Welcome Youth Ambassadors and Parents

Meet Your 2025 Youth Ambassadors

Here’s a list of Wisconsin’s 2025 Youth Ambassadors, with photos and an explanation of why they wanted to be a Youth Ambassador this year.

Program Requirements

From January 1 to December 31, 2025, following are the expectations to be completed by each Youth Ambassador:

• Volunteer a minimum of 5 hours to support Breakthrough T1D programs, stewardship activities, and/or events.
• Attend a minimum of 3 in-person or virtual Breakthrough T1D events or other T1D awareness events (this includes your speaking engagement noted below).
• Complete 1 fundraiser to benefit Breakthrough T1D (ie. Walk, Ride, DIY fundraiser, NDAM Champion, etc.).
• Complete 1 speaking engagement – Share your T1D story in front of an audience.
• Attend the virtual orientation in January, as scheduled by the chapter.

Activity Log

Please use this form to log your activity for the year. Every time you write a thank you note, make a video, or attend an event, fill out one form for each activity you complete – Youth Ambassador Activity Log.

Wisconsin Youth Ambassador Facebook Group

Access our private Wisconsin Youth Ambassadors Facebook Group here. We encourage you to post photos of your Youth Ambassador in action. You may also use this page to reach out to fellow Wisconsin Youth Ambassadors. Last minute requests for help will also be posted in this group.

Purchase Logo Apparel

If you’d like to add some Breakthrough T1D swag to your wardrobe, visit https://shop.breakthrought1d.org/products/apparel/.

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities:

The opportunities listed here will help Youth Ambassadors complete the program requirements for the year.  New events and opportunities will continue to be added throughout the year, so check back often.

FY25 Board Meetings – Share Your T1D Story!

• Sophia Van Straten – June 17, 5:30PM – Appleton area Annual Meeting (in person – Holidays Pub & Grill, 3950 N Richmond Street, Appleton)
• June 18, 5:30PM – Milwaukee area Annual Meeting (in person – location TBD)
• Ryan Cashen – June 23, 5:30PM – Madison area Annual Meeting (in person – Hop Haus Brewing Company, 2975 Sub Zero Parkway, Fitchburg)

Youth Ambassador Leadership Weekend – April 11-13, 2025

Registration is CLOSED. This optional, drop-off, overnight opportunity for Youth Ambassadors ages 10+ will be held at the Wisconsin Lions Camp in Rosholt, Wisconsin. Excited to host 18 Youth Ambassadors for our inaugural leadership weekend!

Northeast Wisconsin Hype Party – April 13, 2025

Join families at Badger Sports Park in Appleton to kickoff the 2025 Walk season!  This is an opportunity to meet other T1D families in the area and learn more about Breakthrough T1D resources and events, including Walk. Kids Ages 7 and up can play laser tag. Kids under the age of 7 will get a pass for inflatables. Free of charge–each child will get one laser or inflatable pass. Register to participate by April 7 HERE.

Breakthrough T1D Community Summit – May 3, 2025 – Brookfield Sheraton

The Breakthrough T1D Community Summit is an educational and networking opportunity for all those impacted by type 1 diabetes (T1D). This year, the Breakthrough T1D Community Summit will bring our community together to learn from T1D experts, hear about the latest breakthroughs in T1D research, meet vendor exhibitors, connect with others impacted by T1D, and more. We look forward to having you join us! We are excited to host a Youth/Teen program as part of our Breakthrough T1D Community Summit this year.  REGISTER AS A PARTICIPANT or sign up to volunteer in the Youth/Teen area and/or the Youth Ambassador Info Booth during the exhibitor fair.

Bobby’s Bar – Entire month of July

You are encouraged to stop by Bobby’s Bar (14735 Lisbon Road, Brookfield) during July to have a meal and thank the owner, Bobby, for his dedication and support to Breakthrough T1D.  5% of sales during July are donated to Breakthrough T1D!

Youth Ambassadors can play an integral role in showing Breakthrough T1D’s appreciation for Bobby’s Bar’s ongoing support! During your visit, Youth Ambassadors are asked to introduce themselves to Bobby and share why his support is important to the Youth Ambassador and others impacted by T1D; why it makes a difference. Deliver the thank you note you’ve made, and get a photo with Bobby or another store employee. Send the photo to Anne Kahl at akahl@BreakthroughT1D.org to be posted on the Wisconsin Breakthrough T1D Facebook page.

Please REGISTER HERE to let me know you’ll be participating in this July campaign.

Breakthrough T1D Afternoon with the Milwaukee Brewers, July 12, 3:10pm

More to come on tickets for this game – stay tuned!  Breakthrough T1D will have an awareness table on the field level near Guest Relations towards Right Field, and I’d love to have some Youth Ambassadors help me out for an inning.  The table will be staffed through the 5th inning.  We will be doing a trivia game with attendees for prizes.  Easy.  Just one inning each.  Should be a lot of fun 🙂 Please complete this form to let me know you’re able to help during the game.

Breakthrough T1D Night with the Milkmen – Franklin, July 19, 2025, 6pm

Help support the Wisconsin Chapter of Breakthrough T1D with a fun evening out at the ballpark on July 19, as the Milwaukee Milkmen take on the Cleburne Railroaders at 6:00pm at Franklin Field. A portion of the proceeds for every ticket sold will be donated back to Breakthrough T1D. What better way to help support your local community and causes you care about than enjoying a summer evening at the ballgame!

Youth Ambassadors are needed to help welcome guests to the ballpark, sell 50/50 raffle tickets and sell ball toss balls. Volunteers do not need to purchase a ticket unless you want to sit and watch the game before/after your volunteer shift.  Please purchase a ticket to attend using this link (coming soon!).

Please complete this registration form to let me know you plan to be an event volunteer for a portion of the game.

MaryKate Sullivan Memorial Golf Outing, July 19

• • Represent JDRF & Golf at the event – arrival time is noon
  • And/Or, join for dinner and share your T1D story from the podium during dinner – arrival time is 5:30pm.

Email Anne Kahl at akahl@breakthrought1d.org if interested in this opportunity.

Madison Hype Party at the Mallards Game – July 31

Join us for the Madison Walk Hype Party at nonprofit night at the Mallards Ballpark! More details to come.

Youth Ambassador Summer Picnic – August TBD

If you’d like to help with planning the summer picnic, please contact Anne Kahl at akahl@breakthrought1d.org.

Stevens Point Walk – October 4, 2025

When registration opens, please register a team for this walk at Pffifner Park, and help us reach our fundraising goal! Please complete this FORM if you would like to volunteer instead (volunteer link coming soon).

Madison Walk – October 5, 2025

When registration opens, please register a team for this walk at McKee Farms Park, and help us reach our fundraising goal! Please complete this FORM if you would like to volunteer instead (volunteer link coming soon!).

Milwaukee Walk – October 18, 2025

When registration opens, please register a team for this walk at Greenfield Park, and help us reach our fundraising goal! Please complete this FORM if you would like to volunteer instead (volunteer link coming soon!).

Youth Ambassador Holiday Events – November TBD

If you’d like to help with planning the holiday events, please contact Anne Kahl at akahl@breakthrought1d.org.

Bobby’s Bar – Entire month of November

You are encouraged to stop by Bobby’s Bar (14735 Lisbon Road, Brookfield) during November to have a meal and thank the owner, Bobby, for his dedication and support to Breakthrough T1D.  5% of sales during July are donated to Breakthrough T1D!

Youth Ambassadors can play an integral role in showing Breakthrough T1D’s appreciation for Bobby’s Bar’s ongoing support! During your visit, Youth Ambassadors are asked to introduce themselves to Bobby and share why his support is important to the Youth Ambassador and others impacted by T1D; why it makes a difference. Deliver the thank you note you’ve made, and get a photo with Bobby or another store employee. Send the photo to Anne Kahl at akahl@BreakthroughT1D.org to be posted on the Wisconsin Breakthrough T1D Facebook page.

Please REGISTER HERE to let me know you’ll be participating in this November campaign.

Additional Engagement Opportunities

Service Organization Opportunity – Share Your T1D Story and Fundraise!

Through this new initiative, YOU can share your story and earn donations to your Walk Team or other fundraiser! Service organizations like the Lions Clubs, Optimist Clubs, Rotary and more all invite guest speakers to their monthly meetings to help them learn about issues and opportunities in their communities.  We would like to share more with these groups about living with T1D and the mission of Breakthrough T1D and invite them to join our fight to cure type 1 diabetes, and we need your help!

You are encouraged to reach out to the clubs in your area and ask if you can be a guest speaker and share your T1D story. If a donation is made to Breakthrough T1D because of a presentation YOU did, that donation will be credited to your upcoming Walk team, Ride or DIY fundraiser – nice!

We have a flyer that you may use to reach out to different clubs.  Contact Anne Kahl if you’d like this flyer.  Complete this form if you did, or will be doing, a presentation for a service organization this calendar year.

Sharing Your T1D Story Resources

Here are worksheets that you may use to build your T1D story to share in front of an audience:

• Find Your Voice
• Cupcake
• Storytelling Tips
• Short and Sweet

If you would like to view the 2024 virtual training video, please contact akahl@breakthrought1d.org.

Youth Advocacy Leader Program

Did you know that sharing your story can help drive meaningful changes on Capitol Hill and beyond? We need dedicated Breakthrough T1D Advocates–just like you–to help strengthen
our efforts to create a world without type 1 diabetes. As a Breakthrough T1D Youth Advocacy Leader (YAL), you can lend your voice on behalf of the T1D community to help support
legislation and policies that accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat T1D and its complications! Youth ages 17 and under are encouraged to apply (pro tip – it’s a terrific way to strengthen a Children’s Congress application!) Learn more and apply!

Young Adult Advocacy Council

The application to join the Young Adult Advocacy Council (YAAC) is currently closed. YAAC is a group of young adults who are business professionals, community leaders, and engaged students. These up-and-comers actively support the advancement of Breakthrough T1D’s advocacy priority areas, spread awareness of T1D within their communities, and inspire youth to use their voices and share their stories with key decision makers. Through their involvement, they drive meaningful progress on our path to cures for T1D. Learn more about the YAAC program and watch for application dates in the fall, visit HERE!