Girl Scout heroes honored at BMW Ultimate
Drive |
Girl Scouts Kelly L. and Emily
S. and adult Girl Scout volunteer Dorothy Paterson were among
the honorees at the eighth annual BMW Ultimate Drive on May
21-28. The event which benefits the Susan G. Komen Breast
Cancer Foundation was hosted by the Houston BMW Group.
The event began with an appreciation breakfast to recognize
those individuals and groups who have been instrumental in
the fight against breast cancer. The 2004 honorees were: Dr.
J.B. Askew, Lourdes Hernandez, Sharon Messimer, Dorothy Paterson,
Patricia Riggleman, Dr. Maria Scouros, and the Asian American
Health Coalition.
Also recognized during the event were two local Girl Scouts
Kelly L.n, 14, and Emily S., 14, who mobilized their entire
Girl Scout Troop #12369 to create 1,000 pink origami paper
cranes from the story One Thousand Paper Cranes for the Houston
Chapter of the Komen Foundation.
The story One Thousand Paper Cranes was first introduced
at a previous Ultimate Drive breakfast. The two Girl Scouts
were motivated by the story of the 12-year-old Sadako S.i,
who in 1955 contracted Atomic Bomb Disease. She followed the
Japanese folk-tale that says if you fold 1,000 paper cranes
your wish will come true. While she lost her battle with leukemia
nine months later, her story inspired thousands of children
to launch a campaign for a Children’s Peace Statue in
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The statue and the story demonstrate
the power of one person to inspire others like those who fight
the battle against breast cancer every day. |
The 8th annual BMW Ultimate Drive Appreciation
Breakfast on May 21 sponsored by The Houston BMW Group and benefiting
the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation honored local heroes
in the battle of breast cancer. Pictured: Special Guest, Stephanie
Komen; Local Girl Scout and Honoree, Kelly L.; Local Girl Scout
and Honoree, Emily S.; Fox Channel 26 - News Anchor, Melissa
Wilson. Photo provided by Jeff Fitlow |
| Unique to this year’s event
was the participation of Stephanie Komen, Susan Komen’s
daughter, as the keynote speaker. She also kicked-off the
week-long driving event beginning at Momentum West on Saturday,
May 22 that continued each day at a different Houston BMW
Center.
Now in its eighth year, BMW’s annual nationwide driving
event raises money to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation
by inviting people to drive specially painted pink ribbon
BMWs at local dealerships. For every mile driven, BMW donates
$1 to the Komen Foundation; thus raising more |
than $1 million annually. Additionally, local
heroes had their photo and name added to the Ultimate Drive
signature car, a new BMW X3, as part of the nationwide Drive.
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was established
in 1982. The Foundation is a national organization with a network
of volunteers working through local chapters and Race for the
Cure events fighting to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening
disease. The Foundation is the nation’s largest private
fund donor of research dedicated solely to breast cancer. |
Girl Scouts reach out to kids at
M. D. Anderson hospital
Girl Scout Troop #8609 of The Woodlands recently donated
140 cross-stitch craft kits to the Pediatric and Adolescent
Department at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. This project was
for their Bronze Award, the highest honor a Junior Girl Scout
can earn. The donation was made in honor of Zack H., the older
brother of Ariel H. and long-time friend to the other girls,
who lost his battle with brain cancer last December. The troop
met with Susan Gorry, a child life specialist at the hospital,
in Kim’s Place, a retreat just for teens and young adults
inside M. D. Anderson. It was built in honor of Kim Perrot,
the Houston Comet’s basketball player who succumbed
to cancer. Kim’s Place was Zack’s favorite refuge
when he had to be at the hospital for treatment and so was
the natural setting for the event. Pictured, left to right,
are Jessica M., Ariel H., Vivian K., and Susan G. |
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