Linda Spadafina is the Manager of Outpatient Physical Therapy/Rehabilitation Support Services at Northwell Health's Staten Island University Hospital. Last year, Linda was the team captain to one of the Northwell Health Walk's top fundraising teams, the success of which was due in great part to Linda's passion for her work and her infectious spirit for fundraising. As one co-worker notes, "It's hard to say no to Linda." These pictures from Linda's fundraisers make it easy to see why … who could say ‘no’ to someone who’s handing you a hot dog wearing a hot dog costume and has a matching therapy dog in tow?! Absolutely no one, right?
Here's what Linda had to say about participating in the Northwell Health Walk and what it takes to be a successful fundraiser:
"I've worked for Northwell Health's Staten Island University Hospital for the last 32 years and I know firsthand how important fundraising is to keeping pace with best-in-class care. When I found out that the Staten Island Walk was raising funds for a new Women and Newborn’s Center I jumped at the chance to participate. When you’re committed to providing the best care possible for our community here on Staten Island it's simple, really – you need money to attract skilled health care professionals and the latest high tech equipment to keep birth defects down. When it comes to causes, few compare!
Staten Island isn't a particularly wealthy community so we designed many of our fundraisers around food, something everyone appreciates. We sold popcorn, and offered a series of theme lunches. There was a Taco Tuesday and a Waffle Wednesday and even a Frankfurter Friday. The Frankfurter Friday was particularly successful – netting us an impressive $1,000 in just three hours! After that our team became fixated on becoming the top fundraising team, so we expanded into merchandising and sold baseball caps. Because we were raising funds (at least in part) for a new, state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) we also sold cut outs of baby feet we allowed donors to personalize and post on a wall. If we thought we could make money doing it - we tried it!
I'm good at fundraising because I believe in what I'm fundraising for – I believe in the Northwell Health vision – and I help make the connection between the important services we're raising funds for and having fun fundraising. Our Walk team became a community effort involving staff, patients, family members and loved ones, in great part because it benefited the community. We kept saying to patients, "Come walk with us! We taught you how to walk better – Walk to show you care! Walk to help someone else!" And many did. Soon we had one of the largest Walk teams in the entire program. Even better, I think our team may have had the most fun."
To participate in the Northwell Health Walk in Staten Island, sign up here.
If you'd like to walk with Linda's 2017 team, sign up here.
To support Linda's fundraising efforts, make a donation to her Walk page here.