American Transplant Foundation

Meet Leon Duran

Posted on 15. Sep, 2009 in Volunteering

September 2009 — Leon has been a volunteer with the Foundation for over a year. He’s been a great help with several projects and was our lead volunteer at Team Transplant’s tent during Elephant Rock. Leon is fun, dependable, and friendly. If you don’t know him already, you should look forward to meeting him in the future!

How did you become involved with the American Transplant Foundation?

“I am not a living donor, nor am I a recipient, but I am a big music fan! I attended the Crosby, Stills & Nash concert where I saw Heidi giving her introduction speech before the concert and was moved by what she and Governor Ritter had to say. The next day I looked up the ATF website and contacted Heidi about volunteering. The rest, as they say, is history!”

What has been your favorite volunteer event, project, or opportunity and why?

“I think this year’s team for the Elephant Rock Ride was my favorite event so far. It was fun being there at the beginning as Heidi and Katie described what they envisioned and watching it grow into the fantastic Team Transplant. I had the opportunity to work with other great volunteers, hear some very touching organ donation stories, meet some of the AWESOME Team Transplant members and learn a lot about the world of biking.”

Leon with his daughters Kianna (12), Gabriella (9) and Isabella (6) at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO. Leon says, ” It’s where Sherry and I got married and also where I’ve been known to hunt ghosts!”

What are you looking forward in the next year?

“Watching ATF grow; it’s like a snowball rolling down a hill becoming bigger and bigger. I love watching the Foundation increase its visibility and involvement in the world of organ donation.”

Do you have any special talents or interests that people don’t know about?

“Where do I start?! I’m a major Star Trek fan, love ghost hunting and I’m crazy about all sorts of music.”

Do you have any other thoughts that you would like to share?

“I just want to thank Heidi and Katie for the unique volunteer opportunities that they have let me be involved with; they are truly wonderful and talented people and I look forward to working along side all the other great ATF volunteers and learning all about you!”

Meet Kristi Miller

Posted on 01. May, 2009 in Volunteering

May 2009 — Kristi Miller is one of the Foundation’s newest volunteers. She has been a huge help in planning our first charity cycling event at the 2009 Elephant Rock Ride and is so fun to work with. Please welcome Kristi to our outstanding team of volunteers!

How did you become involved with the American Transplant Foundation?

“I became involved with the American Transplant Foundation because my husband had a kidney transplant 4 years ago. We have become advocates of organ and tissue donation due to our blessing.”

What has been your favorite volunteer event, project, or opportunity and why?

“Working on the first ever bike event on June 7 with the Elephant Rock has been my favorite because my husband LOVES cycling and has been involved in cycling for many years. His donor Kevin is flying out to ride in the event (100 miles) and together they are celebrating their personal victory of the life saving transplant Bryan had.”

What are you looking forward to in 2009?
“In 2009 I would like to continue helping fund raise for the American Transplant Foundation and continue to “give back” by volunteering for this cause. I would also like to train for an event in Virginia that Bryan’s donor (Kevin) is putting on where I would walk and/or run for 16 miles. I have never done anything like that before, but would love to do it for Kevin.”

Do you have any special talents that people don’t know about?

“I have a degree in Music and love to play the piano. I don’t play as much as I use to, but still enjoy sitting down and working on different types of pieces.”

Do you have any other thoughts that you would like to share?
“In the few months that I have been involved with the Foundation, I have met some incredible people. Everyone has been tremendously kind and everyone is volunteering for very strong reasons and with personal stories. It is like a family. I would love to see more “get togethers” with the volunteers, before the events or after, just to socialize and share more stories. It’s encouraging and heart-warming to know others have been where we have and share our same thoughts and concerns. Heidi and Katie are wonderful people and have made my experience with the ATF so enjoyable and worthwhile. Thanks for the honor of working with you!”

Learn more about Kristi’s husband Bryan and his transplant journey.

Inspired by son’s death, Byers woman advocates for organ, tissue donation

Posted on 11. Mar, 2009 in In The News, Volunteering

March 10, 2009 -The I-70 Scout

American Transplant Foundation volunteer and donor mother Robin Mitchell is interviewed about her son Joseph who saved seven lives when he gave the Gift of Life in 2008.

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Volunteer Program Year in Review: 2008

Posted on 13. Jan, 2009 in Volunteering

Volunteers contribute more than 350 hours in 2008

Debbie at the Denver Diabetes Expo.

January 13, 2009—If it weren’t for volunteers in 2008, the Foundation’s staff wouldn’t have been able to reach out to the community at five key events, wouldn’t have had the time to record nearly 4,000 petition signatures, and would probably still be stuffing, labeling, and mailing the 2,635 annual reports that were sent in November. It was a busy year!

The volunteer program experienced great growth in 2008 by gaining 30 new volunteers—a 120 percent increase in the volunteer pool. Thanks to the support and determination of the program’s now 50 active volunteers, over 350 hours of volunteer work was completed last year, a total in-kind value of $7,143 to the Foundation. Executive Director Heidi Heltzel relates,

Brandon and Heidi at the Colfax Marathon Sports & Fitness Expo.

“We are lucky to have volunteers who are so passionate and who are such great spokespersons of our cause and of our Foundation. Our volunteers give the American Transplant Foundation strength, and we’re very grateful for their enthusiasm and commitment.”

Last year, recipients, living donors, and donor family members alike joined the volunteer program to make a difference by sharing their stories and recruiting community members to join the registry. Others had no personal connection with donation or transplantation; they simply support the cause and wanted to spread the word about the Foundation in the community. Says Cara Faliano, a new volunteer in 2008,

Cara the morning of the Colorado Colfax Marathon.

“I like volunteering for the American Transplant Foundation because I know I’m supporting a good cause and it’s rewarding. Other causes are good because they help people, but with the Foundation, I know that we’re actually helping to save lives.”

For many volunteers, the Foundation’s program not only provided an outlet for doing good in the community in 2008, but it allowed them to meet and socialize with new and diverse groups of people.

“When I was cutting [timing] chips off of racers’ shoes [at the Colfax Marathon], I met really fun and inspirational people,” said Amy Faliano. “It was inspiring to see so many people finish a race, especially the transplant recipients who ran in the marathon relay with ATF.”

Leon and Kevin helping to mail the2007 Annual Report.

As the American Transplant Foundation is a small and relatively young non-profit organization, volunteers receive great opportunities to get involved. Last year’s volunteer accomplishments included providing support at the Colorado Colfax Marathon, the Donor Dash, and the

Crosby, Stills, & Nash benefit concert; writing transplant stories that were added to the website; recording nearly 4,000 petition signatures for an organ donor specialty license plate in Colorado; and mailing the Foundation’s very first annual report. No matter what the assignment, each volunteer task was a great help and moved projects forward to help the Foundation achieve its mission.

Even if 2008 was a great year for the American Transplant Foundation’s volunteer program, 2009 should be even more successful. Volunteers will still be offered opportunities to help with day-to-day tasks, but they will also have the chance to get involved in the organization of a major new fundraiser: forming a charity cycling team at June’s Elephant Rock Ride in Castle Rock, Colorado. Katie Cicerchi, who heads up the volunteer program, hopes that volunteers will be eager to take on an even more vital role in the institution beginning this month.

Rachid and Catherine at the Donor Dash.

“Volunteers already provide invaluable services to the Foundation by supporting us with administrative tasks and offering support at events, but they will receive even more opportunities to help the Foundation this year, especially in planning and executing our new fundraiser. Many volunteers want to do more, and I hope to make this a possibility.”

Volunteers are asked to keep an eye out for volunteer requests and an invitation to the volunteer orientation session, likely to be held in February. Volunteer committees for the new fundraiser will also be decided within the first two months of 2009. If you’d like to learn more before then, email Katie at katie@americantransplantfoundation.org.

The Board of Directors and staff of the American Transplant Foundation would like to thank each and every volunteer for their continuing support and service. Here’s to a successful 2009!

2008 Volunteer Accomplishments

Posted on 30. Dec, 2008 in Volunteering

The year 2008 was quite a year for the American Transplant Foundation’s volunteer program! We recruited 30 new volunteers, participated in five different volunteer events, and accomplished many of our projects.

Thank you for your support!

Volunteer Accomplishments in 2008

Events:

• Denver Diabetes Expo- March 1, 2008
• Colorado Colfax Marathon Fitness Expo- May 16-18, 2008
• Colorado Colfax Marathon Chip Retrieval- May 18, 2008
• Crosby, Stills & Nash Benefit Concert- June 26, 2008
• Donor Dash- July 13, 2008

Projects:

• License Plate Petition Data Entry- nearly 4,000 signatures!
• Writing Transplant Stories
• Editing
• Research
• Annual Report Mailing
• And many more…

Volunteer Stats (January through November)

Volunteers:

• Active volunteers: 53
• Number who have volunteered this year: 32
• New volunteers in 2008: 30

Value of Volunteer Time:

• Total volunteer time: 355.75 hours
• Average hours per volunteer: 11 hours
• Total value of volunteer time: + $7,143.46
• Average donated value per volunteer: $223

Volunteer Hours

The following people donated their time in 2008. Thank you for your service!

TOTAL: 355.8 hours