[silence]
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Oh, sorry, I was on mute.
It happens at least once a week: someone on a Zoom call forgets that they’re on mute. They start talking, but nobody can hear them. “I think you’re on mute,” another participant will say.
Oh, yes, sorry, I was on mute.
I’ve been on mute since January, the last time I wrote about our Logistics Leaders for T1D Cure Team (LL4T1DCure). We were one week away from registering for this year’s JDRF Ride to Cure rides, ready to kick off another season of cycling, ready to take our fundraising efforts to a higher level.
Then came COVID-19, and with it, all sorts of health, economic, and other hardships for everybody.
Going on mute with regards to LL4T1DCure was the right thing to do, as we all faced more urgent challenges and priorities.
Even though things are still far from “normal,” and we’re still dealing with challenges, things are arguably better today than in March and April, so the time has come to get off mute.
The fact is that things like diabetes, cancer, hunger, and critical illnesses continue despite COVID-19. Countless people, including family members, friends, and neighbors, are dealing with these challenges right now. COVID-19 just makes everything more difficult.
Although COVID-19 has cancelled many things, it hasn’t cancelled type 1 diabetes. If anything, the need to find a cure is more urgent than ever, since people (like my daughter) with diabetes and other underlying health issues are at a higher risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19.
The pandemic also hasn’t cancelled the fundraising efforts of our Logistics Leaders for T1D Cure Team. Due to COVID-19, JDRF Rides have been reimagined this year. Our 10 team riders will participate in individual rides and challenges offered by JDRF (my wife and I, for example, will do a 100-mile ride sometime in September) — and we’re looking to fundraise as much as possible to get us closer to a cure!
A big “Thank You” to BluJay Solutions and Descartes Systems Group for returning as Century Team Sponsors. Without their generous support, this big audacious idea I had of creating a cycling team of logistics professionals to benefit JDRF, the leading non-profit organization focused on T1D research, would not have come true. Thanks to the support of sponsors, and along with donations from family and friends, we have collectively raised over $224,400 for JDRF since 2016!
Our original fundraising goal for this year was $90,000. It was a stretch goal back in January, and an even bigger stretch today considering the circumstances. Our modified goal is more modest: to get off mute and ask for whatever support our friends, clients, and family members can provide at this time.
So, I have a small ask: It doesn’t cost you anything to access the posts and videos we publish on Talking Logistics, thanks to our sponsors. But if you enjoy and get value from our content, please consider making a tax-deductible donation in support of our team and JDRF. Any amount is greatly appreciated because every dollar gets us closer to a cure.
Also, if you’re a logistics service provider or technology company, it’s not too late to support our team! We still have a few gear sponsorships available (buff, socks, cap), so please contact me if you’re interested.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
And remember, get off mute when you have something to say.
