New Year? New Year's Resolution? Here's How I Actually Followed through with Mine

Happy New Year Everyone! And Happy National Mentoring Month! I love how each new year begins with a month dedicated to that special relationship where one individual guides another in their growth.

Anyway, as it is the beginning of the year, we're all thinking of New Year's Resolutions probably. I know that many people resolve to lose weight or get in shape and many people become frustrated in this goal after a month or so. A lot of people also resolve to do something to help their community as a New Year's Resolution. If you have read my blog before, you know that in 2009, I raised almost $3000 for Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection by running the Chicago Marathon.

Last year I was one of those people who resolved to get in shape and do something a little extra to help my community. By working for a fantastic organization such as Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection, I feel so fortunate to be able to say that everyday I do something to help the community. However, I wanted to do a little extra outside of what my job title dictated and I knew that 2009 was going to be a rough year economically, especially for non-profits. It was at Martini Madness in October of 2008 when after a few (too many?) martinis, my boyfriend, Nick Infusino, said "Hey! Let's run the Chicago Marathon for Cabrini Connections next year!" and I replied "That's a great idea!"

For some reason, however, that idea wasn't just one of those drunk ideas that falls to the wayside. As 2009 approached, I decided that it was the year I was going to get in shape and run a marathon. I had always been an avid runner, but I had gotten out of shape for a variety of reasons. The idea of running the marathon was a goal that I felt was feasible and combined with the fact that I would be running it for a worthy cause was all the more reason to follow through. 10 months later, on October 11th, 2009, Nick and I were finishers of a major marathon and helped bring in almost $3000 from friends and family who supported our effort. Over this next week I will tell you how I stopped worrying about the marathon and fundraising and start loving it!

When you give, think of the Tutor/Mentor Connection

Last week I received a very nice e-mail from a tutoring and mentoring program leader who attended the November conference. They thanked us for having the conference and told us about how they are collaborating with a leader of another organization in a high-poverty, low-income neighborhood to help at-risk youth succeed. He writes, "We are going to plan activities with youth from both of our programs that focus directly on building friendships with kids from other neighborhoods, instead of falling into a 'gang mentality' and feeling people from other communities are enemies. I look forward to meeting with him again and I look forward to visiting your program as well."

This is what the Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference is all about - giving leaders in the tutoring and mentoring community the tools and resources to help the kids in their neighborhood succeed. But we can only do so much and that's why it's so gratifying to hear of people collaborating and learning from each other in the time between conferences.

The Tutor/Mentor Connection is a vital part of connecting tutoring and mentoring programs throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Unfortunately, the economic downturn has taken its toll on the Tutor/Mentor Connections and the programs it serves. I encourage to read my colleagues Dan Bassill's and Mike Trakan's blogs to read more about all the things that the Tutor/Mentor Conneciton does. Many of you will be giving charitably this year. Since you read this blog, please consider the Tutor/Mentor Connection in your charitable donations. To donate, please write a check made payable to "Cabrini Connections" and send it to Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection, 800 W. Huron, 1st Floor, Chicago, IL 60642 or visit http://www.giveforward.org/tistheseason/

Happy Holidays everyone! May they be safe and merry!

Thank you Jelly for Supporting Us!

If any of you are in the Lincoln Park neighborhood tonight, or are looking for something fun and charitable to do, come to Noble Tree Coffee and Tea, 2444 N. Clark St. at 10pm. Jelly, a consortium of freelance technology people are hosting their holiday party (called "Tech the Halls." Baddum ching!) their and the beneficiary is Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection. Admission is free, but you do have to RSVP before. Thanks so much to Jelly for supporting us this holiday season!

Also, the Chase Giving Challenge, where Chase Bank will donate $25,000 to each of the top vote-getters has been extended another day and will go on through tomorrow, Saturday December 12th. Please click on the button below and support Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection, but also be sure to see if any of the other charities that you are passionate about are trying to get votes as well.

Holiday Bar Night for Cabrini Connections Tutor/Mentor Connection Tonight!

If you've ever been to one of our bar nights, you know how much fun they are. Trust me - everyone I know who's ever gone has a great time and anticipates the next one. I think it's a combination of great people (staff, volunteers, friends, and family) having a good time at the end of the week and at the same time, raising money for a great cause.

Anyway, we're having a bar night TONIGHT, Friday , December 4th from 8pm-12am. It's at Fizz Bar, 3220 N. Lincoln Ave., just off of Lincoln and Belmont and just south of the Paulina Brown Line Stop. Admission is $40 (this goes to Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection) and covers beer, wine, and well drinks. There will also be appetizers.

In the upper right hand corner is another graphic created by our tech club. This was created by one of our students. Hopefully it will remind you why we do what we do here at Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection and why we need your dollars to continue to help these kids create amazing things.

Chase Giving Challenge on Facebook

Hi everybody! So if you're on Facebook, I'm sure you've seen the Chase Giving Challenge. Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection is one of the organizations vying for a chance to win $25,000 (which is A LOT for a non-profit!). We just need to get as many votes as possible before next Friday, December 11th.

Here's what you have to do. Go to the icon below and click on it. Login to Facebook and they'll ask you to become a fan of the Chase Giving Challenge. Then you can vote for us. It's free, quick, and easy. And what's really cool is if there's another charity that is near and dear to your heart, you can vote for 19 other charities as well to receive money.

So if you've become a fan of Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection by being a student in the program, volunteering for us, coming to one of our conferences, learning about us online or any other way, please vote for us to receive a much-needed donation!

'Tis the Season to Donate!

It's almost the first of December, which means we're winding down from the November Tutor/Mentor Conference and winding up for Holiday Donation Season. I think the former will reinforce the latter as evidenced by these comments from our conference evaluations:

" Overall, I felt the conference was AWESOME!! Kudos to Dan Bassill and his staff." (They also, very kindly added a kudos specifically to Bradley for his awesome job directing parking - "Kudos . . . especially [to] the guy who 'stood outside to handout the parking passes/direct attendees to the conference. Who would want that job?:) NOT ME!!")

"I'm ecstatic that I learned about this conference and could attend. I have a new energy to develop and and implement new initiatives into my organization that I never would have come up with I wasn't here."

"Well organized!"

"Thank you! Great location!"

"Everything was excellent!"

and I think this is actually a compliment to the conference as well "More workshops need to be offered and more days need to be added."

A lot of people also inquired about when the next conference is going to be and what workshops will be offered. As of now, the only thing we're sure of is that it will be sometime in mid to late May. But in order for the great momentum that the November Conference created - we need your help - both organizationally and financially. If you would like to be a part of the Tutor/Mentor Conference Planning Committee, leave a comment and I'll contact you. If you would like to donate to tutoring and mentoring programs throughout Chicago, there are two ways:

1) We have a nifty FirstGiving Page dedicated to Holiday Fundraising. Many of you are going to donate to your favorite charity for the Holidays, why not it be for tutoring and mentoring?

2) You can also print this form out, write a check payable to "Cabrini Connections," and mail it to: Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection, 800 W. Huron, First Floor, Chicago, IL 60642

Also, just to illustrate where your dollars go to, the graphics in this post were created by the Cabrini Connections Tech Club, one of our four clubs where students explore their interests and use their talents to create wonderful things. Donors like you make it possible for students like the ones in the tech club to be able to explore their talents and even possible careers for the future.