The Dalton Agency has selected nine nonprofits to participate in the annual Dalton Cares charitable campaign. The finalists were selected from 300 nominations in the Jacksonville, Orlando and Atlanta areas.
“The objective of Dalton Cares is two-fold: use our talents to give back to deserving nonprofits and harness the power of social media and online campaigns to generate awareness and engage with audiences,” said Jim Dalton, president and CEO for the Dalton Agency.
The finalists are:
• Friends of Jacksonville Animals (Jacksonville)
• Meros Academy (Jacksonville)
• Operation New Hope (Jacksonville)
• Dolly’s Foundation (Orlando)
• Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fund of Metro Orlando (Orlando)
• New Image Youth Center (Orlando)
• Feed the Hungry Forsyth (Atlanta)
• Friends of Dekalb Animals (Atlanta)
• Sustainable Atlanta (Atlanta)
Each nonprofit will receive an agency-designed creative awareness poster valued at $5,000 for promotional use.
Posters created for the finalists will be showcased at the Dalton Agency’s Jacksonville office’s storefront windows through July 6.
Digital versions will be published on the agency’s Facebook page.
The public is encouraged to use social media to share their favorite poster design and vote for the one they think should be the overall winner.
The Dalton Agency will award the nonprofit with the most social media votes $1,000.
Votes can be cast online through DaltonCares.com. The winning nonprofit that will receive the $1,000 in cash, will be announced July 15.
Summer camp for foster children
Local children in the foster care system boarded buses and headed off for summer camp Monday to attend the Camp for Champions provided by Family Support Services of North Florida and Bryan Barker, NFL punter and former Jacksonville Jaguar.
The five-day camp at the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch in Fort Pierce is for foster children, as well as adopted children and those living with relatives. Barker will talk about striving for goals, self-motivation and dreaming the impossible dream. Each camper will have a photograph taken with the former Jaguars punter.
“Our camp for Champions is much more than just fun and games. It’s a life experience that we hope will inspire the kids,” said Lee Kaywork, chief executive officer of Family Support Services.
During the week, foster children will participate in many outdoor activities including swimming, archery, canoeing and nature hikes.
An off-site outing to go tubing is also planned.
Sponsors helping make it possible for foster children to attend this camp are Wells Fargo and the Jags Alumni Ambassadors.
Family Support Services is the lead agency for foster care, adoption and family preservation in Duval and Nassau counties.
Calendar pairs ‘hot pets and hunky heroes’
The St. Augustine Humane Society has launched its fourth annual pet photo contest and calendar fundraiser.
The “Hot Pets and Hunky Heroes” calendar will feature local pets alongside employees from St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, St. Johns County Fire and Rescue, St. Augustine Beach Police, St. Augustine Fire Department, St. Johns County Animal Control and Flagler Hospital.
Pet owners can supply their pet photos in the competition for a spot in the 2015 calendar. Votes will be collected online and the top 13 pets will have an opportunity to appear in the calendar and win prizes. The winning pets will be paired with local police officers, firefighters and other heroes for a professional photo shoot with award-winning photographer Addison Fitzgerald, who has donated his talents to the cause.
Once pet photos are submitted online or by mail for the Hot Pets photo contest, entrants can campaign for votes by phone, email and Facebook. The minimum charge of $1 per vote is a donation to the St. Augustine Humane Society.
This year, there will be an additional contest for the Hunky Heroes, as 13 men in uniform will be competing for votes to receive placement on the calendar’s cover. The full-color calendar will be available in October. Local artist Maribel Angel is donating her expertise and graphic design skills to create the calendar’s hero motif.
The tax-deductible donations may be made through a secure online payment system or by sending a check to: St. Augustine Humane Society, Calendar Photo Fundraiser, P.O. Box 133, St. Augustine, FL 32085. Submission into the photo contest must be received by midnight Aug. 21. The online voting period ends at 9 p.m. Aug. 23. For more information, call (904) 829-2737 or email [email protected]. View the official rules at pinuppaws.com.
Alzheimer’s Association marks ‘The Longest Day’
People across the globe will join on June 21 to honor those facing Alzheimer’s disease by participating in “The Longest Day.”
The sunrise-to-sunset event is intended to honor the strength and endurance of those living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Teams will complete a day filled with activity to raise funds and awareness for the efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Held annually on the summer solstice, The Longest Day symbolizes the journey so many facing Alzheimer’s disease are asked to endure.
Participants will complete about 16 hours of activity ranging from running, cooking, knitting and playing bridge to help advance Alzheimer’s care, support and research.
This year, volunteers are leading recruitment and mentorship for The Longest Day. Larissa Faulkner in Atlantic Beach is helping to promote The Longest Day and build team engagement within the local community.
“My grandfather passed away this past September from complications due to Alzheimer’s,” said Faulkner. “As a family team, we intend to spend the Longest Day honoring the things my grandfather liked to do.”
More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, including more than 500,000 in Florida, the second highest incidence rate in the country.
The number is estimated to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2014 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report.
To start a team or learn more about The Longest Day, visit alz.org/thelongestday or facebook.com/fightalz. For more information, visit alz.org.
Walmart and Sam’s Club support Wolfson Children’s Hospital
Having a sick child in the hospital is stressful for any parent, grandparent or caregiver. Whether a child is having a routine X-ray or lab test, or is facing complex brain, heart or other surgery or imaging tests, there is anxiety about the results.
The employees of Walmart and Sam’s Clubs in Northeast Florida had a $750,000 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fundraising campaign to raise money for a new Walmart/Sam’s Club Media Center in the renovated lobby of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. It is the final renovation project in a multiyear expansion and enhancement of the hospital and its programs.
The new Media Center will be a resource for parents, grandparents and other caregivers. The center will be equipped with the latest technology for multimedia entertainment, voice and video calling, social media, and online resources on children’s health conditions, as well as children’s books for all ages.
“Our associates are passionate about helping our local hospitals by helping to provide resources for them to help care for the children in our community and their unique needs,” said Lee DeVille, Walmart regional general manager for North Florida.
For 26 years, local Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs have supported Wolfson Children’s Hospital and the pediatric programs at UF Health Jacksonville through their partnership with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Golf to benefit City Rescue Mission
City Rescue Mission’s sixth annual Champions Challenge Golf Tournament is scheduled Aug. 25 at the TPC Stadium Course again this year, kicking off with a 1 p.m. shotgun start.
Players will be able to use the showers in the locker room to clean up before the dinner and auction.
Teams are $2,000 each ($500 per player), while dinner-only tickets are $100. Sponsorships at all levels (beginning with a $500 hole sign) are available.
Interchanges has signed on as the Albatross sponsor this year, and City Rescue Mission will be featured at the July Interchanges networking social. For details, visit interchanges.com.
City Rescue Mission has been serving the homeless and needy in Jacksonville since 1946.
The faith-based nonprofit accepts no government funding and develops its entire budget through partnerships with individuals, corporations and foundations.
For more information, contact Development Officer Ruth Ann Hepler at (904) 421-5141 or [email protected].