 Letter From The President and Chairman of The Board
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Dennis Olden, Chair and Anne Fair Forrest, President/CEO at the "DO BLUE" Annual Meeting. |
Summer is here and our focus shifts from our most successful Spring Walk season ever to the upcoming Juvenile Arthritis (JA) Conference, our summer camps for kids with arthritis, as well as, a new and exciting challenge by The Patterson Foundation.
We are happy to report that the Florida Chapter will be sending a record 19 families to the JA Conference being held July 19-20 at the Marriott Union Station in St. Louis. The conference connects children and their families with others from across the country who share the experience of living with juvenile arthritis and who are aware of the impact that it makes on a family. Lifetime connections are made through recreational and educational programs designed to help kids and their families seek appropriate treatment, overcome challenges and learn to lead productive lives. Conference activities help families realize that they are not alone and that JA is a manageable disease.
The Florida Chapter's three summer camps for kids with arthritis are retreats that offer bonding experiences like none other. Swimming, games, crafts, horseback riding, swimming with dolphins and canoeing are a few of the fun activities that are offered at Camp Boggy Creek, Camp Funrise and Miracle Camp. This summer over 200 kids will be attending camp and making friends that will last a lifetime.
2012 marks the final year of our partnership with The Patterson Foundation (TPF). The experience has encouraged us to think in new ways, try unproven strategies and challenge ourselves to new heights of productivity. The efforts have yielded an increase in special event income, a productive and active use of social networking and the establishment of the first-ever Florida Chapter Endowment seeded with $650,000 in matching funds from The Patterson Foundation.
In this third and final partnership year,The Patterson Foundation has raised the bar for the Florida Chapter, once again, by offering a "Million Dollar Major Gift Challenge"! The Patterson Foundation has agreed to match up to $1,000,000 for all major gifts of $1000. or more received in 2012. The gift must be designated for the TPF "Million $ Challenge". The gift and TPF matching funds will be added to the newly created arthritis endowment which represents contributed assets permanently invested to generate an annual return to support the Florida Chapter's efforts to battle arthritis. The endowment will provide financial stability during challenging economic times and ensures the continuance of many vital Arthritis Foundation programs far into the future.
We hope you will help us rise to the challenge! Please contact a Florida Chapter office, staff member or board member to learn about "naming opportunities" within the arthritis endowment. We look forward to sharing the results and the impact with you!!
Have a wonderful summer.
Anne Fair Forrest
President/CEO
Florida Chapter
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Dennis Olden
Chair
Florida Chapter |
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 Advocacy
 Arthritis Advocates on Capitol Hill
By LaRita Brallier Jacobs (with Mireya Bolanos Kilmon)
In April, the annual Arthritis Foundation Advocacy Summit was held in DC with representation from all fifty states! Learn more... |
Connect
 My 10 yr old is an old lady that turns purple
My 10 yr old daughter has Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, (Lupus) which means multiple overlapping autoimmune diseases. She has Dermatomyositis, & Juvenile Arthritis. Yup, arthritis. She turns purple when her hands and feet get cold, which can happen from A/C. My 8 yr old son has Psoriatic Arthritis. All of these are Autoimmune Arthritis. Join us on our journey of learning, dealing and living with these issues. Learn more... |
Fund Development
 THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Our Spring 2012 Arthritis Walk season was our best ever, generating more than $277,000 and still counting! Walks took place in Jacksonville, Pensacola, Broward (our biggest ever in Florida!), Tampa and Orlando. Learn more... |
Mission Delivery
 Summer Vacation and Arthritis
Summer is the time for vacations – long warm days, kids out of school, time with family and friends. But don't forget your arthritis….
Arthritis never takes a vacation. Here are some tips that can make taking your arthritis on vacation a little easier.
Learn more... |
Planned Giving
Tax Reform and New Revenue
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) is continuing his series of tax reform hearings as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. On June 19, former Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Alice Rivlin, former Director... Learn more... |
Happenings Near You
 Order your 2012 Arthritis Foundation Discount Golf Book today! Great Florida courses with discounted green fees from May through October. Some select courses year round. Only $15.00 per book, order 3 books and get 1 free! Learn more... |
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BIG THANK YOU TO OUR
2012
TOP 10 TEAMS
Parker's Purple Playas
Tampa
- $16,207
Parker Lentini
Megan's Mission
Jacksonville
- $12,596
Jeannie Hinkle
St. Paul Catholic School
Pensacola
- $12,214
Nick Giovanini
RA Chicks
Tampa
- $ 6,350
Niki Wyre
Cassie's Crusaders
Orlando
- $ 5,315
Cassie Strickler
ZAMBRANO Family LTD
Broward
- $ 4,620
Carolina Carbonell
Team Kiyah
Broward
- $ 4,256
Nicole Eversley-Hall
Team Delaney
Orlando
- $ 3,780
Donnalea Hutchinson
Dream Team
Pensacola
- $ 3,311
Kathy Vidal
Hamburg Sud/Marla Thomas
Jacksonville
- $ 3,007
Marla Thomas |
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