The ride of life is already a daunting and challenging task in itself; therefore, no one should have to endure it alone. The power of a community formed by people willing to make a positive impact and lessening the burden on others cannot be properly valued. Life may be good at times and it may be bad at times, but because of people and organizations like The Jillian Fund, life is ultimately defined as beautiful.
The Jillian Fund is a charitable organization created by Ricoh Corp.’s George Gorman in honor of his daughter, Jillian Gorman. In 2009, Jillian was shocked when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of blood cancer. Though courageously and valiantly fought, she lost her battle with cancer in 2013. Understanding that no child should fight this battle alone, George started The Jillian Fund with the mission to provide financial support for families during times of life-threatening crises to allow them to focus on supporting their sick children.
That same year, Michael T. Stramaglio, All Covered Business Consulting Services, and other industry veterans chose to participate in the Rolling Thunder ride, in honor of The Jillian Fund, with all proceeds going directly to those families in need. Rolling Thunder made its first demonstration ride in 1987, as the group took a public stance against the negligence of prisoners of war and service members listed as missing in action from the Vietnam War. That inaugural “Ride for Freedom” attracted 2,500 participants and has developed into an annual weekend road trip every Memorial Day to the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. While veterans and children in need seem like a stark contrast, it is no wonder why Michael and team decided to join the two causes together. Michael himself is a veteran and his own wife was diagnosed with the same Leukemia as Jillian Gorman.
With the help of the Imaging Channel, partners, dealers, friends, and OEMs, The Ride for Jillian has raised nearly $300,000 and helped dozens of families. The list of donors is long, with Konica Minolta and its dealers as the largest donors to date. Other donors include ACDI, GreatAmerica, HP, Lexmark, Mars International, Panasonic, PaperCut and many more.
And for the 4th consecutive year, Clover Imaging Group is not only supporting The Jillian Fund but also donating a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to raffle off at the Annual Jillian Fund Gala on October 30, 2019 at the Venetian in Garfield, NJ. So, if you are feeling more adventurous and would like to be entered to win a 2019 Harley-Davidson IRON 883, contact me at jstramaglio@allcovered.com for tickets.
This year’s ride, led by Michael’s group, affectionately known as the Patriot Pack, will start May 16 from the All Covered Business Consulting Services office in Scottsdale, AZ and end in Washington D.C. During the 10-day, nearly 2,600-mile journey, they will stop at eight dealer locations:
To donate, visit The Jillian Fund online or send a check to The Jillian Fund, PO Box 582, Montvale, NJ 07645.
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