The new structure utilizes teams and leadership roles to allow for quick reconfiguration to mobilize volunteers to speak out on cancer issues.

Ambassadors will be constituents of a single Member of Congress. Each congressional district team will be called an ACT! (Ambassador Constituent Team!). Volunteers within each ACT! will have the opportunity to specialize in media, ACS CAN, Relay, and advocacy and volunteer mobilization.

Each state has a lead ambassador who will manage the ACT! leads. Patty Avery is the Indiana Lead Ambassador and Linda Burkett is the Michigan Lead Ambassador. Both of these volunteers have been involved in advocacy for several years and now take on exciting leadership roles that will allow them to share their expertise.

Patty Avery, Evansville, IN
Patty Avery recalled how amazing it was for her when she experienced her first Relay For Life. "The fact that regular people were empowered to fight back against cancer absolutely captivated me and won me over forever."

Through Celebration on the Hill and Indiana's Lobby Day, Patty has seen how the ACS empowers people to make a measurable impact on cancer. As the lead ambassador for Indiana, Patty wants others to know how necessary it is to make your voice heard in the fight against cancer.

"National decisions have tangible impact on real lives and that to me is what I want to keep in mind and help people understand that it's doable," Patty said. "I think the structure is going to help us move quickly when there's an issue and activate the grassroots to reach out to their elected officials on these issues."

Linda Burkett, Three Rivers, MI
Linda Burkett first heard of advocacy during a Relay For Life recognition event on the senate floor in Lansing. "It was right after Mother's Day and I had promised my mom that she would not die in vain," recalled Linda, who first joined Relay in memory of her mother. "I heard of advocacy and joined that day."

For the past two years, Linda has celebrated her father's birthday and memory at Michigan's Lobby Day. This year, the event was even more memorable for Linda when she was named Michigan's lead ambassador.

"I'm highly honored and I'm looking forward to how many more ambassadors we can encourage to join us," said Linda. "There's power in numbers and I think the ambassadorship will grow more with this structure because more awareness can be brought to it. If you speak up and just one life is saved, it's worth it."

To learn more about the new structure and get involved in advocacy efforts, contact Jennifer Hunt, Grassroots Manager, at (517) 664-1342, or visit online at www.acscan.org/indiana and www.acscan.org/michigan.

Pictured: Legislative ambassador Shawna Farina and Patty Avery (top right); Linda Burkett and Rep. Fred Upton (bottom right).