Survivors on the Move
Judy Scholl coordinated an opportunity for her staff to volunteer for a Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) event and give our time to the community on Sunday, Oct. 2nd. The Director of Events at TCH that she worked through needed help with their Tenth Annual Survivors' Celebration of Life "Survivors on the Move" where children and their families who attend celebrate being cancer-free or in remission after being diagnosed with cancer.
The event was held at the Renaissance Hotel in Houston. Shawn Respert, who is the Director of Basketball Operations at Rice University and a Former NBA Player and Cancer Survivor, was the guest speaker to the group and shared how his fight with cancer changed his life and shared some of his inspirational thoughts. The event was sponsored by the Periwinkle Foundation, who is a primary support association to TCH.
Jiffy Lube Customer Service and their volunteers did all the setup work (balloons, decorating, name tag/registration), as well as manned an arts and crafts area where the children got a chance to be creative and decorate their own sun visors. They also manned a station for the Lance Armstrong Foundation where LiveStrong bracelets and information were handed out. The event was an absolute success.
Jiffy Lube was formally thanked and recognized at the podium by one of the doctors at TCH for volunteering their time.
JLI Employees Pedal from Houston to Austin To Raise Funds to Fight MS
Houston-based Jiffy Lube International employees Karen Hudak, Darwin Moore and Billy Stevens are gearing up for a two-day bike trek from Houston to Austin called the MS 150 Bike Tour to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) on April 16 and 17. MS is a chronic, often disabling disease of the central nervous system affecting the brain and spinal cord. Today, there is no known cause or cure for MS.
Hudak, data warehouse manager in the marketing group and Moore, a senior project leader in the IT group will join approximately 13,000 other bicyclists who will ride the 185 miles for the cause. The cyclists pedal all the way to La Grange, TX as the mid-way point and spend the night in local hotels and wake up the next morning and complete the journey to the State Capitol.
Hudak, who has participated in the MS 150 Bike Tour for the past five years, said, "Seeing thousands of cyclists of all walks of life challenging their bodies and minds to journey 185 miles on a bicycle is just plain awe-inspiring. When I looked at some of their faces during the ride, I knew that they were somewhat experiencing the same challenges that people with MS experience on a daily basis. Like those affected by MS, you just have to find the faith and courage to continue on with the journey ahead."
Last year was the 20th anniversary of the MS 150 Bike Tour, the largest organized bicycle tour in the US. The MS 150 Bike Tour from Houston to Austin in just one of three tours hosted by the National MS Society, Lone Star Chapter in Texas.
For more information or to get involved, contact Karen Hudak at karen.hudak@shell.com / 713-546-4849.
Karen Hudak and her brother, Robert Justice hold their bicycles up as a symbol of success after completing the MS 150, a 185-mile bike tour from Houston to Austin last year. The MS 150 Bike Tour raises money for Multiple Sclerosis.
Greater Houston Jiffy Lube service centers have launched a brand new Service Heroessm initiative, partnering with Papa John's® restaurants to raise funds for critical cancer research and treatment at the world-renowned Texas Children's Cancer Center.
Between August 15 and October 15, 2004, customers making $2 donations to Texas Children's Cancer Center at 118 participating Jiffy Lube service centers and Papa John's restaurants will receive a thank you Value Card worth more than $50 in future savings. The Value Cards entitle customers to $6 off their next four Jiffy Lube Signature Service® oil changes and a free small Papa John's pizza with any in-store purchase of a large pizza at the regular menu price.
Houston-area Jiffy Lube service centers also declared August 10, 2004 Texas Children's Cancer Center Lube-A-Thon day and donated $2 from each vehicle serviced to the hospital.
"Helping to support a world-class facility like Texas Children's Cancer Center is a privilege," said Ladd Welch, vice president of Jiffy Lube International's Southwest division. "Our employees are eagerly raising donations for TCCC and we all look forward to growing this fundraiser into a highly successful, annual campaign."
Texas Children's Cancer Center is the largest pediatric cancer and hematology program in the United States. Each year, the Center diagnoses 200 to 300 cancer patients and more than 1,000 blood disorder patients; its outpatient clinic handles more than 25,000 child visits. To date, the Center has treated children from 35 states and 26 countries. Because all children are treated regardless of their family's ability to pay, more than 50 percent rely on financial assistance.
Jiffy Lube is honored to support this hospital which not only saves children's lives everyday but also helps families cope with the challenges of cancer therapies and the road to recovery.
