Steve's Blog

KFAB

2005-12-21T12:13:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Tom Becka of KFAB for having Evelyn Merkel and me on his show yesterday afternoon.

Evelyn's powerful story--and her thanks to HDR, which is a model company--resonated.

Tom gave me the chance to thank our 2005 contributors and sponsors--and I emphasized thanks to Omaha Community Foundation John Becker Fund and the Iowa West Foundation for the grants awarded to our office.

I am working on a piece for the DIALOG in which I will thank our many generous media partners this year.

Our year end mailer, featuring Craig Thomas and Emily McCarville as written by Mary Lu Euler our board president, will be sent today.

Happy holidays.

Taste for a Cure...and Golf

2005-11-04T17:20:00.000-08:00

The Goaley family--Shirlee, the matriarch of our Office, her son, Dan, and the extended Go-Go-Goaley clan--will be hosting the first of many Taste for a Cure ("A Toast for Don"--the late Don Goaley) events on Friday, Nov. 19th at the Broadmoor Market in Countryside Village in Omaha. For a $50 donation, you can feast and drink muy vino; with all proceeds going to the NE office of The ALS Association. Dan sees this as a monthly or bi-montly club. Already, we are half full. Will you please join us? Call me at 991-8788.

Two great 2006 golf events are gearing up. The June 9, 2006, ALS Golf Classic had its first committee meeting this week. A great core group, and we are looking to double this committee, to make it a small army and take the pressure off just a few people. So call me, if you want to see the brochure. Media sponsors are KPTM, KFAB and The Reader. KPTM's Taylor Wilson is planning a story on a friend in Papillion who is amazing in the use of the Eyegaze system; they will do a variety of stories on ALSA, then a 30- and a 10-second PSA on the event down the stretch.

And the Norfolk committee had its first meeting this week, too. The great guys in Norfolk, Mike Anderson and Don Strom, are broadening their honorees to include our friend Mark in Creighton and our friend Steve in Battle Creek. All proceeds for this event will go to the Nebraska office. (I also stopped by to see Mrs. Emily McCarville, another office matriarch, and Debb Strate. We are working on a Norfolk Walk to D'Feet ALS, which will be a way to celebrate the 5th year of the Walks in the backyard of the McCarville family...(speaking of small armies!...).

Much more to report, including our recieving a sizeable grant, for equipment, from the Omaha Community Foundation. We are very proud of this...it's the first grant (many more to come!) received by the Nebraska office.

Support group on Thursday the 10th; Columbus holiday party on the 21st; Lucie Bruijin lecture on Nov. 28th; and the Omaha Holiday party, hosted and donated by the great students of the Bellevue West FBLA, on Dec. 5th.

Sad news: we lost a great man, Mr. John Brownell, on Oct. 26th. It was a privilege for me to have spent time with John and his wife, Diane. We admire their extended friends, who admired John and helped make our 2005 Grand Island Walk to D'Feet a great success in every way...Rest in Peace, Mr. John Brownell (Nov. 14, 1942-Oct. 26, 2005).

ALS Benefit Concert!

2005-10-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

Last Friday at The Rock in Papillion, the Papio-Lavista South High DECA group, led by Ashley Bova, Jessica Couture and Staci Drozda, threw the 1st annual ALS Benefit Concert and raised well over $1,000. Thanks to the whole DECA crew for these awareness and fund raising efforts!

On Thursday November 3rd, our expanding golf committee will meet to discuss prospects (sponsors, teams, in-kind sponsors). If you want to join us--if you have some leads--call me at work, 991 8788 or cell, 659-6343.

In the office writing a grant and letters and making calls...catching up.

And I'm out of the office most of next week.

On Monday, Oct. 24, I'm in West Point, speaking twice at Valmont Industries for the CHC. Caris Kenny of the CHC is a go-getter, and I appreciate the chance to present to Valmont employees. Valmont matches employee contributions 2-1. At noon I present to the radio stations.

I drive to Kansas City on Tuesday, where we meet with the Board and brainstorm major gift efforts.

Then off to Grand Island late Wednesday for meetings--and presenting on behalf of CHC Thursday and Friday.

If you need me, call my cell, 402 659 6343, or check in at the office with Lori and Melissa.

Just announced: ALS Golf Classic partners

2005-10-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

We are nearly ready to hit the street with the brochure for the June 9, 2006, ALS Golf Classic--on a Friday at Tiburon in Omaha. Join us!

Media partners are KFAB, The Reader and KPTM...for PSAs, "drops," ads.

I meet with Shannon McIntosh of KPTM in a couple weeks to develop PSA; Becka and Co. will set us up at KFAB, and John Heaston is terrific at The Reader--will place ads for us there.

I faxed the brochure to many of the friends of ALSA today.

Our committee is great: Gary Lortz, the veteran; Scott Farkas of Valpak of Omaha, who is our gold sponsor...and a guy who is building many relationships in town; Dan Goaley of Coldwell Banker, a friend who is reliable and connected; Kurt Grote of Great Western Bank, friend of Craig and Erin Thomas; and another veteran golfer, and a dear friend, Judy Duffy.

If you would like to help us sell to this tournament, call me at 991 8788 or 659 6343.

Say the word, and I will fax you the information.

All these Walks!

2005-10-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

I am still so deeply impressed by the care and concern--and awareness of this terrible disease and funds to work to cure it--generated by our four Walks. Our totals are well in to 6 figures, with more coming in every day. I thank you all for your nice notes. You have to know this: I am privileged to be able to work on your behalf...but I cannot do it without you. Please keep all your awareness and fund raising ideas coming in. Contact me anytime. You all have my work phone number. Cell is 402.659.6343 and home is 402.556.1325.

We met in Kansas City yesterday to strategize our work going forward. A great meeting led by our Executive Director Beckie Cooper. Beckie applauded our awareness efforts in the local media--which I could not have done without the assistance of many of you. Many people need to be thanked for this: Jean Ruwe, Sharon Kuncl, The CREW in Grand Island and other great people in GI--Mike Bockoven, Alan Usher, the guys at KHAS-TV, Kari Hooker-Leep. Also, in Omaha, Sophia John at 89.7 The River, Tom Becka at Clear Channel/KFAB, Abe Winter at the Omaha World-Herald, John Heaston of The Reader, Janet Warren at JoDon Designs, Courtny Gerrish at WOWT-6...our friends at Bellevue West FBLA, Papio-Lavista South High DECA, Millard North FCCLA, Millard West DECA...our friends at HDR, First Data, Mutual of Omaha...the list goes on and on...oh, The Lincoln Journal Star, the Columbus Telegram, the radio stations in Columbus...on and on...

Oh, back to the meeting: I will be working on these things and more.

1. Grant writing. (Please let me know if you are connected to any funders.)
2. Sponsors for June 9, 2006, ALS Golf Classic at Tiburon. (Welcome Kurt Grote to committee.)
3. Presenting sponsors for next year's Walks. (I am so excited about making these bigger and better...having them become community events. What drover our Walks was the need to present the emotions connected to this disease...it felt right to do this, and I hope you feel the same...)
4. A major gift program. (Details forthcoming.)
5. Events with the Omaha Royals, a wine tasting, "A Light of Hope" program...
6. The Norfolk ALS Golf Classic.

Much more.

TO DO:

We will be ordering prizes in the near future.

We will be placing an ad in The Grand Island Independent (as soon as we have the whole list)

Stay in touch; let me know what you need us to do. We are here for you.

Events this Weekend:

2005-09-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

Friday: Sokol Auditorium: Night at Lou's ALS Benefit Concert (5th annual!): Swizzletree, Grasshopper Takeover, SOJH, Treaty of Paris. Doors open at 7; concert at 8. Presentation by Craig and Erin...thanks to 89.7 for the great commercial!

Saturday: Lincoln Walk to D'Feet ALS. 10am outside of east Memorial Stadium (registration 1 hour prior). Team Finke has raised--can you believe it!--over $5,000!...

Sunday: Columbus Walk to D'Feet ALS. 2pm at Pawnee Park (registration at 1). Shane Osborn will be there...Sharon Kuncl, our longtime chair in Columbus, has helped assemble another great Walk...

Grand Island

2005-09-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

We are assembling the list of sponsors and teams who helped us so much yesterday. $43,000 and still counting!

If you are a walker or team captain, don't let this slow you down. We are in Lincoln Saturday morning, Columbus on Sunday afternoon, Omaha on Friday the 30th...Thanks for walking to D'Feet ALS!

Grand Island!

2005-09-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

Unbelievable support for the Walk to D'Feet ALS--and for two favorite John Brownell. The Walk is this Sunday at 2pm at Eagle Scout Lake, Hwy. 281 and Airport Rd. Get there early! And often!

Bus Benches in Omaha!

2005-09-08T17:03:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Pat Hinkle of the Bellevue West FBLA and Janet Warren of JoDon Designs for collaborating on this free, great advertising for our Omaha Walk. Starting tomorrow, ten bus benches in Omaha will have "Walk to D'Feet ALS design":

84th and Grover
63rd and Center
44th and Dodge
84th and F
13th and A
134th and Millard Av.
136th and Millard Av.
72nd and Farnam
97th and Q
68th and Dodge

--Today, I visited the good students of Millard West DECA. Ferole and Jenna will be working on the DECA project; the whole gang is going to help us raise money. A great group. Much more to follow from them, I'm sure.

I also stopped by to give concert tickets to the great group of Millard North FCCLA! September 23rd Night at Lou's Show will be a great bash. nightatlous.org for info.

Walks are shaping up. At least 60 teams that we know of; many more will sneak up on us at the Walk. I hope the rookies are prepared!

Grand Island TV will host Mike Gloor to talk about the Walk next week. Thanks, Mike!

Support group tonight at 7pm at Pius Parish Center, 6905 Blondo. Join us on the second Monday of each month.

2005-09-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

FUN RUN! WALKS! and more.

2005-09-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Donations from the great Fun Run are being counted: $12,316, with more to come. Unbelievable work by an unbelievable couple, Erin and Craig Thomas, and their friends and family. Committees are forming for next year's event. Please join us!

Great to have so many Walkers and sponsors joining us. Call us at 402 991 8788 for details on all four Nebraska ALSA Walks!

89.7 The River is running great ads for the Sept. 23rd Night at Lou's Concert and for the Omaha Walk.

I talked with Mary Pedersen of Grand Island, a good friend of Diane and John Brownell. JRB Walkers, their team, is up to $500.

Degussa, an Omaha company, is donating $500.

Melissa Ramming and I visited Millard North's FCCLA group today. An inspiring group of young people led by Mrs. Robin Nelson, whose mother, Freda Strampe of Omaha, died of ALS. Her dad, Bob, is a great guy and support group member. Robin's FCCLA students were deeply engaged by Melissa's presentation on this disease, and they want to be there to help. We invited them to the concert; they will write on behalf of Operation Oprah; they are forming one huge Walk team (comprised of many smaller teams); and we will be talking with them about how theuy can be helpful to the caregivers and other people who are affected by ALS...They will be boarding a bus at school the night of the Walk and joining us at Elmwood! Welcome, FCCLA!

Sharon Kuncl & KNOP TV, North Platte

2005-09-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

Sharon Kuncl, longtime chair of the Columbus, NE, Walk to D'Feet ALS, is doing her usual great work of assembly on the Sunday, Sept. 25th Walk at Pawnee Park. It starts at 2pm--with 1pm registration. National hero Shane Osborn will be there, and so will State Sen. Arnie Stuthman and Miss Columbus, who will sing!

We were notified that KNOP TV of North Platte will do a story on a Walk team on Monday (Labor Day) at 5pm. More details to follow.

Reminder of Bellevue West FBLA tailgate party at 5pm today at their stadium. They have nearly sold out of their "We Own Bellevue" Tshirts. Craig, Erin and Melanie will be there; Dan and some of the CU Phi Delts will be there. Join us!

The Ideal School, Papillion, NE

2005-09-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Stacey Morgan, whose mother is affected by ALS, for meeting with Lisa LaViolette's students at the Ideal School and talking with them about Tuesdays with Morrie and about her experience. Lisa says it was helpful for her students; I hope it was a good experience for Stacey.

The firm Leininger, Smith, et al., is our most recent sponsors of the Grand Island Walk. Many thanks and welcome!

Great contributions from Craig and Erin on wrist band sales. Plus, they received a nice donation from someone who saw them in the media.

Also a story beginning in the media: we heard from Jean Ruwe, whose father John Ronan, of Fremont, NE, died of ALS. She sent a notice to the Arlington Citizen, and Melissa Rice, a writer there who did the great story on Craig and Erin, responded that they would get together to work on a piece. Jean and her husband Dan are great and inspiring people. I look forward to the next piece from Melissa, whose former employer was the late Bill Phelps of HDR, who died of ALS and was honored at a variety of golf tournaments over the years that were chaired by Gary Lortz and others.

So many people to pray for, our people who are affected by ALS, the people stuck in all this devastation in the south.

www.meetcraigthomas.com

2005-09-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Go to Craig's site. Write a letter to Oprah to get Craig on her show!

Exchanged emails today with Craig's good friend Seth Hanebutt of Kansas City. He is volunteering at ALSA-Kansas City. Welcome, Seth, and thanks!

On September 14th, we have been asked to speak all day--6 classes--at Lewis and Clark Jr. High in Omaha. Dan Reznicek of CU Phi Delts will help us after 11:15. Anyone else?

On Tuesday the 6th we will present a great promotion to Kenya, assistant to GM Philip Farmer, at Baker's Supermarkets. Anyone connected to Baker's/Dillon who can give them a nudge?

Millard West DECA is next school group to pursue a project on ALS. We meet with Ferole Hendrichson, one of the student leaders, there next week during Miss Butler's class. Welcome aboard. Thanks for the awareness and fund raising help!

Sending final proof of Walk Tshirts logos/mentions back to the printer right now. Many thanks to our administrative assistant Lori Barnes!

Ordering some nifty little flashights for the Walk from Gary Lortz of Selective Media...

John Kolar, Jr., Red Sox fan and barkeep at the Sky Box, 168th and Harrison, is working on ad for the Grand Island Walk that will appear in The Independent. John's a smart cookie: communications degree from Boston College. The Independent gave us $1,000 in free advertising. Speaking of, a letter from Mike Gloor, CEO of Saint Francis Medical Center, will appear in Rinder Printing enclosure in Tuesday's Independent. Thanks for Tim White of Rinder, one of the members of the Crew, for including this.

Chris and Kristeena Griffith; RAC meeting

2005-08-31T15:14:00.000-07:00

Chris and Kristeena Griffith stopped by today. Chris is in the Air Force. He lost his uncle, who lived in Vermont, to ALS this week. It is inspiring that they want to be helpful to other families who have been affected by ALS. They have a van, and so Chris will be helping us move equipment from the loan pool to where it is needed; and he and Kristeena will form a Walk team among neighbors and coworkers. Peace to his family in New England.

I have scheduled our next Regional Advisory Council meeting for Thursday, Sept. 15th at 6pm at Synchronicitea, a new cafe that is right at the entrance to our building at Shaker Place (just off 107th and Pacific). I intend to call all our advisors tomorrow and Friday. If you are part of the RAC, please be there...if you would like to meet some of our advisors (to see if this is a potential fit for you), call me at 991 8788 (area code 402). Lori just opened Synchonicitea, and we are working on doing a "grand opening" fundraiser for ALSA.

Other news today: Principal Financial Group became the latest Walk sponsor in Grand Island! Many new Walk teams have been added to the website (www.alsa-midwest.org)!

Benches in Omaha and more.

2005-08-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

1. Pat Hinkle, FBLA instructor at Bellevue West, called to say that 10 bus benches have been donated to ALSA/FBLA to highlight the Walks. Quick turnaround by Pat. Great publicity.

2. Speaking of FBLA, Tshirts have been printed for Friday's game: "We Own Bellevue," they say. Go WEST! $10 for a T, with proceeds to ALSA!

3. With more on the way, Grand Island has accumulated over $8,000 in sponsorships alone! Call if you want to know who's in. Great work, Crew!

4. Our great sponsor Kohll's Pharmacy & Homecare has donated $250 toward the Omaha Walk. Many thanks, Laurie Brown, Joe Pepitone, Marvin Kohll!

5. And the late Mr. Bob Hohn, who played at Beatrice High, UNL and with the Pittsburgh Steelers, was named by the Omaha World-Herald the 56th all time Nebraska athlete. An amazing athlete and courageous man who died of ALS in 2003. Nice to see this honoring of Bob Hohn...and nice mention of his good work on behalf of people who are affected by ALS in Nebraska.

Bellevue West FBLA Kick Off!

2005-08-30T15:44:00.000-07:00

1. On Friday, come to Bellevue West High stadium at 5pm for kickoff. Craig, Erin and Melanie will be there; channel 6 will be starting their story of FBLA efforts and on Craig--Courtney Gerrish will be doing this story. Join us! If you need directions, call my cell, 659 6343.

2. Kimmy Lea Peterson of First National Bank has decided that ALSA Nebraska will receive proceeds from September's Jeans Days at the Bank! Great stuff. Spread the word at FN.

3. Through Tim White of Rinder Printing, one of the great Zephyrus Crew there, I received word that the Grand Island Independent has given us $1,000 of advertising toward the Walk. On top of support by Chamber of Commerce and EDC there--and the radio stations--the Crew is getting the word out. Thanks to Cindy, Marlan, Alan and Pam, Mike Bockoven, George Ayoub...the list goes on and on.

4. Melanie Shultz and I met with three sections of Ms. Mary Pachman's marketing classes today at Papillion-South High School. ALL of her students will be writing in support of Operation Oprah, and the DECA group is doing their Civic Consciousness project for us this year. Take State. Ashley Bova, Jessica Couture and Staci Drozda are at the helm of this project. So far, they are doing a car wash and a battle of the bands; more to come. We also met Tyler Gassaway, student president of Nebraska DECA this year. Many walkers from Papio-South will be joining us...

5. Off to Qdoba, 72nd and Pacific, to see if they will feed us at Omaha Walk.

Is anybody out there?

Rest in Peace: Mr. Sonny Foster

2005-08-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

Sonny was a great man and a helpful ally and kind neighbor. He was a brilliant man and a caring man. He served as office manager for Senator Ben Nelson (and consultant to countless local politicians). He helped us secure Sen. Ben as honorary chair...he was helpful to so many people in this town. He had a moving tribute yesterday.

Fun Run; UNL Phi Delts

2005-08-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

Please put this site on YOUR FAVORITES!

An amazing, inspiring event on Sunday. There was much love in the room in Missouri Valley at the First Annual Craig Thomas ALS Association Fun Run. Craig and Erin inspire those feelings wherever they go; and Melanie Shultz, Erin's sister, came in to town only a couple months ago and worked tirelessly on the event. So many people joined us: Craig's parents, Steve and Debbie Thomas of Farmington, MO; Erin's parents, John and Connie Shultz, of Flasher, ND. Erin's sister Kinsey and her husband Wedlyn of Sioux City, IA, worked hard all day--inspiring. Melanie's boyfriend Shawn of Cheyenne, WY, flipped burgers all day--great help. Many longtime friends of ALSA Nebraska were there: Shirlee Goaley moving Tshirts, Jeannette Obal moving the food line along; Mary Lu McCarville Euler, our board president, was there all day.

I heard OPPD--where Erin works, and where Craig has worked--had 100 riders there. We had 340 riders (some of them were car club folks)! Incredible for a first time event! The Omaha World-Herald covered the event on Monday (page 2 of the Midlands section), and there was incredible publicity beforehand (KPTM, KM3, KFAB, The Nonpareil, the papers in Blair and Missouri Valley, on and on). Great sponsors, too. Harley-Davidson of Omaha was presenting sponsor; Mike's Classic Cars, Two Rivers State Bank, Dillon Brothers Harley-Davidson, so many others...

I have left out so many people who were helpful in advance and during the event. I cannot get over this event. Great and inspiring work, Erin, Melanie, Craig and ALL!

*

On Monday I was part of one of the UNL Phi Delta Theta crews who made announcements at every one of the fraternities and sororities to recruit teams for the Walk they are helping chair in Lincoln on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 10am outside of the east football stadium. These guys can SELL! I talked to Kate Fuhrman (hi, Kate!) of Pi Beta Phi (the Pi Phis). We expect a huge group of Pi Phis to join us. The Phi Delts themselves have set a GOAL of $10,000! They are working on gathering water, coffee, fruit, the works, for the Walk. If you have any connection to providers of these things in the Lincoln area, let me know--or contact benj@bigred.unl.edu.

Maggie Stehr of The Daily Nebraskan talked to Ben and me for about a half hour. She is going to write about our efforts, and she is getting us in touch with a good contact at The Lincoln Journal Star--I think his name is "Matt Hanson." You will remember Maggie from her great story in the Bismarck paper. She was an intern there this summer, was contacted by Melanie Shultz about her ALS Dance Event, covered it wonderfully...and the Lincoln Journal Star picked it up, and that is where Taylor Wilson of KPTM learned of Craig's story. They came out that night and did a story on Craig and Erin. A wonderful piece. We have a copy here, if anyone wants to see it.

Today, I get to talk to the Papillion-Lavista South High DECA group (our friends at Bellevue West FBLA introduced us to Ashley Bova of Papio South). A great group. Then I talk to Steve Kimmel of Booz Hamilton about helping us with the Walk (main sponsors SO FAR are Mutual of Omaha and First Data!), and then I stop to see the marketing group at QDOBA (72nd and Pacific) to ask them to help feed us at the Walk.

Speaking of the Walks, please keep recruiting for you teams. Let Lori and I know what supplies you need.