By Stephanie Wasserman, Executive Director of the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition

With the holiday season in full swing, I know that you may be considering charitable donations as a way to celebrate and spread the joy of giving. Today marks the annual Colorado Gives Day (#COGivesDay), an initiative to increase philanthropy in Colorado through online giving. When supporting the charities that inspire you this Colorado Gives Day, I encourage you to remember the invaluable role the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition (CCIC) plays in keeping Colorado kids healthy. [Read more…]

For over a decade, the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition (CCIC) has worked to increase childhood immunization and as a way of thanking its partners and supporters, the nonprofit hosted its third annual SOUP! (Shots Offer Unrivaled Protection) fundraising event April 27.

Colorado Lieutenant Governor Barbara O’Brien accepted CCIC’s highest honor, the 2010 Big Shot of the Year award, for her dedication to creating healthy changes for Colorado’s children.

The event held at the Cable Center raised funds and treated guests to samples of soup from ten of Denver’s premier restaurants: Coral Room, Dazzle, Il Posto, Jax, Le Central, Lola, Red Tango, Root Down, Sushi Hai and Table 6. Guests voted for their favorite soups; Root Down walked away with the Best Soup award and Lola was awarded Most Creative Soup.

CCIC Executive Director Lydia McCoy was grateful for the community’s support in furthering CCIC’s mission to increase childhood immunization rates and awareness. “The strength of our Coalition lies in our members, community partners and advocates. We engage our supporters in all that we do, and their participation is invaluable to our success.”

The evening celebration drew 188 guests which included Colorado’s pediatricians, physicians, nurses, educators, legislators and public-health experts and raised $21,000 to fund CCIC’s programs.
Among those who enjoyed fine food and networking were Presenting Sponsors Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado’s Jo Palmer and Colorado Capital Bank’s Amanda Fein. Dr. Robert Brayden spoke about the progress of vaccines, and CCIC board member Dr. James Shira presented Lt. Gov. O’Brien with the 2010 Big Shot of the Year award. Also in attendance were past Big Shot of the Year award recipients CDPHE Medical Director Dr. Ned Calonge and Dr. James Todd.

Read the fun tweets from the event and see more photos on our Facebook Fan Page.

The Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition invites YOU — the moms, dads, doctors, health care professionals and community members who champion for childhood immunizations — to join us at our 3rd annual SOUP! (Shots Offer Unrivaled Protection) event on Tuesday, April 27.

This fun, heartwarming event will raise funds and awareness for childhood immunizations and give guests a chance to sample soup, wine, beer and desserts from some of Denver’s finest restaurants. For busy moms, dads and professionals, SOUP! is a night away from it all – the perfect opportunity to celebrate your choice to keep Colorado’s kids healthy, sample delicious food and enjoy great company!

At CCIC, we think it is incredibly important to speak up for your belief and your choice to vaccinate your children. A recent national survey shows that 88% of parents vaccinate their children and according to a statewide survey 79% of Colorado parents vaccinate their children. The majority of parents do give their children the gift of immunization. That is certainly something to celebrate!

In today’s world of social media and online forums, it can be intimidating and hard to speak up for your choice. CCIC is fortunate to be part of a community of moms who support and believe in the benefits of vaccination. Our favorite mommy bloggers share their daily joys, challenges and even their personal decisions with readers and followers from across the globe. They inspire readers through their honest, humorous parenting stories, and assure other parents that immunization is the best choice for kids’ health. You can read about their personal experiences with childhood vaccination, including the tears, concerns and triumphs here:

• Casual Perfectionist – “There is No Vaccine for Fear, and it’s Contagious“
• Lalagirl – “Vaccines Prevent Diseases”
• Loose Grip – “The Necessary Evils of Vaccines (And when I say evil, I mean THANK YOU)”
• Paren(t)hesis – “Sick Baby (and Why You Should Vaccinate)“

Thanks to our community of immunization supporters, we are nurturing healthy, happy children who will not have to experience the horrible, disfiguring, and sometimes fatal diseases of generations past. Join CCIC in celebrating our efforts and accomplishments, and reward yourself for making the healthiest choice for Colorado’s children.

For more information about SOUP! or to purchase tickets, visit www.childrensimmunization.org/soup