Kimberly Smoot Photography Blog

By Staff Report
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Posted Oct 04, 2008 @ 01:12 AM
Last update Oct 04, 2008 @ 01:18 AM

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*On behalf of the American Heart Association, I’d like to thank the many people who attended and supported the Sept. 18 Springfield Go Red For Women Luncheon, presented locally by Prairie Heart Institute at St. John’s Hospital.

That day, nearly 300 women and men learned how to take steps to prevent heart disease, our No. 1 killer. We hope these individuals will be inspired to “Go Red,” take care of their hearts, and encourage their loved ones to do the same.

The event featured two inspiring survivor speakers, Coleen Mays and Elizabeth Hein, plus a relaxation exercise by Prairie Heart Institute’s Center for Living. Sponsor booths at the event provided 55 cholesterol screenings, 20 bone density screenings and 100 blood pressure checks, along with valuable health information and great giveaways.

Luncheon sponsors included Prairie Cardiovascular Consultants, Health Alliance, SIU School of Medicine, H.D. Smith and Memorial Heart and Vascular Institute. Table sponsors were:

Office of Women’s Health, Security Bank, Marine Bank, Bunn-O-Matic Corp., Brandt Consolidated, Kerber, Eck & Braeckel, University of Illinois Springfield and United Community Bank. Luncheon supporters were Illinois Association of Realtors, Zara’s Collision, Nicoud Insurance, Alpha Omega Couriers, Arizona Tile Co. and Standard Mutual.

Special thanks to our in-kind sponsors, including HIP Advertising, Springfield Hilton, Springfield Business Journal, Kimberly Smoot Photography, Outdoor Advertising Association of Illinois and Illinois Times.

Special thanks also to our emcees, Julie Staley with WICS Channel 20 and Dina Michaels with 103.7 WDBR and to their stations. We’d also like to thank our other two media sponsors, Comcast Spotlight and 98.7 WNNS, for their support.

We are fortunate to have two national Go Red For Women sponsors — Macy’s and Merck — and we thank them for their continued support of this important cause.
We look forward to seeing you at next year’s luncheon!

Charlotte Warren
2008 Go Red For Women Chair
President, Lincoln Land Community College
Springfield

*Our mission at Memorial Health System is to help maintain, restore and improve the health of the people and communities we serve. Toward that end, Memorial’s SportsCare team diligently planned a first-ever Women’s Biathlon for Sunday, Sept. 14. The weather was unmerciful (the event was preceded by an impromptu chorus of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat …” by participants), and the biking activity was canceled because of flooding. By every other measure, though, the event was a great success to the benefit of all who braved the elements.

As one participant commented, “While the weather was lousy, I thought the atmosphere provided from all of the volunteers, SportsCare staff, vendors and participants was very upbeat … I greatly enjoyed the health screening after the race as well … It was nice to get the positive feedback that the health screening provided, as well as any areas of improvement that I need to work on. The whole principal of the day ‘to help motivate women and girls to become healthy and active’ was not lost on those who participated in the event. It was a very rewarding experience.”

We are very pleased to have hosted the event and made this contribution to the health and well being of our community. The vision that John Gee, Tracy Scales and Cassie Clemens of the SportsCare team brought to the biathlon drove its success. Friends of Memorial sponsored the health fair (held indoors at Koke Mill Medical Center, thankfully!). Many volunteers who literally weathered the storm help make it all happen. And, of course, nearly 70 women braved the elements to participate.

All in all, it was a great day. With a little help from Mother Nature, next year it may well be perfect!

Drew Early
Director of Business Development, Memorial Health System
Springfield

*Thank you to the agencies which participated in our first Early Intervention Resource Fair at the Early Learning Center on Sept. 4. A special thank you to Think First for their donation of a car seat (to be installed at a Child Safety Seat Checkpoint) and Food Fantasies for the gluten-free snacks they provided.

Lisa McGlothlin, Child & Family Connections
Carolyn Harmon, Parents as Teachers
Springfield

*Thanks to Mayor Tim Davlin for signing, Ernie Slottag for facilitating and director Sandy Robinson for presenting a mayoral proclamation for the U.N. International Day of Peace and Ceasefire in Springfield. The proclamation was read at the candlelight vigil at the State Capitol and later shared at the First Church of the Brethren Prayer Service on Sept. 21, when Springfield joined with thousands of communities in celebration of this day of peace throughout the world.

Also special thanks to Brandy Hansen for creating an eye-catching display of quotes and excellent books on peace and nonviolence on the second floor of Lincoln Library.

Diane Lopez Hughes,
Virginia Bayless and members of the Springfield peace community
Springfield

Today was the American Heart Association’s Go RED for Women annual luncheon. Many, many women and a few men, all dressed in at least one red article of clothing, turned out at the Hilton for this event. If you would like to know more about the American Heart Association and Go Red for Women, you can find more information HERE.

There were lots of informational boothes set up for people to take a look at before the lunch was served.

Kimberly Smoot Photography was thanked in the program for photographing the emcees of the event. Dina Michaels, 103.7 WDBR Morning Show Host and Julie Staley from ABC NewsChannel 20 are always fun to work with! I photographed them last year for this event too.

The speaker, Elizabeth Hein, was awesome! She was a healthy, 27-year-old runner when she had a heart attack in 1996. Fortunately, she survived, and has been able to turn her experience into an inspirational message she is passionate about sharing with others. I talked to Elizabeth after her presentation and told her it wasn’t fair to make the photographer cry! I was touched by her genuine kindness.

I know everyone is waiting to see MORE images from the Jesse/Jordin concert. Well, here they are! Enjoy!
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She totally connected with the audience! She was just so REAL!

Jesse picked these LUCKY girls out of everyone at the concert to invite up on stage. Of course they said, “YES!”

I was at the All City production of Les Miserables today.  The show was amazing!  Here is one image to hold you over.  Enjoy!