from staff
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 believe 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.
$40,000 for ‘Light the Night’
Homebuilder Toll Brothers raised more than $40,000 in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s “Light the Night Walk” events nationwide.
The “Light the Night Walk” is the society’s annual fundraising walk. Events are designed to pay tribute and bring hope to thousands of people battling blood cancers and to commemorate loved ones lost.
Events also raise money to fund research that has contributed to advances in the treatment of blood cancers.
Toll Brothers teams across the country walked in memory of Joel Rassman, who recently lost his fight to chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Rassman had served as the company’s chief financial officer since 1984 and was a member of its board of directors since 1996.
“Joel leaves behind a powerful legacy at Toll Brothers and our team came together to walk in his memory and raise funds for this important cause,” said Toll Brothers North Florida Division Vice President Jim McDade.
“We were proud to take part in the ‘Light the Night Walk’ and appreciate everyone who supported our team’s fundraising efforts,” he said.
To learn more about the fundraising efforts or to contribute, visit www.lightthenight.org.
Day of service for MLK Day
HandsOn Jacksonville is celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a day of service Monday.
HandsOn Jacksonville and the Teacher Supply Depot are hosting a family crafting event from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., supplying area nonprofits with items to help the community in need.
There will also be a showing of the History Channel’s film “King,” with a community discussion to follow. The documentary screenings will be at 3:15 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.
The events are free, but preregistration is required to attend. To register or for more information, visit www.handsonjacksonville.com.
Grief counseling available
Grieving the loss of a loved one is not easy, but support from others and sharing the loss can lessen the burden. To help, Community Hospice of Northeast Florida has scheduled therapeutic support groups.
Community Hospice support groups create an environment where persons can bond with others who have experienced a similar loss. Led by trained bereavement counselors, each eight-week session covers common grief reactions, coping strategies and staying connected to a loved one.
The following therapeutic support groups are available:
• Spouse/Partner Loss, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Mondays, Jan. 17-March 7, at the Dr. Gaston J. Acosta-Rua Center for Caring of Community Hospice at 5450 Ramona Blvd.
• Bereavement Support, 6:30-8 p.m., Wednesdays, Jan. 19-March 9, at the Anne and Donald McGraw Center for Caring of Community Hospice at 4715 Worrall Way.
Support group participants must meet with a Community Hospice bereavement counselor before joining a group.
For information, call Roxanne C. Miller, manager of bereavement and community grief, at 407-6330.
Professional bereavement services are available to anyone in the community, and at no charge to Community Hospice families. A fee applies to counseling services only if the deceased was not a Community Hospice patient. Fees may be adjusted based on one’s ability to pay.
LPS’s Carbiener named chair for walk
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation North Florida Chapter has named Jeff Carbiener, president and CEO of Lender Processing Services Inc., the 2011 Walk to Cure Diabetes corporate chair.
“Mr. Carbiener was nominated as this year’s walk corporate chairman by members of the JDRF board of directors because of his impressive corporate leadership and his capability to encourage participation both within the LPS sector and among the general community,” said Brooks Biagini, executive director for the foundation in North Florida.
“He has a strong following at LPS and a group of employees that are ready to shine as they continue to grow their Walk team and fundraising results each year, helping to find a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications. We are thrilled with his acceptance and feel confident that both he and Team LPS will be a role model for other corporate teams to follow.”
Although Carbiener has no direct connection to type 1 diabetes, he will serve as the corporate chair and represent the Lender Processing Services team, which raised more than $6,400 for the 2010 Walk to Cure Diabetes
Carbiener follows in the footsteps of past walk corporate chairs, including Bill Hughes, general manager of TPC Sawgrass (2010), Karin Grantham, vice president of Vistakon (2009), Fran Chinnici, vice president of CSX Transportation (2008), Mark LaBorde, senior vice president of Aetna (2007) and Larry Washington, managing director of Merrill Lynch Home Loans (2006).
The foundation is the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 diabetes research worldwide and is dedicated to finding a cure for the disease and its complications. Since its inception, the foundation has provided more than $1.5 billion in direct funding to diabetes research.
The Walk to Cure Diabetes is the organization’s signature event and locally raised more than $550,000 last year.
The organization has a goal of raising $575,000 with this year’s walk, scheduled at 8 a.m. April 9 at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds.
Companies and individuals interested in learning more about the Walk to Cure Diabetes program are invited to join Carbiener at a corporate breakfast 7:30-9 a.m. Jan. 19 at the Jacksonville Marriott. To confirm attendance, e-mail Lauren Setzer at [email protected] or call 739-2101.
For more information, visit www.jdrfnorthflorida.org.
Grant applications sought
The March of Dimes Florida Chapter is seeking proposals for grant projects for community-based programs addressing the health concerns of pregnant women and infants in Florida.
Forms and instructions for the 2011 community awards program are available at marchofdimes.com/florida. Completed applications are due no later than Feb. 15. Contact [email protected] for more information. Community awards are available in amounts of up to $3,000.
“These grants are one way the March of Dimes pursues its mission to give every baby a healthy start,” according to Valerie Browne-Krimsley, March of Dimes program services committee chair.
“We are grateful that our successful fundraising efforts, such as March for Babies, make it possible for us to support new efforts to help more babies to be born healthy in Florida.”
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies.
For more information, visit the March of Dimes website at www.marchofdimes.com/florida or nacersano.org.