Dear friends,

I have exciting news to share with you. I have been chosen to participate in the 2025 Connected in Motion Adventure Trek! This summer, I will be heading out with a team of fellow Type 1 diabetics (T1D) to tackle a portion of the East Coast Trail in Newfoundland. I will be raising money leading up to the trek to support Connected in Motion (CIM), a charity whose mission is close to my heart. CIM connects adults who are living with Type 1 diabetes with a community and provides the support and education to help make life with Type 1 just a little bit easier. Many folks who are diagnosed with diabetes as adults go years without ever meeting someone else with Type 1, and up until about 5 years ago, I was just this – living alone with T1D without a community. I am forever grateful to Connected in Motion for providing me with the community I am now a part of, and this is a huge part of what I am doing this trek – to support the organization that’s given me this community so that others like me can find their communities as well.

You can read more about Connected in Motion here if you’d like.
I have not talked a lot about my life with T1D, and I am also trying to change that, as part of this trek for me will also be to do what may be deemed impossible for those with T1D – trekking, camping, and being in the wilderness. I am doubting my own self and my abilities to do this as well, BUT with 11 other T1D’s, I know that I can trust this process!
Over the next 6-7 or so months, I will be sending out emails (maybe once a month) to share my journey to the East Coast Trail with you (before and after).  In essence, I would like to take you on a bit of this journey with me! If you don’t want to stay on this journey with me, just let me know, and I can remove your email address. I will update you on my training and preparation for the trek, sharing a bit about my diabetes journey with you. And share ways in which Connected in Motion and my fellow Type 1 community have supported, encouraged and inspired me over the years.

I’ve set myself a target of raising $4500 to support CIM’s various initiatives. I kindly ask you to consider helping me achieve this goal.  Every contribution, regardless of its size, can make a tremendous difference.To support this cause, you can donate via the following link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/fundraising/victoria-barnett, which will direct you to my fundraising page. Upon donating, you’ll receive a confirmation email and a Canadian tax receipt for your records. *Note if you work for a large company – sometimes they have corporate donations matching – I‘ve included a draft letter you can send to your company/HR – in case you are donating and able to ask them as well! 

I know that we’re living in challenging times, there are a lot of important causes to support, and not everyone can provide financial support. If you find yourself in such a position, sharing this email within your circle would be immensely valuable.  And of course, cheering me on and following along with my emails on my journey to the East Coast Trail as I tackle this challenge.

I sincerely thank you for reading, and I hope to continue to share more stories and my progress with you!
Victoria
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Subject: Inquiry About Corporate Donation Matching Program

Dear [HR Manager’s Name] / [Company Name] HR Team,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inquire about whether [Company Name] offers a corporate donation matching program for employee charitable contributions.

I am interested in supporting a nonprofit organization called Connected In Motion, which supports experiential type 1 diabetes education (https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/fundraising/victoria-barnett), and wanted to check if the company matches donations to eligible charities. If such a program exists, I would appreciate any details you could provide regarding the process, eligibility criteria, and any necessary forms or documentation I would need to complete.

Thank you for your time and support. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Job Title]
[Your Department]
[Your Contact Information]

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