February 24, 2025 • 30 mins
This week’s show featured ICAN’s Allison Zach and Cris Riddle promoting their annual Women’s Leadership Conference. Then, Al Vacanti with Sports For Kids invited the public to their benefit auction to raise funds to assist special-needs children.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is Community Matters, a weekly public affairs program to
inform and entertain you with some of the great people, organizations,
and events in and around Omaha. Now here's the host
of the program from news radio eleven ten KFAB. It's
Scott for Heats.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Thank you so much for being a part of our
program this week. It is I CAN Women's Leadership Conference
time online, Aticanconference dot com. We welcome back here the
director of marketing, Communications and Events with I CAN, Allison Zach,
Welcome back to Community Matters.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Thanks Scott. It's always good to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yes, it's great to have you back here. So that
means we've got another big assembly of great minds for
the purpose of being there for the purpose of women's leadership.
And to say purpose a few more times, it is
the purpose of this year's event.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
All yeah, thanks Scott.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I'm you're wearing a purple sweater. I get at that
in my head.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
That's all right. So yeah, it's time again. So I CAN.
We are a nonprofit here in Omaha, the Institute for
Career Advancement Needs, and among all of our programs and
services we offer, we do host this annual I CAN
Women's Leadership Conference. It's our thirty second annual event, so
it's become quite kind of a tradition and community event
here in the largest conference of its kind in the
(01:19):
region and one of the largest in the country too.
So yeah, it's conference time and our conference this year
is on April sixteenth. Every year we put together a
year specific theme, brand, and topic that's really reminiscent of
business leadership needs today that leaders are incounting in their workplaces,
in their communities every day, and also kind of gives
(01:40):
a cue to things going on in the world and
in the country. This year, our conference theme is own
your Value, So we're talking all about helping leaders and
individuals learn to embrace and understand their unique contributions, the
value that they bring, their strengths, and then once you
kind of understand that, how to kind of exert that
inflace and kind of activate on that purpose and value
(02:02):
you bring.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
It also seems that the phrase own your value speaks
a lot to the type of speakers who are coming
and presenting this year. I see a lot of people
involved with money with value, and certainly, you know, in
any economy it's always good to own your value, but
certainly the last couple of years. We'll talk more about
those speakers in just a moment, but right now, Alice
(02:23):
and I want you to tell people where they can
learn more information and register for this year's conference.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Absolutely, So you can learn all about this year's event
at Iicanconference dot com.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Again.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
The conference is Wednesday, April sixteenth, will have registration open
until April first for our in person attendees, but the
conference again this year will be hybrid, so there's also
an opportunity to join us virtually and that registration will
be open till April eleventh. So we see a lot
of companies bring a lot of people in person, but
it's a great opportunity to kind of extend the reach
and access to the conference to those that prefer the
(02:56):
virtual attendance option. But also it's great because we see
a lot of people from across the country join. Last
year we had attendees from over thirty five states, so
it's great little feature for Omaha as well. And I
also want to makes people know we have opportunities for
individuals to attend tables of course, exhibitors and exhibit boosts
and then also volunteers as well.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
And this is a one day deal Wednesday, April sixteenth,
if they're able to attend in person, where is it?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah, good question. We are down at the Cochi Health
Center Omaha and the Convention Center, So yeah, we fill
that exhibit hall. We're hoping to hit that three thousand
attendee mark again this year. So it's a large event.
And I'll tell you the energy in the room is
really part of what makes it so special.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
And how long is the day? If you say I
want to be a part of all of it? How
long are they there?
Speaker 5 (03:43):
All? Y?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
I hope to The adenda runs from nine am to
four pm, but doors open at seven thirty. We always
encourage attendees to get down the early, get parked, and
get in there. We have some great stuff that kind
of opens the day. Our exhibitor area is open. We
have a bookstore, we've got great music, breakfast, the whole thing,
and then we wrap up about four pm.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Excellent Icanconference dot com is the website that is Alison Zach.
She is the director of Marketing, Communications and Events for
i CAN. We also have here a member of the
i CAN Women's Leadership Conference Advocacy Committee as well as
co lead of five Servs Women's Empowerment Network. Chris Riddle
(04:21):
is here as well on community Matters and Chris, it's
great to have you as part of the program as well.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Now also vice president of Programs and Strategy at fiveserve.
What does it mean for you the theme of this
year's event, own Your Value? What does that mean to you?
Speaker 5 (04:39):
Chris, so I can is fabulous for always having a
very timely theme, and this year's Own your Value really
speaks to what's going on in the world today and
what's going on in the workplace. All of our associates
need to understand the value they bring to their careers,
whether it's young professionals and we get a lot of
those at the conference or are more senior career members,
(05:03):
and we really get together after the conference and we
use all of the tools that are provided by the
amazing speakers that are there every year, and we brainstorm
and strategize on how can we use those going forward
and empower even more women.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
How was it that you came to be associated with
this organization?
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Well, I have led women's resource groups at multiple employers,
and so it was actually at a previous employer and
since then it's really become a cornerstone of every program
that I have wherever I am to make sure that
our women have access to these valuable tools and speakers excellent.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
What do you find as you're a part of this
conference every year? What touches you personally as well as
what you see and hear from attendees for this event
every year? What they really take away from this conference?
Speaker 5 (05:53):
As Alison said, the energy is just palpable at these
so everybody gets really inspired and really motivated to bring
back what they've learned, but also the vulnerability that these
speakers bring. They very often are talking about matters that
are very personal to them. They speak about their families,
their own personal experiences, and it really really resonates with
(06:17):
anyone who attends the conference.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Do you find Chris that I look at? One of
the speakers is going to be there this year, Maggie McGrath,
who's with Forbes Women, and she's going to do a
presentation about reducing gender bias in the workplace. It seems
like as the decades go by here we're so much
better on this front than we used to be. Do
(06:41):
you find when you talk to younger attendees of this
event or even people within the workplace that they're not
experiencing as much or the same level of gender bias
that used to exist in here. Are we getting better
with any of this?
Speaker 5 (06:56):
We might be getting better, But what I find is
that having not experienced some of the gender bias that
those of us who are more advanced in our careers
felt when we were coming up, it still is the
same barrier to them. It's still the same challenge to
them to overcome. So whether it's it's the less or
(07:17):
it's the same, it has the same impact. And that's
what we need to continue to combat.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
So with that in mind, give one more pitch here
for these leaders of either tomorrow or I mean, we
all have a tomorrow. I'm trying to think of a
fancy way of saying, no matter how old you are,
where you are in your career, there is always a
chance to move forward to be a leader for tomorrow.
So tell all of these potential attendees for this conference
(07:46):
to be a part of this year's event.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
Absolutely so, even if you're more tenured in your career,
you can always learn by teaching, so you will have
such an opportunity during this conference to network and mentor
younger associates and people who are attending and really just
expand and grow the network that we have here and
are so lucky to have through this conference to support
(08:11):
each other.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
That is Chris Riddle with five SERVE for the vice
president of Programs and Strategy at PHI SERVE, also a
member of the I CAN Women's Leadership Conference Advocacy Committee
and co lead of five Serves Women's Impact Network. We
also have here Alison zach with us here with I CAN.
So Alison, I talked with Chris there about one of
(08:34):
the presenters this year, speaker Maggie McGrath with Forbes Women
talking about reducing gender bias in the workplace. Who else
is speaking at this year's event?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Sure, So we're bringing back a crowd favorite from last year.
Her name is Julie Brown. She delivered one of our
breakout sessions and was such a hit, so we're bringing
her back to deliver that breakout again to reach some
new attendees. And she also have a little moment on
the name stage and she's all about networking. Her presentations
are on the people you meet will change your life
(09:04):
and all about networking your way to success. So that's
a big thing that our attendees come to the conference
for that they're looking for to help to better network
and better kind of grow that network and help kind
of raise themselves up. So we're bringing her back. We
are featuring some local CEOs on the MAID stage this
year that we're really excited about. So Javier Fernandez, the
CEO of OPPD, and Denise McCauley, the president's CEO at
(09:25):
Women Life, will be joining our CEO of for I
can Alien Warren on the main stage for a panel
conversation all about workplace transparency and kind of the strong
need and kind of effort going on in organizations to
grow that transparency between employee to leadership, kind of create
that cross communication and really kind of create new channels
(09:46):
for communication within organizations. And so we're excited to have
that local feature moment on the main stage.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Before you talk about a couple of the other presenters
talking more about money and value and so forth, here,
let's talk about that networking component. Because people might say, well,
you have speakers all day, and I'm going to sit
there and listen to people talk. I'm not going to
have a chance in network. There is a chance right there.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Sure, is yeah, And actually I'm glad you brought that
up because this year we're actually going to have a
networking lounge that we're going to encourage attendees to kind
of frequent and go through, and Julie Brown will be
helping us run that. You're absolutely right, Scott. People are
always looking for that and they want some of that
facilitated networking. So last year we did something kind of
cool with these networking conversation tables, kind of seeding people
(10:28):
together that are like, Hey, this is what I'm looking for.
I want to sit with people that want to communicate,
that want to meet, and that are really wanting to
kind of have some great conversations throughout the day. This year,
we're kind of taking it up a level and creating
a whole networking lounge that attendees can have, because that's
one thing that people we really want to create for
leaders in our community to come for a day of
course learning and inspiration, but also connection, right to feel
(10:50):
like they're part of something, to kind of really take
that energy that Chris said is so palpable in the
room and really feel like they can extend that past
the conference. So absolutely, we're going to have that networking lounge.
Of course, there's time to kind of frequent the booths.
We encourage people, you know, as they're going among sessions
to do that, and then of course also as they're
kind of seated and enjoying the sessions and have lunch.
So absolutely a lot of chance.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
That's incredibly important. Not to take away from any of
the speakers, but the opportunity to network, to meet other
people and grow your business, your brand and all of
that is incredibly vitally important. But back to the speakers,
because what they're doing is just as important. And as
you said, the theme of this year's event is own
your value. Talk about some of these speakers, Allison, who
(11:33):
are going to be there to talk about owning that value,
especially as pertains to money.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Yeah, financial value is definitely part of it. So a
couple of ways. So our closing keynote will be Gene Chatski,
and some of your listeners may recognize her name. She
was a long time financial editor for NBC Now.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
She hosted a radio program about financial health on a
couple of these iHeartMedia all radio stations on our weekend
lineup not too long ago.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
Absolutely, so we love having journalists come speak at the conference,
and so she's gonna be with us. She has a
website now her money. She also runs a podcast that
she does, and so she's gonna be talking about women
and money and leaving a legacy. So definitely that part
of your role how you kind of what's your money type,
what's your financial type, So definitely talking about that and
(12:19):
owning your value in that way personally for yourself and
your legacy, but also you know, on the business side
of things. We also will have a breakout session dedicated
to this, so we're gonna have Jeanie Bedner, who's the
head of the Branch network for Charles Schwab, and she's
gonna talk about maximizing your value. So that'll be really
for our attendees looking for that kind of breakout opportunity
to really hone in on investing and growing my financial
(12:41):
value and kind of how to kind of own that
and advance it. So that'll be great. And one other
thing that's great about for our attendees with those breakout
sessions is we do distribute the conference recordings to attendees
and they have forty five days to watch those, so
join us that day choose a breakout that interests you
that day, but no, you're gonna have access to watch
all of them and all of the main stage presentations
(13:02):
again afterwards.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
This is all coming up at the thirty second Annual
i CAN Women's Leadership Conference Wednesday, April sixteenth, downtown Omaha
at CCHI Health Center. All the details are online at
icanconference dot com. So again, give me all the timeline
on when people need to register for this. If they
want to be there in person, if they want to
do it virtually, what do they need to do?
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Absolutely? So yeah, go check out the website, check out
our whole full day conference agenda. If you want to
join us in person, we hope you will down on
April sixteenth, Please register by April first. Virtual you'll be
open till April eleventh. A couple other things I want
to bring up for your listeners, either to maybe take
advantage of themselves or share with their network. We do
have a number of scholarship opportunities for attendees, So our
(13:47):
scholarship applications to attend are open now and they'll be
open through March fourteenth. So definitely go check that out
short application, maybe share it with the deserving leader you
know who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend,
So we are grateful for that and excited about that. Again, exhibiters,
exhibit boosts, so we have a lot of great opportunity
to engage with our audience base there at the conference,
(14:07):
so check those out. And then lastly, we do also
have our Honor a Leader campaign open, which is an
opportunity if you have a leader who's made an impact
in your life personally, professionally for our donation to I CAN,
you can honor that leader and we'll recognize that list
of leaders at the conference and year round. So that
is open as well for if you're looking for a
little fun gift for someone, you can honor them in
that way.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
It's all online at i Canconference dot Com. That's ICA
and I CAN Conference dot Com. The thirty second annual
I CAN Women's Leadership Conference, with this year's theme Own
Your Value, inspiring those who are able to attend to
own their values, celebrate their unique qualities and embark upon
new journeys of self discovery and self empowerment. And Alison,
(14:48):
I ask you this every year to clarify can can
guys come to this event.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Yes, absolutely, we have male leaders attend every year and
we always look to grow that. But it's not only
a great personal development day for them as well, but
part of women's advancement and advancing women in leadership and
in business is growing those male allies. So that door
is always open to any leader at any level to
attend us at the conference. But yes, men are more
(15:15):
than welcome and they come every year and we hope
they continue to.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
I've been there, love it you have. Yes, it's a
really really great event and this year's event is going
to be no exception. Get all the details at Icanconference
dot com. That is the director of Marketing, Communications and
Events with I Can Alison Zach here as well as
a member of the Ican Women's Leadership Conference Efficacy Committee
Chris Riddle here as well. Thank you both so much
(15:40):
for what you're doing for leaders and women in our community,
and thanks so much for telling us about it on
Community Matters.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Absolutely, thank you, and thank you to Chris and Weiser
for their sport.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
You're listening to Community Matters And next up here on
the program, we welcome back to the show from these
Sports for Kids Foundation. That means it's time for the
annual benefit off al Vacanti. Welcome back to Community Matters.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Thank you for having me back again. Scott. Good to
see you.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Just a couple of weeks away from this coming up
on Saturday, March eighth. Tell me about this year's event.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Well, it's our thirty fourth. We had to skip one
in twenty twenty one because of COVID, but we're still
going and going stronger than ever. The last three or
four years, each one has set a record as far
as the generosity of the people who've been there.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Now, you and I are going to sit here and
talk for several minutes about the various items up for
auction before we get lost on that, and then at
the end say, oh, yeah, it's for the kids. That's
the most important thing, is that this is for the kids.
Tell me why we're doing this, and then we'll talk
about kind of the how and the what is available
(16:45):
for auction.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Well, this all started out over thirty four years ago
with the idea of using sports and the greatness of
sports to raise some funds so that we in turn
could provide some help for special needs kids in Nebraska
and throughout the country. So when you say it's for
the kids. It is for the kids, kids that have illnesses,
(17:07):
long term illnesses, kids that have injuries or other issues.
They're special kids. They're special because of what they deal
with every day. While we may whine about a minor setback,
these kids deal with stuff every day and they're actually
the inspiration for this.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
How is it that you come in contact with the
families and ascertain those needs and be able to try and.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Help out well. Some can reach out to us on
our Sports for Kidsfoundation dot com website. Some hear about
us through word of mouth. Sometimes you stumble across one.
I was working this summer in my consulting job and
there was a child that had special needs in a
little town of about four hundred and fifty people, and
we were able to help that child. But we also
(17:51):
help organizations or help underwrite some events that deal with
multiple children so that they get the benefit. For example,
you have some camps that go on here and throughout
the country in different areas that our gift can help
them reach multiple kids at the same time.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
Sports for Kids Foundation dot Com is that website. Sports
four Kids Foundation four is all spelled out foor Sports
for Kidsfoundation dot Com. But every year it's this big
annual benefit auction that is the main driver of funds
for all the things that you do throughout the year.
Tell me about what people need to do to be
(18:31):
a part of the thirty fourth annual Sports for Kids
Benefit auction coming up on March eighth.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Well, they can visit the website and get their tickets.
It's forty dollars apiece, which includes a meal, or it's
a couple for seventy five dollars. As they used to
say on Mad Magazine. You know, twenty five cents in America,
thirty cents not so cheap, but it's we actually give
you a discount here. That chells my age too, doesn't it.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Yeah, well, Tad magazine is timeless.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
Yeah, I hope so, thank you. But they're also they
can text that as well. There's a Sports for Kids
Foundation Omaha facebook page. The new guy who's kind of
taken over the lead role, Andy Tingwald, is more tech
savvy in that, and he knows how he can tell
you how to text to get your tickets as well.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Yeah, for purposes of our conversation here, we'll just go
with the website Sportsfokidsfoundation dot com and that website has
all the details about how you can bid on all
this stuff and see it. But are you saying that
you don't have to be at the auction to bid
on the memorabilia. You got to be there, right.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
You have to be there for the live auction At
this point, we're trying to figure that out, but no
people could. We'll have about one hundred and twenty silent
auction items that if people want to register, they can
bid from their phone, and that's been a big boost.
That again is something that Andy got us into the
twenty first century, and we did that and I think
that's been a big role. That's played a big role
in our continued each year after the other of exceeding
(20:01):
the previous year, so setting records for us.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
And this year the event's going to be at the
DC Center.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Right as it's been there about the last five or
six years now, so it's a wonderful setup for us.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
That's one hundred eighteenth and Stonegate, just off one hundred
and twentieth between Blondeo and Maple Correct is where you'll
find the DC Center. Great venue. So once again Sports
for Kids Foundation dot Com is where you get all
the details about the time for this event and how
you register, how you get tickets and all that. I
presume the website al as we talk here with Al
(20:33):
Vacanti from the Sports for Kids Foundation, also has a
list of some of the things that you can bid
on at the event. Let's talk about those things some
great sports and entertainment memorabilia as well.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
Correct. Yeah, We've made it a point to each year
to see what we did and then see how we
can try to do better. So we just start working
about two or three weeks after the auction and start
looking forward to the next year.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
So what do we got this year? What do you
look at that here, al that you're most excited about
to see someone be able to get walk away from
the auction with.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
Well, if you start really big, you look at the
piece that's signed by Muhammad Ali, and the other one
that's signed by Tiger Woods, and the other three I
want to say it's nineteen ninety eight, the other three
major champions and the PGA Tour that year. We've got
something extremely unique, which is a bat signed by Hall
of Famer Cal Ripkin Jr. With the inscription go big Red.
(21:29):
The person who got it and donated it to us
was trying to get it for a friend and asked
him to put that in there, and Cal did. He
went along with that. Sam Laporta, just as an example
for the Iowahawkeye fans, we sent a Detroit Lions logo
football to him and asked him if he would sign it,
and in the message he said, if you'd like to
(21:50):
add anything of your own. Well, Sam took a game
warn Jersey from Week two, their game against Tampa Bay
and signed and added that as well. We've got items
signed by Aaron Judge, Jason Tatum.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
I love that about how generations can go there. Like
I could go with my dad and my son, and
my dad would say, here's something autographed by you know,
stand the man musual. All see something autographed by Don Mattingly,
who I watched play when I was growing up. My
son would look at this and go, show Hyatt Shohio
Tani autograph this thing. So you've got something for everybody here.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
We try to do that. Yeah. Unfortunately, again my age,
I can look and say Don Mattingly, that was that
was forty years ago, Yes it was, I know. So yeah,
there's Willie Mays. Tiger Woods current players Elie de la Cruz.
Then there's Larry Bird. If you like wrestling, ww CM
(22:47):
Punk Tris Stratus, we have signed photos from them. Jerseys,
Ken Griffy Junior, Cooper Cup, Gunner Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles.
We've got to frame Beauty full frame, Mark McGuire jersey,
some other miscellaneous items, like you said, entertainment. Burton Gilliam
signed a photo from his appearance in Blazing Saddles, the
(23:11):
iconic Blazing Saddles.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Very nice.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
So John Wooden autograph basketball. And there are just many,
many more things for people.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Yeah, I'm looking hear an autograph helmet from Howie Long,
number seventy five of the Los Angeles Raiders. There's another
forty year old sports reference from when I.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Was a kid, back when they were champions.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yea, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
And Randy Moss autograph football. There's George Kittle autographed helmet.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Now you've also got some other things here. In addition
to some of the sports autograph to this and that,
the jerseys, the helmets, the footballs or whatever. You can
also get things like you go play some golf somewhere
golf for some some things.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
Like we're still working to try and get a few
of those. We've got. If you like auto racing, we've
got a Dale Earnhardt Junior signed racing helmet, Joey Gano
racing helmet as well.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
So you also it says here that you have mystery
boxes you can bid on, right, I mean, don't tell
me what's in these mystery boxes. But in previous years,
what kind of thing could one expect to perhaps fun
in a mystery box.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
We've had autographed jerseys, We've had autographed helmets, autograph footballs,
autograph baseballs, and then like we put a card in
there and say, oh, by the way, come pick up
this frame sixteen by twenty photo of so and so.
So those are the one in the mist in the
live auction generally is it's a lot of fun. We've
(24:38):
been very fortunate to have some generous bidders that have
taken those for two thousand dollars plus, and I think
that they've been pleased with what they've received as well.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
One hundred and seventy five plus items up for bid
and more coming here in the next couple of weeks.
I know that you're always, you know, still got some
feelers out what else can we get? Else can we get?
Certainly for those who are going to be able to
be at these the thirty fourth annual Sports for Kids
Benefit Auction, which is again coming up here in just
a couple of weeks on Saturday, March eighth, at the
(25:09):
DC Center one hundred and eighteenth in stone Gate, just
off one hundred and twentieth between Blondo and Maple. If
you're going to be at the event, what are the
times on this al? What time of people need to
be there?
Speaker 4 (25:21):
The doors will open at five point thirty. The silent
auction will start at five point thirty. There's going to
be this is PM.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Don't worry when I get up before sunrise?
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Right, yeah, at five thirty pm. The live auction will
start right around seven o'clock.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Excellent. And what are some of the things available in
the live auction which is always fun to watch even
if you're not bidding.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Well, we've talked about some of those autographed items from
Muhammad Ali, Joe Montana, Justin Jefferson, Aaron Judge, Sam Laporta,
Ken Griffy Junior, Aaron Rodgers, yarmor or the live auction,
Jason Tatum and the cal Rip can bat and just
(26:02):
roughly sixty to sixty five live auction items.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
You can go to the website Sportsfokidsfoundation dot com you
can see the full list as well as realizing there
would be some surprises there that evening as well. Doors
open at five point thirty on Saturday, March eighth at
the DC Center thirty fourth annual Sports for Kids Benefit Auction.
And this is the time. You want to buy your
tickets right now. You can get them at the door.
(26:27):
Does this event sell out at some point you run
out of room?
Speaker 4 (26:29):
Right we're having We're having a very good advanced sale
right now. Yes, and we would love to have as
many people get their tickets now as possible, so that
gives the DC Center a really good count.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
And you also get a dinner with this. Talk about
if you would al what we can eat.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Well, it's like a barbecue buffet type of dinner. So
you go get that and it's great food. It's great food,
and it just enhances what the auction brings for the evening.
It's a fun evening at a very affordab.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
I'm guessing the cash bar, which is also available, might
enhance some people's ability to bid on things.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
That allows people to get their hands raised a little
higher and maybe a little more frequently as well. Yeah,
that's that's always a wonderful boost to have for one
of these.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
That's fantastic as well. So it all goes to all
the proceeds of this forty dollars admission or two for
seventy five. That gives you the dinner, gets you the coffee,
the tea, the soft drinks, that kind of thing. But
it's also they're benefiting the kids. So al one more time,
we've talked about so many things that are available during
the silent and the live auction on this why are
(27:36):
we doing this? Talk about how these proceeds can really
make a difference in our communities.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
It's these kids. It can be a group of kids
in let's say Central Nebraska the Lincoln area that have
conditions where infants with that need the headgear protection for
their brains that were born. It's kids that are dealing
with the cancer. It's kids that are dealing with some
(28:03):
other very rare diseases. It's kids that have been injured
in accidents. It's kids. It's kids that were very athletic,
even at a high school level, and then found a
lump that is now being treated for cancer. And it's
kids that get benefits from something like horseback therapy equine therapy.
(28:26):
So it's other kids being kids. As a mother said
one time, I have a normal kid who just happens
to have an illness. We're giving those kids a chance
to be normal. Sometimes it's the wheelchair sports opportunities and
experiences for those kids. They get to be the other
kids as well. They are playing ball just like their
(28:48):
friends are playing ball.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
It's awesome. You know, people are going to walk out
of this event with a Jack Nicholas autograph golf flag.
I don't know from which golf course.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
That's a master's I was going.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
To say, I hope it's a yellow flag that means AUGUSTA. Okay,
So you're going to walk out, You're gonna have this
prized collectible. All your friends are going to ask you
about it, and you'll be able to tell them. I'm
not going to tell you how much I paid for it,
but I can tell you where the money went, and
it's for a cause that is so special. Alvacanti of
the Sports for Kids Foundation online on all the details
(29:21):
about the event are online at sports for Kids Foundation
for the thirty fourth Annual Sports for Kids Benefit Auction Saturday,
March eighth, just a couple of weeks away here at
the DC Center one hundred and eighteenth and Stonegate in Omahab,
just between Maple and Blonde Off one hundred and twentieth
Sports for Kids Foundation. Get your tickets right now, Get
all the details right now at sportsfor Kids Foundation dot com.
(29:44):
Al thank you so much for what you're doing for
kids in our community. Thanks as always for coming on
here and telling us about it on Community Matters.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
Scott, thank you for your helping your continued support.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Thank you, this has been Community Matters. Thank you so
much for listening, and enjoy the rest of you day.
This is Community Matters, a weekly public affairs program to
inform and entertain you with some of the great people, organizations,
and events in and around Omaha. Now here's the host
of the program from news radio eleven ten KFAB. It's
Scott for Heats.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Thank you so much for being a part of our
program this week. It is I CAN Women's Leadership Conference
time online, Aticanconference dot com. We welcome back here the
director of marketing, Communications and Events with I CAN, Allison Zach,
Welcome back to Community Matters.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Thanks Scott. It's always good to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yes, it's great to have you back here. So that
means we've got another big assembly of great minds for
the purpose of being there for the purpose of women's leadership.
And to say purpose a few more times, it is
the purpose of this year's event.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
All yeah, thanks Scott.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I'm you're wearing a purple sweater. I get at that
in my head.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
That's all right. So yeah, it's time again. So I CAN.
We are a nonprofit here in Omaha, the Institute for
Career Advancement Needs, and among all of our programs and
services we offer, we do host this annual I CAN
Women's Leadership Conference. It's our thirty second annual event, so
it's become quite kind of a tradition and community event
here in the largest conference of its kind in the
(01:19):
region and one of the largest in the country too.
So yeah, it's conference time and our conference this year
is on April sixteenth. Every year we put together a
year specific theme, brand, and topic that's really reminiscent of
business leadership needs today that leaders are incounting in their workplaces,
in their communities every day, and also kind of gives
(01:40):
a cue to things going on in the world and
in the country. This year, our conference theme is own
your Value, So we're talking all about helping leaders and
individuals learn to embrace and understand their unique contributions, the
value that they bring, their strengths, and then once you
kind of understand that, how to kind of exert that
inflace and kind of activate on that purpose and value
(02:02):
you bring.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
It also seems that the phrase own your value speaks
a lot to the type of speakers who are coming
and presenting this year. I see a lot of people
involved with money with value, and certainly, you know, in
any economy it's always good to own your value, but
certainly the last couple of years. We'll talk more about
those speakers in just a moment, but right now, Alice
(02:23):
and I want you to tell people where they can
learn more information and register for this year's conference.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Absolutely, So you can learn all about this year's event
at Iicanconference dot com.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Again.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
The conference is Wednesday, April sixteenth, will have registration open
until April first for our in person attendees, but the
conference again this year will be hybrid, so there's also
an opportunity to join us virtually and that registration will
be open till April eleventh. So we see a lot
of companies bring a lot of people in person, but
it's a great opportunity to kind of extend the reach
and access to the conference to those that prefer the
(02:56):
virtual attendance option. But also it's great because we see
a lot of people from across the country join. Last
year we had attendees from over thirty five states, so
it's great little feature for Omaha as well. And I
also want to makes people know we have opportunities for
individuals to attend tables of course, exhibitors and exhibit boosts
and then also volunteers as well.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
And this is a one day deal Wednesday, April sixteenth,
if they're able to attend in person, where is it?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah, good question. We are down at the Cochi Health
Center Omaha and the Convention Center, So yeah, we fill
that exhibit hall. We're hoping to hit that three thousand
attendee mark again this year. So it's a large event.
And I'll tell you the energy in the room is
really part of what makes it so special.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
And how long is the day? If you say I
want to be a part of all of it? How
long are they there?
Speaker 5 (03:43):
All? Y?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
I hope to The adenda runs from nine am to
four pm, but doors open at seven thirty. We always
encourage attendees to get down the early, get parked, and
get in there. We have some great stuff that kind
of opens the day. Our exhibitor area is open. We
have a bookstore, we've got great music, breakfast, the whole thing,
and then we wrap up about four pm.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Excellent Icanconference dot com is the website that is Alison Zach.
She is the director of Marketing, Communications and Events for
i CAN. We also have here a member of the
i CAN Women's Leadership Conference Advocacy Committee as well as
co lead of five Servs Women's Empowerment Network. Chris Riddle
(04:21):
is here as well on community Matters and Chris, it's
great to have you as part of the program as well.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Now also vice president of Programs and Strategy at fiveserve.
What does it mean for you the theme of this
year's event, own Your Value? What does that mean to you?
Speaker 5 (04:39):
Chris, so I can is fabulous for always having a
very timely theme, and this year's Own your Value really
speaks to what's going on in the world today and
what's going on in the workplace. All of our associates
need to understand the value they bring to their careers,
whether it's young professionals and we get a lot of
those at the conference or are more senior career members,
(05:03):
and we really get together after the conference and we
use all of the tools that are provided by the
amazing speakers that are there every year, and we brainstorm
and strategize on how can we use those going forward
and empower even more women.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
How was it that you came to be associated with
this organization?
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Well, I have led women's resource groups at multiple employers,
and so it was actually at a previous employer and
since then it's really become a cornerstone of every program
that I have wherever I am to make sure that
our women have access to these valuable tools and speakers excellent.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
What do you find as you're a part of this
conference every year? What touches you personally as well as
what you see and hear from attendees for this event
every year? What they really take away from this conference?
Speaker 5 (05:53):
As Alison said, the energy is just palpable at these
so everybody gets really inspired and really motivated to bring
back what they've learned, but also the vulnerability that these
speakers bring. They very often are talking about matters that
are very personal to them. They speak about their families,
their own personal experiences, and it really really resonates with
(06:17):
anyone who attends the conference.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Do you find Chris that I look at? One of
the speakers is going to be there this year, Maggie McGrath,
who's with Forbes Women, and she's going to do a
presentation about reducing gender bias in the workplace. It seems
like as the decades go by here we're so much
better on this front than we used to be. Do
(06:41):
you find when you talk to younger attendees of this
event or even people within the workplace that they're not
experiencing as much or the same level of gender bias
that used to exist in here. Are we getting better
with any of this?
Speaker 5 (06:56):
We might be getting better, But what I find is
that having not experienced some of the gender bias that
those of us who are more advanced in our careers
felt when we were coming up, it still is the
same barrier to them. It's still the same challenge to
them to overcome. So whether it's it's the less or
(07:17):
it's the same, it has the same impact. And that's
what we need to continue to combat.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
So with that in mind, give one more pitch here
for these leaders of either tomorrow or I mean, we
all have a tomorrow. I'm trying to think of a
fancy way of saying, no matter how old you are,
where you are in your career, there is always a
chance to move forward to be a leader for tomorrow.
So tell all of these potential attendees for this conference
(07:46):
to be a part of this year's event.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
Absolutely so, even if you're more tenured in your career,
you can always learn by teaching, so you will have
such an opportunity during this conference to network and mentor
younger associates and people who are attending and really just
expand and grow the network that we have here and
are so lucky to have through this conference to support
(08:11):
each other.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
That is Chris Riddle with five SERVE for the vice
president of Programs and Strategy at PHI SERVE, also a
member of the I CAN Women's Leadership Conference Advocacy Committee
and co lead of five Serves Women's Impact Network. We
also have here Alison zach with us here with I CAN.
So Alison, I talked with Chris there about one of
(08:34):
the presenters this year, speaker Maggie McGrath with Forbes Women
talking about reducing gender bias in the workplace. Who else
is speaking at this year's event?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Sure, So we're bringing back a crowd favorite from last year.
Her name is Julie Brown. She delivered one of our
breakout sessions and was such a hit, so we're bringing
her back to deliver that breakout again to reach some
new attendees. And she also have a little moment on
the name stage and she's all about networking. Her presentations
are on the people you meet will change your life
(09:04):
and all about networking your way to success. So that's
a big thing that our attendees come to the conference
for that they're looking for to help to better network
and better kind of grow that network and help kind
of raise themselves up. So we're bringing her back. We
are featuring some local CEOs on the MAID stage this
year that we're really excited about. So Javier Fernandez, the
CEO of OPPD, and Denise McCauley, the president's CEO at
(09:25):
Women Life, will be joining our CEO of for I
can Alien Warren on the main stage for a panel
conversation all about workplace transparency and kind of the strong
need and kind of effort going on in organizations to
grow that transparency between employee to leadership, kind of create
that cross communication and really kind of create new channels
(09:46):
for communication within organizations. And so we're excited to have
that local feature moment on the main stage.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Before you talk about a couple of the other presenters
talking more about money and value and so forth, here,
let's talk about that networking component. Because people might say, well,
you have speakers all day, and I'm going to sit
there and listen to people talk. I'm not going to
have a chance in network. There is a chance right there.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Sure, is yeah, And actually I'm glad you brought that
up because this year we're actually going to have a
networking lounge that we're going to encourage attendees to kind
of frequent and go through, and Julie Brown will be
helping us run that. You're absolutely right, Scott. People are
always looking for that and they want some of that
facilitated networking. So last year we did something kind of
cool with these networking conversation tables, kind of seeding people
(10:28):
together that are like, Hey, this is what I'm looking for.
I want to sit with people that want to communicate,
that want to meet, and that are really wanting to
kind of have some great conversations throughout the day. This year,
we're kind of taking it up a level and creating
a whole networking lounge that attendees can have, because that's
one thing that people we really want to create for
leaders in our community to come for a day of
course learning and inspiration, but also connection, right to feel
(10:50):
like they're part of something, to kind of really take
that energy that Chris said is so palpable in the
room and really feel like they can extend that past
the conference. So absolutely, we're going to have that networking lounge.
Of course, there's time to kind of frequent the booths.
We encourage people, you know, as they're going among sessions
to do that, and then of course also as they're
kind of seated and enjoying the sessions and have lunch.
So absolutely a lot of chance.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
That's incredibly important. Not to take away from any of
the speakers, but the opportunity to network, to meet other
people and grow your business, your brand and all of
that is incredibly vitally important. But back to the speakers,
because what they're doing is just as important. And as
you said, the theme of this year's event is own
your value. Talk about some of these speakers, Allison, who
(11:33):
are going to be there to talk about owning that value,
especially as pertains to money.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Yeah, financial value is definitely part of it. So a
couple of ways. So our closing keynote will be Gene Chatski,
and some of your listeners may recognize her name. She
was a long time financial editor for NBC Now.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
She hosted a radio program about financial health on a
couple of these iHeartMedia all radio stations on our weekend
lineup not too long ago.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
Absolutely, so we love having journalists come speak at the conference,
and so she's gonna be with us. She has a
website now her money. She also runs a podcast that
she does, and so she's gonna be talking about women
and money and leaving a legacy. So definitely that part
of your role how you kind of what's your money type,
what's your financial type, So definitely talking about that and
(12:19):
owning your value in that way personally for yourself and
your legacy, but also you know, on the business side
of things. We also will have a breakout session dedicated
to this, so we're gonna have Jeanie Bedner, who's the
head of the Branch network for Charles Schwab, and she's
gonna talk about maximizing your value. So that'll be really
for our attendees looking for that kind of breakout opportunity
to really hone in on investing and growing my financial
(12:41):
value and kind of how to kind of own that
and advance it. So that'll be great. And one other
thing that's great about for our attendees with those breakout
sessions is we do distribute the conference recordings to attendees
and they have forty five days to watch those, so
join us that day choose a breakout that interests you
that day, but no, you're gonna have access to watch
all of them and all of the main stage presentations
(13:02):
again afterwards.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
This is all coming up at the thirty second Annual
i CAN Women's Leadership Conference Wednesday, April sixteenth, downtown Omaha
at CCHI Health Center. All the details are online at
icanconference dot com. So again, give me all the timeline
on when people need to register for this. If they
want to be there in person, if they want to
do it virtually, what do they need to do?
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Absolutely? So yeah, go check out the website, check out
our whole full day conference agenda. If you want to
join us in person, we hope you will down on
April sixteenth, Please register by April first. Virtual you'll be
open till April eleventh. A couple other things I want
to bring up for your listeners, either to maybe take
advantage of themselves or share with their network. We do
have a number of scholarship opportunities for attendees, So our
(13:47):
scholarship applications to attend are open now and they'll be
open through March fourteenth. So definitely go check that out
short application, maybe share it with the deserving leader you
know who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend,
So we are grateful for that and excited about that. Again, exhibiters,
exhibit boosts, so we have a lot of great opportunity
to engage with our audience base there at the conference,
(14:07):
so check those out. And then lastly, we do also
have our Honor a Leader campaign open, which is an
opportunity if you have a leader who's made an impact
in your life personally, professionally for our donation to I CAN,
you can honor that leader and we'll recognize that list
of leaders at the conference and year round. So that
is open as well for if you're looking for a
little fun gift for someone, you can honor them in
that way.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
It's all online at i Canconference dot Com. That's ICA
and I CAN Conference dot Com. The thirty second annual
I CAN Women's Leadership Conference, with this year's theme Own
Your Value, inspiring those who are able to attend to
own their values, celebrate their unique qualities and embark upon
new journeys of self discovery and self empowerment. And Alison,
(14:48):
I ask you this every year to clarify can can
guys come to this event.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Yes, absolutely, we have male leaders attend every year and
we always look to grow that. But it's not only
a great personal development day for them as well, but
part of women's advancement and advancing women in leadership and
in business is growing those male allies. So that door
is always open to any leader at any level to
attend us at the conference. But yes, men are more
(15:15):
than welcome and they come every year and we hope
they continue to.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
I've been there, love it you have. Yes, it's a
really really great event and this year's event is going
to be no exception. Get all the details at Icanconference
dot com. That is the director of Marketing, Communications and
Events with I Can Alison Zach here as well as
a member of the Ican Women's Leadership Conference Efficacy Committee
Chris Riddle here as well. Thank you both so much
(15:40):
for what you're doing for leaders and women in our community,
and thanks so much for telling us about it on
Community Matters.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Absolutely, thank you, and thank you to Chris and Weiser
for their sport.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
You're listening to Community Matters And next up here on
the program, we welcome back to the show from these
Sports for Kids Foundation. That means it's time for the
annual benefit off al Vacanti. Welcome back to Community Matters.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Thank you for having me back again. Scott. Good to
see you.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Just a couple of weeks away from this coming up
on Saturday, March eighth. Tell me about this year's event.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Well, it's our thirty fourth. We had to skip one
in twenty twenty one because of COVID, but we're still
going and going stronger than ever. The last three or
four years, each one has set a record as far
as the generosity of the people who've been there.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Now, you and I are going to sit here and
talk for several minutes about the various items up for
auction before we get lost on that, and then at
the end say, oh, yeah, it's for the kids. That's
the most important thing, is that this is for the kids.
Tell me why we're doing this, and then we'll talk
about kind of the how and the what is available
(16:45):
for auction.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Well, this all started out over thirty four years ago
with the idea of using sports and the greatness of
sports to raise some funds so that we in turn
could provide some help for special needs kids in Nebraska
and throughout the country. So when you say it's for
the kids. It is for the kids, kids that have illnesses,
(17:07):
long term illnesses, kids that have injuries or other issues.
They're special kids. They're special because of what they deal
with every day. While we may whine about a minor setback,
these kids deal with stuff every day and they're actually
the inspiration for this.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
How is it that you come in contact with the
families and ascertain those needs and be able to try and.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Help out well. Some can reach out to us on
our Sports for Kidsfoundation dot com website. Some hear about
us through word of mouth. Sometimes you stumble across one.
I was working this summer in my consulting job and
there was a child that had special needs in a
little town of about four hundred and fifty people, and
we were able to help that child. But we also
(17:51):
help organizations or help underwrite some events that deal with
multiple children so that they get the benefit. For example,
you have some camps that go on here and throughout
the country in different areas that our gift can help
them reach multiple kids at the same time.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
Sports for Kids Foundation dot Com is that website. Sports
four Kids Foundation four is all spelled out foor Sports
for Kidsfoundation dot Com. But every year it's this big
annual benefit auction that is the main driver of funds
for all the things that you do throughout the year.
Tell me about what people need to do to be
(18:31):
a part of the thirty fourth annual Sports for Kids
Benefit auction coming up on March eighth.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Well, they can visit the website and get their tickets.
It's forty dollars apiece, which includes a meal, or it's
a couple for seventy five dollars. As they used to
say on Mad Magazine. You know, twenty five cents in America,
thirty cents not so cheap, but it's we actually give
you a discount here. That chells my age too, doesn't it.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Yeah, well, Tad magazine is timeless.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
Yeah, I hope so, thank you. But they're also they
can text that as well. There's a Sports for Kids
Foundation Omaha facebook page. The new guy who's kind of
taken over the lead role, Andy Tingwald, is more tech
savvy in that, and he knows how he can tell
you how to text to get your tickets as well.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Yeah, for purposes of our conversation here, we'll just go
with the website Sportsfokidsfoundation dot com and that website has
all the details about how you can bid on all
this stuff and see it. But are you saying that
you don't have to be at the auction to bid
on the memorabilia. You got to be there, right.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
You have to be there for the live auction At
this point, we're trying to figure that out, but no
people could. We'll have about one hundred and twenty silent
auction items that if people want to register, they can
bid from their phone, and that's been a big boost.
That again is something that Andy got us into the
twenty first century, and we did that and I think
that's been a big role. That's played a big role
in our continued each year after the other of exceeding
(20:01):
the previous year, so setting records for us.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
And this year the event's going to be at the
DC Center.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Right as it's been there about the last five or
six years now, so it's a wonderful setup for us.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
That's one hundred eighteenth and Stonegate, just off one hundred
and twentieth between Blondeo and Maple Correct is where you'll
find the DC Center. Great venue. So once again Sports
for Kids Foundation dot Com is where you get all
the details about the time for this event and how
you register, how you get tickets and all that. I
presume the website al as we talk here with Al
(20:33):
Vacanti from the Sports for Kids Foundation, also has a
list of some of the things that you can bid
on at the event. Let's talk about those things some
great sports and entertainment memorabilia as well.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
Correct. Yeah, We've made it a point to each year
to see what we did and then see how we
can try to do better. So we just start working
about two or three weeks after the auction and start
looking forward to the next year.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
So what do we got this year? What do you
look at that here, al that you're most excited about
to see someone be able to get walk away from
the auction with.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
Well, if you start really big, you look at the
piece that's signed by Muhammad Ali, and the other one
that's signed by Tiger Woods, and the other three I
want to say it's nineteen ninety eight, the other three
major champions and the PGA Tour that year. We've got
something extremely unique, which is a bat signed by Hall
of Famer Cal Ripkin Jr. With the inscription go big Red.
(21:29):
The person who got it and donated it to us
was trying to get it for a friend and asked
him to put that in there, and Cal did. He
went along with that. Sam Laporta, just as an example
for the Iowahawkeye fans, we sent a Detroit Lions logo
football to him and asked him if he would sign it,
and in the message he said, if you'd like to
(21:50):
add anything of your own. Well, Sam took a game
warn Jersey from Week two, their game against Tampa Bay
and signed and added that as well. We've got items
signed by Aaron Judge, Jason Tatum.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
I love that about how generations can go there. Like
I could go with my dad and my son, and
my dad would say, here's something autographed by you know,
stand the man musual. All see something autographed by Don Mattingly,
who I watched play when I was growing up. My
son would look at this and go, show Hyatt Shohio
Tani autograph this thing. So you've got something for everybody here.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
We try to do that. Yeah. Unfortunately, again my age,
I can look and say Don Mattingly, that was that
was forty years ago, Yes it was, I know. So yeah,
there's Willie Mays. Tiger Woods current players Elie de la Cruz.
Then there's Larry Bird. If you like wrestling, ww CM
(22:47):
Punk Tris Stratus, we have signed photos from them. Jerseys,
Ken Griffy Junior, Cooper Cup, Gunner Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles.
We've got to frame Beauty full frame, Mark McGuire jersey,
some other miscellaneous items, like you said, entertainment. Burton Gilliam
signed a photo from his appearance in Blazing Saddles, the
(23:11):
iconic Blazing Saddles.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Very nice.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
So John Wooden autograph basketball. And there are just many,
many more things for people.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Yeah, I'm looking hear an autograph helmet from Howie Long,
number seventy five of the Los Angeles Raiders. There's another
forty year old sports reference from when I.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Was a kid, back when they were champions.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yea, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
And Randy Moss autograph football. There's George Kittle autographed helmet.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Now you've also got some other things here. In addition
to some of the sports autograph to this and that,
the jerseys, the helmets, the footballs or whatever. You can
also get things like you go play some golf somewhere
golf for some some things.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
Like we're still working to try and get a few
of those. We've got. If you like auto racing, we've
got a Dale Earnhardt Junior signed racing helmet, Joey Gano
racing helmet as well.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
So you also it says here that you have mystery
boxes you can bid on, right, I mean, don't tell
me what's in these mystery boxes. But in previous years,
what kind of thing could one expect to perhaps fun
in a mystery box.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
We've had autographed jerseys, We've had autographed helmets, autograph footballs,
autograph baseballs, and then like we put a card in
there and say, oh, by the way, come pick up
this frame sixteen by twenty photo of so and so.
So those are the one in the mist in the
live auction generally is it's a lot of fun. We've
(24:38):
been very fortunate to have some generous bidders that have
taken those for two thousand dollars plus, and I think
that they've been pleased with what they've received as well.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
One hundred and seventy five plus items up for bid
and more coming here in the next couple of weeks.
I know that you're always, you know, still got some
feelers out what else can we get? Else can we get?
Certainly for those who are going to be able to
be at these the thirty fourth annual Sports for Kids
Benefit Auction, which is again coming up here in just
a couple of weeks on Saturday, March eighth, at the
(25:09):
DC Center one hundred and eighteenth in stone Gate, just
off one hundred and twentieth between Blondo and Maple. If
you're going to be at the event, what are the
times on this al? What time of people need to
be there?
Speaker 4 (25:21):
The doors will open at five point thirty. The silent
auction will start at five point thirty. There's going to
be this is PM.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Don't worry when I get up before sunrise?
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Right, yeah, at five thirty pm. The live auction will
start right around seven o'clock.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Excellent. And what are some of the things available in
the live auction which is always fun to watch even
if you're not bidding.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Well, we've talked about some of those autographed items from
Muhammad Ali, Joe Montana, Justin Jefferson, Aaron Judge, Sam Laporta,
Ken Griffy Junior, Aaron Rodgers, yarmor or the live auction,
Jason Tatum and the cal Rip can bat and just
(26:02):
roughly sixty to sixty five live auction items.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
You can go to the website Sportsfokidsfoundation dot com you
can see the full list as well as realizing there
would be some surprises there that evening as well. Doors
open at five point thirty on Saturday, March eighth at
the DC Center thirty fourth annual Sports for Kids Benefit Auction.
And this is the time. You want to buy your
tickets right now. You can get them at the door.
(26:27):
Does this event sell out at some point you run
out of room?
Speaker 4 (26:29):
Right we're having We're having a very good advanced sale
right now. Yes, and we would love to have as
many people get their tickets now as possible, so that
gives the DC Center a really good count.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
And you also get a dinner with this. Talk about
if you would al what we can eat.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Well, it's like a barbecue buffet type of dinner. So
you go get that and it's great food. It's great food,
and it just enhances what the auction brings for the evening.
It's a fun evening at a very affordab.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
I'm guessing the cash bar, which is also available, might
enhance some people's ability to bid on things.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
That allows people to get their hands raised a little
higher and maybe a little more frequently as well. Yeah,
that's that's always a wonderful boost to have for one
of these.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
That's fantastic as well. So it all goes to all
the proceeds of this forty dollars admission or two for
seventy five. That gives you the dinner, gets you the coffee,
the tea, the soft drinks, that kind of thing. But
it's also they're benefiting the kids. So al one more time,
we've talked about so many things that are available during
the silent and the live auction on this why are
(27:36):
we doing this? Talk about how these proceeds can really
make a difference in our communities.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
It's these kids. It can be a group of kids
in let's say Central Nebraska the Lincoln area that have
conditions where infants with that need the headgear protection for
their brains that were born. It's kids that are dealing
with the cancer. It's kids that are dealing with some
(28:03):
other very rare diseases. It's kids that have been injured
in accidents. It's kids. It's kids that were very athletic,
even at a high school level, and then found a
lump that is now being treated for cancer. And it's
kids that get benefits from something like horseback therapy equine therapy.
(28:26):
So it's other kids being kids. As a mother said
one time, I have a normal kid who just happens
to have an illness. We're giving those kids a chance
to be normal. Sometimes it's the wheelchair sports opportunities and
experiences for those kids. They get to be the other
kids as well. They are playing ball just like their
(28:48):
friends are playing ball.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
It's awesome. You know, people are going to walk out
of this event with a Jack Nicholas autograph golf flag.
I don't know from which golf course.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
That's a master's I was going.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
To say, I hope it's a yellow flag that means AUGUSTA. Okay,
So you're going to walk out, You're gonna have this
prized collectible. All your friends are going to ask you
about it, and you'll be able to tell them. I'm
not going to tell you how much I paid for it,
but I can tell you where the money went, and
it's for a cause that is so special. Alvacanti of
the Sports for Kids Foundation online on all the details
(29:21):
about the event are online at sports for Kids Foundation
for the thirty fourth Annual Sports for Kids Benefit Auction Saturday,
March eighth, just a couple of weeks away here at
the DC Center one hundred and eighteenth and Stonegate in Omahab,
just between Maple and Blonde Off one hundred and twentieth
Sports for Kids Foundation. Get your tickets right now, Get
all the details right now at sportsfor Kids Foundation dot com.
(29:44):
Al thank you so much for what you're doing for
kids in our community. Thanks as always for coming on
here and telling us about it on Community Matters.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
Scott, thank you for your helping your continued support.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Thank you, this has been Community Matters. Thank you so
much for listening, and enjoy the rest of you day.
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