Our VP of Technology, Dustin Ring and his girlfriend, Erin Alpers, volunteered for the Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation (NNCCF) making just under one thousand cups of freshly squeezed lemonade! The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off takes place every year in Sparks, Nevada. The event only allows a select few charities to participate; we were glad to be chosen.

NNCCF’s mission is to provide help, give hope, and promote courage for families affected with this terrible disease. They create awareness community-wide, throughout the year, to promote advocacy and cancer research funding. [By Dustin Ring]

Donate to NNCCF by clicking here.

About a month ago [July,2014], Eduardo Conrado, CMO at Motorola, reached out to share that the Red Cross needed our help. He knew that the Red Cross has a great charter and that the work they do it truly priceless but he also knew that they could use some help sharing their mission / stories with the world.

Eduardo is on the Board of Directors with the Red Cross; he said he knew right away that they needed Corporate Visions to guide them in the right direction. Ted Ergo reached out to Tim Riesterer and without hesitation Tim said, “Let’s do this!” So last Friday, Tim and Ted spent half a day with the leadership team at their executive retreat in Chicago.

Needless to say, Tim’s delivery was spectacular and the 20 plus executives embraced the challenge with true passion and determination. Five teams focused on 5 visual stories about the challenges that we face as a society and what the Red Cross does for all of us every day. This was very powerful and eye opening. Here just one example:

Most people can name 3-5 disasters that have happen worldwide and have made a donation when that happens. But did you know that…….

The Red Cross responds to 70,000 disasters in the USA every year.
Northern Illinois has 1200 disasters a year, that’s 3.3 a day!
97% are residential fires; these are family and personal disasters.
50% of the victims are children.

So when you hear the sirens of a Fire truck heading out to a fire, think about the Red Cross volunteer that is right behind them. Let’s donate to support our communities.

When CVI delivers to our corporate principles, Employees, Community, and Clients, we can change the world. Ted [the employee] has entered into 4 new conversations with the leaders from Allstate Insurance Company, Colliers International, NES Rentals and McDonalds Corporation. The Red Cross (the community) has started to develop great story conversations and Eduardo (the Client) was very grateful as we [CVI] helped support his cause pro bono.

“I am proud of the work we do and the company I represent. Here are a few pictures of the event.”

The Dipsea steps, all 670 of them, sequestered in the woody neighborhood of Mill Valley, is the trail used for this 12th annual Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer. This event was created in honor of Annie Fox, a vivacious 35 year old gal, who gave it her all to battle breast cancer. This trail was her favorite and she was determined to complete the hike throughout her treatments up to final days of her life.

Since her passing 12 years ago, over 500 hikers and runners from all around the Bay Area and some from out-of-state, come to join in this annual event to help raise funds for research and awareness of the factors increase the chances of women having breast cancer. It is through collaborative efforts of medical and research professionals, volunteers and community participation, that allows Zero Breast Cancer to continue their search of the variables that point to the higher numbers of breast cancer in Marin.

Charlotte Kobayashi, from Corporate Visions’ Larkspur Office, [on August 9, 2014] is shown in photo posting flyers at strategic points along the trail to invite hikers/runners to sign up for this event which is on September 13th, with check-in starting at 8 am in Old Mill Park and returning back to Old Mill Park for a fabulous post-hike celebration. Hikers and runners will be provided free mini massages, treats from Whole Foods, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and Three Twins ice cream along with wonderful entertainment from the Ukulele Friends Ohana [family].

In 2013, this event raised $60,000. This year’s goal is to raise $100,000.

For more information on this event on how to become a sponsor, donate or, take part in the hike/run go to: www.dipsea.zerobreast cancer.org.

On Monday, August 4th, 2014 Diane Frate and Lisa Slen from the Darien, Connecticut office spent the morning sealing and stamping over 600 invitations for the American Cancer Society “Roast” Fundraiser.
Each year a well-known local business individual is nominated for the “Roast”. The proceeds for this event and live auction, “Hands Up For Hope”, will benefit the American Cancer Society Research Program. [By Diane Frate]

On June 25th, Helen Atkinson from our UK office spent a day volunteering for BBONT (her local Nature Trust). The trust is dedicated to protecting wildlife and maintaining local landscapes across three UK counties. They also inspire local children to discover the joys of the natural world. One of BBONT’s protected nature reserves is just 2 miles from Helen’s house. It contains a number of different wildlife habitats, including woodland, wildflower meadows and the increasingly reduced fen habitat. It’s also an important refuge for migrating birds flying to/from Africa.

Helen spent the morning clearing land of ragwort plants which is poisonous to a number of animals. It was hard work, but afterwards the volunteering team were given access to a private area of fen where stunning wild orchids are being protected.

After a lunch sat in the sunshine (a rare occasion for the UK!), Helen was asked to assist with a butterfly survey. The survey is important to the trust for monitoring the number and diversity of butterflies in the area, a species which is unfortunately in constant decline due to the loss of their natural environment.

It was a tiring but rewarding day, and good to see so many visitors enjoying their time at the reserve.
[By Helen Atkinson]

June 30th, Jody Canavan made a $100 donation to the Renewable Energy Alaska Project which is a non profit that facilitates the development and adoption of renewable energy in Alaska.
[By Jody Canavan]

Preble is an organization in my town of Portland, Maine. It is an organization dedicated to meeting immediate and long-term needs of the homeless and low-income residents of Greater Portland.

Jim Moliski’s 7-year-old son has been asking about people standing at freeway on-ramps asking for change. Jim felt this was a great opportunity to show his son how we all can help them by donating to community organizations.
[By Jim Moliski]