we've picked the charities - now you award the ORDER OF PRIZES!
We had such an overwhelming response to our "Time to Give Back" charity campaign that we couldn't narrow the winners down to ten deserving groups....we had to dig deeper into our treasure chest and add five more prizes to bring the total to 15 charities that will benefit from one of our limited prizes!! Each and every entry described wonderful charities and proved that Astana Cycling Team fans are incredibly generous with their time and energy. It's a bit too hard for us to choose which charity should get what item. So it's up to YOU to vote on which charity should have the first choice at a prize. Remember, each charity is a WINNER and will receive a prize. It's just a matter of determining the order that the charities will choose their prize. YOU decide that order! From each winning entry we've included information on the charity along with the personal statement of connection to the charity and how the item will be used to raise money. Voting ends Saturday, November 21, 24:00/00:00 Central European Time. We know this is a long page but please read each entry carefully and then vote (at the bottom of the page) for the charity which is most deserving to be awarded the first spot to choose a Team Astana signed item.
UPDATED list of fabulous prizes:
Here we go! IN RANDOM ORDER
PC POUND PUPPIES – submitted by Amber Hoover PC Pound Puppies is a small group of volunteers that improve and save the lives of dogs in Posey Co., Indiana. We strive to be a no-kill organization. Over the past years we have gone from a 100% kill rate to a 1% kill rate. We find homes for the dogs through our partner PetSmart, adoption days and other adoption events. PCPP has no funding and relies on the generosity of donations as we finalize our non-profit legal status. PCPP vaccinates every dog that comes into the shelter and also spays and neuters the dogs to ensure populations are controlled. We also treat dogs for severe treatments such as car accident injuries, abuse, and other ailments that are life threatening such as heart worm. Our primary costs are to our dedicated vetrinarians. We also work with K-9 University, who help the dogs that have behavior issues or aggression problem – this helps rehabilitate a dog so that he can find a home. Approximately 5 years ago the Humane Society had been broken into in Posey Co. and my friend and I went down to make a donation. Once there we found out that there was an Animal Control and the dogs were being put down after 10 days. I also left with a dog that I adopted from the Humane Society, and from this PCPP was born. This prize will be used for an auction for fundraising to help reduce our Vet Bill. Please help us save even more tails by contributing one of these AWESOME prizes for us to raffle off. Web site: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/IN274.html —— CHRISTOPHER’S SMILE – submitted by Marty McCrossan This charity was set up in 2008 in the memory of Christopher Capel, an incredibly brave little boy and friend of my daughter’s. Christopher had Medulloblastoma - an aggressive form of brain tumour. When children are diagnosed with cancer, doctors regularly go on record saying they aim to give a child who survives "A Reasonable Quality of LIFE' post cancer. For us that is not good enough, they have a lot more living to do and deserve to be able to lead a long healthy life cancer free that would allow them to do all the things their friends do. We would auction the prize at an event to raise money for the charity. Web site: www.christopherssmile.org.uk
—— QUIETLY HELPING – submitted by Daniel Berlinger Quietly Helping helps individuals who are battling cancer by providing direct support. We provide meals, transportation to and from the hospital, home or residence while undergoing chemo, radiation and the like to support the individual and their family. In some cases we also provide overnight care to help the patient with the side affects. Last year we raised money for Livestrong Foundation and we are members of "Team Fat Cyclist - Fight Like Susan".
I started QuietlyHelping because many years ago a friend lost his wife to cancer after a courageous battle. Years later a coworker uprooted his family from one coast to another to care for a loved one. Another friend spent a year going through breast cancer related trauma before, "at least for moment" (her words) she's pronounced cancer free. My wife has had a few breast cancer scares in the last few years. Another friend and former coworker now has a rare childhood cancer though she is not a child. She has a one year old child of her own, and is battling through a year of chemo and radiation. —— PATTISON’S ACADEMY – submitted by Jimmy Lamb This is an amazing organization. It was started 4 years ago by four ladies who had a common goal: to improve the lives of severely disabled children. With this in mind the ladies started a camp. For two weeks these children with multiple disabilities were brought together and given intensive therapies as well as fun activities. Goals were set for each child during the two week camp and in the end many of them were reached. Children that spend most of their lives in wheel chairs indoors were taken out to do things that many of us with non-disabled children take for granted. Some of these things include horseback riding, trips to the water park and walks through the neighborhoods with friends. The main goal was to improve the quality of life for these children. At the end of the two weeks the comments from parents and the improvements that we saw were amazing!! Everything that was needed for the camp was donated or paid for with donations. Originally we had a two-week camp for 20 children. We have now had our 4th camp this past summer. We were able to have 43 children come to camp and we have gone from a 2 week camp to a 5 week camp. People are magically drawn to this cause. It is impossible to not fall in love with these children and want to help them. I am an avid cyclist and love the sport dearly. A donation of one of these Items would be amazing. We have a very avid cycling community here in Charleston, SC USA and it is growing by leaps and bounds. The item donated would be place in an auction as one of the key items. My hope would be to have the sale of one of these items pay for the expenses of one child to come to our school. What is my personal connection….well remember the 4 ladies I spoke of? One of them is my wife. She is an Occupational Therapist. She works tirelessly for these and many more children in the area that we live in. And she is not the only one, each of these ladies and all of the volunteers that work for Pattison’s Academy all work hard for these kids and the results we see are amazing. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqJmRQ1so34 —— ONCOLOGY CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION – submitted by Chris Wessels The OCF (The Oncology Children’s Foundation) is a not-for-profit Children’s Charity exclusively devoted to improving the survival rate of children with cancer. The OCF raises money for cutting-edge research into cancers with a high mortality rate in children with cancer. For many of these “little ones” the pain never comes to an end: Over 700 Australian children under the age of 16 are diagnosed with cancer every year and tragically, their mortality rate is one in four. My connection with the OCF is through cycling: OCF is the Official Charity Beneficiary of the Audax Alpine Classic. The Alpine Classic is the toughest non-competitive cycle ride in Australia and participation is guaranteed to lead to a high degree of pain and discomfort: On the day I, like many others, will complete 200km with 3,500m of vertical ascend - a small bit of pain compared to what the “little ones” have to go through! Emotionally I feel very connected to the fight against cancer, as a fellow cyclist actively contributing to cancer research in children, the loss of my mother-in-law to cancer and also wanting to leave a small legacy behind through my actions, as my wife of 22+ years and I have no children of our own. To quote Lance: “If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or Fight Like Hell.” Ultimately the OCF will have the final say as to how they will use the prize to raise funds. However, I trust that such a valuable donation from Astana would be auctioned off at the appropriate event to someone deserving in the cycling fraternity for an equally appropriate donation! Web site: http://www.everydayhero.com.au/chris_wessels —— 24 HOURS FOR HANK – submitted by Tricia Sturgia We raise awareness and money for medical research for a rare, genetic disease called Cystinosis. This disease eventually destroys all organs in the body, starting with the Kidneys. Children must take medication every six hours. There is no government funding since this disease is so rare. All of our fundraisers are 24 Hour sporting events. We held a 24 Hour bike race last summer 2008 and a 24 Hour ski race last winter 2009. We are just getting ready to host our 2nd annual 24 Hour ski race on January 22 & 23, 2010. My husband's best friend started this Foundation for our 3 yr old Hank, right after he was diagnosed at 16 months old, who suffers from this rare disease Cystinosis. We are 100% committed to finding a cure for Cystinosis so no child or family has to live with this terrible incurable disease. It is our passion and our mission to do everything and anything we can to make chilren's lives better who face this terrible disease. These kids have to take 5 or more medications every six hours. These kids are truly heroes. We will make a difference by finding better treatments and someday a cure! If we receive an item from Team Astana it would be used in our upcoming fundraiser, the 2nd annual"24 Hours of Schweitzer." We have a dinner and auction (live and silent) after the ski event and we would have the item up for bid in our live auction. Many of our followers are both bikers and skiers. Website: www.24hoursforhank.org Video: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cystinosis+natalies+wish&search_type=&aq=f —— RIDE TO RECOVERY – submitted by Marc Cattapan Ride to Recovery introduces cycling into the lives of wounded troops who have been injured while fighting in the war against terrorism. Cycling is prescribed at Veteran clinics and hospitals as part of the healing and recovery process to build strength, endurance, and confidence. For those troops dealing with Post-tramatic Stress Syndrome, cycling helps relieve anxiety and stress while they are recovering.
The people who have sacrificed so much are deserving of your generosity, and I hope you choose Ride 2 Recovery for this contest. We will either auction off the item or give it as a reward for a fundraiser who helps raise the most funds for R2R for a specified event. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlZP60kuChk&feature=email —— THE BRAIN ANEURYSM FOUNDATION – submitted by Michael Feyko The Brain Aneurysm Foundation dedicates itself to providing support and educational materials to the medical community, the newly diagnosed, survivors, family members, friends and the general public regarding the facts, treatment options, and recovery process for brain aneurysms. A brain aneurysm is a weak bulging spot on the wall of a brain artery similar to a thin balloon or weak spot on an inner tube. Aneurysms form silently from wear and tear on the arteries, and can sometimes form from injury, infection, or inherited tendency. The Brain Aneurysm Foundation hopes to improve the tragic statistics of deaths due to brain aneurysms and save lives by funding vital research and increasing awareness.With Alberto Contador surviving a Brain Aneurysm and going on to win the TDF twice, gives Team Astana and The Brain Aneurysm Foundation and perfect opportunity to bring more awareness to this charity. The prize will be used in a silent auction to help raise money for Team Cindy 2010.TeamCindy honors the life of Cynthia Lynn Sherwin and promotes widespread public awareness of the dangers of ruptured aneurysms. After reading about Cynthia Lynn Sherwin’s sudden death, I felt compelled to race in her honor and raise money for TeamCindy. It was hard for me to imagine a lovely woman, approximately my wife’s age, dying so suddenly without any warning. Like my wife, Cindy was a dedicated athlete, marathoner and triathlete. She was struck down by a ruptured brain aneurysm at the age of 33 while training for her first Ironman Competition in Lake Placid in 2007. I felt that few people were aware of this silent killer. I served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 10 years. My military career was cut short in November 1997 when performing a parachuting training exercise in Edmonton, Canada. My parachute collapsed and I fell from 75 feet onto the frozen tundra. Miraculously, I survived the accident, but not unscathed. I broke 9 bones below my waist among a multitude of other injuries and spent the next 3 months in a wheelchair and 8 months on crutches. The doctors told me I would never run or be able to play hockey again. I started swimming for rehabilitation. I decided I needed something. One day I saw a flyer at the pool for a sprint triathlon and knew that was my next step. Seven and a half years later I crossed the line at Ironman Canada. Since then, I have completed Ironman Canada every year since and 2 years ago I finished Ironman Coeur d’Alene and raced for Team Cindy last year in lake Placid as well. I was blessed to survive my accident and have found a new passion for exercise and physical endurance. I will never have the same abilities as I did before my accident but I have defied the odds and not only can run again but I can complete an Ironman. Websites: www.teamcindy.org or www.bafound.org —— TEAM NOMAD – submitted by Syd Wall We are Team NoMAD Adventure to take part in a charity
event, the 2010 Mongolia Charity Car Rally. Teams drive vehicles from
London to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, where they are then
donated to suitable local charities along with equipment and cash. There
is only 1 Accident & Emergency Department in the whole of Mongolia which
is 5 times the size of the UK. We have all made use of
the A & E facilities in the UK and take it for granted that professional
medical help is literally minutes away if needed. Our plan is to take an
ex Ministry of Defence Land Rover ambulance, fully equipped for use in the
very rural environment of Mongolia.. A large part of our nearly 10000 mile route will be through Kazakhstan which is why I visited the Team Astana website with the idea of asking for some team shirts to be worn while travelling through the country. Only then did I find your charity donation contest and I hope you feel able to support us. In 1992, I was one of a 6 man team (including England Football captain, Terry Butcher) who cycled from Glasgow to Portsmouth in aid of the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust. The Mongolia Charity Car Rally promises to be an even greater challenge but with Team Astana's help, I hope we can make a real difference for Mongolian charities. Web site: http://mongolia.charityrallies.org —— PROJECT PATCH – submitted by Chuck Hagele Project Patch works with at-risk teens from all across the United States and Canada. We have a residential program which provides a safe environment for boys and girls to learn better ways of managing their lives. We also are just completing a new program for families that focuses on short term family therapy to help the family adjust to challenges like divorce, remarriage, single parenting, living with cancer, and adjusting to loss. If we were given a prize, we would use it at our auction which will take place in May in Boise Idaho. Cycling is very popular in our area and including an Astana item in our auction would not only raise money for the auction but would attract people to our event. I have been employed by Project PATCH since 2005. I had planned for my personal career to go in a totally different direction when I completed my Masters in Business but agreed to work for two years at PATCH as a favor to some friends. I love what I do and the opportunity to have a job that really makes a difference. Even though I personally can’t afford all the things I once felt I would have, I can’t see myself doing anything else and hope to do my part to make it possible for even more kids and families to receive the help they need. Web site: www.projectpatch.org —— HARING CENTER – submitted by Jennifer Fung This application is being submitted on behalf of the Haring Center for Applied Research and Training in Education. The Haring Center is housed at the University of Washington in Seattle and was founded with the mission of providing excellent inclusive educational services to young children with and without disabilities. Inclusion for young children with special needs is about community, about membership, about relationships, and about development. Haring Center professionals are truly pioneers in the field of special education, and the Haring Center is a leader in developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating strategies to help all children succeed, all teachers be effective, and all parents feel confident and competent. The prize from this contest would be auctioned off at the annual auction for the Haring Center's EEU Endowment for Children with Disabilities. The auction is an annual event that the entire Seattle community looks forward to. This year's 9th annual auction will be held May 15th, 2010 at the EEU school. I started working at the EEU school as a University of Washington undergraduate after responding to an ad for classroom aides. When I began it was simply a job, but it quickly became more than that. Although I was studying to pursue a completely different career path (musical performance), I was so interested and impressed with the work of the teachers and researchers at the Center. I was amazed that in a room full of 16 children, 10 of whom had special needs or disabilities, it was often impossible to tell which children had a disability and which ones didn't. They all played together and learned from one another. I couldn't imagine what the teachers had done to get the children to this point, and as my interest increased my motivation to do this work did, as well. After 4 months of work at the EEU school, I abandoned 4 years of my college music training and decided to pursue a career in special education. And it felt right. The Center has that kind of effect on people - it draws you in and makes you feel like you're somewhere you belong. I was accepted into a graduate program in special education at the University of Washington, and was fortunate to be assigned to the EEU school for my student teaching. I spent the better part of 2 years at the school, reaping the benefits of the expertise of the Center's Professional Development Unit. At the end of my 2 years, I accepted a teaching postition at the EEU school, despite being offered other positions that came with higher salaries and better benefits. I had my heart set on working as a teacher at the EEU school and giving back to the community that had already given so much to me. Time after time, I watched families grieve, struggle to adjust, and try to come to terms with the new hand they had been dealt in life. But you know what?? All of them did. Though the process, challenges, and level of support needed was different from family to family, each of the families of the children in my classes came to accept, grow within, and learn from their new circumstances. As much as I'd like to take credit for these changes, I know it wasn't my expert teaching or superior interpersonal skills - it was being part of the Center community that helped these families along their journeys. Web site: http://www.haringcenter.washington.edu/ http://www.haringceer.washington.edu/ —— FLYING HORSE FARMS – submitted Lauren Lichtenauer Flying Horse Farms is a camp for children with serious illnesses. They are a provisional member of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps and aim to provide “magical, transforming and fun camp experiences” and serve several disease groups. In 2007, camp founders Jenni and David Belford were moved by their personal experiences to build a permanent, year-round camp for children with serious illnesses. They developed the program initially as a program to help send campers away to programs, since there isn’t one of this kind that exists in Ohio. After a considerable amount of research to assess the need and other factors, the Belford's made the decision to join the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps founded by Paul Newman and ground was officially broken in the summer of 2009. Currently, the camp has raised over $20 million dollars to begin this amazing project; however, need is still present and that is where every fundraising tactic becomes helpful and greatly appreciated. Past camp experiences remain vivid in my mind. It was the beginning of a typical week, campers and families
were arriving, getting settled, and they began funneling to the dining hall for the initial night
entertainer. The typical week consists of outdoor activities, group games, family time, and parent
groups; to allow for the families to relate and understand each other, to feel a consistency for once in
a while. This particular group was general oncology, kids facing leukemia's, lymphomas, and even
some sarcoma cases. I had noticed a particular father that first night, it was hard not to. He was a
NYC police officer. It was in his eyes, his mannerisms, his walk. The families grow together
immensely in that one week a year. The difference from arrival and departure are night and day. It’s
amazing really; to gain so much so quickly. The last night, I was talking to some other volunteers I
had met, learning about their lives outside of their camp obligation. We were sitting on the stage,
when the father I had seen the first day and took notice to, began walking up to us. But this time, it
was different. Much different. This time he walked with a grace that I hadn’t noticed before, a much
softer transition from one step to another. As he reached us, we were presented with a slight smile,
and glassy eyes. It was at this moment that all the feelings encountered that week were compressed
and hit me at once. He began by saying, “Thank you, for being so selfless with your time and
character. The time my family has spent here has been life changing. I honestly cannot believe that
people to this caliber actually exist. This is such a remarkable place and I am so grateful for the week
I have been blessed with.” At this point, a tear ran down his cheek as he went on, “As a NYC police
officer, I see the worst of the worst. I deal with people full of ignorance daily. All I know is that this
place is unbelievable. And I hope that Heaven is Exactly like this.” Some words I’ll never forget. To me, this is the ideal program to benefit from having a package like yours to auction off. I have the ability to market it appropriately to people who would take interest in the items the most. Since my meeting, I have been working on a program that aims to develop and incorporate cycling into an activity and means of fundraising for the camp. The addition of a cycling program could inspire virtues such as team building and personal independence, along with just allowing kids... to just be kids. Web site: http://www.flyinghorsefarms.org/ —— LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY, TEAM IN TRAINING– submitted by James Terrell On June 9, 2008, a 15 year old girl named Jonnae passed away after her third battle with Leukemia. Jonnae was the daughter of a dear friend of mine. This little girl changed my life with her outlook on life and death and how she faced it daily. One of her favorite sayings was”I Get To”. Those three little words changed me forever and now“I get to”race in events in her honor. She is a little angel pushing me through the pain. Since Jonnae’s death, I looked for a meaningful and personal tribute to her memory. I am writing to you now because I have started that journey to honor her life and help cancer patients through medical research, patient support and community. On September 13, 2009 I competed in the Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon as part of a team of triathletes supported by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In addition to the personal challenge of swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running more than 26 miles, I committed to raising funds in support of cancer patients. On February 28, 2010, I will run over 26 miles in the Mardi Gras Rock and Roll marathon. I do this in honor of those heroes who inspire me. Remember the heroes who fight daily with these deadly cancers. As I struggle with my training runs, Jonnae is a constant inspiration. Your contribution will support research aimed at finding a cause and cure for Leukemia and related cancers. I will auction the item to raise funds. Web site: http://pages.teamintraining.org/wi/mardigra10/jterrell —— KASUPE – submitted by Sally Chilakalaka Kasupe is asmall charity based in the UK raising funds to help relieve poverty in Malawi. We were established 2 years ago following a trip to Malawi to visit family. I was struck by how many people, particularly children, struggled to make ends meet and survive on a day to day basis. My husband is Malawian and was sponsored to come to the UK to study.We wanted to give others the opportunity to escape from the poverty that affects so many. The main goal of Kasupe is to relieve poverty in the Mangochi district of Malawi through education. We have already helped to complete a secondary school that was unfinished after a lack of government funding. The building was unusable during the rainy season as the floors were sand and the walls needed pointing.This has now been completed, the floor has been cemented, and the walls pointed, plastered and white washed. The school is now building another classroom block supported by Kasupe.These projects mean that more children can be educated to a higher level giving them the means to escape from poverty. If we were to be successful in winning this prize we would auction it to the highest bidder. As we are such a small charity, fundraising is difficult especially in this economic climate.We do not employ any staff, all our trustees are volunteers and all monies raised go directly to our projects. Web site: www.kasupe.org.uk —— HOLIDAY HELMET PROGRAM – submitted by Lonnie Tucker The Holiday Helmet Program is directed at providing free bicycle helmets to low income children living in our service area of Missouri. Last year over 250 helmets were distributed during the holiday season. My goal for 2009 is to provide 300 helmets to children who truly want, but may not have the opportunity to purchase or receive, a helmet. A truly remarkable program! I started the Holiday Helmet Program in 2005 after being introduced to a child who suffered a severe head injury in a cycling accident. This introduction opened my eyes and my heart. Three months prior to meeting this family I sustained a severe head injury in a cycling accident, but the overall results and outcome were different because of my helmet. Still, my heart went out to this individual and his family. I had to make a difference. By acquiring one of these prestigious Team Astana items, it will allow our program to generate funds by auctioning the Team Astana item, purchase and distribute additional helmets to children in need this holiday season. Over 825 helmets have been distributed to children throughout Northeast Missouri since the Holiday Helmet Program started in 2005. Making a difference in a child’s life one helmet at a time. —— Now that you've read all the wonderful entries, it's time for you to decide which charity is most deserving of the first spot to choose a Team Astana signed item. Based on the votes, we'll follow the order and give EVERY charity above the chance to choose their prize from the remaining selections. The poll can be embedded on websites or linked to the this page. Voting is restricted to one vote per IP address.
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