A Pink Preview

Hooray! The Race is Tomorrow!

2010-04-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

It’s a day like today that makes me realize I absolutely did the right thing by volunteering to chair the 2010 Race for the Cure. It’s the Friday before the Race and there is so much excitement, enthusiasm and emotion. It’s all come down to this – and it’s incredible.

As I hugged my kids this morning I was reminded of a funny story of my daughter. I took Bailey to one of the executive committee meetings this year and when I introduced her I said I was involved with Race for the Cure so that “when Bailey gets boobies we’ll have a cure for breast cancer.” She was terribly embarrassed – and mortified because I said she was going to have boobies. It just made me smile.
Then, I walked into the warehouse and packet pick-up to hear that our numbers are at 40,041 – and registration is still open (actually open Race Day through Apr. 24), so that number will continue to rise. Thanks to everyone who is taking time out of their Saturday morning to walk, run or sleep-in for the Cure.
I passed by the fundraising table to hear that fundraising is up 36% from last year, which is incredible – that’s more mammograms and breast cancer educational programs and services Komen Indianapolis can fund in Central Indiana. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to such an incredible cause.
I stopped by the merchandise corner only to see that MainGate brought out even more cool stuff. Thanks to them for their partnership. Up to 25% from sales comes back to Komen.
I was interviewed by Fox 59 and learned that they want to come down to the Race and cover the event. We have a great media partner with WTHR, but it’s great to know that both WISH TV and FOX 59 have contacted us and are interested in promoting the Race. Thanks to our friends in the media for raising awareness of the event and the cause.

And here’s where it all comes full circle … I opened my e-mail to find a message from a college friend who just discovered that his wife has been diagnosed with breast cancer. He was asking if I could call him after the Race to talk about available resources for his wife and family -- and ways he could get involved.

I can’t wait to see what the rest of the day – and tomorrow will bring.

(by the way, I'm so excited that my talented friend, Tana Lopez Younger, flew in from DC to document the Race. Stop by next week to see her pictures and hear about the Race.)

Komen Indy Counts on Kroger!

2010-04-11T18:51:00.000-07:00

(blog entry submitted by our friends at Kroger)

Kroger’s commitment to the Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure is far-reaching. In addition to hundreds of event volunteers and race participants, Kroger makes a significant financial contribution which will build on our nearly $600,000 donated in recent years.

One of our most inspiring initiatives involves students from our partner school, IPS School 46. IPS students and volunteers from UPS will help Kroger prepare tens of thousands of food bags for race participants. The bags include healthy, nutritious food donated by Kroger. This is an important part of Kroger’s efforts to teach important life lessons to our classroom buddies at School 46.

Kroger is also providing Walnut Grove Spring Water to participants at a water station near the finish line and along the course. In addition, the American Dairy Association is joining Kroger to provide chocolate milk to all race participants after they cross the finish line. And our pharmacists will staff an information booth to highlight pro-active wellness efforts.

Kroger associates working during the event have the option of buying a “Race for the Cure” T-shirt and wearing it in their Kroger store on race day as a show of support.

Kroger is proud to be a national sponsor for the Race for the Cure, contributing nearly $4 million nationally to breast cancer research. We look forward to supporting our Kroger associates who are survivors as well as our customers participating this year. Kroger’s division president says he is personally very inspired by every single survivor who will walk in the event.

Turning the Town Pink

2010-04-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

As the chairperson for the 2010 Komen Indy Race for the Cure, I get to do some pretty cool things, work with incredible volunteers and I get to see first-hand all of the support that comes from corporations, organizations and individuals. The latest support comes in the form of businesses participating in Paint the Town Pink.

In 2005, Komen incorporated Paint the Town Pink into its annual Race. It was designed to help businesses raise awareness of the Race and breast cancer to their employees and patrons. It also was a unique way for businesses to support Komen. This year, more than 20 Paint the Town Pink entries have been submitted - all of which will be judged over the next few days (winners to be announced Apr. 14).

One of the great things about the program is its educational component. Participating businesses had to incorporate one very important message: “In the United States, a woman has about a one in eight chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime” into their décor. So now, not only are they raising awareness about the Race for the Cure, but they’re helping to educate the public.

All entries have been collected (deadline was last Friday) and a panel of volunteer judges will review and select winners from various categories. As Race chair – and as one of the volunteer judges, I got a sneak peak at some of the entries:

Inspired by the fact that one person can make an impact, one individual decided to decorate his cubicle. His employer wasn’t participating, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t.
One business owner, who is very quiet about being a breast cancer survivor, became a loud and proud supporter of Paint the Town Pink. Her employees helped decorate their entire storefront.
Paint the Town Pink has reached several surrounding county businesses and for the first time we’ve had more entries from businesses in Carmel, Columbus, Elwood, Greenwood, Plainfield, and Rushville.

Some of the entries are very visible – like the bras hanging from Little Red Door Cancer Agency, along Meridian St. and pink ribbons that can be seen as you pass several Starbucks locations throughout town (104 locations). Some, however, are seen only by employees and patrons – like the decorated treadmill at Anytime Fitness at 86th and Ditch and the strip of cars by Regenstrief Institute with the clever race theme and message “dangerous curves ahead”.

This will be a fun week as I get the privilege of reviewing the applicants. And while the judges will select just one winner in each category, I truly believe everyone is a winner! Thanks to everyone who participated. Not only are you helping us raise awareness about the Race for the Cure (Apr. 17), but you’re helping us educate the public about a very important organization and cause.

Stop by these participating Paint the Town Pink participants: Borders Bookstore, Columbus Regional Hospital - Breast Health Center, Columbus Regional Hospital - Emergency Department, Conseco Insurance Co. (Jeremiah Shelton’s cubical), Creation Café, Curves Eagle Creek, Cummins Fuel Systems, CVS Pharmacy (Elwood), Dream Dinners, Little Red Door Cancer Agency, Minton-Capehart Federal Building, Regenstrief Institute, Rush Memorial Hospital, Starbucks (104 Indiana Locations), The AVON Store, Underwater Unlimited, Inc., Walker & Associates Insurance (won its category last year and has participated since 2006), Wellspring Pharmacy – North, West 86th Hair Designs (won its category last year) and West 86th Street Anytime Fitness.

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

2010-03-31T07:50:00.000-07:00

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)

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.
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.
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.
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.
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:

Jeff Saturday
Mayor Greg Ballard
Allison Biehle
Jim Perdue, Chairman of Perdue Farms
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)

2010-03-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-11T06:57:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-16T09:33:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-11T09:12:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-02T09:55:00.000-08:00

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)

2010-01-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

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:

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!
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).
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.
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.
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

Donating More Than Just Time; Donating Tissue for the Cure

2009-12-29T07:36:00.000-08:00

I don’t know if it’s because I’m chairing the 2010 Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure or because one of my best friends from college was diagnosed (fought and won) her battle with breast cancer last year – or maybe it’s because one of my best friend’s mother lost her battle with breast cancer last year and I want a cure to be found so others don’t suffer. Whatever the reason, I’m seriously contemplating donating breast tissue to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Tissue Bank at the IU Simon Cancer Center next month.

This hasn’t been something I’ve ever considered before (or even knew about), but ever since a friend sent me an e-mail about it; I can’t seem to get it out of my mind. Is it possible that my healthy breast tissue can help make a difference? As I understand it, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Tissue Bank collects tissue from women who have – and haven’t had breast cancer and with a variety of benign breast conditions, scientists will be able to determine differences which ultimately could lead to a better understanding of the breast cancer process. I don’t understand how science works, but if I can contribute to it, I’ll consider it.

I’m not going to lie, the process sounds painful (and I’m a big baby when it comes to needles). The sample tissue is taken from one breast through a breast biopsy. It’s done with (yep, you guessed it) a needle and local anesthesia. According to my friend who donated last year there is swelling, bruising and soreness for a few days. The amount of tissue taken during the procedure is about one gram; the size of 2 peas. Small sample… big difference! The way I see it, it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make if it benefits women and men who may be diagnosed with this disease in the future. Another way I see it, I’m not only donating time to chairing the Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure, but I’m donating a part of me to finding a cure. How cool is that?

The next tissue collection event is scheduled for January 23, 2010 at the IU Simon Cancer Center. Appointments are scheduled from 8:20 a.m. – 1:40 p.m. in 20-minute increments. If you’re interested, contact Pat Mitchum at 317-274-2366 or pamitchu@iupui.edu. And if you donate, thank you! I’d be interested in hearing about your experience.

Holiday Shopping for the Cure

2009-12-15T03:50:00.000-08:00

Last minute holiday shopping – some people love it; some hate it. I love shopping no matter what time of the year it is (the holiday traffic and long lines, on the other hand, is a different story). As the Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure chair, I must confess that my Christmas wish list this year is a little more “pink” than in years past. From hats to socks; sweatshirts to t-shirts and everything in between (including wrapping paper), I found it easy to find a few new pink things. With a new merchandise vendor for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, it was easy to find some new things to add to my wish list – and they’re adding new things each day.

First, let me tell you about our new vendor: MainGate, Inc. Locally, they are the merchandise vendor for the Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Pacers, 500 Festival, IMA, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, to name a few. Nationally, they are known for their extensive sports teams partnerships. They first started out in 1963 as coordinator for the event merchandise sales of the National Hot Rod Association and have grown tremendously since then. They are “a multifaceted merchandising and marketing company that serves numerous business partners.”

I can recall our first meeting with them several months ago and one of the concerns a few of us had was whether or not this male-dominated sports vendor could deliver a female, “girly” pink product for our Race. The answer? YES! I’m so excited to welcome MainGate, Inc. to the 2010 Komen Indy Race for the Cure – just wait until you see the massive presence they have planned for our event. The last we spoke, there were talks of a big semi-truck pulling into Military Park - and from the drawings they showed us I can envision a mini store with a ton of cool (pink) stuff.

Back to holiday shopping … MainGate, Inc. has set up a website for us that provides 25% back to Komen for the fight against breast cancer. And, if you shop directly from the Komen Indy website, 25% comes directly back to the Indianapolis affiliate. Simply go to www.komenindy.org, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on ShopKomen.com.

So, whether you’re buying something for yourself or someone special on your Christmas list, consider a gift that benefits a great cause!

A Look Back at the First Race

2009-12-08T04:11:00.000-08:00

written by Lisa Drake Cole, 1992 Race for the Cure Chair

As I look at the Race for the Cure today, it’s hard to believe that the first race, back in 1992, would grow into something so amazing. It seemed like such a novel thing to do back then when the Susan G. Komen Foundation approached the Junior League of Indianapolis about putting on a “women’s only” walk/run for breast cancer. The only major running event in Indy at the time was the Mini Marathon.

From the minute our committee of five came together, we believed we could do it, we believed in the cause – even though our faith was a little shaken as we set up for the event that Friday, April 10, under threatening skies, only to have terrible storms all night before the race. We worried whether:

a) would our venue tents, etc. still be standing?
b) would anybody bother to show up since it had been storming all night?

Our fears soon passed as we saw that first participant walking over the hill at Fort Benjamin Harrison to be followed by 1700 other women. 1701 women participated in the first Race for the Cure April 11, 1992, and 1701 women ran or walked under our balloon arch blowing in the breeze under a sunny sky, united in spirit and cause.

That year we raised $50,000 to continue the fight against breast cancer. It was an incredible experience to be a part of; it was day I’ll never forget. That night, in a horse-drawn carriage, my boyfriend Bob also asked me to marry him! What a night, indeed!

Lisa Drake Cole, RN, MA
Manager, Community Outreach and Engagement, Clarian Health

Fascinated by Race Facts

2009-12-01T04:02:00.000-08:00

I am having a great time serving as the Chairperson for the 2010 Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure. So far, I’ve had the great pleasure of working with a team of 30 executive committee members who are volunteering their time and talent to create a great Race experience. I’ve also had the great pleasure of interviewing and selecting the 2010 Honorary Survivor, Donna Minnick (I blogged about her two weeks ago).

What I’m truly enjoying though is the behind the scenes of the Race – and everything I’m learning about the event and the organization. This week I thought I would share some of my favorite facts that I find truly fascinating:

42,462 individuals participated in the 2009 Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure.
29,605 participants were a part of a Team.
2,494 participants were breast cancer survivors.
142 men and women runners/walkers were over the age of 80; 3,092 were between the ages of 0-9.
843 participants came from out-of-state: Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan.
2.3 million dollars was raised through Race entries and fundraising efforts.
Komen Indianapolis granted 1.6 million to 21 organizations in 2009.
25 local businesses helped “Paint the Town Pink” last year.
614 volunteers helped with the event – 377 of which volunteered on Race Day.
Here’s something I bet you couldn’t have guessed … 465 Race participants last year were named Jennifer (the most common first name) and 386 shared the same last name, Smith, (the most common last name).

What will the 2010 numbers, fun and fascinating facts reveal? Who knows, but I’m excited to find out.

Join us for the 2010 Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure on Saturday, April 17. Be one of the valuable numbers that makes this Race such a fascinating one!

2010 Race Shirt Unveiled

2009-11-24T07:19:00.000-08:00

I can’t tell you how many run, walk and triathlon shirts I’ve accumulated over the years. They vary in style, in colors and in messages. I have to admit, the ones I treasure the most are the Komen Race for the Cure t-shirts. I have quite a collection of them – and I can remember something special about each one of the Race for the Cure shirts I've kept.

I’m almost certain I can dig out my first one from the year I volunteered on the marketing committee. I know for sure I have my first Team Jaguars t-shirt – and the Team Jaguars shirts that followed. I have my Team WTPI shirt from when my friend, Tonia, worked there and we joined the station’s team. And of course, I have my Race t-shirt from last year that I wore as I walked next to my cancer butt-kickin, one-year survivor friend, Sheri Miller. They’re all special to me, which is why I continue to keep them and wear them proudly year after year.

That’s why I’m so excited about the 2010 Race for the Cure t-shirts. Susan G. Komen for the Cure decided to redesign the participant t-shirts this year and opened it up for a vote. The public got to vote on their favorite design. For a $5 donation, voters could choose from one of three designs. $15,000 was raised and will be split among the affiliates. I must admit, all three were cool, but the one with the highest votes (including receiving a few votes and donations from me) is my favorite.

So, here is your sneak peek at what the 2010 Race t-shirt will look like. I look forward to seeing 40,000+ participants wearing these cool new shirts at the Indianapolis Race for the Cure on April 17 (or at the grocery store, the gym, around the neighborhood, etc.).

Introducing the 2010 Honorary Survivor

2009-11-18T11:12:00.001-08:00

“Breast cancer didn’t kill me; it gave me life,” said Donna Minnick.

WOW! That’s an amazing statement – and a statement that continues to stick with me as I think about who we selected as the 2010 Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure Honorary Survivor. So far, as Race Chair, my greatest pleasure was making the call to Donna Minnick to let her know we selected her as this year’s Honorary Survivor.

Donna is a 40-year breast cancer survivor. Diagnosed when she was 29, at a time when the word “cancer” was difficult to even talk about – let alone diagnose, treat and survive. As a wife and mother of two young children she suddenly was confronted with life and death issues raised by her cancer. But, as Donna explained in her application: “because of all of the experiences, feelings, emotions, unanswered questions and challenges I faced I began to ‘live’ rather than ‘exist’. I began to cherish people, experiences, challenges and everyday living.”

The selection committee has a difficult task each year of choosing the individual to serve as the honorary survivor – the “face of the race”. This year was no different. The 13 applicants each shared an amazing story of survival and hope. Each woman was deserving of this position. However, after meeting Donna, we knew we had an extraordinary woman in our presence. As a 40-year survivor, Donna is the longest survivor chosen to serve this role. A woman who points to a 15” scar that runs from her armpit to her waist, Donna represents how far we’ve come in terms of treatment. A woman who has no major or minor pectoral muscles and limited physical strength, yet has climbed mountains, rappels, hikes and camps, she represents hope.

It truly is amazing to know how far we have come in terms of research and care for women and men fighting the fight against breast cancer – a fight that Donna won so many years ago. Donna's story is much like Nancy Brinker's – the power of one individual who is making an incredible difference in the world of breast cancer. Her resume is extensive and quite impressive. After her diagnosis, she spent her personal and professional life devoted to serving the needs of others in health care. She volunteers her time, serves as an inspirational public speaker and after retirement in 1999, spent several years in out West “experiencing life”.

As one of the selection committee members said, “Donna is the story of life. She said her life began with cancer and she has and is continuing to live life to the absolute fullest!”

It is my greatest pleasure to introduce Donna Minnick to everyone as the 2010 Honorary Survivor. I can’t wait for you to meet her at one of the Komen Indianapolis events, see her interviewed by our friends in the media or meet her on April 17 at the Race.

A Note from the 2010 Race Chair

2009-11-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

When I was selected to chair the 2010 Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure I had no idea what I was getting myself into - it didn't matter, I was committed to doing it. I have been around the Race for over a decade. I served on the marketing committee years ago, then chaired it. I was the sponsor liaison and team captain when I was at IUPUI (Team Jaguars). I've walked alongside friends for a number of years who have had a family member affected by the disease. There have been a lot of ways I've been able to support and get involved with the Race for the Cure.

It wasn't until my best friend from college fought (and won) the fight last year that I decided to step up and get more involved. It was my way to honor and celebrate her. Of course, if you ask my husband, he would've said making a donation in her honor would've been easier. He might be right, but it might not be as rewarding. As I walked alongside Sheri last year, it was a completely different experience. We laughed, we cried and we walked proudly (sometimes in silence) across the finish line together. I knew right away that serving as the Chairwoman was going to be an incredible opportunity and a once in lifetime experience.

So, here I am... a few months into my "chairwomanship" and I'm having a great time - and learning a whole lot about the Race that I never would've known. I'm meeting a lot of wonderful people - and have already been impacted by some of the wonderful survivors, volunteers and committee members who I've had the pleasure of meeting.

But, why should I have all the fun ? I mean, wouldn't it be great to hear what the Race Executive Committee has in the works for the 2010 Race? Don't you want to know some of the behind the scenes things that go into planning for 40,000+ participants (like knowing 192 portolets have already been ordered)? Don't you want to help Pink Go Green (our new "green" initiative)? Don't you want to hear some of the incredible stories from survivors and co-survivors? Don't you want to hear from some of our sponsors and teams about why they are committed to the Race?

I feel like there's so much to share between now and April 17. This blog is just one way we hope to have an on-going conversation with Race for the Cure participants, sponsors, friends and fans. We hope to share information about the Race - and at the same time, hear from you. What do you want to know?

We plan on posting weekly, so follow us throughout the planning stages.