North Carolina HOSA "HOSA: The Hearts that Believe and the Hands that Achieve."

National Service Project

This year at the 33rd NNational HOSA Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida the voting delegates choose a new Nationla Service Project - the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. It is the consensus among state and national officers that it is imperative that HOSA continues its work and support of such a great organization. At the 2010 NLC, North Carolina was recognized for its huge outpouring of support for the past National Service Project, Autism Speaks. NC HOSA would like to continue to show it's support for the National Service Project so we ask that you get involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

JDRF is the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 (juvenile) diabetes research worldwide. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 diabetes is a disease that strikes children suddenly and requires multiple injections of insulin daily or a continuous infusion of insulin through a pump.  Insulin, however, is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its eventual and devastating complications that may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation.

The foundation raises money for research through walks much like Autism Speaks who we have supported for the last four years. Here is some preliminary information on JDRF chapters in North Carolina and the dates of many of the walks.

Burlington - Oct 9th at Elon University
Charlotte - TBD at Carowinds
Greensboro - Sept. 25th at Grimsley HS
Greenville - TBD at Greenville Convention Center
Hickory - TBD at Lenoir Rhyne University
High Point - TBD at High Point Cental HS
Jacksonville - TBD at Northside High School
Kannapolis - TBD at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium
Raleigh - Oct. 30th at Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
Wilmington - Oct. 30th at Mayfaire Town Center
Winston-Salem - Oct. 23rd at Wake Forest University

Those walks with dates to be determined will be held after the New Year in the Spring, typically March and April.
Below are some links for the three chapters:
The Charlotte Chapter - www.jdrf.org/charlotte
The Piedmont Triad Chapter - www.jdrf.org/triad
The Triangle/Eastern NC Chapter - www.jdrf.org/triangle

Everything is pretty much the same as with Autism Speaks.  Teams can register for the walk and then register individual walkers for that team. Feel free to email the NC HOSA State Officers or Advisor with any questions!

Other Service Projects

As HOSA members you can create many opportunities to raise money for Autism Speaks and many other great organizations and really change someone’s life! Below are some other organizations you may want to consider.

Autism Speaks - http://www.autismspeaks.org .

Autism Speaks is focused on helping children with autism, a complex neurobiological disorder. According to the organization’s website, one in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more prevalent than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. Autosm Speaks holds a Walk Now for Autism event at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte on a Saturday in October. Form a team with your friends and classmates and begin raising money and awareness right now! For more information on the walk, go to http://www.walknowforautism.org/carolinas .

Ronald McDonald House - http://rmhc.org

Ronald McDonald Houses around the world offer families a way to stay together, in proximity to the treatment hospital, and be comfortable and cared for during their stay. Families are stronger when they are together, which helps in the healing process. By staying at a Ronald McDonald House, parents can also can better communicate with their child’s medical team and keep up with complicated treatment plans when needed.

American Heart Association – http://www.americanheart.org

The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is: "Building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke." By 2010, the association hopes to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and risk by 25 percent.

Lance Armstrong Foundation - http://www.livestrong.org

The Lance Armstrong Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Austin, Texas. In 1996, Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer which had spread to his abdomen, lungs, and brain. As a cyclist Lance decided to use his competitive spirit and become a cancer surviver rather than cancer victim. Lance was fortunate to survive the disease and went on to win seven Tour De France titles. Then, he decided to begin his life as an advocate for people living with cancer and a world representative for the cancer community. So in 1997, Armstrong founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which inspires and empowers people with cancer.