We have a Godiva winner

Add comment November 11th, 2008

Mary Moore of Rockford won the Rockford Woman giveaway of a $100 Godiva chocolate basket from Crimson Ridge. We received 4,875 entries in two weeks — almost twice as much as our 2007 gift guide giveaway.

Mary was thankful, of course, when I spoke with her on the phone. She expects to give away some of the goodies as gifts but keep some of it for herself — the best of both worlds!

Thanks to all who entered and support our magazine.

Victory Lap Brunch raises more than $9,000

Add comment October 30th, 2008

Thanks to everyone who supported the second annual Victory Lap Brunch Oct. 25 at Cliffbreakers!

The event raised more than $9,000 through ticket sales, donations, sponsorships and centerpiece sales — more than double we originally estimated.

Speaking of tickets, we set a record there, too, with 635 sold. Three of those were me, my mom (center) and my sister Karin (left).

Yes, you love chocolate

Add comment October 28th, 2008

Because Halloween is Friday, chocolate is probably on your mind … and in your mouth. (Twix, Kit-Kats and Reese’s cups are good for trick-or-treaters but even better for moms.)

Don’t forget about the Rockford Woman Godiva giveaway I told you about last week! In three days, we’ve already racked up 400-plus entries.

Breast cancer walk and brunch: See the photos and video

Add comment October 27th, 2008

On Saturday morning, there was pink all over the place: first at Martin Park with nearly 4,000 ladies, men and dogs for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, then across the river at Cliffbreakers for the Rockford Woman Victory Lap brunch.

Both events set records for fund-raising for the American Cancer Society: $275,000 for the walk and at least $4,600 from the brunch. (I’m still waiting for a final total. We had sold 575 tickets as of Friday afternoon.)

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The video is above. Plus, we have galleries from the walk and the brunch.

We are proud to be part of both events. Congrats to everyone involved!

Grandmas and Godiva

Add comment October 24th, 2008

Today, the November/December issue of Rockford Woman magazine is out. It’s the holiday edition — gulp, do I have to start shopping already? — that includes a16-page gift guide full of ideas from local shops.

It also features a chance to win a $100 Godiva basket from Crimson Ridge. If you win, you can give it away as one gift or multiple gifts. Or you can just treat yourself!

The cover story, by the way, is about grandmas: those raising their grandchildren (like Marla McCann, below) and others who just love being a Nana. It’s powerful. Have your Kleenex nearby.

In case you’re new: To find Rockford Woman, check these locations. To make things easier, you can subscribe for $15 a year.

Know an amazing Rockford Woman?

Add comment September 22nd, 2008

You only have until the end of the month to nominate her for the Rockford Woman of the Year award. Find directions here or here.

Furst Staffing CEO Darlene Furst won in the award’s first year, which drew two dozen nominees. Let’s see even more great women in the selection process this time!

more than one way to fight breast cancer

Add comment September 18th, 2008

at rockford woman magazine, we take the fight against breast cancer personally, as staffers and their relatives have been affected.

so a head’s up about a shopping event this weekend and a reminder about others:

1. suzanne young is holding the second  annual “great big accessory sale” from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. saturday at 1779 sentinel court in rockford to raise money for the american cancer society. you can find gently used purses, shoes, jewelry, scarves and other accessories. there will be door prizes.

new this year colorlab cosmetics’ custom pink lip gloss, “sara’s smile,” named after rachel robinson-bardoville’s mother who lost her battle with breast cancer but faced it with a smile.

2. tickets are on sale for the second annual rockford woman victory lap brunch, which will be oct. 25 at cliffbreakers after the making strides against breast cancer walk.

the event features a breakfast buffet, music by the red note quartet, raffle prizes and emcee/speaker judge rosemary collins — a great way to finish off a morning with the girls.

the price is $20. tickets are available in rockford at roxy carmichael, 310 n. alpine road; woodman’s; and j.r. kortman center for design, or you can call bea ricotta at 815-987-1453.

the walk in martin park and the brunch are both fund-raisers for the american cancer society.for information on the walk, go to cancer.org/strides online or call 815-229-1287.

3. womanspace is presenting “busted,” a one-woman play about the humor and terror of surviving breast cancer, at 7 p.m. oct. 29 at rockford memorial hospital. tickets are $25; call 815-877-0118. meet and greet playwright, actress and survivor nancy heerens-knudson afterward. dvds of the show will be available; proceeds benefit nancy’s sister kisti, who has no health insurance and is paying for her breast-cancer treatment on her own. proceeds from the performance benefit womanspace and its women in crisis fund.
4. swedishamerican health system is offering “planting the seeds of hope: a free breast cancer awareness program,” at 6:30 p.m. oct. 6 at giovanni’s in rockford. a panel will discuss the latest innovations in breast health care — and take questions. special guest speaker will be judy emerson, breast cancer survivor and former newspaper columnist. call 815-968-2500.

5. my aerobics instructor and survivor dani kelly is in charge of rocktoberfest 2008, a two-day music festival 5 to 10 p.m. friday, sept. 26, and noon to 10 p.m. saturday, sept. 27, in the parking lot of  old chicago. cost is $5 friday; $5 until 6 p.m. saturday and $10 after that; free for children 7 and younger. buy advanced tickets at old chicago, the oak barrel and other locations. proceeds benefit the inspiration for hope foundation and the making strides walk.

save the tatas

2 comments August 21st, 2008

now that i have your attention:

this morning, i attended the making strides against breast cancer walk’s kickoff breakfast at giovanni’s. the event has a goal of raising $230,000 for the american cancer society in the rock river valley, a little higher than 2007’s total.

the 4-mile walk along the river in martin park, loves park, will be at 9 a.m. saturday, oct. 25. i’ll be there for my third year; the event is in its seventh year and still growing. you can raise money online with your own cool web page or with “walking papers”; call 815-229-1287.

so why am i writing about this here? because rockford woman holds an awesome event after the walk to “top off the morning.” the victory lap brunch at cliffbreakers, right across the rock, features breakfast buffet, pink champagne, door prizes and entertainment.

more than 400 women attended the inaugural event in 2007: we expect it to be huge this year, so get your tickets now. the cost is $20, with proceeds going toward the cancer society. you can purchase yours at woodman’s, roxy carmichael’s or j. r. kortman center for design.

roxy’s is also holding a “find your style” sale, with 5 percent of proceeds going toward the cause.

(sponsorships are still available; call bea ricotta at 815-987-1373 or e-mail bricotta@rrstar.com.)

i’ll have more from rockford woman later. new issue out this weekend! 92 pages!

register star wins 23 awards in state competition

1 comment August 19th, 2008

this week, we learned that the register star won a record 23 awards in the annual Illinois Press Association 2008 Excellence in News contest (for may 2007 through april 2008 work). we won’t learn how we placed until october. below are the winners, so we are proud:

General Excellence — Staff

Local Editorial — Staff

Editorial Cartoon — Bruce Quast

News Reporting, Single Story — Midway Theater, Sean Driscoll

News Reporting, Single Story — Policing overtime, Isaac Guerrero

Taxation coverage — Isaac Guerrero

News Reporting Series — Not Again (Flood coverage), Staff

News Reporting Series — No. Not Here. (NIU), Staff

Sports Feature — No place like home, Emily Tropp

Sports Feature — Scoring 1,000, Emily Tropp

Enterprise/Feature writing — City takes tough stance to clean, Georgette Braun

Feature Writing — Letting Go, Geri Nikolai

Reviews — Georgette Braun

Info Graphic — Criminal Justice Center Overview, Margo Morgan

Info Graphic — Congress Votes, Margo Morgan

Info Graphic — Quake, Margo Morgan, Kelley Simms, Chris Soprych

Headline Writing — Adam McHugh

LifeStyle section

Art/Entertainment Section

Special Section — Woman of the year (Rockford Woman)

Best Web Site

Best Web Project — Belvidere Tornado

Most Innovative Project — BusinessRockford.com

read it, save it, share it, frame it

Add comment July 9th, 2008

i was cleaning up in my office this morning (the 5-minute version) and realized i have extra copies of the last few issues of rockford woman.

if you were featured in the magazine and need keepsakes … or if you just needed a copy for some reason, e-mail me at jpollock@rockfordwoman.com. or just leave a comment.

the magazine is usually in short supply, so this is a bonus!