Five Great Guys helping Team Sue Harmon
Five Great Guys, helping TEAM SUE HARMON to support others, raise awareness and funds for the ACS
Ever wonder how I came to have such a great website? From where did that cool TEAM SUE HARMON logo come? And where did I get that great TEAM SUE HARMON banner?
Ah, you ask such great questions, and I have some great answers for you.
I tried to build a web site on my own and spent far too many frustrating hours yelling at my computer. Feeling defeated, I contacted fellow Hackley School (Tarrytown, NY) colleague, Dan Jewett. Dan owns a company called Solid Ether (www.solidether.net) I told Dan what I was trying to do and asked for his support. I explained that I was trying to build a website to offer support to those who faced a cancer diagnosis. I wanted to provide links to helpful resources, offer a venue for people to see what I do, as well as centralize my fundraising for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer annual campaign. Dan was willing to help and created my beautiful TEAM SUE HARMON website and he serves as my Webmaster. Dan is helpful, kind, considerate and generous. Dan, I know that you building this beautiful site has helped many people who have faced cancer. You have created a space for me to reach out and support others. You will never truly know how helpful you are. I am grateful for your patience and generosity. Thank you, Dan!
Having my own website of course leads to wanting more. (If you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll probably want a glass of milk….) While the website was already beautiful, I had this idea that having a TEAM SUE HARMON logo would be a great addition. I could use the logo on my website, put it on writing paper and hey, how about having my own banner for all the Team Sue Harmon photo ops! Once again, I listened to my creative side, sketched my idea for a logo and then turned to my Mac. While I may be computer savvy, I certainly do not have graphic artist knowledge or ability. I tried and tried but could not get the logo right. Once again, after tireless hours on the computer, I felt defeated. I emailed nearly everyone I know to ask for a contact who would be wiling to help me, and of course nearly everyone had a resource. Thanks to everyone who responded. I am grateful to Todd Truesdale, President and owner of Recycled Paper Printing (Boston, MA). He immediately offered his company’s support and connected me with his Creative Director, Jason Fairchild. Todd and Jason never blinked in offering their support to me, and my idea. I emailed Jason my logo sketch and explained to him who I am and what I do. He listened carefully and I believe he understood the importance of what I do in terms of cancer outreach and support. He responded with over a dozen possibilities for a Team Sue Harmon logo, each better than the next. The Team Sue Harmon logo was born. Todd and Jason, I am so grateful for you taking my vision of my logo and running with it. You offered your time, support and creativity to design and supply me with my incredible TEAM SUE HARMON logo. A million thanks for your time and creativity. I love my logo!
So the logo was born. Now I needed it to shine so I immediately emailed it to Dan who posted it on my website. Yes! That’s just what I had envisioned! It’s perfect! Now I needed more…Typical Sue, right!? I have always wanted a Team Sue Harmon banner to have for events such as the annual American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, Pleasantville Day, as well as other times when I do public relations work. I wanted to have that logo to help my Team to be more recognizable. I shared my vision with my friend Annie McAndrew and she told me to look no further. Annie introduced me to another Hackley connection, Tyler (Hackley graduate) and his father, Marty Blaire of Sign Extreme (www.signextreme.com, Sleepy Hollow, NY) Tyler’s company creates signs, banners, awnings, engravings and such. I first spoke with Marty who spent a great deal of time listening to my story and about my efforts in supporting those with cancer. I shared with him my annual fundraising campaign for the ACS. I explained to him what I wanted in my Team Sue Harmon banner and he shared those ideas with Tyler. I emailed them my logo and within days, the guys invited me to visit their shop to pick up my banner. Marty gave my daughter Molly and me a tour of Sign Extreme and further explained this incredible business that his son Tyler owns and runs. Marty is a very proud father! We met Tyler and when they showed me my Team Sue Harmon banner, I was brought to tears. The logo was now turned into a banner. Something that was once a simple vision, had now come to be. I was touched and honored when Tyler and Marty said that the banner was a gift to me, in hopes that it will help me with my outreach and fundraising. Again, I am blown away by Tyler and Marty’s kindness. Gentlemen, thank you for your incredible generosity. My banner is perfect and got lots of compliments on its debut at the 2008 Pleasantville Day.
So, with all of that said, I am a better person because of the acts of generosity that have been shared with me. These five men have touched my heart and truly have shown what it means to give of your time and talent. I could not have a website, a logo or a banner without the help of these talented, caring men. I honor their generosity by pushing myself to help more people, raise more awareness about cancer and to raise more money for the American Cancer Society, whose mission is to provide patient services, support research, educate, and support advocacy. You five men are in my thoughts when I do my work for those who are in need. Dan, Todd, Jason, Tyler and Marty, thank you so very much for sharing your human spirit of support and kindness. I am grateful for all you have done for me and for Team Sue Harmon. THANK YOU!
If any of you reading this need a webmaster, a communications/marketing consulting and printing business, a Creative Director or a specialty sign or banner, I hope you will give your business to these companies and men who are hard working and have huge hearts! These are the men whose businesses should succeed and prosper!