FOH Team Leaders
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Posts by FOH Team Leaders
Friends of Heroes Co-Captain’s Corner (June 2008)
03 years ago
I can’t believe it is already June! Our local school is out this 
Friday and I am looking forward to our summer plans!!!
As a Friends of Heroes team captain, summer also signifies the ideal time for me to prepare for Light The Night fundraising. I mentioned last summer that it’s easy to get in a “fundraising rut“, but we can accomplish our goals with a little preparation and a positive frame of mind.
As always, Friends of Heroes continues to inspire me. Three of our walkers have already begun fundraising for Light The Night: Alison Bazeley, Kathie Eberlie and Beck Marko. They have each raised over $300 this year. Way to go!!!! And kudos to those in the preparation stage who will give them a run for their money 
Connecting with personal stories is vital to remaining motivated to fundraise. It all began with sweet Allie Scott and Sam Eisenburg, yet it did not stop there. This past month, I was touched by two stories that have reminded me why our efforts to raise money and awareness for Light The Night and blood cancers is so very important.
In 2005, I attended our LTN Kick-Off and sat next to Anne, one our chapter’s fundraising coaches for TNT. From that first meeting, I knew she lived and breathed fundraising for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and her enthusiasm was infectious! This year, when I was asked to work alongside of Anne on our local Friends & Family Committee, I knew I couldn’t pass up the chance to learn from her.
Three weeks ago, I was shocked to hear that she was diagnosed with leukemia for the first time. Not that all of her volunteer work with the Society would have protected her from a leukemia diagnosis, but it was a reminder that none of us are immune. Anne was taken a few hours away to UCSF Cancer Center where she was treated with a very intensive chemotherapy protocol. Thankfully, her bone marrow biopsy showed minimal leukemia cells and hopefully her doctor will declare remission if her next biopsy continues on this trend.
I also heard from one of my very close friends from high school this month. His younger brother, Michael, was diagnosed with pediatric leukemia shortly after our high school graduation. I have thought of Michael many times during my fundraising events and LTN walks. After a bone marrow transplant from their youngest sister, Michael successfully went into remission. My friend thankfully confirmed that Michael currently has been disease-free for over ten years.
Research funding from the Society has contributed to many oncology research developments: from chemotherapy and leukemia treatments to platelet pherisis technology to bone marrow transplant procedures. Because of the cutting-edge, life saving research done over the past five decades, patients like Anne and Michael can have hope for a lasting cure.
As Friends of Heroes we have much to be proud of: we have raised an inspirational $959,000 toward blood cancer patient services and research! With your support, each of you makes an incredible impact on the lives that are being saved daily.
Please join us this year, whether you are new to Friends of Heroes or a member from the Allie’s Angels – Friends of Allie – Friends of Heroes team. Help us to make a difference. Help us to fund cures that will save lives. Register to be part of our amazing team of LIFE SAVERS and to be a huge force for good.
On behalf of Anne, Michael, their families and many others like theirs, THANK YOU for helping to find a cure.
By Jenn B., Co-Captain
Family Friendly Fundraising – Ideas For Kids
03 years ago
How your kids can be involved?!?
Friends of Heroes has always been such a family oriented group. Many of us met online on our birth boards, others at play groups, or just word to mouth. Just looking at our Light the Night photo albums just shows that a major part of our teams are our kids!
It is so easy to let them get involved and make a HUGE difference.
Here are a few tips and idea to get your child involved. They will feel so great for helping out! Lets plant the seeds of giving and watch them grow.
Talk to your child, let them know why you are fundraising. Let them ask questions. A great movie to watch for explaining cancer to a young child is “Why Charlie Brown? Why?” Most Leukemia and Lymphoma Society offices will have a copy to borrow. Be sure to let them ask questions as well.
Let them come up with their own ideas! If is painting happy faces on rocks or planning a race, let them go for their dream. Just let them know that you are there to support them!
Tell them how great they are and what a big difference that this will make. I think that this is the part that is the most rewarding to my kids. They love to hear that they are helping!
Finally, reward them. You can take them out to ice cream, maybe even get them that toy that they have been wanting for so long, or print them a very nice certificate. But let them know that they did something so wonderful for others that it is there time to be honored.
Please be sure to share with us what your children are doing and take lots of pictures so that we can have some featured kid heroes!
Some fun ideas for your child’s fundraisers
- Lemonade stands,
- Kids crafts sale,
- Dance a thon,
- Walk or run a thon,
- Carnivals,
- Sell old toys,
- Skating party,
- Pennies for patients at their school (contact local LLS Chapter for more details)
- Selling candy bars
Submitted by Beck Marko
Free Summer Gas Promotion for Light The Night fundraisers!
03 years ago
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is happy to announce the third year of its national Light The Night Walk gas promotion, Light The Night Save at the Pump. The program is available for all registered Light The Night participants from July 1 through Aug. 31, 2008.
Here’s how it works:
Participants who raise money online receive free gas cards that can be redeemed at most major gasoline providers. Each participant who raises $250 to $499 will receive a $15 card, or for every $500 raised online, they will get a card worth $50. There is also a great Grand Prize, details of which will be announced later.
“LLS wants to help its dedicated Light The Night fundraisers during these times of rising gas prices,” said Nancy Klein, chief marketing and revenue officer. “We are grateful for their support.”
To register online to earn free gas, visit http://teams.lightthenight.org/friendsofheroes and walk with Friends of Heroes!
Conquer Childhood Cancer Act update
03 years ago
by FOH Team Leaders
in Advocacy
Children afflicted by cancer are one step closer to having the resources they need to battle their disease. On May 9, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed H.R. 1553, which was also renamed the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008. The bill was introduced by U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH) and the name change was in honor of Pryce’s daughter, Caroline, who lost her battle against neuroblastoma at age 9.
“I am thrilled with the continued progress of this bill,” said Pryce of the committee’s passing of the bill. “I am increasingly optimistic that Congress will soon give pediatric cancer the attention and resources it so desperately needs.”
Cancer is the No. 1 disease killer of children under the age of 15. The bill would authorize $150 million over five years to develop grants for research fellowships in pediatric cancer, to fund a population-based national childhood cancer database and to award grants to childhood cancer organizations to raise public awareness, ensuring access to the best available therapies for pediatric cancers.
The bill now moves to the House floor for consideration. Companion legislation (S.911), sponsored by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), was unanimously approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee last November.
From The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Advocacy Update
To receive updates, visit their e-newsletter and RSS subscription pages.
The Golden Rule of Fundraising…Just Ask!
03 years ago
From The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The answer will always be “no” if you don’t ask. The Light The Night staff has numerous fundraising ideas up their sleeves – just ask!
Here are our Top Ten Wrap Fundraising Ideas:
1) Host a Party: Organize a beef & beer, barbecue, happy hour, wine & cheese, or dessert party for your friends and family to attend. Charge $20 per person and then hold a 50/50 raffle at the event.
2) Letter Writing or Postcard Writing Campaign: Use one of our pre-written letters or write one of your own. Send them to everyone you know.
3) Paper Balloons: Sell Light The Night paper balloons for $1 or $2. Your coworkers can hang them in their offices. Or ask a local retail store to sell them during September (Blood Cancer Awareness Month) and collect the proceeds each week.
4) Bake or Garage Sale: Gather up the old stuff that you’ve been meaning to get rid of and sell it in your front yard! Pair that with selling baked goods and people will stick around even longer!
5) Sell Light The Night Plushland Bears & Friends: There are a variety of items you can purchase and resell to enhance your fundraising. Ask a Light The Night Staff Member for a full catalog!
6) Dress Down Day: For a donation of $5, employees can dress down on a designated day. Why not sell a month of Dress Down Days for $25 or even a whole year’s worth for $100? We can send you “I Dress Down for LLS” stickers too!
7) Brown Bag Days: Have employees bring a brown bag lunch to work on a designated day and ask them to donate the cost of what they would have spent at the cafeteria or a restaurant. You can even provide drinks or desserts and music to create a picnic atmosphere.
Corporate Matching Gifts: Many companies already have a matching gift program. Is your company one of them? If not, ask them to match the amount of pledges you receive from your fellow coworkers.
9) Extra Change in My Pocket Box: Create these little jars or boxes for your friends and family and have them place it on their dressers or desks so they can drop their spare change at the end of the day.
10) Online Fundraising! A personalized page has already been created for you! Emails to send to your supporters have already been written for you! Friends, family and coworkers can easily make a secure online donation to your website! Online fundraising eliminates the need to gather checks and address information from donors – they automatically receive confirmation and a tax receipt via email. Your page automatically calculates and keeps a record of your online donations and shows a running total so you can track your progress.
Go to teams.lightthenight.org/friendsofheroes to register and get started today!
Want more ideas? Peruse through our website or call your Light The Night staff member today!
Friends of Heroes Qualifies for the Pediatric Cancer Grant Naming Opportunity!
03 years ago
For the past four years, Friends of Heroes took on the challenge to raise $100,000 nationally and earn a grant naming opportunity bestowed by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. With great determination and effort, Friends of Heroes succeeded and has three grants named in honor of our special heroes and in celebration of the work and soul of our group.
This past Light The Night season, after all of the 2007 totals and last-minute donations rolled in, Friends of Heroes surpassed the $100,000 goal needed to qualify for a grant naming opportunity!!! Together, we raised over $110,000!!! You did an amazing job!!!
Our selected grantee, Dr. Joseph Wiemels of the UCSF Cancer Center, will receive a grant named in honor of Friends of Heroes and our walkers, affiliate teams, and honored heroes.
Congratulations and thank you to each of YOU for making this a reality and helping so many patient families!
More April news
Welcome to the 2008 Friends of Heroes Team Leaders!
Each year, Friends of Heroes is comprised of volunteers who commit their time and efforts to raise money and awareness for blood cancer research and patient services. At the national level are a group of volunteers who work tirelessly behind-the-scenes to help our team captains, affiliates and walkers be successful in their Light The Night walks.
- Jenn & Lois – Co-Captains
- Christy – Blog
- Jennifer – Website/Tech
- Kathie – Team Captain Relations
- Carole – Affiliate Teams
- Beck – Social Networks
Special thanks to our 2007 Team Leaders – Beth, Kim, Lynette , Sara and Mary Anne – for all that you have done for Friends of Heroes!!!
Registration Open for Light The Night!
To see if your walk has been listed, go to http://teams.lightthenight.org/friendsofheroes.
If your walksite is listed, use the “Join” button to register with your previous login and password.
If you are also registering as a local Friends of Heroes team captain:
- Contact your local chapter’s LTN coordinator and ask to be set as the local team captain for Friends of Heroes.
- Email us at tcrelations [at] friendsofheroes.org so we can make sure you show up on the national roster of team captains.
All walks should be ready for registration by the end of March. If your walk isn’t listed yet, it will be soon!
For more information, visit http://www.friendsofheroes.org or contact teamleaders [at] friendsofheroes.org.
(For a list of sites as of 4-3, check this post.)
Remembering Ken Olson
Last month, Friends of Heroes top walker Kevin Wichers (Tucson) lost his brother in law, Ken, to leukemia. Once again, this is a difficult reminder of why our mission to help find a cure is so important.
Our deepest condolences, prayers and positive thoughts to Kevin and the Olson family for their loss.
