Roanoke, VA-  October 24, 2013—The Greater Blue Ridge Chapter of JDRF recently held their annual meeting at the Holiday Inn Valley View in Roanoke. The Board of Directors, elected new officers, welcomed new board members and received an important research update about type1 diabetes.  Neal Brenner, N2Surplus, was elected President and Sally Southard, Carilion Clinic Children’s Hospital, was elected President Elect.  Jill Maddy, Novo Nordisk, Inc. will serve as Treasurer.

Seven new board members were elected during the meeting and include:

• Marie Bliss, Advance Auto Parts
• Todd Burgess, Quik-E Foods
• Linda Garbee, Alice in Paperland
• Jason Hill, Va Dept. of Environmental Quality
• Tom Pettigrew, Reinhart Foodservice
• Ben Rottenborn, Woods  Rodgers
• Beverly Schlegel

These new board members have various connections to type1 diabetes, ranging from having a child with type1 diabetes to working in a career which encompasses the disease.

Additionally, the following committee chairs will serve the Board:

• Outreach – Julie Kiser
• Nominating –  Craig Turner
• Government Relations/Advocacy  – Steve Grieco
• Strategic Planning-  Bruce Wood
• Communications – Shelly Whitaker

Advance Auto Parts, JDRF’s long time local Signature Sponsor and national elite principal partner presented the Advance Auto Parts Outstanding Corporation of the Year Award to Friendship Retirement Community at the meeting.  Friendship Retirement Community has been partnering with JDRF for several years.  They have sponsored both the annual walk and gala over the last several years and have entered an active walk team and have assisted with securing top auction items for the gala.  Friendship also allows JDRF to speak to their employees about diabetes research.

“I was pleased to present the Outstanding Contributor Award to Friendship Retirement Community” said Lisa Sphar, Manager of Community Engagement for Advance Auto Parts and JDRF Greater Blue Ridge Chapter board member. “Friendship is an excellent example of an organization that understands the importance of diabetes research and also supports JDRF’s efforts to fund research to find a cure.”

The 2013 volunteer of the year was given to Jenny Lucsko, Registered Nurse and Diabetes Educator at Carilion Clinic Children’s Hospital.  Jenny connects with newly diagnosed children and soon becomes their friend and ally.  She also offers them a JDRF Bag of Hope to help them understand and adapt to diabetes and often becomes the main source of information for dealing with diabetes for these families. She has participated in the annual walk and formed her own walk team through her office with co-workers.  She encourages families to participate in the chapter support group and she also attends and assists with the meetings and gatherings, truly helping the chapter outreach program grow by leaps and bounds.

“Jenny is truly an inspiration and an example to follow,” said Brenner.  “She has gone way beyond the call of duty to support the chapter and our mission of finding a cure for diabetes.”

The meeting concluded with a research update from a type 1 diabetic Tom Brobson who has been part of the cutting edge artificial pancreas trials at UVA and also works with JDRF in the communication area. His hopeful message was inspiring and invigorating to volunteers and board members as they prepare for a new year of searching for a cure.

###

ABOUT JDRF GREATER BLUE RIDGE CHAPTER

JDRF’s mission has been constant since it was founded four decades ago: to find a cure for type 1 diabetes through the support of research. JDRF is the leading funder and advocate of type 1 diabetes science, with more than 80% of expenditures going directly to research.  For more information, please contact the JDRF office or visit the chapter online at www.jdrfgreaterblueridge.org and like us on Facebook.