Salt Lake City, UT, November 14, 2016 – Wingers, a long-time partner of JDRF (formerly Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) has sprinted past its goal to raise $10,000 for T1D research by selling discount cards at stores across Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, and Oregon. Wingers’ annual fundraising campaign to support JDRF raised $26,425, which is a 215% increase over last year’s results of $8,388. Wingers locations sold $10 bouceback coupons in exchange for a $3 donation to JDRF to raise funds in support of research to find a cure for diabetes, which affects 197,000 people in Utah alone.

“The Wingers family is proud and excited to have raised over $26,000 in support of JDRF” said Wingers President, Eric Slaymaker. “Wingers is a strong supporter in working to improve the lives of everyone living with type 1 diabetes. We know that our efforts will be used to fund vital research that will make living with T1D much easier, and to eventually find a cure for this disease.”

Mike Somers, JDRF Executive Director stated, “Our partnership with Wingers has meant so much to us and to individuals and families living with T1D. I’m humbled by the dedication of Wingers employees and customers who supported this campaign, and their efforts have truly touched the hearts of all of JDRF families and partners. We are so grateful for all that they do.”

This campaign was part of an annual fundraising effort for the JDRF One Walk that was held in Salt Lake City on Saturday, September 24^th at Liberty Park. JDRF’s overall fundraising goal for this event was to raise $440,000. Through the efforts of Wingers, other corporate partners and the families in this area the JDRF Walk raised over $400,000 this year.

Many Wingers restaurants are located in rural towns and we take great pride in local community involvement.  In particular, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is close to our hearts. Eric Slaymaker, Winger Bros. Managing Member and Co-Owner, found a personal investment in JDRF when his son and, later, grandson were diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Since then, Eric has been committed to the foundation’s mission to find a cure for T1D. He has served on the JDRF Board of Directors for eight years and currently serves as the President-Elect of the Utah/Idaho Chapter.

Eric has instilled a passion for finding a T1D cure throughout the Winger Bros. company and, as part of this, each autumn we run this company-wide promotion. This promotion has helped us to raise funds for JDRF, as well as raise awareness of the importance of accelerating research.

“As a dedicated partner for several years, Wingers believes strongly in JDRF’s fight to find a cure for and improve the lives of those individuals affected by T1D,” Slaymaker continues.  “We are proud of our employees and our generous customers who together have raised tens of thousands for this cause. We look forward to the day a cure is discovered and the lives of children and adults will be forever changed. “

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About Wingers

Wingers is a Utah-based restaurant group with 25 locations across five states. Founded in 1993 with a recipe for the best wings in the world and an idea, Wingers President Eric Slaymaker found the money through family and friends to open the first Wingers American Diner in Bountiful, Utah. Since then, Wingers has grown in the Intermountain US and beyond, constantly striving to serve the best wings and fingers, and to perfect the art of giving you the comfort of a classic diner with the energy of your local bar.

About Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that impacts millions of people around the world. There are currently close to 10,000 people living with T1D in Idaho.  The disease occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, a hormone essential to turning food into energy. Without insulin, glucose from food stays in the blood, where it can cause serious damage to all of the body’s organ systems. T1D strikes both children and adults suddenly and is unrelated to diet or lifestyle. It requires constant carbohydrate counting, blood-glucose testing, and lifelong dependence on injected insulin. With T1D there are no days off, and there is no cure.

About JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until we achieve a world without T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D. As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF is currently sponsoring $530 million in scientific research in 17 countries. For more information, please visit jdrf.org.