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Four Weeks to the 2009 ADA National Capital Tour de Cure

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Still Enough Time to Register You and Your Team and Support Finding a Cure for Diabetes

As 2009 ADA National Capital Tour de Cure sponsor, Spectrum would like to remind you that there is still time to register for this year's ride. The ride will take place along the W&OD Trail, starting in the DC suburb of Reston, Va., on Sunday, June 14, 2009.

In addition to Spectrum's "SpokesPersons" team, over 1,500 bike riders from corporations, unions, family and friends, bike clubs, and individual participants will take the challenge with the ADA to find a cure. The 2009 ADA National Capital Tour de Cure welcomes riders of all kinds, whether you're a novice or avid cyclist. With a Century Ride, Half Metric Century and Family Fun ride (just to name a few), the Tour offers different routes that can meet all levels of experience. Interested teams and individuals can register and fundraise online.

To help you prepare for the ride, the ADA, Spectrum and 2009 ADA National Capital Tour de Cure Television Sponsor DC 50 have teamed up to provide ride participants with the "Biking for a Cause" blog. The blog provides nutrition, fitness and bike safety tips to help riders train and make this year's ride a fun, safe day for all.

The goal of this year's National Capital Tour de Cure is to raise over $530,000 to support the ADA's mission to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of people affected by diabetes. Donations raised through the Tour will fund research for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, prevention programs, education programs, and residential and day camps for children affected by diabetes and advocacy initiatives. The 2009 ADA National Capital Tour de Cure Chair, and Spectrum President & CEO John Seng discusses this and much more about the importance of the ride in an interview with DC 50.

If cycling isn't for you, the ADA could use your support as a volunteer. Contact ADA's Cassandra Christian at (202) 331-8303 x4518 or at cchristian@diabetes.org for more information about the many fun and rewarding opportunities available.

Colleen Butz, Account Executive

Posted in Community Involvement, Disease Awareness, Fundraising
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Colleen
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Spectrum Gears Up For the 2009 ADA National Capital Tour de Cure

Friday, March 20th, 2009
John Seng at DC Kick Off

John Seng at DC Kick Off

Last night, Spectrum President & CEO John Seng joined over 100 other Washington, D.C. metro area citizens as they rallied together in support of finding a cure for diabetes at the 2009 American Diabetes Association's National Capital Tour de Cure D.C. Kick-Off. Hosted by CycleLife USA, the D.C. Kick-Off jump started the Tour de Cure fundraising and training season.

Seng, the Chair of the 2009 ADA National Capital Tour de Cure, shared his outlook on this year's fundraising and advocacy. In efforts to expand diabetes awareness and fundraising goals, Seng encouraged Tour de Cure participants to enlist the help of their HR directors and employers to organize and support corporate teams. Spectrum's team, the "SpokesPersons," has been riding with the Tour de Cure for over five years and has raised over $26,000 to support the American Diabetes Association.

An avid cyclist, Seng became involved in Tour de Cure because of his passion for bike riding and desire to help find a cure to save lives. Currently, there are 423,000 people living in the Washington, D.C. metro area living with diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 3 children born after the year 2000 will develop diabetes at some point in their lifetimes.

"I am humbled to be the Chair of the 2009 ADA National Capital Tour de Cure," Seng said. "Riding in the Tour de Cure is a win, win, win situation. It is fun, healthy and directly supports the American Diabetes Association's mission to find a cure for diabetes."

The Tour de Cure is a fun cycling event that allows both avid and recreational cyclists to raise money for diabetes research and educational programs. The 2009 ADA National Capital Tour de Cure will take place on Sunday, June 14, 2009 at the Reston Towne Center.

Whether you are an avid cyclist or enjoy recreational riding, register you and your team for the 2009

ADA National Capital Tour de Cure by visiting http://tour.diabetes.org.

Washington D.C.'s CW station DC 50, 2009 ADA National Capital Tour de Cure television media sponsor, was on the scene at the D.C. Kick-Off and recorded the evening's presentations that will soon be posted on DC50tv.com along with photos from the event. ADA National Capital Tour de Cure riders are encouraged to check-out the DC 50's "Biking for a Cause" pages updates on the cyclists health and training blog and important information on upcoming bike rides in the Washington, D.C. area.

Colleen T. Butz, Account Executive

Posted in Awards, Community Involvement, Disease Awareness
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DC Twestival – Great Cause, Great Media Insight

Friday, February 13th, 2009

Last night, Twitter users from hundreds of cities around the globe participated in Twestivals.

Thousands of Twitterers stepped away from their computers and met-up in honor of charity. Over 175 cities worldwide hosted their own Twestivals, including London, Paris, New York and Washington, DC.

Twitter is a micro-blogging service, where users can post personal and professional news in 140 characters or less. The Twestivals hosted on February 12, 2009, were arranged as a meet-and-greet for Twitterers to network with others in their communities. Tickets were sold and the money was donated to charity: water, a not-for-profit bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries.

I joined other DC Twitterers at the DC Twestival at Local 16. I was impressed with the turnout of people and agreed with my Spectrum colleagues that it was a surprise to match up the people we follow online with their actual faces.

Two people that I paid particular attention to work at national news publications as social media experts. Separately, these two gentlemen explained to me that they do not write for the news, instead they work with the editors and reporters to make their news more digital, expanding its coverage and making sure its delivery is on the cutting edge. In these turbulent times where the news rooms are getting smaller and smaller, they told me how important it was to expand their digital presence.

My main take away from the event was a question as to how Spectrum can better organize our clients' news to make it more digital and appeal to these up-and-coming social media experts and their editors.

For starters, we are all encouraged to talk with journalists through new media channels such as Twitter and Facebook. You can always send an e-mail, but how about a quick 140 characters and a link? We know relationships are key with the media, and now, Web 2.0 is giving us the tools to open so many new doors.

We will keep you posted on the upcoming events and share with you our key takeways and any jawdroppers. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you don't twitter, sign-up and follow us @SpectrumScience and you'll receive news updates on the latest health, science and communications news.

Colleen T. Butz, Account Executive

Posted in New Media, PR Industry, Technology
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