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As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this page that will each week chronicle the efforts of local nonprofit organizations. Bailey Publishing & Communications invites all members of the local nonprofit community to submit news, announcements, success stories and any other information they feel would be of interest to our readers. E-mail to: [email protected].
We also encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they try to continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
Acosta donates to MDA
Acosta Sales & Marketing Co., based in Jacksonville, presented a check for $3 million to the Muscular Dystrophy Association at the 2010 Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon over the Labor Day weekend. The contribution represents Acosta’s year-round fundraising efforts for MDA.
MDA President and CEO Gerald Weinberg said Acosta’s support of the association has been unwavering over the years. “We’re grateful to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Aisles for Smiles and to have Acosta’s steadfast support of that program those many years,” he said.
This year’s Telethon raised $58,919,838 in pledges and contributions.
“Knowing that our efforts are making a positive impact on so many people around the world is all the motivation we need to ask our customers to help us help MDA,” said Acosta Executive Vice President of Retail Operations Brad Smith. “We’re proud of our silver MDA anniversary and pledge to continue the fight until it’s won.”
Acosta has been an MDA national sponsor for 25 years. Its associates and customers have raised money for the association through their involvement with the Aisles of Smiles program in supermarkets and other retail stores nationwide.
Acosta is the leading sales, marketing and service business in the United States and Canada, employing more than 16,000 associates in more than 70 locations.
Auto dealers support Nemours
On Sept. 8, local Hyundai dealers and representatives from Hyundai Motor America presented a Hope Grant of $100,000 to the Nemours Children’s Clinic Jacksonville to support childhood cancer programs and research.
“Nemours is very grateful to Hyundai for their generous support and for turning the spotlight on childhood cancer nationally,” said Dr. Eric Sandler, division chief of Hematology/Oncology at Nemours Children’s Clinic Jacksonville and associate professor at the Mayo School of Medicine.
“This award will go toward the further development of a late-effects clinic for our patients who are dealing with the ongoing physical, cognitive and reproductive side effects of cancer treatment,” he said.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. To observe it, Hyundai Hope on Wheels is working to raise awareness of childhood cancer with a national television campaign, materials in its dealerships and donations totaling $6.8 million to help fight childhood cancer.
The donations will be given as “Hope Grants” to hospitals and nonprofit organizations nationwide. Hyundai Motor America and its dealers joined the fight against childhood cancer in 1998 and created the program called Hyundai Hope on Wheels which, by the end of 2010, will have donated more than $23 million to the cause. For more information, visit www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org.
Raising funds with football
Football, food and fundraising will combine during the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s 2010 Southern Oak Insurance Company Tailgate – Kick Off to a Cure at 3 p.m. Sept. 19 in the Terrace Suite at EverBank Field. Restaurants will be serving gourmet tailgate food as the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the San Diego Chargers.
Tailgate guests will watch the NFL game on 30 big-screen plasma televisions positioned throughout the Terrace Suite, along with extra large flat-screen TVs donated by Best Buy, one of which will be awarded to a winner in a prize drawing. Supporters will also have the opportunity to shop during silent and
live auctions during the game.
In addition, First Coast Honda & Suzuki of St. Augustine will conduct a prize drawing for a Polaris Trail Blazer ATV. Tickets for the prize drawings will be available throughout the day.
“We are thrilled to welcome back our title sponsor, Southern Oak Insurance Company, and look forward to raising more money for cystic fibrosis research than ever before,” said Angela Costa, special event manager. “We encourage the community to wear teal and black, show their Jaguar support and make a difference for those battling cystic fibrosis.”
For more information or tickets to the 2010 Southern Oak Insurance Company Tailgate – Kick Off to a Cure, call the North Florida office of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at 733-3560 or visit www.cff.org/chapters/nfl.
Middle-school students recognized
Three Duval county middle-school students were recognized by Deloris Barr Weaver, co-owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, for the essays they wrote regarding the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.
The essays were written in coordination with NFL Play 60, an event sponsored by both the National Football League and the United Way of Northeast Florida. Three middle-schools that participate in Achievers for Life, a program founded by the United Way of Northeast Florida and operated by Communities In Schools, were invited to attend this event.
The purpose of the event was to demonstrate to middle-school students the importance of good nutrition and regular exercise in their daily lives.
“We are so grateful to both the NFL and United Way for granting our students the opportunity to participate in the NFL Play 60 event and the essay contest. It was thrilling to see our middle-school students interacting with the former Jaguars and getting excited about fitness and nutrition,” said Keto Porter, director of Achievers for Life.
Of the more than 100 essays submitted by students, one essay from each of the three middle schools was chosen to be recognized at the United Way’s campaign launch. The three students, Nicolas Perez of Arlington Middle School, Tra’Viseeah Engram of Fort Caroline Middle School and Michelle Perry of Northwestern Middle School, and their essays were recognized by Weaver.
Each student was featured reading pieces of his or her essay on a video clip during the luncheon and received a plaque and a hug from Weaver for the outstanding work.
“Seeing our AFL students recognized at the United Way campaign launch for their essays is what we at Communities In Schools are all about. Our goal at CIS is to help students stay in school and prepare them for life
. This essay contest is just another way that we, and our friends at the United Way of Northeast Florida, hope to encourage students to do their best in every academic endeavor,” said Jon Heymann, CEO of Communities In Schools.
JU students partner with HandsOn Jacksonville
As part of the National Day of Service and Remembrance on Sept. 11, 250 Jacksonville University students served the community through service-learning projects. In partnership with HandsOn Jacksonville, the students worked on projects for the Teacher Supply Depot, City Rescue Mission, Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens and the Jacksonville Zoo.
“With service as an explicit component of the JU mission, we want to introduce our students to the experience and value of giving service, and learning from their activities, early in their educational experiences,” said Laura Chambers, director of Service-Learning.