinois Office Move

Please Note:

As of June 14, 2010, the JDRF Illinois Chapter will be at a new address:

JDRF
11 S LaSalle St, Suite 1800
Chicago, IL 60603-1344

All phone numbers will remain the same.

Walk Materials

Need Walk Materials? Click here to order limited supplies today! 2010 Walk brochures,posters, and collection envelopes will not be available until late June.

Save the Date for Uncorked!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 17th and join JDRF for a wine tasting event at The Arboretum of South Barrington. Tickets are $40 with 50% of your ticket price directly benefiting JDRF. Stay tuned for more details and link to purchase your tickets at the end of May. Questions? Please contact Megan Gavin at mgavin@jdrf.org

Running a Marathon?

Runners want to know how they can use a marathon to fundraise for diabetes research. Now you can! Register for the Walk at www.jdrfillinois.org under the Lakefront team "Marathoners Supporting JDRF." When runners register they can fundraise online and keep track of their donations. Spread the word to your running community! Please note that this is not an organized program.

Need Fundraising Ideas? Check Out What These Teams are Doing:

New team, Band Together for Juvenile Diabetes, is hosting Band Together on Friday, May 21, 2010 at CD & Me in Frankfort, IL. Tickets are $30 and include a food reception and drink package for three hours. What a terrific lineup of four bands, including Stellar Road, who opened for Bon Jovi at Soldier Field in 2007. For more details and ticket information please go to www.bandtogether2010.com. What a great way to kick off the summer!

Team Nick J's team captain, Summer Evans, participated in Carson's Community Days and raised over $210 for her team! So far Team Nick J has raised over $520. That's a great start!

Allison Quatrochi and Westfield Ford are starting their fundraising early this year! To kick things off, they're selling sneakers in their dealership. They also have plans for a Catwalk for a Cure in August involving their local businesses. They're hoping their upcomign Chili Cook-off will help raise donations for research. For a $2 donation, anyone can sample the chili created by Westfield Ford employees and vote for their favorite. We like the creativity!

Congratulations to Michele Lindemann and her team, Team Tyler, for raising $3,000! Michele organized a jewelry sale at a local wine bar where 50% of sales went to JDRF. The event grew as she raffled off Cubs tickets, White Sox tickets, a wine tasting, and a restaurant gift certificate she collected from generous friends. They raised $800 before the event even started! Michele contacted a local newspaper to help them by doing a write up to promote the event earlier in the week. They had a great turnout. Keep up the great work!

SEKO Company had a successful fundraiser by using a Money Machine at an office party. Over $600 was raised as they watched each other try to catch real and fake money swirling around in the clear booth. Participants kept what they caught and also chose a prize after their turn in the Money Machine. It was a great way to boost employee morale and raise donations for JDRF!

JDRF Illinois School Walk Programs:

Check out our new School Walk webpage focused on both the Kids Walk program and High School involvement opportunities. Visit here

for more information. Thank you to the following schools for their participation in the JDRF Kids Walk program: Winston Campus, Jane Addams, Leib School, Centennial School, South Park Elementary School, CICS Wrightwood, and Hollis Grade School in Central Illinois.

What You Can Do Now to Get Started:

1. Register - Registration is now open! Register yourself and encourage your team to sign up today at www.jdrfillinois.org.
2. Make a Plan/Set a Goal - New to the Walk and don't know how to set a goal? Multiply how many Walkers you want to have with you on Walk Day by $100 and you'll have your goal! Want to improve on last year's total? Come up with a plan of how to surpass those numbers.
3. Fundraise -
   1. Letter Writing Campaign - Use Walk Central to fundraise online or send out a traditional letter through the mail to your friends, family, co-workers, etc. You'll be surprised at the incredible response. For examples, contact your Family Team Mentor or Walk Manager.
   2. Fundraising Events - additional fundraisers such as a garage sale, bake sale, sneaker sales at your local store or gym, change collection, Wii bowling tournaments at school or work can help guarantee success. All it takes is a little planning.

Band Together Fundraiser

Band Together Fundraiser supporting JDRF will be held on Friday, May 21^st at CD & Me in Frankfort, IL. Four bands will perform during the night including Stellar Road who opened for Bon Jovi at Soldier Field in 2007! Ticket prices are $30 each and for more information please go to www.bandtogether2010.com.

Central Illinois Email Support Group

There is a new virtual support group for parents of children living with type 1 diabetes in Central Illinois. This is an informal email group for parents looking for support from one another. To sign up, please visit Parents of Children with Diabetes. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Jennifer VandeWiele.

102nd Annual Next Year Day

102nd Annual Next Year Day!

Saturday, April 10

Event begins at 8 p.m.

Harry Caray’s Tavern in Wrigleyville

Join Rick Telander & The Heckler Saturday, April 10 at Harry Caray's Tavern in Wrigleyville to celebrate the joy, frustration and eternal optimism that is ... Next Year! A portion of the proceeds will benefit JDRF. Cost is $10 at the door and doors open at 8:00 PM. Buy tickets at www.theheckler.com today!

Entertainment by: JC Brooks and the Uptown SoundHired GoonsVarious members of Del CrustaceansWorld's largest singing (outside of Wrigley Field of course) of "Go Cubs Go" and free champagne toast at midnight

Chili's Supports a JDRF Walk Team!

Support JDRF and family team, Sarah’s Sidewalk Smashers, by bringing this voucher into your local Chili’s Restaurants. Chili’s will donate 10% of your purchase (excluding taxes) to JDRF. Offer is good for Dine In or Carry Out between April 16th-30th. Don’t forget to tell all your friends about it!

Boston's JDRF Pizza Making Class

Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza Restaurant hosted a JDRF Pizza Making Class in Tinley Park on February 6th. It was the first time the event was held at the Tinley Park location and the kids had a blast. They went on a tour of the kitchen and the staff explained all the inner workings of a restaurant behind the scenes! To top it all off, they all made their own personal pan pizzas and some of them were very, very, adventurous! Thank you to the wonderful staff at Boston’s for being such wonderful hosts!

2010 Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes Registration is OPEN!

Registration for the 2010 Walk officially opened on March 1st! Register today and encourage your team members to do so too!

When you register, you will also need to create a new Walk Central account with an updated username and password. Unfortunately, you are unable to log-in to your account with the previous year's information.

Visit www.walk.jdrf.org to officially kick-off your 2010 Walk Fundraising efforts! If you have any questions about registration, please contact your Walk Manager or call 312.670.0313.

Boston's Restaurant Fundraiser

Members of Sydney's Angels Family Team with Miss Illinois

Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza hosted a JDRF Night January 4th and donated 10% of sales back and also raffled off some fun items. Miss Illinois USA 2010, Ashley Bradarich, made an appearance to support JDRF and enjoyed talking with the kids and answering all their questions!

Ethan Mann and Miss Illinois USA 2010, Ashley Bradarich

Thank you Boston's Pizza!

Wonderland Pre-School Trike-A-Thon

Wonderland Pre-School in Homewood held a Trike-A-Thon to benefit JDRF and Dan’s Clan Walk Team on 1/29/10. The pre-school kids raised $1,304.00 through sneaker sales and other donations and had a blast! They rode their big wheels around the gym 50 times! Thank you to Ms. Erin Robertson who organized the successful event!

New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez to Help Raise $100,000 for JDRF in Pepsi Refresh Project Challenge

Mark Sanchez, quarterback for the New York Jets, is helping JDRF try to win $100,000 in grants as part of the Pepsi Refresh Project, an online campaign to fund programs that will have a positive impact on people's lives.

Voters can go to www.nfl.com/pepsirefresh and vote for Sanchez, or text 'MARK' to PEPSI (73774). Voting ends at 12:01 a.m. on Feb. 5, 2010. If Sanchez outpolls other Pepsi Refresh Project sponsors, the funding will help JDRF establish a nationwide program to educate people about the symptoms of type 1 diabetes and get medical care before suffering the life-threatening short-term complications of high blood sugar. Symptoms for type 1 or juvenile diabetes can be mistaken for common illnesses, such as the flu, and if left untreated, even over a very short timeframe, can be deadly.

“I want to help establish a much needed, nationwide educational program with JDRF to ensure that the warning signs of type 1 diabetes will become household knowledge for medical personnel, parents, teachers, and friends,” said Sanchez. “Then, a quick and accurate diagnosis can be made and proper treatment given before it results in a life threatening situation.”

In addition to Sanchez, quarterback Drew Brees and linebacker Demarcus Ware are also participating in the Pepsi Refresh Project challenge.

Ford Mustang Sale to Benefit JDRF

Ford celebrated the 45th Anniversary of their best-loved model, the Ford Mustang, in 2009. To commemorate the occasion and to support JDRF, the Ford/JDRF Team created this adorable plush bear sporting a leather jacket emblazoned with the official Mustang 45th Anniversary logo. More than $34,000 was raised for JDRF through the sale of these bears!

Ford is excited to offer you the chance to purchase this keepsake item as another way to support JDRF. Click here to purchase your 45th Anniversary Ford Mustang Mascot Bear. Bears sell for $10 each and 100% of proceeds benefit JDRF! On Sale Feb. 1st- March 31st. Get yours today!

Ford Motor Company has supported JDRF for more than 20 years, ranking as JDRF's #1 corporate sponsor for the past eight years. Ford has contributed over $30 million since the inception of the employee-driven team known as the Ford Global Walk Team.

By purchasing a 45th Anniversary Mustang Mascot Bear, YOU will help to accelerate the CURE.

Boston's Restaurant & JDRF

Boston's Restaurant is teaming up with JDRF to find a cure for diabetes! During their annual Valentine's fundraiser, all Boston's restaurants across the U.S. will sell heart shaped pizzas and desserts and will donate $1 from each item sold to JDRF.


Additionally, customers can also purchase paper hearts for $1 each and personalize them with a Valentine's Day message. The paper hearts and various desserts will be sold January 11 - February 14th, and the heart-shaped pizza and heart-shaped dessert promotion will take place Valentine's Day weekend, February 12-14th. All money raised will benefit JDRF. In 2009, Boston's raised over $31,000 for JDRF through this promotion.

The local Boston's Restaurant in Tinley Park will also be holding a JDRF Fundraiser on Thursday, February 4th from 5-9PM. 10% of sales during that time will be donated to JDRF. Bring in the below flyer and help raise additional funds for research! They will also be hosting a Kids Pizza Making Class on February 6th from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. For $10, kids can be "Chef for a Day" and will learn to make their own pizza. $5 will be donated back to JDRF. Additional details below. Thank you Boston's!

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.