LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY SETS NEW LOCAL AND NATIONAL FUNDRAISING RECORD

14 DC-AREA PROFESSIONAL RAISE $859,000 IN UNDER 10 WEEKS 

Led by Michelle Fried, of Johnson & Johnson, and Patrick Judge, of Beltway Cleaning Services, 14 local professionals broke local and national records by raising more than $859,000 in under 10 weeks to benefit the National Capital Area Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

It was also one of the closest races ever, keeping 400 family members, friends, campaign teams and supporters on the edge of their chairs at the black tie awards gala Saturday night as the judges tallied the final amounts raised by each of the winners.  Four candidates (Fried, Judge, Pamela Sorensen and Allison Gurnitz of Coray Gurnitz Consulting) each raised more than $100,000, a first for the campaign. 

Sorensen and Gurnitz were first and second runner up for Woman of the Year, and Noah Cuttler of Satellite Broadcasting Communications Association and Seyhan Duru of TURGLA were first and second runner up for Man of the Year. 

"The efforts of these 14 individuals is even more amazing when you consider the fact that none of them are professional fundraisers and all have successfully juggled demanding careers and family obligations to raise money for the Society's mission," said Donna McKelvey, Executive Director of the National Capital Area Chapter.  "We are absolutely astounded and thrilled by this accomplishment: it is unprecedented."

The Man & Woman of the Year campaign is a national effort to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's fight against blood cancers, the leading disease killer of Americans under 20.  Hundreds of candidates compete over a 10 week period in 41 cities nationwide to raise the most money, to be recognized as their chapter's Man or Woman of the Year and to compete for the national title.

Now in its 16th year in Washington, DC, The NCA chapter's Man & Woman of the Year campaign has led the nation in this fundraising competition: the chapter has been the top fundraiser since 2002 and has produced eight of the last 14 national winners.

The announcement of this year's local winners was made at a black tie gala held at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC Saturday night that was attended by more than 400 supporters of the campaign and the 14 candidates. 

"Over the past two months I've had a chance to get to know all 14 candidates a bit, and I thank all of you for the commitment you've made and the amazing non-stop energy you've exhibited," said Ken Dineen, Managing Director of Accenture, the campaign's Presenting Sponsor.  "It's been an intense competition, and I know it's a bit cliché, but the collective impact you've made really makes you all winners." 

The evening included live and silent auctions, a seated dinner and dancing.  The program was co-emceed by Fox5 News Anchor Laura Evans and 98.7 WMZQ Morning Host Brian Egan.  Special recognition was given to WTOP's Bob Madigan, for his many years of service to the Society and to the Boy and Girl of the Year, Andrew Hughes and Faith Froehlich, who are both five-year-old leukemia survivors. The campaign was co-chaired by Dave Dorros of CBRE Realty and Tamara Christian of National Trade Productions, Inc.

New to the Gala this year was Adeler Jewelers' Jewel in the Box.  Each of the tables bid on teak boxes containing hidden jewels donated by Adeler Jewelers. Highest bidders were entered into a drawing for a custom designed white gold pendant/pin featuring a 23 carat green amethyst surrounded by .31 carat round brilliant diamonds and valued at $6,000, also donated by Adeler.

Along with Accenture, the campaign was supported by the following sponsors: platinum sponsor Johnson & Johnson, gold sponsors America's Health Insurance Plans, Friedman Billings Ramsey Group, Inc. and MicroStrategy; silver sponsors, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, Blank Rome LLP, Coray Gurnitz Consulting, Douglas Development, Grace Church, PCMA, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Sidley Austin LLP, Xcel Energy, Wells Fargo Bank, ZipRealty. Other corporate sponsors include, Adler Jewelers, Bloomingdales and Ketel One and WASHINGTONIAN magazine. 

The Man and Woman of the Year Campaign is a fundraising competition organized by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Every year hundreds of candidates compete locally for the title in 40 plus cities nationwide, raising money for the Society over a 10-week period.  Titles are awarded to both the man and the woman in each city who raises the most money for the Society. Money raised will benefit the Society's mission, to cure blood cancers and to improve the lives of patients and their families.  The 14 candidates are: Jay Blanco of Accenture; Jola Breegle of Friedman, Billings & Ramsey; Harry Brubaker of Zip Realty; Siu Cheung of World Financial Group/Global One Mortgage; Noah Cuttler of Satellite Broadcasting Communications Association; Seyhan Duru of TURGLA; Michelle Fried of Johnson & Johnson; Allison Gurnitz of Coray Gurnitz Consulting; Michael Jasser of MarcParcValet; Patrick Judge of Beltway Cleaning Services; Katie Landi of Sen. John McCain's office; Jon Nystrom of Environmental Systems Research Institute; Claudia Soho of Westat Inc. and Pamela Sorensen.  Campaign co-chairs are Dave Dorros of CBRE Realty Finance and Tamara Christian of National Trade Productions, Inc.  The candidates are raising money in honor of the Boy and Girl of the Year, Andrew Hughes and Faith Froehlich, who are both five-year-old leukemia survivors.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world's largest private organization concerned solely with funding research toward cures for blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improving the quality of life of patients and their families.  The Society was established in 1949 as the deVilliers Foundation, named in memory of Robert Roesler deVilliers who died of leukemia at the age of sixteen.  The Society is dedicated to being one of the top-rated voluntary health agencies in terms of dollars that directly fund the mission: 75% of the Society's expenditures are directed to research, patient and community services, advocacy and education.  The Society has 66 chapters, and the National Capital Area Chapter is the highest revenue-generating chapter in the nation.  The National Capital Area Chapter serves more than 1,000 patients and 4,000 family members each year in the metro area, including: Washington, D.C.; the Maryland counties of Prince George and Montgomery; and the Virginia Counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria and Prince William.  For more information, visit www.lls.org.