Turkey Business

You BET we are thankful at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. While it has been a rough year for many, we are some of the most fortunate people working in the US. The best incentives we can earn are hearing your success stories, watching the research grow, and giving each blood cancer patient a second shot at life. The mission is our passion, and we are so thankful for our jobs! Here are some amazing outcomes you have allowed us to provide:

- $245,000 of financial support to blood cancer patients in Georgia to offset the financial burdens of blood cancer
- 5 of your dollars now covers the costs to send a packet to a newly diagnosed patient, which includes information on support and their specific disease
- We have now started a national volunteer and support group called IMPACT for 18-25 year olds right here in our Georgia office. This group allows survivors and patients to heal together while giving back to others battling cancer.
- Team In Training (TNT) is the world's first, best and largest charity sports training program and to this date has raised over $900 million since 1988. Yup, we’re going to hit $1 BILLION (in my best Austin Powers voice) this year. Follow their new blog: http://www.teamintrainingga.blogspot.com/
- With a $100 donation, you support 1 round trip per day for 5 days for a patient living in rural Georgia to drive to treatment in Atlanta.
- $1.8 Million dollars and COUNTING were brought in by Georgia Light The Night walkers this year. That’s a whole lotta lives being saved right there.
- Money talks, and the dollar signs have been flashing since since 1949… The Society has raised more than $680 million in research. This specifically targets leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma
- Kids across the country have proven that they have a voice by raising more than $100 million over the past 14 years with our Youth and School programs… Quite the future we have coming at us! Find out more on their awesome programs and how much Georgia schools have raised: www.schoolandyouth.org/ga

Really, I could go on braggin for hours. But it’s not really bragging… it’s my expression of how thankful I am for your support and selfless giving! I am inspired each day by constant compassion… and I could go on and on, but I’m sure my simple words will never describe how thankful we are to represent you! So, hats off to you all this thanksgiving, cause it’s you (and my job) I am thankful for. Now go carve some turkey!

’Til next time kids, stay Relentless For A Cure!

PS....just in case you forgot that mission we are workin towards:

Cure leukemia, lymphoma, hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

A new kinda family tradition…

Here at LLS we know it’s not just during the Holidays that people need a helping hand, even though it tends to be the main time charities see donations pour in. Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing the amount of selflessness we see November through January. Why not take this time though to teach your kids about giving and turn it into a year round habit, instead of an annual tradition?

The Light The Night Walk '09 is still collecting funds through January, and after that we will start planning for next year! Have your kids donate some of their holiday wealth to our Staff Team page if you don’t have one yourself. (http://pages.lightthenight.org/ga/Atlanta09/TeamIntern). Celebrate some of the free days of holiday break by bringing your children to visit kids in chemo or recovery rooms at the hospital. There are lots of programs at both Piedmont and Northside Hospital that are great options… it’s especially special for children to see their peers and understand what they are going through from another set of tiny eyes. (They will learn a lesson that will last a lifetime, and not even realize they are being educated!)

Need more inspiration?



This is Adam Wingate. When this cutie was just two years old, he was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia. His mom wants supporters and those on the sidelines to know "this has been devastating for our family,” says Mechelle. “But he is a strong little boy whose strength amazes me everyday. Without the support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Adam wouldn’t have a chance. All of us who are affected by blood cancers are fighting for the same thing—for our kids to lead a happy and healthy life.” With the help of your donations that support our mission, Adam is now in remission. Just like we do with honored and remembered heroes at our Light The Night Walks, hang this story on your fridge or in the living room and remind your family why we are working together to raise money and awareness.

Now if that’s not what your holiday season is about, we need to change out our thinking caps! Use this season to initiate the charitable acts, and continue giving past New Years… Soon enough it will be so habitual you’ll have forgotten when you even started!

'Til next time, keep on givin!

Four Days of Fantabulousness

Oh yes. You bet. It’s back.

Shop ’til you drop is back in action just in time to shop the layered look for the fall or get your holiday shopping in before the mad rush. Really though, who needs an excuse to shop. (BUT, it is for an amazing cause just to throw another reason at you… wink, wink.)

You can choose to use your 30% discount at any of these stores: Gap, Gap Outlet, Banana Republic, Banana Republic Factory Stores and Old Navy. Can’t pick just one? Keep that coupon handy, cause it’s reusable!

Take it to the floor.. the shopping floor that is. If you are ready to save and donate, head to http://www.gapinc.com/giveandget/lls/ to print your coupon for the four days of fantabulousness. Share it on twitter, Facebook, via email and whatever other media form you can think of so you and your friends can look sharp while helping blood cancer patients.

Print it, shop it, save some dough, save some lives.

.

Fear not, fellow followers! I have returned!! We have been swamped with mailings and overwhelmed with glee as we thank each and everyone of you for your participation and donations. So, really, it’s awesome that I haven’t connected with you in so long, I had too many to thank for reaching our goal! As promised there are pics of your beautiful faces illuminated at the Light The Night walks across Georgia on our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Light-the-Night-Walk-LLS-Georgia-Chapter/65563210773?ref=ts). Click on that, join our Facebook group and enjoy the site!

I would like to congratulate The Academy school in Alpharetta and Shawn Libby for organizing the Mission Day, which brought in a ton of money for Atlanta’s Honored Hero, McKinely and her team McKinely Miracle. Also, a big thanks to Michael O'Keefe who raised a whopping amount for Team In Training. Michael serves as an inspiration to his child at The Academy and as an amazing son to his mother who passed away from leukemia in 2007. Check out Michael (the biggest of all the kids) with LTN staff member Lauraine, the MacDaddy of checks from The Academy and Shawn & daughter McKinely in the great picture below.

Story time! Got a good one, an inspirational one or just a short one? We want to hear it. Email Kiley.borowski@lls.org to share your story. Everyone has a different journey, but together we can help make the path a little smoother.

Psssst! We are STILL collecting funds from all you amazing folks... Check out http://www.lightthenight.org/ga/donate/ to find your team page which will be active until the end of November. Don't have a team? No problemo! This site

http://pages.lightthenight.org/ga/Atlanta09/kileyb08 will lead you to our staff page, where you can donate away. Thank you in advance for helping to improve the quality of life of blood cancer patients and their families. You're the bomb.

'Til next time friends, keep on truckin!

.

Picture Perfect

A picture is worth a thousand words. Shake it like a Polaroid picture. I’ll tag you.

However you say it, sing it, or post it- we like it and want it.

It’s time to show the web what you’ve been up to for the past months. Do you have pictures from fundraisers or team outtings? Awesome. Pictures from the walk? GREAT! With your support, we are continuing to climb our way towards the dollar signs we need to reach our 2009 goal. The more picture we can share and circulate, the higher chance you can help us get the word out about Light The Night and reach that goal for this year. Plus, how fun would it be to compare walk sites, fundraisers, and see if you happen to be in the background of another team’s pictures!

If you have pictures please send them to Kiley.Borowski@lls.org and they will be shared on our blog or Facebook group. Remember, we can still improve the quality of life for thousands of individuals and their families. So, keep fundraising and send those pictures on in!

‘Til next time friends- Just keep Swimming, just keep swimming….

Let It Rock.

$1.7 million statewide. You did it GEORGIA! That’s not too shabby I must say. It’s not quite our goal though. So we need you to rock it out. You got this far… how far can you get until December when your donations pages expire and we begin kicking butt for next year? You may say that I ask a lot. False. Think about the 912,938 people who have or survived blood cancer in the US. Plus, I wouldn’t ask you if a) I knew you couldn’t do it (cause you can.. duh) or b) I couldn’t offer some more incredible incentives.. The incentives are below, and remember, while our Walks in Georgia may be over, there are still patients and families in need. Below you will also find an awesome letter composed by one of our very own Campaign Coordinators to continue the success and accomplishments in Georgia.

You can do it Georgia. Let It Rock.

Incredible incentives.
$100 Raised Online = you will get a free movie pass
$150 Raised Online = 2 movie passes
$200 Raised Online = 2 movie passes and snack counter gift card


Campaign Letter To Continue Fundraising:

I had a great time at the Light The Night Walk. The evening was beautiful! For one night, hope for hundreds of thousands of cancer patients was shining brightly in red, white and gold balloons.
Insert team picture
I am very close to reaching my personal goal. I have raised over $_____. Would you consider making a donation to help fund cancer research? Every dollar counts, $10, $20 or more will make a difference. You can make a donation online by visiting my fundraising website by going to (insert personal fundraising page URL) You can also send a check, made payable to LLS, to me at [insert your address].
Help today! Thank you for your support of those who are currently fighting cancer! TOGETHER, we will find a cure for blood cancers!

Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night!

Holy COW! Can you believe the Athens Walk is tomorrow and our ATLANTA walk is on SATURDAY!! No? Me either!! Excitement is high and heads are spinning with last minute fund raising, packing and planning. (My cube may look like a hurricane came through, but no worries... The Walks will look much more spectacular!)

Before I get ahead of myself with the excitement of Athens and ATL, I must share the best fundraiser since I started typing at you. While I may be biast since it's MY team's fundraiser, tonight promises to be delicious. Come out to PIZZA FUSION (info and directions below) because they will be donating a portion of their proceeds to Light The Night! Big thanks to Jeff Melnick at Pizza Fusion for being super generous.

Can't make it in? Order out! All delivery, in house orders, and beverages will be included in Pizza Fusion's donation. So get out, cause what better way to raise funds for a cure than eating and drinking!

Where: Pizza Fusion
http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=2233+Peachtree+Rd.%2cAtlanta%2cGA+30309
When: TONIGHT! 5-10pm
Phone: 404-351-9334
Menu: http://www.pizzafusion.com/menu/

Chow down, it's cure time!