Guess Which Celebrities will be at the Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure?

In the past few days the Komen Indianapolis office has confirmed several celebrity participants at this year’s Race for the Cure. Of course, I think the true celebrities and the heroes of the Race are the survivors – the truly amazing women and men who will be wearing pink survivor shirts in celebration of their fight against breast cancer. I also think the women, men and families walking in memory of a loved one are special celebrities.

I am, however, very excited to hear that several other celebrities will be our guests on Saturday, April 17. Can you guess who they are? (answers found at the end of the hints)

1. This celebrity has been involved with Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure since 2004 and has served as Honorary Race Chair since 2007. He sports #63 on the football field, has been with the NFL for the past 11 years and is a mainstay on the Colts offensive line as Center.
2. This celebrity is a native Hoosier, a graduate of Cathedral High School, a former Marine and on November 6, 2007 was elected the 48th Mayor of Indianapolis.
3. This celebrity will represent the Hoosier state at the annual MISS USA Pageant, which will be broadcast live on NBC the day after our Race. In addition to being named Miss Photogenic, she also won the distinguished title of Miss Indiana 2010.
4. This celebrity is the third generation to lead the number-one brand premium fresh chicken in the eastern U.S. His company is the third largest poultry company in the U.S.
5. This “celebrity” was featured in today’s Indianapolis Star special insert. She’s my favorite celebrity because she’s one of my best friends from college and a 2-year breast cancer survivor. She’s also my motivation for becoming the chair for the 2010 Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure. Click here for her story.

Answers:

1. Jeff Saturday
2. Mayor Greg Ballard
3. Allison Biehle
4. Jim Perdue, Chairman of Perdue Farms
5. Sheri Miller Story

If you haven’t already signed-up for the Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure, please sign-up today. Not only will you be helping us find a cure for breast cancer, but you just may bump into one of these special celebrities. Click here to register.

On the Road to Our Own Final Four (four weeks)

With March Madness upon us, I thought it would be fun to incorporate some basketball terms into this week’s blog. Although all eyes may be on the brackets, at Komen Indy, we’re focused on the Race. So for us, the “Final Four” actually means the final four weeks before thousands of runners and walkers take to the streets of downtown to help us raise money for breast cancer research and programs (technically, we’re five weeks from Race day, but that didn’t play into my theme).

This week we are focusing our game plan on registration. On a serious note … Race registrations are down 20 % from last year. That’s nearly 8,400 fewer participants. What does this mean for Komen – and for the community? It means $235,200 less to fund mammograms, clinical breast exams, education and screening services for those in our community. Imagine if your mom, sister, daughter, best friend, neighbor or co-worker needed these services. Please sign-up today.

This could mean 8,400 fewer participants and $235,200 less to fund education, screening and early detection services for those in our community.

So, we’re trying hard this week to increase the number of registrations. We’re letting people know our numbers are down. And we’re asking for our friends and family to join our team – the “Dream Team” that will help us find a cure to end breast cancer before the final buzzer.

It’s been fun to see some of the support we’ve received:

• Our friends at Entercom – one of our media sponsors, have invited us to join them at Smiley’s Prom and at their Easter Egg Hunt to hand out information. They also are offering you the opportunity to share who you are walking in memory or celebration of through their Memory Wall. You may even get a phone call to share your story...on the radio!


• The Indianapolis Indians have invited us to be a part of their opening weekend, which is the same weekend as the Race. We will be at Victory Field on Opening Night to sign-up last minute participants and raise awareness of Komen Indy among Indians’ fans. Visit this blog before the Race for a blog from Rowdie.


• Our partners at WTHR have created fantastic PSAs, featuring Jeff and Karen Saturday, and Andrea Morehead and John Stehr, which will begin running on their station. They also have featured Komen Indy on Focus and featuring survivor stories on their program.


• The Indianapolis Star special insert will help raise awareness – and has some great stories highlighting the Race, survivors and breast cancer. Look for that issue to hit newsstands on March 31.

We also have 11 national sponsors and 65 local sponsors who are Komen Indy’s MVPs. Without the generosity and support of our sponsors the Indianapolis Race for the Cure would not be possible. While all of our sponsors are doing amazing things to support the Race, these are a few plays that I think score big points:

• Hoosier Lottery will be handing out free lottery tickets at the Race. One per person.


• McAlister’s Deli is sponsoring the Race with an in-kind donation of food and beverages for all of the Komen Indianapolis meetings.


• Omni Severin Indianapolis has donated several weekend stays at their hotel, as well as 5 night/6 day stay at the Omni Cancun, as prizes for fundraising incentives. They also are offering a special room rate of $109 per night to Race participants the weekend of the Race and donating $10 of that back to Komen Indy. Click here for reservations.

There’s a lot happening – and we want you to be a part of the fun; to be a part of the Race for the Cure. It’s a slam dunk, really. Just sign up today and be a part of the Cure!

Komen Puts Fun in Fundraising

I must say, I think the fundraising efforts of Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure this year are pretty cool. And from what I understand, there is a much needed emphasis placed on our fundraising efforts. As it turns out, the Indianapolis Race is the 6th largest in size, but we’re actually 70th (give or take a few) in terms of dollars raised.

With the creativity of a few staff and executive committee members, Komen Indy has created the Power of Ten. You’ve probably already heard about it, so if you know what it is feel free to skip down to some of the prizes and ideas on how you can increase your own fundraising efforts. If you don’t know what it is let me tell you briefly … The Power of 10 is the basic idea of asking 10 friends for $10. If 40,000 of our participants were successful in the Power of Ten challenge we would raise an additional $4 million to be used to fund grants for local organizations. Remember, 75% of the money raised stays local! That’s pretty powerful!

Here’s another message I really like about the Power of 10 … The Power of 10 is the power to fund a mammogram for a woman in need! It is the power to help fund the cure! It is the power to save a life!

About the prizes… laptop computers, weekend stays at the Omni Severin Indianapolis, Hoosier Lottery gift baskets filled with lottery tickets, Komen gift baskets and more will be given away weekly between now and the Race as incentives for fundraising. Everyone that raises $100 will be entered into a drawing to win the grand prize – a 6 day/5 night stay at the Omni Cancun in Cancun, Mexico. After the Race, everyone who raised at least $150 will receive really cool flair (buttons) and for those that raised $500 or more will receive a $25 MainGate gift card. These are just some of the ways we want to thank Race participants for going above and beyond to help us find a cure.

About the fundraising… there are some really creative ideas that teams and individuals are doing to fund raise. Below are a few things that the team, Karen’s Angels, have planned to help their team raise additional dollars for Komen Indy.

• Sleep for the Cure - a slumber party where everyone pays $10 to attend. Party goers will be wearing Pink pajamas and drinking Pink cocktails all night long!!


• Prayer for the Cure - a portion of their church services will have prayer for survivors, and then will ask for a $10 donation (or whatever one can give).


• Dine for the Cure - the team will meet for dinner with guests, and everyone will pay for their own meal, and then donate $10 toward their fundraising goal.

What fundraising ideas do you have in place? Please share some of your fundraising tips so others can be successful. Click here to get some ideas on fundraising. Remember, registration gets you to the start line; fundraising helps get us to a cure.

Jeff Saturday Fans Pink After Super Bowl

While many Colts fan were blue over the turnout of the Super Bowl, those of us involved with the Race for the Cure were still pink (ok, and blue too). We cheered loudly throughout the season and of course, on Feb. 7, for our favorite player, Jeff Saturday – a longtime supporter and friend of Komen Indianapolis. No matter what the scoreboard said at the end of the Super Bowl, Jeff Saturday is a true champion in the hearts and minds of everyone involved with Komen. He’s a winner on and off the field, that’s for sure.

Jeff and his wife, Karen, have been involved with Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure since 2004 and have served as Honorary Race Chairs since 2007. With relatives and close friends touched by breast cancer, both Jeff and Karen are “passionately pink” and are truly active and committed to the cause.

In addition to serving as Race Honorary Chairs – they are on-site early Race morning sporting their pink pride (Jeff trades in his Colts jersey for a “Real Men Wear Pink” shirt); they have also served as judges for Paint the Town Pink and have emceed the Pink Parade (Karen has walked with the group in the past). The Saturdays also participate in notable Komen Indianapolis events such as the Circle of Hope recognition reception and the Pink Ribbon Celebration survivor luncheon.

Jeff, (#63), has been with the NFL for the past 11 years and is a mainstay on the Colts offensive line as Center. His stats are impressive to football fans (voted onto five Pro Bowl teams, named twice to the Associated Press NFL All-Pro First Team and, of course, a member of the Super Bowl XLI Championship Team. I even read that he even has an action figure). Off the field, he’s even more impressive to community organizations. In addition to his commitment to Komen, he supports Riley Hospital for Children, is an active spokesman for the People’s Burn Foundation and serves on the boards for Kids’ Voice of Indiana and Sharon Bassett Foundation. Jeff was recently acknowledged by the NFL at the 23rd Annual Super Bowl Breakfast as a nominee for the 2010 Bart Starr Award (along with Kurt Warner and Drew Brees) – recognized for outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field in and in the local community. A well-deserved recognition for sure!

So, while he didn’t win another Super Bowl ring this year; he won the hearts and praises of several thousand Race participants who appreciate his commitment to our Super event … Race for the Cure. I look forward to standing next to Jeff and Karen on April 17 and cheering for all of the runners and walkers who are helping us get one step closer to finding a cure.

Volunteers Can Sign-up Online Now

posted by Meghan Lyons, Volunteer Registration Manager

If you’ve volunteered in the past for Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure or Paint the Town Pink, odds are I’ve had the pleasure of working with you at some point. For the past four years I’ve served on the Race Executive Planning Committee and one of the many hats I wear is managing volunteer registration (I also manage Paint the Town Pink and am the co-chair for Special Programs).

I have to admit, Race for the Cure is definitely one of my favorite events. I look forward to this event every year – and right now I’m looking forward to signing volunteers up for the Race.

Managing volunteer registration is no small task, but I love it. As you can imagine, volunteers are critical to the success of the Race. Last year alone, we had a total of 614 volunteer shifts. We certainly couldn’t put on this massive event if we didn’t have the support of our volunteers. We truly appreciate all of our volunteers and all of their hard work!

Volunteers can now sign-up online. It’s easy, really. Just visit our volunteer Race page, download the volunteer job descriptions to see what interests you and then visit the volunteer sign-up site to select your job and see the available shifts.

While we have a lot of volunteer positions open right now, we have a lot of committed volunteers who come back year after year to volunteer for their favorite jobs. I recommend signing up early so you get the volunteer position you want.

New for 2010 - all online race participants will get their t-shirt packet mailed to them (a part of our “Pink Goes Green” initiative). Thanks to this amazing feature, we will only be at the IUPUI Surplus Warehouse on Thursday and Friday, which means we’ll need fewer volunteers Race Week – another reason to sign-up early.

On behalf of everyone on the Race Executive Committee, thank you for your interest, time and commitment to the Race. As a volunteer, you are helping us get one step closer to the Cure!

Media Sponsors Help Tell Our Story

I’ve always been a fan of WTHR – I mean Ellen, Oprah and Law & Order are three of my favorite shows. Today, however, I was reminded that it’s not about the programs or the news; it’s about their community support and their commitment to partner with campaigns and events such as Race for the Cure.

To say we are lucky to have WTHR as a media partner is an understatement. A few of us met today with Angela Cain, Jennifer Donovan and Young-Hee Yedinak -- the terrific trio in the community relations department that helps drive the station’s support of the Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure. These three women, along with several anchors for the station, help plan, organize, create, write, produce, emcee and are on-site from beginning to end Race day.

Their passion helps tell the stories we need to empower and motivate runners, walkers, volunteers and supporters each year. They use their creativity to find ways to increase the station’s support and visibility before, during and even after the Race. More importantly – and what was so clear today, was the friendship, support and camaraderie they have established with Komen Indianapolis by supporting the event for so many years.

WTHR has already started promoting the Race. The event is listed on their community calendar, we were a part of a larger Community Focus segment and plans are in the works for creating new PSAs (among other things). I also learned today that they may have back massagers in their tent again this year. Their full sponsorship is an incredible commitment and one that Race organizers recognize and appreciate year after year.

WTHR is one of several media partners Komen Indianapolis is fortunate enough to have. A big thanks also to Comcast, Entercom , Indianapolis Star and Indianapolis Woman. Each has made an important commitment and an invaluable contribution to the success of the Race for the Cure. Each media outlet beautifully helps us tell our story of hope.

So why am I highlighting the media sponsorships and not all of the other wonderful Race sponsors? Well for one, the meeting with WTHR just happened and is fresh in my mind. There will be another blog at some point highlighting our other incredible sponsors. I also chose to highlight the media sponsors today because each media outlet wants stories – stories about survivors, co-survivors, teams, volunteers, fundraisers and participants. If you have a story to tell; tell us so we can tell them.

On behalf of everyone associated with the Race, a big thanks to all of the incredible sponsors who help make this event possible. See you April 17, 2010!

Helping Teams Become More Successful (psst... we're making it easy)

I attended my first Race for the Cure Team Captain orientation in a very long time on Saturday. In fact, I think the first one I attended was nearly 10 years ago when I started Team Jaguars at IUPUI. This year, I had the pleasure of attending as Race Chair, which was such an honor. I’m telling you, this race chair gig is cool – it’s allowing me to see up close what it takes to pull off this massive event; I’m getting an incredible behind the scenes look at the Race; it’s giving me the opportunity to see how many people, companies and organizations support this incredible event and cause; and it’s providing me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people who are committed to finding a cure for breast cancer!

First, a big thanks to the more than 50 team captains who attended Saturday’s orientation. You’re involvement is critical to the success of the Race.

Second, if you’re a team captain – or considering creating a team for this year’s Race, please join us at 6:30 p.m., this Wednesday, Jan. 13, Landmark Center, 1099 N. Meridian St., for our next Orientation. You’ll get everything you need to help you start your team, meet other team captains and hear how they’ve been successful in recruitment and fundraising and you can meet –and ask questions from the committee chairs who are working to make it easy for team captains to have fun and be successful.

Here are the top 5 things I learned at orientation:

1. Teams (and participants) who register online will have their t-shirt and bib shipped to them for FREE. For teams, that’s huge! That means as a team captain you don’t have to worry about reconciling your team numbers, picking up and distributing shirts, etc. We’ll take care of that for you!
2. There are some amazing incentives being offered to help us reach our goal of raising 1.2 million dollars. The Power of Ten is a way to encourage participants to ask 10 people for $10 – and, if you raise $100 you will eligible for a drawing for a 5 night/6 day stay at Omni Cancun. If you raise $150 or more you will win a packet of exclusive Race buttons (more commonly known as Flair).
3. There are great marketing materials available for teams to help you recruit members and promote your involvement with the Race – posters, table tents and more. If you can’t make the orientation, please contact the office for supplies.
4. The staff at the Komen Office has offered to attend any team captain meetings (free) to share information about the Race, about the Komen Indianapolis Affiliate –and to help you kick-off your team recruitment efforts.
5. Teams and businesses are encouraged to participate in Paint the Town Pink. This decorating contest is open to anyone and provides you with an opportunity to draw attention to your business for the month of April (not to mention a way to raise awareness and help you sign-up more participants).

I also learned that 70 percent of the 40,000+ participants in last year’s Race were made up of teams. Teams have truly become the backbone of the Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure. We certainly couldn’t do what we do without team captains. These incredible leaders help us make the Race more successful every year, so thank you!

So, grab your friends, co-workers and neighbors and form a team for the 2010 Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure. I’ll look for you on April 17 – and although I’ll be there as Race Chair, I also will be a part of “Sheri’s Secure-a-titty”, where our friends will be dressed up as security members, in support of our friend Sheri, who will be walking as a two-year survivor.

If you have any questions or need information here are the best e-mails to know:

• For online registration questions: online@komenindy.org
• For Teams questions: raceteams@komenindy.org