What do video games have to do with raising money for charity?

by Becky P. (Ivie-Flower Mound)

For the third straight year Leala U., one of our Graphic Designers in Flower Mound, is joining 650 other people who will be playing video games for 24 straight hours to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network. Leala is generally a pretty quiet person. I can tell you from experience that if you engage her in conversation about this cause you will see something very different. It clearly means a lot to her and she was extremely excited when I mentioned we could help with her fundraising efforts.

So what can you do? Read her story below. I can’t begin to explain to you why this cause is SO important to Leala, so I thought I would let her tell you on her own. Then visit her fundraising website and make a donation. It's that simple.

Leala's Story...

There are lots of ways to raise money for great causes, but I can’t think of one more fun than playing video games. For the third year in a row, thousand of gamers from across the world will come together on October 16 for Extra Life, a 24 hour gaming charity marathon. And I will be among them yet again, playing all day and night to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network.

This year though will be extra special for me, as I’ll be playing in honor of a little girl named Emma Bradford. I heard her story a few months ago online as it circulated throughout the community of people who play one of my favorite games, a family game called Wizard 101. She was a Wizard 101 player as well who had passed at the very young age of 7 years old. When it came time for Extra Life again this year I thought of her and wanted to dedicate my portion of the fundraiser to her memory. I tracked down her family online to explain what I wanted to do and get their blessing. Emma’s father Shane has been so gracious and supportive in sharing her story with me. Born with a congenial heart defect, Emma braved several surgeries in her short time that allowed her to live a happy life. A determined, smart and fearless young girl, Emma was an inspiration to her friends and family with her spirit. In an even more touching twist of events, I learned that Children’s Miracle Network had served as a valuable resource to Emma’s family in the difficult times of her surgeries.

The picture below is a special one to her family. It was taken on her last day at church. Though it wasn’t planned or intended, Emma is right in the center and the only light shining down in the photo is highlighting her.

I am so honored to be able to not only share her story but to be able to raise money for an organization that was able to touch her life, by playing one of our favorite games.

You can find more info about the event on their website.

You can also visit my sponsorship page.

Thank you so much for your support.
Leala U. (Ivie-Flower Mound)

Upcoming Events

by Becky P. in Flower Mound, TX

We have a number of really exciting events coming up over the next couple of months so I thought I would post a quick update.

First, Ivie will be serving as a Corporate Chair for the 2011 Big D Climb, which raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This event isn't your everyday 5k - it's a 52-flight climb to the top of the Fountain Place building in Dallas. We are putting together a committee of associates to help come up with ways to promote this amazing event and ideas for the day of the event as well. Last year we had over 30 associates participate and everyone was incredibly touched by both the comraderie of it as well as the physical demands. The feeling of making it to the top was unlike any other!

Another event we've added at the last minute is to celebrate National Day of Service & Remembrance on September 11th. We will be holding a drive in Flower Mound to collect paper goods for Christian Community Action, a local organization that provides food, shelter and training for families in need. They have a constant shortage of key products like bathroom tissue, facial tissue and paper towels - basic items that most of us take for granted - so we hope to provide a good supply to restock their shelves for a while. We also have a group that will be volunteering at their facility on Saturday 9/11. Anyone interested can send an email to IvieCares@ivieinc.com.

We are also in the process of creating an Ivie Cookbook. Recipes are being submitted by associates all over the country and will be pulled together to create a nicely bound book. We will be selling these books to raise money for the Family Resources Domestic Shelter in Davenport, IA where one of our main offices is located. Look out for more information on how to purchase one of these books. So far we have some great recipes coming in.

We have several more items in the works that we will post about next week so stay tuned.

Making a Difference with Junior Achievement

Recently, several Associates used volunteer release time from the Ivie Cares program to teach Junior Achievement classes in local schools. Junior Achievement provides professionals the resources to help children learn about important skills necessary to competing in a global economy (you can learn more about their Dallas chapter here: http://www.jadallas.org/). Lesson topics include how to save money, be a good citizen, and how to do well in a job interview. We asked some of the partcipants to share their experiences with us. Their comments are below.

“I’ve had a great time with our class. They really want to know about the working world and they ask a lot of really great questions. Our teacher has been great with chiming in when she has something to say and we’ve had very little behavioral problems even thought they are 9th graders. Great experience overall.”
-Rachel Bradford

“Travis and I are kicking ignorance’s butt with on-topic advice for the 1th graders. Yesterday was our first session, and it went well. Travis got them some treats we put in Ivie cups, and they enjoyed all of the materials (especially when we “rapped” about them).”
-Chris Ray

“I will miss those little guys. They were so sweet. On my last day they all wrote thank you notes and drew pictures, which are so cute! This was a very fun, rewarding experience. The kids are so eager when you show up and they’re grateful for all the little things JA provided for them. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves kids and is looking for a fun way to volunteer. I look forward to doing this again in the fall!”
-Sabrina Warren

Helping Out With Earth Day

by Katie Turk

On Saturday, April 17th, Katie Turk and Emily Huston braved a chilly spring morning to participate in the Friends of the Riverfront Earth Day cleanup event. A portion of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, north of Pittsburgh along the Allegheny River, was beautified by over 400 volunteers. The group pulled weeds and invasive species, cut down and collected dead branches, planted flower bulbs, and spread mulch and gravel. All the volunteers had a great time. Despite the cold, everyone did their part, and the trail looks great!

Racing for the Cure, Rain or Shine

by Emily S. in Ivie Bentonville

It’s 7 a.m. on a Saturday. Outside, it’s a mishmash of ominous clouds, pouring rain, thunder and lightning. You wake up, thinking the obvious: It’s a great day for a 5K!

Despite the dreadful weather the morning of April 24, several members of the Ivie Bentonville team and their families showed up to run the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Luckily, the rain died down before the race began, so Team Ivie was able to finish the race along with about 5,000 other brave participants. Approximately 16,000 signed up, which made reaching a goal of $1 million in donations possible.

The race is the Komen Foundation’s signature event that helps raise awareness and funds for breast cancer education, screening, treatment and research. We hope to take part again next year (with any luck, in better weather)!

Pictured above:
Front row, from left: Fabian Lagunes, Aaron Schmid, Emily Schmid, Shelby Harrison, Sara Prince and Morgan Prince.
Back row, from left: Sarah Terry, Drew Terry, Carol Baserman, Kurt Baserman and Marquetta Thompson.

My Eye Opening Experience

by Becky Pearce

I helped to start the Ivie community service program almost 3 years ago now and have had the pleasure of being heavily involved ever since. Lately, I've found myself feeling disconnected from our efforts. Often we are raising money without actively being involved with the organization and the people (or animals) our donations are helping. Although, I fully realize that money is what these organizations often need the most, I also think it's important for people to connect with the organizations they support so they truly understand the needs of others.

Today I had the pleasure of touring a local organization called Christian Community Action (CCA). CCA supports 8 school districts throughout the county our main offices reside in. I've been familiar with CCA since I first moved to Texas 10 years ago. They are the place we ALWAYS take our donations to - much like Goodwill. What I learned today was truly eye opening though. They are so much more than that donation station I drop by a couple of times a year.

First of all, CCA provides not only a re-sale store but also food, shelter, education, training and spiritual guidance for families throughout the area we live in. We live in a nice area. Flower Mound is generally considered a town of mid to high income residents, but what we don't realize is the impact the economy has had on those who live right around us. This has created a tremendous need for the services that CCA provides. A need they are struggling to keep up with.

The woman who gave us the tour today mentioned that it is no longer predominantly the working poor who need their services, but people like us who have been affected by the bad economy over the last couple of years. People with college diplomas and MBAs and solid work experience. People who'd managed to build their lives into what would be considered the "American dream."

Our friends, family and neighbors have lost their jobs and are desperately trying to hang on to their homes despite having lost everything else. CCA helps these people to pay their bills, to feed their families and to receive medical care. Plus, provides education and training to help people become self-sufficient again. They provide supplies for kids to go back to school, toys for their parents to put under the tree at Christmas, and during the summer they even provide lunches for kids who might otherwise not eat.

And they do all of this with only the money from their re-sale stores and donations from people like us, plus the tremendous hours that countless volunteers are putting in.

I try to remind myself often of how lucky I am to have what I do and try not to take it for granted. But walking through that lobby with my designer bag on my shoulder was like a punch in the gut. Especially after hearing that $25 feeds a family of four for a month!

At Ivie, we are busy making plans for how we can help CCA both through donations as well as volunteering. Personally, I'm also looking for an opportunity to take my 8 year old son to volunteer with them as well. Much like me, he does charity fundraisers at school, but ultimately he has no idea what that means or where the money is going. I'm hoping we can remedy that.

What can you do to make a bigger impact on the lives of those in need?

Photo: Courtesy of helgabj, www.flickr.com/photos/helgabj/1074000287/

My Junior Achievement Experience

by Aaron Conoly
Recently, I decided to participate in Junior Achievement, an organization that seeks to help kids of all grade levels learn the real-world information and skills they need to be competitive in a global marketplace. Class topics range from how to be a good citizen to how to do well in a job interview.

I decided to teach a ninth grade class with a colleague from work. The ninth grade curriculum focuses on preparing students to successfully interview for and perform at their job. Some of the important issues we discussed with the class included

-Effective listening and speaking skills
-How to build rapport
-Teamwork
-Creative problem solving
-Conflict resolution and negotiation
-How to effectively market yourself
-How to write an effective resume
-How to have a successful interview.

We met with our class every Monday for seven weeks. During the class, I was struck by how much I would have benefited from a program like this when I was in high school. Ninth grade is an interesting time for a young adult; you’re just at the cusp of deciding what the rest of your life will look like. It’s such a crucial time, especially because of the pressures young people face. In ninth grade, almost every major decision can be framed as such, “I can do x, which will distract from my studies and chances at a better life, or I can do y, which will establish the building blocks for a better life.” Often the distinction between x and y is difficult and the decision even more so. If someone would have taught Junior Achievement in my ninth grade class, I would have had been better equipped to make better choices, or at a minimum, have had more to think about at that crucial time. Luckily I had a good work ethic, but experiencing a Junior Achievement class certainly would have helped.

At the end of seven weeks of games, critical thinking exercises, and lively discussion, we had our last JA class. The students thanked us for their time, and we left our contact information with them. I believe we made a difference, if only a small one, with some of the kids. Anytime an adult can take time to share experiences and/or mentor a child, they make a huge impression in that child’s life.

I would highly recommend teaching a Junior Achievement course. It’s a great opportunity to make a positive difference in your community.

How to Fight a Penny War

Every year, several of our offices participate in their local Relay for Life (for more information about this great charity, please go here). We always have a group of ten to fifteen that participate in the actual relay, but we also have several charity events in our office to help raise money. One of those events is called Penny War. It’s an epic department versus department struggle, one that I’ve participated in for the last three years. Now I’ve decided to pull the curtain back and share some of my team’s tried and true strategies for fighting the good fight.

What’s a ‘Penny War’?
Great question. Penny War is based on a point system. Every team, which is usually comprised of two to three departments, has a bucket. Teams can place coins in their own or other team’s buckets. Pennies are worth one point, while silver coins are worth negative points, based on the coin’s value. For example, a nickel is worth -5 points. At the end of the war, the team with the most points wins. It’s a great way to raise money for Relay for Life! Here are three strategies we used to be successful.

Strategy 1: Plan of Attack
Essentially, you can be a kingdom- or king-maker in this war. If you’re looking to fortify your defenses, focus all of your funds on pennies. The penny is the only coin with a positive point value in this war, so if you’re looking to reign supreme, fill up your bucket with as many pennies as possible. Most teams at least in some way attempt to accomplish this goal. Another strategy is to play king-maker. Let’s say your department can raise $100, and you’ve noticed that some other departments’ buckets are brimming with pennies. You could decide to focus on silver coins, which have a negative value. Afterall, you can help swing the balance of power with some strategically placed quarters (-25 value).

Strategy 2: Raise Funds (AKA Shock and Awe)
Fun fact: banks actually have a small supply of coinage. Let’s face it, most people don’t go to their bank drive through and ask for $100 in nickels. It’s just not that common. So plan ahead. Call your local branch at least two days ahead of time to determine if they’ll have the coins you need in stock. Many banks order their coins a week in advance, so the sooner you start to plan, the better. Also, keep in mind that your colleagues are fighting the good fight too, so there’s a good chance they may have already been to the same bank looking for coin. This last challenge, I had to drive over 20 miles to get coins, due to lack of supply in our immediate area.

Strategy 3: Have Fun!
After you have your plan of attack and funds, it’s all about having a good time. This contest is a great way to meet and interact with coworkers you might not have worked with previously. It’s also for a great cause. So remember not to go crazy; simply enjoy the game and raise money.

So that’s how we play the game of Penny War. I really enjoyed this year’s fundraising event and look forward to next years!

Wow! Huge Response for Princess Alexa

We hit a record for our October Jeans for Charity event. Ivie associates raised $748 and a bin full of costumes for the Princess Alexa Foundation. This is the most we've raised in a month so far.

Congratulations to the Princess Alexa Foundation for their feature story on Good Morning Texas this past Monday. Please check out the video when you have a chance.

Remember ... Costumes are on sale all over the area right now so please feel free to continue to pick up donations and drop them off with Robin Ganslen or Becky Pearce.

For those who are knew to our blog, Jeans for Charity is a monthly event that allows employees to wear jeans on Tuesday for a donation of at least $2. Each month we choose a different charity from a pool of organizations submitted by Ivie associates.

24 Hours of Game Play for TX Children's Cancer Center

The Extra Life gaming marathon took place this past weekend. My husband and I as well as hundreds of other gamers played for 24 hours to raise money for the Texas Children’s Cancer Center at Texas Children’s Hospital. It was a lot of fun for a great cause. I was able to raise over $400 and my team as a whole raised $1,000. Totals are still coming in for the event as a whole but there has been $141,000 raised as of today.

The Extra Life website is still taking donations until the end of the month and you can find out more at the official site : http://extralife.sarcasticgamer.com/.

- Leala U. (Creative in Flower Mound)

Mission Work in Kenya

Below is a message from my friend Dr. Bob Mendonsa (formerly a leading orthopedic surgeon here in Flower Mound), and his mission work in Kenya.

Dear All,
There are exciting things happening with Naomi's Village, the orphanage we're building in Maai Mahiu, Kenya. Please check out the news on our website to see the latest news, to see pictures of children who will steal your heart, and to see how you can get involved!
With hope,
Bob, Julie, Emily and Will

Our home group put on a garage sale last weekend to help raise funds for the construction of the orphanage, and we raised $1300 that we will be sending to them. But they need ALL the help they can get. In addition to building an orphanage, the Mendonsas also orchestrate a weekly feeding plan for the Kenyan children. Children walk for miles once a week to get to them so that they can be given basic food staples which they then take back to their families.

In addition to both these efforts, Bob works as an orthopedic surgeon in the CURE INTERNATIONAL Hospital there in Kijabe Kenya, where they are stationed.

Thank you,
Sandra O. x5358

The Wales Community Halloween Party

A family friend recently brought The Wales Community Group to my attention.

"...many of our 63 residents are older people, with physical or mental
disabilities. Each has been or could easily become homeless. These are people who are
struggling to maintain the dignity and life this home provides them." - Glenda

It’s a community living program in which clients live in apartments or community homes that are for persons not yet ready to live in the community independently. These homes provide a transition for people recently leaving a psychiatric facility or for persons who need intensive structure on a temporary basis. The goal is to promote a self-sufficient and satisfying life.

Glenda is throwing these clients a Halloween Lunch Party on Halloween and I am participating with my family and friends, but there are some needs that I'm hoping Ivie associates can help with.

There are 61 clients now: 31 men & 30 women…here is a list of things Glenda has mentioned she wanted to give to help the clients at the Halloween Party:

• Walmart or Target gift cards
• 4 oz bars of soap
• Toothpaste (They have plenty of toothbrushes presently)
• Shampoo (full size)
• Hair products for black clients’
• Feminine hygiene products
• Socks for men or women
• Umbrellas- (Bus stops are hard to get to in the rain)
• Paper towels
• Bingo Prizes

If you can contribute please email or call me. I need all donations by Friday, October 30th.

Thank you,

Jennifer Pressly, x5024

jennifer.pressly@ivieinc.com

$756 for the Breast Cancer 3-Day!

Our Jeans for Charity fundraiser for September raised a total of $756.80 for the Breast Cancer 3Day event benefiting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This is the most money we've raised in a month so far. Thank you so much to everyone who donated!

For the next couple of months we are going to change things up a little bit. Rather than just accepting $2 donation to wear jeans, we will also be accepting in-kind donations for our charity each month.

For October, the charity to benefit from these donations will be the Princess Alexa Foundation. This organization was created in memory of Alexa Aigner, a beautiful little 4-year old little girl who fought neuroblastoma, a childhood form of cancer, for most of her short life. Alexa passed away in June 2008. She LOVED playing dressing up so her family and friends started the Foundation to provide other critically ill children the opportunity to celebrate childhood through dress up and play. We will accept $2 donations and/or new costumes and accessories for boys and girls 2 to 10 years old. Please visit the website to learn more about this incredible organization.

Let us know if anyone has any questions.

~Becky P.

Serenity Springs Sanctuary

I have the Ivie Cares program at Ivie and Associates to thank for getting me involved with the wonderful Serenity Springs Sanctuary here in North Texas. I spend most of my Sundays at the sanctuary helping feed the pigs and work with the horses.

Serenity Springs Sanctuary is truly an animal heaven on earth. There are about 98 pigs, mostly Vietnamese Potbelly Pigs. There are 6 horses, two of them are totally blind. There are 3 miniature horses with two of those that are special needs animals. There are 3 mules, a miniature donkey, 2 cows, 1 goat, peacocks, chickens and 6 dogs and 12 cats. It is a great place to hang out and get some good ol' country peace and quiet.

Serenity Springs Sanctuary has stumbled on some very difficult times. Donations have dwindled and the veterinary bill has shot up due to 3 of the horses needing some critical care recently. The horses are fine now, even though little Cody, one of the miniature horses had to have one of his eyes removed.

If you would like to learn more about Serenity Springs Sanctuary, TV channel 11 just ran a news story about the sanctuary on September 11, 2009. You can view it by going to this link: http://cbs11tv.com/local/Terry.DeGaw.Serenity.2.1179091.html.

You can also go directly to Serenity Springs Sanctuary's web site to see the news clip or look at the photos of the many wonderful animals there. The web site also has a PayPal link if you would like to make a donation or if you are interested in sponsoring one of the animals there at the sanctuary.

If you want to visit the sanctuary and spend a lovely day in the country, just e-mail Terry at serenitysprings@wisewb.com for directions on how to get there. The web site address is: http://www.serenityspringssanctuary.org/.

The photo above is of Sundown, the blind Appaloosa mare, and Cody, the little miniature horse that recently lost one of his eyes.

~Bonnie L. (Prepress in Flower Mound)

Create Footprints Lyme Disease Walk

This is the first ever Lyme Disease walk in our area! Many people suffer from this horrible disease and go untreated for months and years. Lyme is often misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, MS, and Lupus.

Turn the Corner Foundation was started in 2003 and it has quickly become one of the country's leading organizations in the fight against Lyme disease. Its mission is to raise donations to support of research, education, awareness and innovative treatments for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases in order to find a cure.


Walk Details:
Sep 27, 2009 at 10am
Libertyville, IL
Registration - 10:00 am - Walk begins at 11:00 am
Walk - 2.5K or 5K
Families Welcome - Kids of All Ages
Family Entertainment and Raffles


Can't attend but would still like to help out?
Donate on-line at: http://www.firstgiving.com/marydagostino1
Register at: http://www.firstgiving.com/createfootprintsttc


Thank you.

Mary D. (USSCO office)

Video Games for Charity

Everyone has their own way in which to support and raise money for good causes. Some people bike, hike, race and climb. For me, I play video games!

This is the second year of Extra Life, a community charity effort 24 hour gaming marathon. This year on Oct. 17, me and thousands of other gamers all over the world will be playing to raise money for Texas Children’s Cancer Center at Texas Children’s Hospital. Last year over $120,000 was raised in one day alone.

I’m really excited and looking forward to the event, but I need some help. You can sponsor me for as much as you want or as little as $1 per hour of gaming or $24. I appreciate every bit and it all goes directly to a great cause. Just click on this link and hit “donate now” to sponsor me.

Thank you!

Check out the official site for more info.

-Leala U.

Jeans for Charity - Update

In June we started an event called Jeans for Charity in our home office in Flower Mound, TX. Each Tuesday, associates are allowed to wear jeans to work in exchange for a $2 donation to charity. Each month we choose a different organization from a pool of charities submitted by Ivie associates. So far we've raised a total of $1642.92 for local charities.

June - $459.42 to the Denton County Habitat for Humanity
July - $608.75 to the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas
August - $574.75 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

September donations will go to the Breast Cancer 3-Day benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

If you would like to submit a charity for consideration please send an email to IvieCares@ivieinc.com. The only requirement is that they be a 501c3 charitable organization.

~ Becky P.

Save the Date

Your fellow associates at Ivie are pulling together teams to participate in both of the following events. If you are interested in either of these events send an email to IvieCares@ivieinc.com and we will add you to the email list for updates.

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
Benefitting: Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Event: 5k Race
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Northpark Center, Dallas, TX

Big D. Climb
Benefitting: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Event: 52 Flight Climb
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Fountain Place, Dallas, TX

If you have an event coming up that you would like to announce please don't hesitate to let us know. Thank you!

~Becky P. (Ivie-TX)

Crazy Compassionate: the story of an MS 150 participant

You might have to be a little crazy to hop on a bike for 85 miles one day and get back on the second day for another helping of 60-plus miles the next morning.

After riding the “Multiple Sclerosis 150 – Escape to the Lake (Erie)” last year I did a self check: “Katie, really think about how much pain you were in….how delusional and fatigued you became after riding so far in intense heat…how many cars flew past you at inappropriate speeds…how sore your legs were for the following week…” I can be impulsive and wanted to commit the pain of the event to memory so that I didn’t sign up for another year then dread the commitment.

These thoughts were flowing through my mind at our awards banquet last year. Suddenly the inner dialogue was cut through with a quick sentence from the race organizer. “Next year the midpoint will be in Edinboro.” Edinboro is where I grew up, so I immediately knew I was in!

On June 6th, 2009 at 7:30 a.m. my dad, boyfriend Kyle and I were ready to roll. The weather was a chilly 48 degrees with a serious fog cover. Our start time was delayed in an attempt to let the sun break through until 8 a.m. then we took off. The fog persisted and I experienced a new sensation where your body is cold and covered with goosebumps, yet the air is humid. I call it cold-clammy.

Around 9:30 the sun broke through and we hit our first rest stop. Spirits were high and after quick water bottle fill-ups and downing of PB&J sandwiches we got back onto our bikes.

We saw a lot of beautiful sights on those miles. Many Amish and Mennonites gathered on their porches to watch the spectacle of 1,640 cyclists rolling by. Horses, cows and goats looked up from their fields.

I give a lot of credit to the volunteers. Volunteers fall into three main categories and are about a one-to-one ratio with the riders. There are support vehicle drivers, rest stop helpers, and bike shop employees. My mom drove her car along the course for the second year. She cheered for us whenever she passed and picked up any riders that needed assistance whether they had fallen, needed more fluids, a ride to the next rest stop or were fixing a tire. Rest stop helpers give you much needed food, water and Gatorade. The bike shop employees help fix bike problems and sell things such as extra tubes. My dad was particularly excited to introduce me to his New Amish friend and bike shop owner Steven and his crew who are all Jamis enthusiasts and rode about 25 miles in dress shirts, suspenders, and dress pants to set up and help!

After a particularly cruel sequence of hills Saturday, we were down to the final 2 miles. I knew the area well since our loop ended in Edinboro and was overjoyed to tell Kyle “it’s all downhill from here!”

Sunday morning we woke up and headed down to the starting line once again. This time instead of a loop we headed towards the Ohio border and beyond to end in Conneaut, Ohio on the shore of Lake Erie. In contrast to the year before, the weather was cool and comfortable.

The trade-up I did from a hybrid bike to a true road bike (thank you for letting me borrow your bike Jackie!) was also a huge perk. The miles flew by. We had a much easier course than Saturday with few steep climbs and many pleasant down-hills. I was in a fabulous mood until the occasional shoulder cramp or quad pain brought me back to the reality of what a grueling endeavor distance biking is.

In the afternoon, we zoomed past the finish line to Conneaut Lake Park where they have a DJ blaring uplifting songs (yes, you guessed it – Cool & the Gang “Celebrate Good Times” was in the lineup). Kyle, my dad and I quickly hopped off our bicycles and bee-lined for the free pizza. Next, I suggested that we grab a Dilly Bar and walk to the waters edge. The three of us lazily strolled down the boardwalk and sat on a bench watching the water.

Soon, a woman named El walked by. She has MS and spoke to our Dick's Sporting Goods team last year during “Lunch and Learn” sessions. She helped explain to us what having the disease is like and offered lots of inspiration and appreciation for the riders who raise money and donate their time. She was using a cane and aided by her family. They sat down to the right of us at another bench.

Seeing her walk by with the loving support of her family was a great reminder of why I toughed it out and rode for a second year. I am blessed to have my health and to have a compassionate heart that wants to help others. I am blessed to have a family and friends that support me through my life and I’m proud to be able to help raise well-deserved funds to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation so that they can keep improving people’s lives with research and aide.

If you would like to get involved you can visit the national site:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/index.aspx

If you would like to donate to my personal fundraising site please visit:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/PAXBikeEvents?px=4446912&pg=personal&fr_id=10747

~Katie T. (Ivie-Pittsburgh)

A Successful Fundraiser for the American Cancer Society

Thanks to all departments for stepping it up this year, and congratulations to ACCOUNT SERVICES for raising the most pennies, and winning the Penny War this year. They will be rewarded with a plaque and pizza plus Prepress will also receive a plaque for their 2008 Penny War win.

$2,633.03 TOTAL was raised for the event!

This was short of the goal, but VERY good considering the limited time everyone had to raise funds, and the current economic climate. Relay for life is VERY grateful for the donations, and IVIE CARES once again thanks EVERYONE at IVIE for making a real difference in the community and the world in which we live.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE RELAY TEAM AND SUPPORT STAFF:
**Debi Amon
Anna Dinnyes
Tricia Epping
*Cindy Flenar
Robin & Keith Ganslen
Kelly Hancock
Loan Huynh
Tori Huynh
Bonnie Lacombe
Travis McElroy
**Chris Ray
Michelle Tease
Meagan Vaughn
*Cindy walked the furthest (over 18 miles the night of the event!)
**Team Captain

View pictures at Ivie's Flickr Page and video on Ivie's YouTube Page.