November 6, 2008 Dear Parents, My name is Renee Olance and I am a teacher in the Basic Classroom at Red Cedar School. On the afternoon of November 21st, our entire school will unite to take a very special walk...A School Walk for Diabetes. This will be Red Cedar’s School’s 2nd Annual School Walk for Diabetes. Weather permitting, we will be walking around the neighborhood of Red Cedar School. We will have the support of the East Lansing Police Department to block off streets during the course of the walk. Our back-up plan for poor weather is to walk inside the school hallways like we did last year. We are very excited to have the chance to take part in this wonderful learning experience by The American Diabetes Association. We will be teaching our students about community service, school spirit and healthy living while raising money to help people affected with diabetes. Lessons that may be taught in the classrooms are aligned with the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) standards for physical education-to promote the prevention of diabetes and its complications. We have three children in our Red Cedar School Family that have diabetes. A key component of the School Walk for Diabetes is to teach kids the importance of eating healthy foods and exercising at least 30 minutes a day to prevent obesity. We had the kick-off to our Diabetes Walk on Thursday, November 6th. Your child will be bringing home a packet with this letter including the following:
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A letter from the American Diabetes Association regarding the School Walk.
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A PARTICIPATION, RELEASE, WAIVER AND CONSENT FORM for you to fill out and return to school with your child giving your permission for your son/ daughter to take part in the walk. An envelope for them to place any money that they collect for diabetes. (Remember the children are not allowed to go door-to-door to collect money) Receipts that can be given to people making donations.
Our Red Cedar School webpage will have information regarding our School Walk for Diabetes with links to the American Diabetes Association website. For your information, some shocking diabetes statistics: • Today, 23.6 million American children and adults have diabetes (up from 20.8 million in 2007) • If trends continue, “today’s children mqy become the first generation in history to have a shorter life expectancy than their parent’s” • 57 million Americans have pre-diabetes • Under 20 years of age: 186,300 have diabetes (About one in every 400 to 600 children and adolescents has Type 1 Diabetes)
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Two (2) million adolescents (or 1 in 6 overweight adolescents) aged 12-19 have pre-diabetes .
It is my goal to support the children in their efforts to raise money in the fight against diabetes, while learning how to be healthy. I am in the process of trying to get businesses within the community to make a financial contribution and sponsor our school. Working together we can help our children with this epidemic of diabetes today. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me via email at: Olance_rs@elps.k12.mi.us Also you can stop by my classroom before or after school and I would love to talk with you. To learn more about diabetes or School Walk for Diabetes, please visit www.diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (342-2383). Sincerely, Renee Olance, M.A. Basic Classroom Teacher Red Cedar Elementary School 1110 Narcissus Drive
diabetes.org/schoolwalk Dear Parent or Guardian:
1-888-DIABETES
Your child’s school is participating in the American Diabetes Association’s School Walk for Diabetes. (SWFD). It is designed to educate children and their school community about the growing diabetes epidemic and provide educational tools—aligned with the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) standards for physical education—to promote the prevention of diabetes and its complications. SWFD is an educational school fund-raiser that supports programs aimed at curing and preventing diabetes, and improving the lives of all those affected by diabetes. Today, 23.6 million American children and adults have diabetes and more than 57 million are at risk for developing the disease. Diabetes is a condition where the body either does not make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it does make. The two most common types of diabetes are: • • Type 1 diabetes – when the body destroys its own insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes – when the body is either not making enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it does make. Eating healthy foods and regularly exercising can help prevent type 2 diabetes.
At the end of School Walk for Diabetes, lessons learned in the classroom about nutrition and exercise are reinforced to students through healthy rewards, such as sporting equipment and outdoor gear. Your school benefits too! Schools raising $1,000 or more earn a gift certificate to purchase needed physical education equipment or school medical supplies. Please take a few moments to review the materials your child brings home. • Talk together about the benefits of eating well and exercising, and help your child make healthy choices. • Tell your child about those people in your family or circle of friends who have diabetes. Encourage your child to walk in their honor. • Finally, please be sure to complete the permission form allowing your child to participate in this worthwhile program. Thank you for supporting School Walk for Diabetes. You are helping to create a fun, meaningful environment for your child to learn about health and give back to the community. The lessons learned about helping others will last a lifetime. To learn more about diabetes or School Walk for Diabetes, please visit www.diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (342-2383). Sincerely,
Larry Hausner Chief Executive Officer American Diabetes Association
diabetes.org/schoolwalk
1-888-DIABETES
PARTICIPANT RELEASE, WAIVER AND CONSENT FORM This is a sample participant waiver, which is available in both English and Spanish. All students participating in a School Walk for Diabetes event require a signed waiver. You will find a copy of the waiver in PDF format on the enclosed CD-Rom in the Leader Tools Folder. Please print one waiver per student.
I permit my child, ____________________________ to participate in the American Diabetes Association's School Walk for Diabetes and its online fund-raising program at diabetes.org/schoolwalk. I agree to discuss with my child the importance of being responsible for his/her own safety, including not soliciting funds from strangers or soliciting door to door. I acknowledge and assume all risks associated with my child's participation in School Walk for Diabetes including, without limitation, falls, personal injury, effects of weather, including heat and humidity, and road and ground conditions. I understand that my child's Web page will not be accessible through search engines or direct links from the Associations’ site. I also understand that my child or I can invite others to view my child's personal Web page and I accept the responsibility of sending the link to only to people I deem appropriate. I understand that any financial transactions connected to this site are secure. I have read and fully understand this form and in consideration of the acceptance of my child's voluntary entry, I voluntarily and knowingly waive and release the Association, its employees, directors, officers, volunteers, agents, successors and assigns, and all sponsors, from any and all claims, liabilities or causes of action, including without limitation, death, bodily injury, property damage, or any other loss, damage or any inconvenience whatsoever, arising from my child's participation in this event. Further, I grant full permission to the American Diabetes Association to use photographs, videos and other types of recordings of my child in advertising, trade or any commercial purpose in legitimate accounts and promotions of School Walk for Diabetes (including publicity and fund-raising). I waive the right to inspect versions of my child's image used for publication or the written copy used in connection with these images. A parent or guardian signature required if participant is under 18 years of age:
Print Name X Signature
Emergency Contact Name/Telephone Number:
Health Insurance Provider, Group Name, Telephone Number (The health insurance information is not required, however, highly recommended.)
This form must be completed and signed before participating in School Walk for Diabetes.