Alex's Million Mile Initiative enlists supporters to Run. Walk. Ride. One Million Miles this September to raise the profile of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Philadelphia, PA (July 2014) - In an effort to raise the profile of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation will go the distance this September, launching Alex's Million Mile - Run. Walk. Ride. With firsthand knowledge of just how far parents of children with cancer would go to find a cure for their child, the Foundation will challenge supporters everywhere to go the extra mile this September, collectively running, walking or cycling one million miles to work toward better treatments and ultimately cures for all kids with cancer.

The brainchild of Foundation Co-Executive Director, Jay Scott, a running enthusiast, Alex's Million Mile invites ambitious individuals, as well as teams, to pledge to run/walk/ride and contribute to the one million mile goal during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Drawing from the inspiration of Foundation creator Alexandra "Alex" Scott, who set out to raise $1 million through lemonade stands in 2004, Jay Scott feels that through combined efforts, reaching one million miles in just thirty days is attainable. The initiative provides a fun, easy and free way for people across the country to make a difference in the fight against childhood cancer.

"I am thrilled to bring back Alex's Million Mile for the second annual initiative to help Childhood Cancer Awareness Month attain the same status that other awareness months have," says Scott. "Alex's Million Mile is as an easy way for runners, walkers and cyclists of all abilities to contribute to the fight against childhood cancer, build community support and get fit," says Scott.

Alex's Million Mile will utilize both the MapMyFitness applications and the ability for participants to manually enter the miles they log daily. Individuals and teams who participate can log as many or as few miles as their ability level allows, every mile will count toward the larger goal. For those wishing to push themselves to reach 100 miles throughout the month, individuals will need to average 3-4 miles a day, while teams can split up the 100 miles. For instance, a group of 4 employees can walk a mile at lunch every day and easily reach their goal.

In its inaugural year, Alex's Million Mile (formerly known as the Million Mile Run), mobilized more than 5,000 participants to log 250,000 miles and raise over $500,000 for the cause. Among the various ways that miles were logged by participants from coast to coast: parents walked their children to school each day, logging one mile each way; families walked to Friday night dinners and back; instead of taking public transportation, individuals ran to work or evening outings. The possibilities are endless, with each step being counted toward the ultimate goal of logging one million miles, and more importantly raising vital awareness of the number one disease killer of children under the age of 15 in the United States.

"September has become highly recognizable within the childhood cancer community as an important time of year," says Liz Scott, Alex's mom and Co-Executive Director of the Foundation. "However, for many, the cause September is attached to remains widely unknown. While we've made progress in the fight against childhood cancer within the past ten years of our existence, there is still a long way to go. We hope that through the collective efforts of Alex's Million Mile participants, we can close the distance between better treatments and ultimately cures."

New to the 2014 event, Booster, LLC  (www.booster.com) will provide participants a platform to easily launch their own t-shirt fundraising campaigns to support their Alex's Million Mile efforts. Participants who sign up for Alex's Million Mile will have the opportunity to use Booster to create their own designs and in turn sell custom t-shirts to raise money without buying in advance or holding any inventory.  To learn more, or to launch a Booster campaign to benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit: https://www.booster.com/alexs-lemonade-stand.

Individuals and teams who are interested in participating or learning more about Alex's Million Mile can visit AlexsMillionMile.org where they will find a video detailing the effort, testimonials from those who participated last year, and starting in September - live updates from social media on efforts in 2014 utilizing the hashtag #Journey2aMillion.

About Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra "Alex" Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $80 million toward fulfilling Alex's dream of finding a cure, funding over 450 pediatric cancer research projects nationally. For more information on Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit AlexsLemonade.org.

How far is 1 Million Miles?

A trip to the moon and back, twice.

More than 40 times around the earth.

More than 3,000 trips from NYC to Los Angeles.

More than 38,000 Marathons.

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WHEATON, IL (09/12/2014)(readMedia)-- The Wheaton College (Ill.) Alumni Association congratulates the College's most recent graduates, who join a worldwide network of 44,000 alumni. The following graduates are from your coverage area:

Cristina Michelle Cerny of Milan graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English, with Teacher Certification in Secondary Education.

Katlyn Mae Hoeksema of Davenport graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Business/Economics, with a minor in Communication.

Evan Lasseter Rahn of Bettendorf graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a Writing Concentration, with a minor in Spanish.

Mark Samuel Sy of Bettendorf graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, with a minor in Spanish.

Matthew Samuel Sy of Bettendorf graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, with a minor in Spanish.

Beau Daniel Westlund of Bettendorf graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a Writing Concentration, with a minor in International Relations.

Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.) is a coeducational Christian liberal arts college noted for its rigorous academics, integration of faith and learning, and consistent ranking among the top liberal arts colleges in the country. For more information, visit wheaton.edu.

Simon: Remember heroes of Sept. 11

CARBONDALE - September 11, 2014. On the 13th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon is encouraging Illinoisans to take time to remember the victims and survivors, but also the firefighters, police and first responders who acted with heroism that day.

"As we remember the tragedies in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, let us also remember the courage and selflessness of the first responders who came to the aid of their fellow Americans," Simon said. "Today is a day to reflect on that heroism."

As chair of the Governor's Rural Affairs Council, which is tasked with improving delivery of state services to rural Illinois and expanding opportunities for rural residents, Simon has been encouraging Illinoisans to volunteer as first responders in their local fire protection and emergency medical services organizations. Those lifesaving agencies, often the nearest medical help available for some residents, have seen a 19 percent drop in the number of emergency medical technicians and paramedics in Illinois over the past two years.

REG's Chad Stone also to be named IBB chair at Annual Meeting

ANKENY, Iowa - Iowa biodiesel business leaders and farmers will present Governor Terry Branstad with the "Biodiesel Champion" award tomorrow, during the Annual Meeting of the Iowa Biodiesel Board.

"Governor Branstad has shown steadfast support for state biodiesel programs and incentives, helping Iowa secure its position as the top biodiesel-producing state," said Grant Kimberley, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board. "He also shows bold national leadership in making an outspoken, compelling case for expanding biodiesel under the federal Renewable Fuels Standard."

Branstad serves as vice chair of the Governors' Biofuels Coalition. In December, he was the only governor to testify at an Environmental Protection Agency hearing on the RFS.

"I want to thank the Iowa Biodiesel Board for the honor of being named a 'Biodiesel Champion,'" said Branstad. "Iowa's robust renewable fuel sector is a critical component of Iowa's strong economic position. I've long been a strong supporter of renewable fuels like biodiesel, and will continue promoting innovation within this growing industry."

Also at the meeting, Chad Stone, chief financial officer of Renewable Energy Group, Inc., will become the new chair of the Iowa Biodiesel Board. He replaces biodiesel producer and petroleum distributor Mark Cobb.

"I am grateful for this opportunity to lead the Iowa Biodiesel Board and excited to continue the outstanding advocacy efforts of Mark Cobb, our board members and staff," said Stone. "IBB has, and will continue to play an instrumental role in promoting the economic, energy security and environmental benefits that biodiesel provides to Iowa and America."

Biodiesel is made from a diverse mix of resources. These include recycled cooking oil, soybean oil and animal fats. It is the first EPA-designated Advanced Biofuel to reach commercial-scale production nationwide. In 2013, Iowa's 12 biodiesel plants produced about 230 million gallons of biodiesel. This supports more than 7,000 jobs throughout the value chain.

The Iowa Biodiesel Board is a state trade association representing the biodiesel industry.