Hello,

My name is Hal Hammel, and I am a fellow Weston resident, and committee volunteer for the American Cancer Societies premier fundraiser event, Relay for Life. I am the Sponsorship chair for our Relay, and we are inviting you to become a distinctive group of sponsors, underwriters and hosts to support the 2007 Weston Relay for Life.. The American Cancer Society is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization; our Federal ID # is 59-0657320.

This is a community-based event. This unique Weston community celebration of hope will be held at the Weston Regional Park on Friday, March 23rd. ending Saturday March 24th.

We are looking for local restaurants, and businesses for in-kind donations of gift certificates for raffles, and, or auctions at our community event. We also are looking for Corporate Sponsorship, and Relay teams. This would be a great way for your great establishment in Weston included amongst other businesses, and Weston residents partaking at this community celebration of cancer survivorship..

Sponsorship &, or Team recruitment, and in-kind donations are now underway for the Weston Relay For Life. Relay For Life is a non-competitive, overnight event. Teams are recruited from businesses, clubs, families, friends, hospitals, religious organizations, schools and service organizations. Each group chooses a team theme, and members take turns walking or running around a track during the night. Games and activities held during the event make it a festive occasion.

It's a team building activity like no other, and it is a fun way to take part in the fight against cancer. Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs of your American Cancer Society. During the event, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds, or parks and take turns walking or running laps. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times.

If you wish to donate, please download attached file for Sponsorship Forms (Sponsorship.pdf).

If you wish to participate as a Relay Team, please download attached file for a Team Captain packet (Team Captain Handbook.pdf), and also (Team Package Request Form.doc).

If you wish to donate with the celebration of hope through a candle lit decorated memorial bag that will align the relay track during our event, please download attached file (2007 Form – Luminaria.doc).

Should you wish to browse our web site for more information about relay, please click on the ACS hyperlink:
American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp
Relay for Life: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/par/content/PAR_1_Relay_For_Life.asp
Weston Relay for Life: http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=191820

With cancer as a top health concern, Relay participants develop a special bond with the event as their way to fight cancer. As a Weston Relay for Life Sponsor, you will be able to connect to the Weston community in a very special and caring way.

Relay For Life is a true community event where people of all ages and from all walks of life come together for a common cause. This activity is being held in over 5000 communities this year in the United States. It is also being held in 19 countries. We are fortunate that our community sponsors the Weston Relay for Life. Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer, along with their families, will be honored and supported, and raise much needed funds, so one-day cancer will be eliminated.

These are the benefits of Weston Relay for Life as a business Partnership

• Relay provides the platform needed to bring cancer prevention education to employees

• In 2005, 1.5million new cases of cancer were diagnosed
• Two-thirds of all cancer is preventable
• 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.
• Relay fosters team building and boosts morale

Creating a corporate team is great for business, because it allows your company to the following

1. Enhance visibility in the community and increase opportunities to market your brand, products or services
2. Promote teamwork and build relationships among your employees.
3. Favorably impacts your bottom line by reducing healthcare costs through the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
4. Helps employees find work/life balance and improve employee recruitment, morale and retention.
5. Helps convey a positive, socially responsible corporate image.
6. And Finally, Enhances teamwork and collaboration resulting in increased productivity.

Now donors will commonly ask, I would like to get involved, but first I want to know – Where does our money go?

One of the ways can be seen directly here in Weston. ACS provides support to our survivors and our communities are through its collaborations. In Weston, ACS has established partnership with the Cleveland Clinic, by way of programs such as the SMOKING SENSATION through the ACS Quitline, and the LOOK GOOD, FEEL BETTER program. SMOKING SENSATION is a program in assisting smokers on how to quit smoking, plus giving support. LOOK GOOD; FEEL BETTER program is a great program to help cancer patients with make-up, wigs, etc., during their time of treatment. Cleveland Clinic has also been the lead sponsor for the Weston Relay for Life for the previous 4 years.

The Pie chart graph for ACS where you money goes is as follows:

24.6% Patient Services, 20.5% Fundraising, 16.9% Research, 19.6% Prevention, 13.6% Detection, & 4.8% Management/General

• The ACS is the world largest and oldest voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer.
• Invested nearly $2.7 billion in cancer research since 1946 (Approx. $12 million on research annually)
• The largest private nonprofit source of funding for cancer research, second only to the federal government
• ACS has funded 38 noble prize winners
• No other health organization, cancer or non-cancer related, is more known than the Society.
• The Society enjoys a very favorable reputation among the general public and is viewed as the leader in all cancer activities.
• Almost half of Americans have had a need for cancer information.
• ACS funded researchers discovered life saving screenings such as Pap test, PSA Test and mammography.

Money raised from Relay – Nationwide last year there was 4,000 Relay Events, 3 million people participated, $380million was raised, 400,000 survivors, 200,000 teams.

In Florida there is 282 communities, 100,000 participants, 8000 teams raising $20.2million. Broward County there was 17 Relays, which raised $1.12million.

I was shocked to learn that one in three Americans will get cancer in their lifetime. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Cancer is not discriminatory disease; it does not care if you are Black, White or Latin or Asian, Christian, Jew, or Arabic. Man or woman, Young, or old. Rich or Poor. Genetically inclined or not. Estimated new cancer in Florida 2006, 98,960, & Estimated death 2006, 39,930. Over 9,222 of our neighbors will be diagnosed with cancer this year in Broward County.

It seems that everyone is personally affected by cancer at some time. Relay for Life gives the entire community an opportunity to make a difference.

Critical to the success of this event is support from businesses in the community. Because your presence in our community is so well known, we would be honored if you would consider participating as a sponsor for the Weston Relay for Life.

Our goal is to raise $180,000 to support the fight against cancer. These funds will benefit the American Cancer Society’s programs of research, education, advocacy and service – programs that can reduce cancer deaths and cancer incidence, and improve the quality of life for cancer survivors.

Relay For Life is an amazing event that typically draws hundreds of the community’s residents. We hope that you will consider being part of this important cause. There are many ways to provide sponsorship. As a sponsor, you will be recognized on our website, emails, advertisements leading to the event, and during the evening’s program with signage and more. There are many ways to provide sponsorship. There are sponsorships as low as a $250.00 track marker, to Platinum level of $15,000.00. In addition to monetary donations, we are looking for gift certificates or items for our raffles and auctions. We also need food for some events leading up to our big Relay event, and to our great, grand survivor dinner. Please give us the opportunity in presenting you with a sponsorship packet showing the different levels of contributions that are available, as well as a Team Recruitment packet.

Why I am in this relay you may ask, I am committed to this organization since my sister has breast cancer, and was lucky to have been diagnosed at an early stage and today's modern medicine. She has dense breasts, and her doctor recommended her to have the newer digital mammogram vs. the film mammogram. Again going back to monies spent on research and education, this might have saved her life do to early detection.

Unfortunately 34 years ago I had an Uncle that had Hodgkin's disease, and he was not as lucky. He was like a brother to me. He was 32 years old when he passed away. I still remember vividly his pain & discomfort. All the pills he had to take & the bottle of Maalox at his side. But with today's medical advances and education, I understand that he would have survived. So we are making difference. For me working with this organization is very self-gratifying. It is very important with this disease there is a great network of support for individuals. The more people that we have involved will possibly educate some else in making the right decision for early detection, and, or support.

You have to ask yourself this question, “If your participation in this event could save just one life, would you show up? Would you contribute?”

Relay for Life…. It’s about a community that takes up the fight, Join the Weston Community as together it fights the battle against Cancer.

Let’s celebrate HOPE all together at this Upcoming Weston Relay, for there is NO finish line until there is a cure!

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me or our American Cancer Society staff partner José E. Piñera at (954) 564-0880 ext. 128, or jose.pinera@cancer.org.

Thank you for your consideration, and we hope to hear from you soon.

Believe in Purple!!!!!!!!

Hal Hammel
Sponsorship Chair – Weston Relay for Life Volunteer
Logo D’Oro Inc.
55 Weston Rd., Ste. 326
Weston, FL 33326
(Office) 954/659.9800
(Cellular) 954/557.8055
(Email) logodoro@bellsouth.net

José E. Piñera
Community Representative
American Cancer Society, Broward Unit
3407 NW 9th Avenue, Suite 100 Ft. Lauderdale FL. 33309
t) 954-564-0880 ext. 128
c) 954-294-5340
f) 954-561-8072
e) jose.pinera@cancer.org