One Teacher Gets Her Class Involved to Build Awareness and Raise Funds!

Dana Wallen, Team Captain of The Irritables, is getting her 2nd grade class involved in her fundraising. Not only is she holding a contest to see what class raises the most money, but she is having the 2nd graders "Learn about IBD and Digestive Diseases."

Below is Dana's Story:

Over the next two weeks my school, Meadowthorpe Elementary, will be holding a fundraiser to help support Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). Meadowthorpe has a long track record of fundraising that helps inform their students of the many different foundations, however this is the first year the school has supported CCFA. This is due to my efforts in hoping to find new ways to fundraise for our team, The Irritables, for the upcoming Lexington Take Steps Walk. This has also been made possible due to the support of our new principal, Mr. Katte, who is familiar with Crohn's.


This is proving to be a great tool for raising funds and awareness of IBD and CCFA. Several of my students will be explaining Crohn's & Colitis on our morning show (in elementary terms that are easily understood), as well as telling about the coin drive that will take place. Each class has been given a yellow or pink bucket (which were donated) to collect change over the two week time period. The class that raises the most money will receive a party, which will hopefully be fully donated. I look forward to seeing how much our 500+ students are able to raise for this great foundation!

10 Ways to Customize Your Personal Page

Welcome.... Lexington's Honored Hero

Lexington, Kentucky – March 7, 2011 – Maizie’s Schwarz deals with her Crohn’s Disease like a champion. Diagnosed the summer of 2010—just two days before her 13th birthday—she took the news amazingly well and continues to live life with gusto.

Despite losing 25 pounds and dealing with difficult pain and anemia, Maizie continued on a mission trip with her church group to Tennessee where she worked on homes for the needy people. She also participated in two weeks of strenuous band camp for her high school marching band. Upon her return home she found she had developed several abscesses in her intestines.

In the months that followed, Maizie had a variety of doctor’s appointments—which often required drinking nasty liquids— being probed and poked, photographed, talked at and generally feeling exhausted. However, Maizie does not act like a victim.

“I choose to go on with my life and continue to take part in the stuff I enjoy doing. Band is a huge part of my life and I don’t ever want to let down the team by not continuing to work as hard as I can.”

According to Maizie’s mom Amy Schwarz, “Maizie deals with her disease fiercely. I never heard her say, ‘Why did this happen to me?’ She never uses her disease as an excuse and she constantly maintains a positive attitude and fighting spirit.”

Since her initial diagnosis only five months ago, she has had two rounds of PICC line IV antibiotics, a handful of different medications, and finally an ileostomy.

"As I walked away from her sitting in that hospital bed just a couple of weeks ago,” said Amy, “both of us knowing that she was getting ready to enter into surgery with no clear results, she smiled and told me everything would be okay. To me, those are the words of a true hero.”

Maizie is inspiring other people in Lexington area to participate in the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s Kentucky Chapter ‘s Take Steps Walk on Saturday May 14, 2011 at 4:00p in Lexington on the Legacy Trail and Coldstream Park Trailhead.





“I am so glad that there are fundraisers like this one to help fund the research being done in the Crohn’s and Colitis field. It is important that awareness is raised about these diseases.”

Scarp Book for a Good Cause!

Scrapbooking Party

Do you love scrapbooking? Use your creativity to help raise funds for Take Steps. Make a few sample holiday scrapbook pages and invite friends to come over for an evening of prepping scrapbook pages for the holidays. Invite all your friends and family over, ask them to pay an entry fee and provide light appetizers and refreshments as you enjoy the day treasuring memories.

The personal journey of Natalie's Crusader's Team Captain

My name is Natalie and I have Crohn's. It should have came as no surprise in 2007 when I was diagnosed. My mother and twin brother had already been diagnosed. I currently have a younger sister who is finally going to a doctor, to see if she has it due to her having the symptoms.


I really didn't think much of the disease when I was diagnosed. I constantly had to run to the bathroom a lot, already. My husband was even getting used to driving me home while we were out running errands on the weekend, I hate using public restrooms! I started taking medication but switched to over the counter pro-biotics, after having problems with the meds. I was on them for over a year and had great success.

In May 2010, I awoke to severe abdominal pain. I layed around for a few hours praying it would go away. With no luck, I went to the ER. I told them I thought I was having a bowel obstruction because I had no appetite (and I eat all the time) and was constipated. After doing some tests, they sent me home with pain pills and steroids. I felt miserable and lounged around the house the whole next day. When my husband came home from work that evening, I finally managed to get up off the couch and realized that my stomach was extremely swollen.

We made another trip to the hospital, this time I was admitted. I was headed towards the worst few months of my life and had no clue. I spent two weeks in the hospital, having had surgery one week into my visit. It was after many tests and doctors trying to decide what to do. I had a bowel obstruction and it was severe. I ended up with an ileostomy from the surgery, which I was able to have reversed in September 2010. The ileostomy was the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with in my life. Thank goodness for supportive friends and family, whom took such good care of me.

I am walking to raise awareness of this diease and money for finding a cure. People don't realize how the symptoms of this disease affect every aspect of a person's life. I spent most of my summer cooped up in the house because I couldn't do anything. I spent a lot of time away from my three children and a lot of time off work. Others don't realize the pain, fatigue, and embarrassment that comes with this disease.

I'm hoping a cure is found for my children's sake. My children have seen all that I have gone through and they have voiced concern to me that they are afraid they will have to go through the same thing. I can only comfort them in saying that it's possible they won't end up with Crohn's, but let's hope there is a cure one day.

My mother is helping me with fundraising ideas. She is planning on getting her office to have a dress down day and maybe a couple of raffles. I am also planning on coordinating a Penny War at my children's school. The winning class will get a pizza party or some kind of treat. I will also be calling on neighbors, friends, and family.

As a Realtor with Semonin Realtors, I was excited to get our local chapter of the CCFA into the Home Life Perks program, we will soon be launching. I should have flyers available soon that will allow you to sign up for discounts while shopping, traveling, and dining. It's free to join and you may invite as many people as you like. Almost every purchase made will have a small portion donated to the CCFA, helping to bring awareness and money to our cause.

How to Raise $500 in 9 Days

How to Raise $500 in 9 Days

Day 1: Start by sponsoring yourself for $25 $25

Day 2: Ask two family members to sponsor you for $25 each $50

Day 3: Ask five friends to contribute $20 each $100

Day 4: Ask five co-workers to contribute $10 each $50

Day 5: Ask five neighbors to contribute $10 each $50

Day 6: Ask five people from your church/temple for $10 each $50

Day 7: Ask your boss for a company contribution of $25 $25

Day 8: Ask five local merchants to sponsor you for $20 each $100

Day 9: Ask two businesses you frequent for $25 $50

TOTAL: You’ll see it’s simple to raise $500 in only nine days! $500

Hosting a Penny War at school or work to raise money!

If you haven’t participated in Penny Wars yet, here is how to do it.


• Divide your group into teams. In a company, this can be different departments. In a school, it can be different grades or home rooms.

• Put buckets out for each team – usually for 3 – 5 days. (The real action comes on the last hour of the last day anyway).

• Teams want to accumulate the most POINTS. You get ONE point for every penny in your bucket. You get two points for every rolled penny in your bucket (so a roll of 50 pennies is worth 100 points).

• Teams will LOSE points for every SILVER coin or dollar bill that another team throws into their bucket. So if someone throws a $5 bill into your bucket, your team loses 500 points.

• The strategy – don’t let the other team know how many rolled pennies you have until the last minute – then dump them in and see the dollar bills fly in to take your points away.

• In the end, count your money, take it to the bank and turn in your money for your team. It is as simple as that!

How To Create a Successful Letter Writing Campaign!

One of the easiest and most effective ways to raise money for your Take Steps team is to create a letter writing campaign. By simply drafting a “Dear Family and Friends,” letter explaining why you and your family are participating Take Steps, you can easily reach a wide range of supporters and receive a lot of donations.


Step 1: Develop Your Mailing List

Who will you send your letter to? Remember, the larger your distribution list, the larger your results. Be sure to include the following groups in your letter mailing list: address book, rolodex, holiday card list, church/club directories, vendors, classmates, roommates, teachers, neighbors, co-workers, teammates, fraternal/alumni groups, businesses you frequent, business colleagues & anyone else you can think of!

Step 2: Write Your Personal Letter

The most effective letter will come directly from your heart. Personal stories and experience have the greatest impact on your reader and will raise money.

Suggested things to include:

• Your personal story and reason why you involved in the walk

• Your fund-raising goal

• A deadline for donations and reminder that donations are tax-deductible

• A link to your Team website to make donations (www.cctakesteps.org/louisville)

• A reminder that checks should be made out to CCFA

• A photo of your family member or friend with IBD (if applicable)

• An invitation to join your team and fundraise, too!

Sample letters are available to help get you started. If you would like assistance writing your letter, call our office at (646) 623-2620 or e-mail Jenny Silberisen at jsilberisen@ccfa.org

Step 3: Increase Your Response

Once your letter is written, here are a few tips for increasing the donations you receive from your letter campaign:

1. Personalize each letter with the recipient’s name. You can use your word processor’s mail merge function for this. Another way would be to copy the letter with the salutation “Dear ________” and hand-write the person’s name.

2. Personally sign each letter. If possible, use blue ink so it doesn’t look like the letter was simply photocopied. Also, include a brief personal note below your signature. It can be as simple as “Thanks in advance, Bob!”

3. Use actual stamps instead of a postage meter.

4. Handwrite the envelopes. The more personal your letter looks, the more likely the recipient will open it and respond.

(OVER)



Step 4: Mail Your Letters

Ideally, your letters should go out 6-8 weeks before the walk



Step 5: Collect the Money

Collect donations at home and/or encourage your contacts to donate online on your Walk Team webpage.



Step 6: Write Your Thank You Notes

Be sure to send out thank your notes or letters to all of your supporters announcing your success.