Volunteers Help Alex's Lemonade Stand and Million Mile Run (By Guest Blogger, Kate Vecchione)

 

Photo courtesy of Nichole Ann (Left to Right Randi Kobielnik, Kate Vecchione, Nichole Ann, and Heather McCurdy)

 

Springfield Mall in Springfield, Pennsylvania recently hosted an Alex's Lemonade Stand on Friday and Saturday September 20th and 21st to raise money and awareness for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation For Childhood Cancer and the Million Mile Run.

 

Volunteers Jennifer Oxenford, Melinda Babiak, Bridgette Klose, Heather McCurdy, Darla DeMorrow and Kate Vecchione raised $650 in honor of childhood cancer heros Lily and Maggie.

 

Photo of volunteers Kate Vecchione and Jennifer Oxenford

 

Build a Bear donated their signature stuffed animals to the cause. We also raffled off jewelry from Stella and Dot, a cruise on the Spirit of Philadelphia, Bertucci's gift certificates, and a candy basket. 

 

Find out how to join the Million Mile Run and help fight childhood cancer.Run or walk in a team with your friends and family to help raise money for childhood cancer research. If everyone joins together we can work toward beating this disease.

 

Look for more info on where these ladies will be raising $$$ for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

 

 

 

 

Women Helping Women

I have to admit, I've been very proud of my sex lately. I've watched women bond together to help families suffering through Hurricane Sandy, I've seen women generously getting together to raise money for everything from AIDS research to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to St. Jude's to Cradles to Crayons. And I've seen them generously reaching out to their friends or colleagues on a one on one basis.

What makes women so giving? Why are women always out there willing to help someone in need? Whether storm victims or abuse victims or someone with a child who needs help, I've seen women reach out to help each other in times of need. Women supporting women. Supporting others who are in need.

I have to say, I'm proud of them, all these other women. Some of them are people I know either through business or just casual contacts, some are family, some are total strangers, but all of them have one thing in common--they care. And they do something about it.

I've personally seen people reach out to help my daughter who has a disability or two, but who is really quite capable with a little help from her friends--that's the key. All of us need a little help now and then. You never know when it will be your turn to need help, so it's always time to give help if you can.

So if you can give, just a little, to someone else in need this holiday season please do. And it doesn't have to be monetary giving. Give your time. Your efforts. Your smile. Take the time to listen to someone who is lonely and needs an ear. Those are equally appreciated. I know, we're all busy, but fit it in. Your holidays will be the richer for it.

Jon Bon Jovi and Friends Performing to Help Victims of Hurricane Sandy

Photo courtesy of NBC Universal

8 PM Tonight--Watch and Give as media and rock stars join together to aid victims of Hurricane Sandy. As the residents of the East Coast begin the clean up from the disaster left by Hurricane Sandy, NBC Universal and Matt Lauer stepped up to the plate and planned a disaster aid concert. The concert called "Hurrincane Sandy: Coming Together" will be broadcast on NBC, CNBC, Bravo, E!, G4, MSNBC, Style, Syfy and USA. Lauer will host the event that will air on Friday at 8 PM. Proceeds will benefit the Ameican Red Cross funds for Hurricane Sandy relief.

As we get closer to the event it is possible that all networks will decide to air it simultaneously. It will also be simulcast on Springsteen's E Street Radio on SiriusXM. There will be a tape delay for the West Coast.

If a decision is made to air the concert across all networks, it won't be unprecedented, in 2010 the telethon for the Haitian earthquake spearheaded by George Clooney aired on NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox and MTV, HBO, PBS and more. Hopefully everyone will join in again.

Artists planning on performing? Jon Bon Jovi (the face of Avon's newest fragrance, Unplugged), Christina Aguilera, Billy Joel (of Asbury Park fame, a town hard hit by the storm), and Sting are all scheduled to perform at the benefit. Jimmy Fallon and Brian Williams are also scheduled to appear, possibly performing together (although no announcement has been made, I'm just hoping!) Aerosmith's Steven Tyler just announced on The Today Show that they would be performing as well.

In case you've been living under a rock and  haven't heard any news in the last week, Hurricane Sandy devastated the East Coast. There is a massive need for aid in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and parts of Massachusetts and West Virginia. Also hard hit were Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Some people lost homes, others lost family members. There is a massive need for financial aid in all these areas to help individuals and businesses get back to normal. Hospitals say the need for blood donations is critical. So even if you cannot donate $$, you can make an appointment to donate blood. We all have that to give.

I saw shore communities where I spent my childhood happily playing on beaches and walking the boardwalks destroyed. Some of these communities are not just summer vacation communities but have year round residents who have lost their only homes. Often their businesses were also destroyed.
Many are still living without power.

If you gave when New Orleans was destroyed, or for other natural disasters farther from home, it's time to dig even a little deeper in your pockets and donate one more time to your friends and neighbors in need. Tune in to watch Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together and enjoy the music (and give) at 8 PM tonight.

Ceramics and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Are you creative? Or just interested in finding a fun way to support JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation?) Come out and join Paula Regalis Todd and friends (young and old) for a night of fun at Color Me Mine in Glen Mills PA.

 

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation  "is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Driven by passionate, grassroots volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is now the largest charitable supporter of T1D research."

 

The goal of their research is to improve the lives of anyone affected by T1D by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners who share this goal.

 

"Since its founding in 1970, JDRF has awarded more than $1.6 billion to diabetes research. Past JDRF efforts have helped to significantly advance the care of people with this disease, and have expanded the critical scientific understanding of T1D. JDRF will not rest until T1D is fully conquered. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education."

So come out for an inexpensive night of fun with friends (the more the merrier) to support JDRF, it's a great cause. There will be donations from the Phillies, Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple, and Skinny Girl. Donations are welcome if you can not make it. A link for donations directly to JDRF is being set up and will be posted when available.

 

Personalized bracelets being made, which are $5.00 each, the money will go directly to JDRF.

 

So whether you are personally effected by T1D or know someone who is, or just want to come out and have fun, come to Color Me Mine on Sunday, November 11, 2012.