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Gilda's Club Twin Cities e-Newsletter April 2009
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Hello Friends of Gilda's Club Twin Cities,
In honor of spring, we've gone green!  We are excited to bring you the first edition of our Gilda e-Gram e-Newsletter. We are aware that it has been a while since we last communicated with you, and this new electronic format will allow us to reach out to you more often.

We welcome Janet Kinzler, our newest member of the Board. Janet brings a tremendous amount of board and community organizing experience to GCTC, as well as personal connections in the cancer community.
 
Presenting the 2009 Gilda's Club Twin Cities Board of Directors:
Jenni Lilledahl, Board Chair and Nominating
Eva Stevens, Vice Chair and Clubhouse
Valerie Martinson, Treasurer/Finance
Rick Kleven, Secretary/Governance
Kirsten Moertel, Medical Resource Council
Laurie Walker, Marketing/PR
Janet Kinzler, Director-at-Large

The Board of Directors wishes to thank Dolly Lowery for her passionate dedication and hard work as GCTC Board Chair this past year. Dolly stepped down in January from the GCTC Board and has been a key driver for Gilda's Club since she joined the board as one of its original founders. Thank you so much Dolly! We are pleased that she will continue to be active as a volunteer and spokesperson for GCTC. We would also like to thank former GCTC board members Sarah Borchers, Kathy Blegen-Huntley and Demeri Mullikin for their wonderful work and passion. Their contributions were valuable and essential. Additional kudos and thanks to Demeri Mullikin who, as one of the members of our founding board, provided critical guidance and commitment in the formation and growth of GCTC. We're happy that all of these talented people will continue to support the GCTC mission as time permits.

We are always eager to welcome new people to the Gilda's Club Twin Cities team. If you or someone you know is interested in helping as a volunteer, donor, or board member, we welcome your emails and phone calls! My personal email is below or you can contact us through [email protected]. Thank you so much for your continued interest and support of Gilda's Club Twin Cities. This next year will be pivotal for us in our goal to sponsor services and secure a clubhouse location. Read on for other news, and please join us for our next All Hands Meeting on
May 18th. 


With Thanks,
 
Jenni Lilledahl
Board Chair
[email protected]


Gilda's Club Worldwide News: The headquarter offices of The Wellness Community and Gilda's Club, two leading non-profit organizations that provide proven programs of support and education for people touched by cancer, have entered into formal conversations to explore closer alignment up to and including a possible merger. With a combined 43-year history and extensive local affiliate and online networks, the two groups share the belief that emotional and social support is as essential as medical care when there is a cancer diagnosis. This combination would create the largest cancer organization in the US dedicated to empowering individuals and building community in the face of a cancer. Gilda's Club Twin Cities is extremely excited about, and fully supports, this alignment. We'll share further news with you when we hear more!


GCTC Ambassador Program:  The Board of Directors announced Kathi Pitra as the GCTC Ambassador Program Chair. In her role, Kathi will develop and launch the GCTC Ambassador Program, a program that trains and certifies individuals to become official GCTC spokespersons. GCTC Ambassadors will speak with other associations, clubs, and businesses in an effort to build awareness, while generating contributions and soliciting volunteers.  By building an emotional connection with audiences these speakers can add significant value, as Kathi explains, "the most passionate and effective speakers are those who can skillfully relay their story of how cancer has impacted their lives."  Kathi is actively seeking individuals who are interested in speaking engagements; please contact her at: [email protected]

Staff Update: As you may know Meleah Follen, Executive Director, resigned last fall. We want to thank her for her hard work during these very critical start-up months. Meleah has graciously offered to continue her support of GCTC as a volunteer. GCTC is actively seeking an Executive Director. If you or someone you know would be interested in this position, please contact board member Richard Kleven at: [email protected]


Roseanne Roseannadanna Annual Golf Benefit
Gilda Golf Figure

Mark your calendar for Monday, July 27th
Minneapolis Golf Club            
2001 Flag Avenue South
St. Louis Park MN
www.minneapolisgolfclub.com

Registration/lunch will begin at 11:00 with a Shotgun Start at 12:30. That's just the beginning, there is a silent auction, fabulous dinner, and evening of comedy planned. The event co-Chairs Joyce Wahr and Bette Englund will be in touch with more information by email and on the GCTC web site as details are firmed up. As board member Janet Kinzler said, "This is going to be a wonderful event at a fabulous golf course. Raise your clubs for our clubhouse."

Watch for Information coming soon on how to volunteer for this event.

 
A Special Thanks to our partners!
 
Inner Strength FitnessInner Strength Fitness Studio: The second annual GCTC Spin-A-Thon was held this year on February 22nd to raise funds to help us open the red door. Thanks to the spinners who participated and Melissa Moreno, Inner Strength Fitness Studio owner, for hosting the event for the second year. www.innerstrengthstudio.com/
 

OPMOPM Boutique: Thank you to our friends at OPM Boutique, who hosted a smashing fashion show event at their St. Louis Park store on February 26th, with a percentage of all sales going to Gilda's Club Twin Cities. We are honored you chose to support Gilda's Club. If you haven't yet been to OPM, Minnesota Monthly Magazine recently named it as the best boutique to splurge in the Twin Cities. Learn more at www.opmboutique.com

Center For HappinessGCTC Yoga Class at Center for Happiness: A heartfelt Thank you to Erika Peterson and the Center for Happiness for continuing to sponsor the GCTC Kundalini Yoga class for anyone living with cancer and their family members or friends. Starting on Sunday, May 3rd, the yoga class will move to a new time on Sunday evenings from 7:15 pm - 8:15 pm. www.centerforhappiness.com

 
Meetings and Events

Sunday, April 19, 2009 - Get Your Rear in Gear Run: On Sunday, April 19, the fifth annual Get Your Rear In Gear 5K Run/Walk will take place at Southdale Center in Edina. This year, the Kid's 1/2-mile Fun Run is being run in honor of Anne Notch, a 34-year-old wife and mother of three young children who passed away from colon cancer on January 14, 2009. Please join Anne's family and friends on the "Notch Your Average Cancer Fighters" team to honor Anne, support her family and demonstrate that hope for a cancer-free future is alive and well in the Twin Cities. If you can't join us for the walk, please consider a donation to the team. Learn more at: www.getyourrearingear.com/events/get-your-rear-in-gear-events/twin-cities-april-2009


MN Cancer Alliance Business meeting: Gilda's Club Twin Cities is a member of the Minnesota Cancer Alliance. The Alliance invites members to its 2009 Business Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2009, from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Twin Cities. During this half-day meeting, attendees will learn about current Alliance initiatives and plans for the coalition's future, including:

�    Project "Team Work" plan presentations
�    2009-2011 implementation activities discussion
�    Operational committee reports (evaluation, membership and finance)
 
All members are invited to attend, especially member organizations' primary contacts, task force and project team members. To learn more about the Alliance go to: http://www.mncanceralliance.org/ to register for the meeting, contact Elizabeth Moe at (651) 201-3608 or [email protected].

2009 Twin Cities Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk: Join the Gilda's Girls team on
August 21 - 23 for the 3 Day walk. Visit: http://www.the3day.org for more details on the event, support one of our walkers, or join the team. The more the merrier! For more information contact Pam Blomgren at [email protected] or 612-227-2600.

You Can Make a Difference
Gilda Desk Figure
It was Gilda Radner's dream to provide a homelike  environment where people with cancer, their families and friends could gather for free, emotional and social support. Here's how you can help make this dream a reality.

Make a personal donation: Every dollar given will bring us closer to opening our doors. To make a donation go to:
 http://www.gildasclubtwincities.org/makeadonation.php

Volunteer: We have many exciting and rewarding things for you to do. To sign up go to:
http://www.gildasclubtwincities.org/volunteer.php.

 

Some photos graciously contributed by Gilda's Clubs across North America.
 GCTC Clubhouse Update:
As many organizations are doing, we too have been studying the effects of the economy on our work. While the economy does not change our mission, it does urge us to be open minded and creative about how we meet our goals. Our first and foremost goal is to find a home for the Twin Cities' Gilda's Club program as soon as possible so we can serve families touched by cancer. After many thoughtful discussions with Gilda's Clubs around North America, Gilda's Club Worldwide and our supporters here, we feel we will be able to accomplish this goal more quickly and more realistically, by securing a smaller, short term facility (via a lease) in the next year.
(read more)

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Save The Date
All Hands Meeting
Please join us for the next Gilda's Club Twin Cities "All Hands" Meeting, Monday, May 18 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the United Properties building at 494 and France Avenue in Edina (same location as last All Hands). This is chance for anyone interested in Gilda's Club to gather for in-person updates and meet other volunteers who are working hard to open Gilda's Club Twin Cities. Directions will be sent in a future correspondence.
 

Order Your
"Race for the Cure"
GCTC Team T-shirt
and Register for the Race Online
Race T-Shirt
Sunday, May 10, 2009 - Race for the Cure: Join the GCTC Team in the "Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure" on Sunday, May 10th at the Mall of America. Help us raise money for breast cancer research and education, make new friends, and help build awareness for Gilda's Club Twin Cities. To register go to:
http://www.komenminnesota.org

Note: When you register online, click the green "register now" button. When it asks you if you want to register as an individual or team, choose team. You will be able to select the Gilda's Club Twin Cities team from a drop-down menu.

You can order the Official GCTC Team T-shirt, in a brand new design that you can wear to any team event. Order before Tuesday, April 28th, and the shirts will be mailed directly to you in time for race day. To order go to: www.gildasclubtwincities.com