Juno 1Q Newsletter

Hello to all the Juno goddesses out there! So happy you have logged on to check out what’s new with Juno. It has been a busy quarter… and the gala tops the list. For those of you readers who could not attend and those of you who want to revisit the moment, we are honored to recount the highlights of the evening and report that J4 was a resounding success, thanks to your generous support.

J4 – 2006 Annual Juno Gala

Our gala was held Saturday, Feb. 18th at Embassy Suites, downtown Orlando. Nearly 300 guests, that included ten corporate sponsored tables, attending the glitzed out event. To kick-off the evening, VIP guests were treated to a Jazz Interlude with Bobbie Jones, as they took a sneak-peek at the silent auction items. Everyone then moved into the elegant ballroom to enjoy a delectable dinner, comedy by Bear, and music by Erin Hefferin.

All eyes and ears were tuned to the stage, as Juno’s president gave everyone a warm welcome and annual update. She then introduced Juno’s first grant recipient, who gave an emotional recitation of a poem she had written about surviving cancer – afterwards, there wasn’t a “dry eye” in the house as the recipient exited the stage to thunderous applause.

Keeping the heartbeat of the evening pumping, the lively auctioneer rallied the crowd to the cause. The bidding action was contagious as Juno supporters opened up their hearts and their purses and took home some great items for a great cause. The live and silent auctions raised over $30,000 for the foundation. Again, we thank each and every one of you for your compassionate giving. The last tap of the auctioneer’s gavel was the DJ’s queue to kick it up a notch and let the dance begin. It was truly ladies night (and don't forget the gents), as every square inch of the dance floor was moving and shaking to the beat of Juno till midnight.

The Juno Foundation would like to give a huge thanks to all of our supporters at the event and special recognition to our table sponsors:

• Shelter Mortgage
• Dr. Kimberly A. Besuden, Chiropractic Physician
• Lola’s Gourmet To Go
• The Vodka Ladies
• Physicians Associates
• Meeting Movers
• Blue Bottom Pool Service
• Phish Phest Entertainment

Grant Committee Update

Family helping family or as Juno herself would say "Goddesses helping goddesses".   Thanks to your support, Juno continues to be able to help women in our community.

Since February’s gala, Juno has made a tangible difference in the lives of two more women by awarding each a grant.  The first recipient, in St. Petersburg, is in her second round of chemotherapy and radiation treatment for a recent diagnosis of stage 3 breast cancer.  The second recipient lives in Central Florida and was recently diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. 

Because of the generosity of people like you, these two women have a few less worries to consider as they make their way through the cycles of treatment on their journey toward a cure. 

On behalf of all of our grant recipients and the Juno Foundation, we are grateful that you make these grants possible. 

For more information visit the foundation grants section of our website or contact our grant committee chairperson, Tracy Harris at 407-694-5658.

Juno Outreach

Board member, LeAndra Gudowski, is hard at work contacting various community organizations that have recently expressed an interest in learning more about Juno.

Her list includes: MD Anderson, Hope & Help of Central Florida, Gay & Lesbian Community Services (GLCS), and several Orange County agencies. We will report back to you in our next edition on our progress.

If you work with or know of other organizations that would be beneficial to contact, please email us with your suggestions.

Juno is working with Watermark, Central Florida’s largest gay publication, to launch an on-going campaign both in print and online. Watermark covers the market coast to coast and is distributed at bookstores, local colleges and universities and hundreds of other locations including restaurants, retail outlets, grocery stores, bars and clubs. The publication provides an excellent opportunity to build our organization’s recognition and spread the word about the support Juno provides for gay women with cancer.

Juno Launches New Website 

We hope that you take some time and check out the rest of Juno’s new website. If you’re reading this newsletter, you are sure to notice the improvements. Genie worked with the video and interactive design agency, Avid Neo Geo, to donate their services in designing a cleaner, user-friendly layout that better enables Juno to cross-promote our partners. The resource section has been updated and the content reflects a broader focus that speaks to gay women with any type of cancer. Avid Neo Geo also designed our print and collateral materials for the gala. Hats off to these creative folks who have supported Juno from the inception. Click here to see their website, list of services and give them your support. 

Juno’s website is powered by Everything But The Spider. Our webmaster, Nancy Anderson continues to manage, host and update the site for us on a regular basis. Click here to learn more about her web services company.

Event Committee Update

We are currently working on plans for a summer event. There are several ideas in the works and we hope to partner with a local club or establishment to either host or help us promote the event to their patrons and customers. Billie will give you more details as they become available.

If there are any golfers out there – we would love to hear from you regarding your interest or ideas for a Juno golf tournament. Lady golfers, if you are interested in volunteering your time, please contact us.

Juno is working with our friends, Sue Bee, Roxy, Julie and Jenn to nail down a date to be their charity recipient at an upcoming Phish Phest. As a partner, Phish Phest Entertainment promotes Juno on their new website… you should check it out!