As 2006 Corporate Chair of Western Washington’s American’s Walk for Diabetes events taking place in September and October, I am issuing a challenge to business owners, entrepreneurs and CEOs in the Puget Sound region to step up and help raise $400,000 for the cause.
Every 21 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is reaching near-epidemic proportions, affecting more than 20.8 million adults and children in the U.S. – including more than 425,000 in Washington. Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death, contributing to the deaths of 2.9 million people in 2000. It is estimated that one in three people born in 2000 will develop diabetes.
Please encourage your employees, vendors, colleagues, associates, friends and neighbors to form teams to walk in the American Diabetes Association’s 16th annual fund-raising walks to raise awareness and funds for research to find a cure as well as fund programs to improve life for people with diabetes.
Events take place at Qwest Field in Seattle on Sept. 30, Port Defiance Park in Tacoma on Sept. 16, and the Tulalip Amphitheatre in Tulalip on Oct. 7.
Sign-up forms and information are available at 19 Cascade Bank branches in King and Snohomish counties. Cascade has assembled eight teams of 10 to walk the walk. My challenge is to compel your organization to go us one better. If you give me a call, I’ll personally introduce you to the ADA so your teams can take part.
You can also sign up as a walker, sponsor, or volunteer, or to donate, by calling the American Diabetes Association at 1-888-DIABETES or visiting www.diabetes.org/walk.
Together, we can all walk the walk and make a meaningful difference for our neighbors, family and friends who are living with diabetes and hoping for a cure within their lifetimes. Thank you for joining me in this challenge.
Carol Nelson
President and CEO Cascade Bank
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