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2008 Gal to Gal Walk Press ReleaseSeptember 29, 2008
DESIGN-HER GALS™ TO KICK OFF 2ND ANNUAL
VIRTUAL WALK TO RAISE FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR STAGE IV BREAST CANCER PATIENTS
KRISTIN CHENOWETH, MARG HELGENBERGER, MOLLY SIMS, DAYNA DEVON, LISA RINNA, LEE WOODRUFF, STACY MORRISON & MORE TO SERVE AS GAL TO GAL AMBASSADORS IN NATIONWIDE VIRTUAL WALK
Bend, OR – The hugely successfully Design-her Gals website, designhergals.com launches its 2nd annual interactive virtual walk to benefit the Gal to Gal Foundation, the non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Stage IV breast cancer patients and their families. Design-her Gals hopes to create a viral outpouring of support during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month with a goal of raising $250,000 in 31 days. Pre-registration for The Gal to Gal Walk will begin September 24-28th with official walk dates of October 1 - October 31, 2008.
This unique approach to philanthropy has attracted sponsors such as Franklin Covey, Epson, Glory for Girls as well as strategic partners such as Fodors which have pledged to mobilize their communities to join the walk. In addition, dozens of celebrity ambassadors such as Kristin Chenoweth, Marg Helgenberger, Dayna Devon, Lisa Rinna, Denise Richards, Molly Sims, Jean Chatzky, Julie Morgenstern, Redbook editor in chief, Stacy Morrison and Broadway star Deidre Goodwin among many others, will lend their support and participate in the virtual walk.
Supporters will participate in The Gal to Gal Walk by creating their virtual likeness online and then watching themselves take a virtual walk across America. The walk will commence in the Virtual World of Harvard Square in Boston, MA, and concludes on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, visiting 29 cities along the way. The landscape walkers travel through will change on a daily basis, giving people a reason to return to see where they are walking that day. New walkers will be joining all the time – sharing their stories and building momentum as more people participate in this innovative fundraising effort. “We are honored to have these notable individuals and companies enhance the virtual walk experience, which will join women and men
from all walks of life. This initiative will help benefit a group of individuals who are facing the most difficult battle of their lives,” commented Jeanne Fitzmaurice, founder of Design-her Gals and Gal to Gal Foundation. Fitzmaurice was selected by Yoplait and Susan G. Komen as a 2007 Yoplait Champion. “As we strive to raise awareness and funds for Stage IV breast cancer patients and their families, our goal is to bring dignity and comfort to those who need it most.”
Gal to Gal Foundation President, and Stage IV Breast Cancer Patient, Dorit Shapiro added, “My goal is to honor the memories of all the women who have lost their battles to this tough enemy so that women and families living with stage IV breast cancer are never forgotten and receive the support they need and deserve. I hope you will join me in supporting this wonderful organization until there comes a day when we are not needed because we have found a cure and no one must face living with this diagnosis.”
Visitors will register for the Gal to Gal Walk at www.galtogalwalk.org for a $5 donation. After designing their character, they will be added to the walk landscape where they can also invite their friends and family to join them. Supporters will receive a virtual goody bag with items donated by the Foundation’s strategic partners. Walkers may also purchase merchandise featuring their character on www.designhergals.com to support The Foundation. In its first year, the Gal to Gal virtual walk attracted thousands of supporters and raised more than $120,000 for patients and families battling Stage IV breast cancer.
Founded in 2005 by president and CEO, Jeanne Fitzmaurice, Design-her Gals (www.designhergals.com) is a warmly sophisticated, Web-based, custom stationery and gift company with a mission to inspire, empower and celebrate women. Strengthened by a growing interactive women’s community, Design-her Gals offers a unique online experience that celebrates women’s individuality and style while also raising awareness and funding for patients with late-stage breast cancer.
Gotta Design a Gal
Nearly a quarter million women across the country, including many of today’s hottest celebrities, can’t get enough of designhergals.com. The site’s addictive nature comes from giving its users creative control to easily produce truly custom caricatures of themselves – or any important woman in their lives. One can then dress their gal by choosing from a “closet” of hundreds of original fashions and accessories, many of which created by top label fashion designers. Once your Design-her Gal is dressed to impress, she can be produced into a variety of stationery products (which can also be printed at home) such as note cards, stickers, calling cards, invitations, memos, and more. The Gal can also adorn gifts such as t-shirts, tote bags, aprons and coffee mugs. Unlimited Gals can be created and sent for free on various seasonal, themed and decorative Design-her Gal e-card templates.
One Gal’s Success: It’s All About Building a Community
Fitzmaurice’s company was born from a successful West Coast stationery store that she ran with her best friend and colleague who is now part of the Design-her Gals’ team. In its first year of business, Design-her Gals recorded sales of nearly $2 million, and attracted a loyal user-base of women exceeding 150,000. The community continues to grow and is expected to reach in excess of one-quarter million by year end 2007.
The company credits much of its growth to a “high-tech/high-touch” customer service approach. Most email inquiries get a response within minutes, and everyone in the company does their share of “community support.” According to Fitzmaurice, “We want women to know we are paying attention, responding and taking action on the things that they want us to change or add to the site. At Design-her Gals, customer service is the highest priority and a way for us to improve our business. Our best ideas come from our community”!
A Passion-filled and Purposeful Mission
“Passion before profit” is a mantra you will hear regularly at Design-her Gals. Jeanne Fitzmaurice conceived of her life’s purpose and passion after she lost a dear relative and another friend to Stage IV breast cancer. Her personal experience of knowing loved ones with late stage breast cancer cemented Fitzmaurice’s dedication to the cause. In fact, it inspired her to launch both the Design-her Gals website and the company’s non-profit arm, the Gal to Gal Foundation. Gal to Gal is the first national non-profit organization to dedicate 100% of its resources exclusively to Stage 4 breast cancer causes as well as raising awareness and funding for patients and their families.
Stage IV, or metastatic, breast cancer is the most advanced stage - a diagnosis that means the cancer has spread from the patient’s original tumor site to other parts of the body. Although many notable and duly credited organizations support breast cancer research, prevention and early-stage treatment, in comparison, the level of resources dedicated to people living with Stage IV cancer is significantly lower. Design-her Gals donates 5% of its gross sales to the Gal to Gal Foundation.
In 2006, Design-her Gals pledged $100,000 for the late-stage breast cancer cause, and set a goal of donating $1 million over the next three-year period.
A Gal that Stands Out in a Crowd
Fitzmaurice, her business and her philanthropic contributions have also received national attention. She was recently voted to the No. 1 spot on Fast Company magazine’s “Fast 50: Reader Favorites 2007” list, an annual compilation of “people doing extraordinary things” as voted by readers of the publication and visitors to their website. And most recently she has been recognized by Yoplait, Susan G. Komen and Self Magazine as a recipient of the 2007 Yoplait Champion Award. A designation spotlighting 25 individuals making extraordinary strides in the fight against breast cancer.
# # #
Media Contact:
Beth Feldman
Beyond PR
9177978054
beyondpr@gmail.com
Personal Contact:
Jeanne Fitzmaurice
(619) 992-2333
jeanne@designhergals.com
Jeanne Fitzmaurice BioSeptember 29, 2008
Jeanne
Fitzmaurice is the founder of
Design-her Gals (designhergals.com,) a highly successful personalized
stationery and gift company, and the Gal to Gal Foundation, a non-profit
dedicated exclusively to Stage IV breast cancer patients and their families. Jeanne is a self professed “mother of
reinvention.”Prior to embarking on her
road to reinvention, Jeanne was President of a resort management company for
resort properties in Puerto Vallarta
and Cabo San Lucas.
Jeanne’s
business and her philanthropic contributions have also received national
attention - voted to the No. 1 spot on Fast Company magazine’s “Fast 50: Reader
Favorites 2007” list, an annual compilation of “companies doing extraordinary
things.” She was recognized by Yoplait, Susan G. Komen and Self Magazine as a
recipient of the 2007 Yoplait Champion Award, a designation spotlighting 25
individuals making extraordinary strides in the fight against breast cancer.
Her company has been featured
on Oprah’s O List, The Martha Stewart Show and TODAY show, as well in numerous national
publications.Jeanne speaks around the
country and Canada, and was
a featured speaker at More Magazine’s Reinvention Convention and HarvardBusinessSchool’s
Intercollegiate Entrepreneurial Women’s Conference. Most recently she was
keynote speaker at the American Resort Development’s Women in the Industry
reception.
Design-her Gals is one of
the highlighted companies in best-selling author Rick Frishman, and TODAY Show
contributor, Robyn Spizeman’s newest book – Where’s Your Wow?16 ways to make your competition wish they
were you.
What Our Gal Pals Are Saying...June 15, 2008
It is a special company with an important message. Great work
Tina Boris Lafferty - Hollywood, FL USA
The positive message that the company portrays is compelling, and noble.
Kay - Washington, DC
This company is amazing! I love their support of breast cancer and the enjoyment that has been experienced from using the site as well as the gifts friends have received has been absolutely fantastic! I can not say enough about Design-her Gals!
Kristi Tomasin - Stoney Creek, ON, Canada
What an awesome way to meet both the financial needs and to create a fun environment for the "creative woman". With the BIG PLUS of supporting a major concern of women all over the world. This program is destined to impact thousands for women in a major way. If we all could have this vision what a difference we could make. Thank you Jeanne and your partners for "running with your vision" - Sherry Gilson - Santa Clara, Calif. USA
What a great idea and a product to match. I ordered from them and received fast, efficient service and the product is first rate. It surpassed my expectations. I have ordered for all of my friends for the holidays. I am a breast cancer survivor and I placed my order knowing that a percentage of the sale would go to Stage IV cancer patients. How lucky I am not to have been one of them but I am happy to help in any small way I can. I am telling all my friends about your website. You go girls!!!!! Ellen DiPinto - Huntingdon Vallely, PA USA
Amazing company. Very innovative, highly recommended. As a "survivor" I support their efforts 100%. . Harmon - surprise,az. usa
Outstanding service, with a very unique product. They constantly offer promotional events which inspire you to order, while always emphasizing their contributions to the fight against beast cancer. This product has been loved by everyone I have given the cards to as gifts...and I have had more fun designing my "girls"...almost addictive! Mary Meier - Portland, Oregon USA
Great company, innovative ideas, captivating in the way you and make the girls so personal. I hooked all my friends on these products. Always promoting breast cancer awareness weather fundraising, e-mails or how you can personalize your girl. Love it! Andrea Rzad - Englewood Fl. USA
Oprah turned her readers onto this website which I have in turn told my friends about. They operate on such a good foundation and put out a great product! Ellen Henderson - Mt Pleasant, SC USA
Design Her Gals offers resources to women who often struggle to find the help they need when suffering from advanced-stage breast cancer. In addition, they're a fabulous, customer-service oriented company with a great product. I love 'em! Niki Burnham - Boston, MA USA
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