National Volunteer Week: Saint Valentine's Day Luncheon & Fashion Show

The world is hugged by the faithful arms of volunteers.

~Terri Guillemets

Jim McKinnis and his family at the 2013 Saint Valentine's
Day Luncheon and Fashion Show.

This week is National Volunteer Week and while The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is thankful for its volunteers year round, we are taking this opportunity to highlight seven outstanding volunteers that help make the North Texas chapter run so efficiently.

Jim McKinnis has been a high level volunteer for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for more than a decade.  He first heard about LLS when his son, CJ, was diagnosed with a blood cancer in 2000 on his 13th birthday.  Jim and his family relied on www.lls.org as a way to learn more about CJ's diagnosis and treatment.  A year into CJ's treatment, Jim and his wife, Sue, decided to get more involved with LLS through the Team In Training program.  Shortly after completing a triathlon in Maui, Jim met a LLS board member for the North Texas Chapter at a party and offered to get further involved. 

He was quickly connected to the Saint Valentine's Day Luncheon and Fashion Show where his experience and resources in marketing were put to work in designing invitations and event materials for the event.  Jim continues to be the driving creative force behind the many looks of the Saint Valentine's Day Luncheon, now in planning for its 30th year.

The North Texas board of trustees took notice of Jim's work and asked him to serve on the board.  While serving in this role, he was tapped by the National LLS Office to help develop a national awareness campaign for LLS.  He, with the help of the LLS marketing team, created the "Relentless for the Cure" campaign which had been in use until recently when the Someday Is Today campaign was released.

Jim is selfless in donating his time and talent to whatever need arises within LLS.  We are so thankful for Jim.

National Volunteer Week: Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament

Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation's compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another. 

~Erma Bombeck

Matthew Willis (second from the left) with his foresome in
the 2011 Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament.

This week is National Volunteer Week and while The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is thankful for its volunteers year round, we are taking this opportunity to highlight seven outstanding volunteers that help make the North Texas chapter run so efficiently.

Matthew Willis, while one of the youngest golfers at the Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament, is the top fundraiser year after year.  He consistently raises more than $12,000 in honor of his father, Jim Willis, one of the tournament co-founders. 

Jim was diagnosed with leukemia in 1994 when his wife was pregnant with Matthew.  They already had a two year old daughter.  During treatment Jim met Bob Barker, another golfer who was also battling leukemia.  The two decided to combine their love of golf with their leukemia battle and created the Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Shortly after the inaugural tournament, Jim lost his battle with leukemia.  Bob is living cancer-free and is still very involved in the tournament, serving on the planning committee of the tournament. 

May 6, 2013 will mark the 17th year of the tournament and even though Matthew was very young when his father died, he raises funds and participates each year in his father's memory.  The tournament has raised more than $2.3 million since its inception and Matthew has played a large role in reaching that impressive milestone.

We are thankful for Matthew!

National Volunteer Week: Big D Climb

Here's to all volunteers, those dedicated people who believe in all work and no pay. 

~Robert Orben

Kim Carter, center, with two trainers from 24 Hour Fitness
at the 2013 Big D Climb

This week is National Volunteer Week and while The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is thankful for its volunteers year round, we are taking this opportunity to highlight seven outstanding volunteers that help make the North Texas chapter run so efficiently.

Kim Carter, the Regional Manager of Corporate Sales for Texas for 24 Hour Fitness, first became involved with the Big D Climb shortly after she became a club manager at the Downtown Dallas 24 Hour Fitness location.  24 Hour Fitness had become a sponsor with the event a year earlier but it is Kim who is credited with expanding the sponsorship and getting 24 Hour Fitness more involved with the Big D Climb and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).

Kim's connection to LLS and its mission is very personal.  Her mother, Johanna Carter, was diagnosed with MDS in her early 60s and it quickly turned into leukemia.  Johanna's age at the time of diagnosis kept her from being eligible to receive a bone marrow transplant and after three weeks of chemotherapy, she lost her battle.  During her treatment in Annapolis, Kim flew in every week and stayed at the Hope House when not with her mother in the hospital.  It was during those trips that Kim pledged to get move involved in the effort to find a cure for blood cancers.

Several years after first getting 24 Hour Fitness involved with the Big D Climb, Kim continues to ask "what more can we do?"  She has expanded the involvement of 24 Hour Fitness as a sponsor, created teams of trainers and members to participate, and is now working to expand 24 Hour Fitness' involvement with LLS' stair climbing events to other cities.

We are so thankful for Kim!

National Volunteer Week: Light The Night

It's easy to make a buck.  It's a lot tougher to make a difference. 

~Tom Brokaw

Renee Crenshaw with her son, Travis, and grandson, Talen.

This week is National Volunteer Week and while The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is thankful for its volunteers year round, we are taking this opportunity to highlight seven outstanding volunteers that help make the North Texas chapter run so efficiently.

Renee Crenshaw and her family, The Crenshaw Team, have raised the bar when it comes to fundraising for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  In 2012 alone, Renee and her family raised more than $40,000 for the Light The Night Walks in North Texas and they have a goal of raising more than $100,000 for the upcoming 2013 Walks.

Despite having no direct connection to blood cancers, Renee and her family are long-time supporters of LLS.  Renee was a regular blood donor with Carter Blood Care until a medical diagnosis forced her to stop.  When she learned about Team In Training shortly after her diagnosis, Renee and her daughter started participating in a number of events, including the Disney Half Marathon at Disney World.  After a number of seasons with Team In Training, Renee shifted her focus and fundraising efforts to Light The Night.

The Crenshaw Team's success in fundraising is truly a family affair.  Renee's husband Kenneth, daughter Tricia, son Travis and grandson Talen are all involved in helping to raise money and awareness of LLS and its services in their hometown of Kilgore, TX.

We appreciate Renee and the rest of The Crenshaw Team!

National Volunteer Week: Team In Training

Volunteers don't get paid, not because they're worthless, but because they're priceless.  ~Sherry Anderson

Joe Bacon in action.

This week is National Volunteer Week and while The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is thankful for its volunteers year round, we are taking this opportunity to highlight seven outstanding volunteers that help make the North Texas chapter run so efficiently.

Joe Bacon never knew that when he registered for his first Team In Training (TNT) event in 1997 that he would go on to become North Texas' longest tenured coach.  Joe was not new to running when he signed up with the Team in Fort Worth.  In fact, he had run more marathons than his coach.  Quickly his dedication to LLS and its mission, passion for running and helping others, and fundraising expertise caught the attention of LLS staff in Dallas.  He was immediately asked to become a TNT coach for a team in Dallas.  He chose to mentor TNT coach Jim Newsom for a couple seasons before agreeing to make the move to Dallas and take on the added responsibility of coaching.

Years later, Joe has not lost his passion for running, the LLS mission or fundraising.  He has raised more than $76,000 for LLS through various races, coached hundreds of Team In Training athletes, and continues to ask what more he can do to improve TNT in North Texas.  When asked why he is still so involved he points to the teams and individuals he trained as his main motivation. 

We are thankful for Joe!

National Volunteer Week: School and Youth

Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer.

~Author Unknown

Marta with her husband, daughter and son-in-law

This week is National Volunteer Week and while The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is thankful for its volunteers year round, we are taking this opportunity to highlight seven outstanding volunteers that help make the North Texas chapter run so efficiently.

Marta Demaree is a dedicated volunteer who works with the School and Youth Program every Tuesday afternoon from 1p.m. - 5p.m.  The School and Youth Program is active in more than 400 schools in North Texas and Marta is instrumental in helping package and send out materials to the different schools.  Steve Abrey, School and Youth Campaign Manager, says, "We totally relay on what she does, her work ethic, and she always does it with a warm smile."

Marta does not limit her involvement with the North Texas Chapter to the School and Youth Program.  She has volunteered and participated in the Light The Night Walks, worked water stops for Team In Training, assisted at the Legends Volunteer Event, and whatever else is asked of her.

Marta is a life-long volunteer and started volunteering with adults with special needs.  She was a reference librarian for the City of Plano for more than 25 years and is now enjoying retirement with her husband.  She came to LLS when her daughter, Alyson Joyner, started working in the North Texas Chapter.   

We are thankful for Marta!