JDRF Greater Blue Ridge Chapter Holds Annual Meeting, Elects New Board Members

Roanoke, VA-  November 18, 2014—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.

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

• Ellen Crandell, Wheeler Radio
• Chris Whisnant, Wells Fargo
• Heather Neff, Virginia Lutheran Homes
• Paul Economy, Member One Federal Credit Union
• Terry O’Shaughnessy, HomeTown Bank

These new board members have various connections to type1 diabetes, ranging from having a child with type1 diabetes to getting involved in their company’s fundraising campaigns.

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 Norfolk Southern at the meeting for their 20 plus years supporting JDRF and type 1 research mainly through the annual JDRF walk to cure diabetes.  In the past 10 years Norfolk Southern employees have raised over $107,000 for diabetes research.   They not only support JDRF financially but their company employees faithfully volunteer at this event each year, including serving as chairs the last two years.  This year Norfolk Southern was chosen as the gala honoree for their generous and steadfast support of JDRF.

“I was pleased to present the Outstanding Contributor Award to Norfolk Southern,” said Shelly Whitaker, Manager of Public Communications for Advance Auto Parts and JDRF Greater Blue Ridge Chapter board member. “We are thankful for the loyalty, enthusiasm and generous support of Norfolk Southern and their employees in the Roanoke Regional Office.  It was an honor to present this award to a local company who has worked so tirelessly to create awareness of T1D in our local community.”

The 2014 volunteer of the year was given to Mike Stevens, Communications Director with the City Salem. This award is given to someone who has gone way beyond the call of duty to support the chapter and our mission of curing diabetes. Stevens has been the emcee for walk and gala events for the past two years.  His professional manner and the time he spends preparing for these events is very significant and although he has no direct connection to T1D he has become very passionate about finding a cure.

“Mike has become the voice of our local JDRF chapter,” said JDRF Blue Ridge Board President Neal Brenner.  “He pours his heart out when he talks about his involvement with JDRF and we certainly know that our events are in good hands when we have Mike leading us as emcee.”

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.

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ABOUT JDRF GREATER BLUE RIDGE CHAPTER

JDRF is the leading global organization focused on 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 bring life-changing therapies from the lab to the community. As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF is currently sponsoring $568 million in charitable research in 17 countries. For more information, please contact the JDRF office or visit the chapter online at www.jdrfgreaterblueridge.org and like us on Facebook.

ABOUT TYPE 1 DIABETES

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that impacts millions of people around the world. 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. 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.