Each year, Forget Me Not Days volunteers collect donations for the Alzheimer’s Association and raise awareness for the disease. In exchange for a donation, our volunteers hand out packets of Forget-Me-Not seeds to plant in honor of the 5.5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease. In this article, we feature one the Bankers Life Forget Me Not Days volunteers, Leila Shojaee.\
Tell us a little about yourself…
I live in the south suburbs with my fiancé and my baby, a Jack Russell Terrier named Bailey. I have been a Branch Office Administrator and Agent Recruiter with the Bankers Life branch in Orland Park, IL for the past two years.
Do you have a connection to Alzheimer’s disease?
I have been lucky enough to not have anyone close to me suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, but through friends and volunteer activities, I have witnessed the heavy burden it can place on those who endure it and their families/support systems.
How did Bankers Life Forget Me Not Days get started?
Bankers Life, a subsidiary of CNO Financial Group, provides life and health insurance to those who are near or in retirement. Our agents and employees witness first-hand the health and financial impacts that Alzheimer’s disease has on our customers, their families and caregivers.
The Company wanted to be part of the effort to raise awareness of the impact Alzheimer’s has on families, so it joined forces with the Alzheimer’s Association—a leader in advocacy, research and caregiver support.
Bankers Life Forget Me Not Days, a company signature fundraising campaign, raises money for the Alzheimer’s Association and elevates public awareness of the disease nationwide. The name comes from the forget-me-not flower seed packets that our volunteers distribute in exchange for donations.
Since 2003, Bankers Life has supported the Alzheimer’s Association with more than $4.5 million for care, education and research programs, including collecting and donating more than $450,000 in 2016 alone.
What was the experience like while participating?
It is really a rewarding experience. The annual fundraising event is something we all look forward to and get really excited about! To heighten awareness and maximize participation, we send out weekly email reminders to our associates and agents. We like to include information about our partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association as well as infographics and facts about the disease so we all understand why this is such an important cause to support.
On collection days, we hit the streets in shifts to solicit for donations. Wearing green gardening aprons, we disperse to various intersections and retail locations to collect donations and raise awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association. In exchange for donations, we hand out packets of Forget-Me-Not flower seeds to plant in honor of a loved one and the more than five million people living with Alzheimer’s.
Collection days are always a whirlwind, trying to get everyone out to their designated areas at the right times, but we have so much fun! In fact, a lot of us like to make it into a friendly competition to see who can raise the most money by the end of the day.
Why do you participate in Bankers Life Forget Me Not Days?
I believe in the good work that the Alzheimer’s Association is doing, and I am honored to be able to do whatever I can to contribute to their mission. I am also thankful that Bankers Life has given me the opportunity to get involved with such an important organization.
Our strong relationship with the Alzheimer’s Association has made it possible for us to grow the event into a national campaign. In 2016, more than 1,600 Bankers Life agents, associates and Alzheimer’s Association volunteers hit the streets in more than 170 cities across the country, including our corporate office locations in Chicago, Indianapolis and Philadelphia.
Why is Bankers Life Forget Me Not Days important to you?
It is important to me, personally, because I want to do whatever I can to make a difference during my time here. At Bankers Life, we witness firsthand the affect that Alzheimer’s has on our policyholders and their loved ones. I want to see a cure for it within my lifetime!
Why should others volunteer and participate in Bankers Life Forget Me Not Days?
Alzheimer’s disease can happen to anyone… it could be a friend, spouse, family member, or even me or you one day. We have no way to know for sure. With that in mind, I think we can all see why it is important to provide care and support for those who are currently impacted, along with advocating for research for a cure in order to save future generations from being affected. Participating in Bankers Life Forget Me Not Days is really the least any one of us can do to help make a difference, and we always have fun doing it!
Register or Donate Today!
Please join us for the
15th Annual Bankers Life Forget Me Not Days fundraiser!
Help us plant the seeds of hope on June 2-3 or June 9-10, 2017, by joining Greater Illinois Chapter volunteers in the Chicagoland area.