November 2017
Welcome to our monthly newsletter!
November is here, and with it, one of our favorite and most meaningful times of the year. 

It is the season of giving, and for all of us in the donation and transplant community, it is a wonderful reminder of the lifesaving role each and every one of you plays in making the gift of life possible.

Below you will find news, upcoming volunteer opportunities and important dates. Please take a look and as always, do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, ideas or comments!
What We've Been Up To
:
A look back to the happenings, events, and outreach initiatives of the past month or so.

Our third annual Volunteer Appreciation Education and Luncheon was held on October 21st, with more than 30 volunteers attending and several wonderful speakers. Volunteers learned of the latest news and statistics surrounding organ and tissue
 donation, enjoyed a phenomenal presentation and discussion with Amelia Catone from Albany Medical Center's Pastoral Care department and heard from two of our volunteers on the importance of sharing our stories and how to overcome challenges facing us
 when we are learning to share our stories. 

We celebrated the launch of the FULLY ONLINE Donate Life New York State Organ and Tissue Registry. This is big news for all of us in New York working to educate our communities and save lives by registering organ, eye and tissue donors. If haven't checked it out yet, head over to donatelife.ny.gov today! 

We also celebrated a very successful fall with our two big events, the Donate Life Go lf Tournament and the kLaVoy Donate Life 5K Walk and Run. Between the two, we raised over $11,000 to help our growing public education and donor family support programs. We could not have done this with out all of you! We're already thinking about ideas for next year... which reminds us! Save the date for the 2018 kLaVoy, set to be held on October 14, 2018 at the Saratoga Springs Warming Hut!   

High School Students in Vermont can now submit their posters and applications for the 2017-2018 Donate Life Vermont High School Poster Contest! Great prizes and an awesome and fun way to help raise awareness about donation, what more could you ask for? Contest information is available here: 
What's coming up next...
November is looking pretty exciting! Sign up to volunteer at one of the events below by emailing Shaina at skaye@cdtny.org:

11/3: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Annual Benefits Fair
East Campus Athletic Village
20 Georgian Court
Troy, NY 12180
10:30 am to 2:00 pm
Volunteers needed!

11/5: Annual Donate Life Vermont Meeting
The Capitol Plaza Hotel, Montpelier, VT
11:30 am - All are welcome to attend! Light refreshments will be served.

11/10: A Heart for Jillian Fundraiser
The Inn and Round Barn Farm, Waitsfield, VT
6-9:30 pm

11/14: Schoharie County ARC Employee Health and Wellness Fair
9:00am-4:00pm
Fusion Church 
375 North Grand St.
Cobleskill NY 12043
Volunteers needed!

11/15 and 11/16: No-Sew Blanket Making at the CDT Office
11/15: 3 pm - 5:30 pm
11/16: 3 pm - 6 pm
Due to space we able to accommodate 8 volunteers each night. We still have space available for both nights!

11/19: Table at River Street Baptist Church 
Oneonta, NY
2 pm - 5 pm

End of Year Volunteer Meetings:

Donate Life Binghamton Conference Call Meeting: 12/6 6 pm - 7 pm 
Shaina will provide the call-in information! Please RSVP to receive further details

Donate Life Otsego Conference Call Meeting: 12/7 4:30 pm -5:30 pm
Shaina will provide the call-in information! Please RSVP to receive further details

Donate Life Hudson Valley Meeting: 12/13 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Health Alliance of the Hudson Valley, Mary's Ave Campus, 1st Floor Conference Room of the Administrative Building, Kingston, NY
Please RSVP to Shaina if you plan to attend!

Donate Life Capital Region Meeting: 12/14 5 pm - 6:30 pm
CDT Offices, 218 Great Oaks Blvd. Albany, NY
Please RSVP to Shaina if you plan to attend!

Please note: Utica and North Country meetings to be held after the first of the year!
SAVE THE DATES
So many ways to celebrate the gift of life!

National Donor Sabbath, the annual observance and education initiative to recognize the impact of donation in faith-based communities, will be held this year from November 10th-12th. If your faith-based organization or community leader would like to host an informative presentation, have a speaker or display Donate Life materials, please email Shaina ASAP

Giving Tuesday is being celebrated this year on Tuesday, November 28th. It is a phenomenal day to host a registration drive or Donate Life speaker event at high schools, colleges and business organizations! Have an idea for an event location? Contact Shaina!
News and Resources
The latest facts & figures about donation & transplantation

Donate Life America teams up with the Girls Scouts!

Girl Scouts are learning science and compassion with a new Donate Life patch! "In Girl Scouts, we teach girls how to contribute to the world in meaningful ways. We can't
 think  of anything more meaningful than a second chance at life." - Jessica Muroff, CEO,  Girl Scouts of West Central Florida , the first to have the patch. 

Contact:
Shaina Kaye, Center for Donation and Transplant
218 Great Oaks Blvd. Albany, NY 12203
518-262-5606
skaye@cdtny.org