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Dear Friends,
What a celebration we had on August
19! We had great food and a great location (thanks to Debbie Swinney
and the Armacosts)! We had a great reason to celebrate because we
exceeded our Annual Fund drive by nearly 20% ($117,398). Secondly,
we honored our wonderful staff and a host of volunteers and donors!
Finally, we enjoyed an entertaining video and had a great set of
DJ's (Kent and Nedra Hobert).
However the real purpose of the
celebration was demonstrated by Chanda Mae Hopson-Byers. This young
lady spoke eloquently about how TLC changed her life during her stay
at our shelter! Yes, it was quite a party, but more than that it was
a great reminder of the importance of the work that we do. If you
didn't attend, plan on attending our Annual Dinner celebration next
year. Thanks for all you do for the children.
Bob Drummond
President and CEO
CHANGING LIVES...
TLC
Annual Dinner and Awards Presentation
TLC celebrated its 33rd Annual Dinner
and Awards event on August 19th at the Armacost Car Museum in
Grandview. Over 240 TLC donors, volunteers and staff attended the
event. Guests enjoyed the fine cuisine of volunteer caterer Debbie
Swinney and her helpers, Vicki Parker and Rebecca Shipley.
Dr Bob Drummond, President and CEO,
shared the vision and future plans to expand the TLC campus as he
thanked friends and supporters for allowing this dream to evolve.
Sherrie Vaughn-Gregg, TLC's COO recognized TLC staff members for
their achievements. Kari Simpson received the Outstanding
Performance Award; Peggy Gorenflo received the Servant Leadership
Award; and Benita Love received the Harmony Award. Additionally, Dr
Drummond honored staff members Amanda Hart and Monica Johns for
their 5 years of service and Rob Yost for his 10 years of service.
Erica Fraka, VP of Marketing and
Development presented a number of awards during the event. Frank
Devocelle, president and CEO of Olathe Medical Center, and his wife
Molly were awarded TLC's Friends of Children award. Olathe Mayor
Michael Copeland received the Citizen of the Year award. Lenexa
Police Chief Ellen Hanson received the Protector of Children award.
Sherry Rakes, senior vice president of nursing at Olathe Medical
Center, received a national Advocate for Children award from the
Alliance for Children and Families as well as the Advocate for
Children award from TLC. Sharon Mendlick received the Taking Time to
Care award. Leawood Rotary Club received the Community Service
award. Mindy Kenagy and Mary Lassiter of Kansas Kids at Gear Up
received the Educator of Children award. Debbie Swinney received the
Volunteer of the Year award for sharing hours of her time and energy
each month to benefit TLC.
Harlan Parker and Dan Stalp, TLC “For
the Children” Annual Fund Co-chairs, shared the campaign success of
$117,398. Additionally, Honorary Chairs Annabeth Surbaugh, Ron
Shaffer, Mike Copeland, Ellen Hanson, Ed O'Malley and campaign
captains Rob Boyer, Debbie Swinney, Tim Danneberg, Terri Gravely,
Jim Smith, and Frank Bell were honored. Also recognized were
committee members present Rebecca Shipley, Kent Hobert, Sandy
Feeney, Ron Wimmer, Chris Carroll, Kelli Springs , Sherry Rakes,
Vicki Parker, Ron Ryckman, Morgan Rose and Dave Sheffield. Members
not present included Lori and John Barns, Betty Pro, Lori Thomas,
John Fales, Dana Russell, Brad Elpers, Julie Heiktamp, Valerie
Rhodes, Susan Sherman, Doug Huston, David Viebrock, Randy
Richardson, Ed Russell, Greg Oswald, Joanne Galbrecht, Mitch
Ashlock, Mike McNichol, Martin Fries, Scott Sidwell, Andrew Darling,
Matt Filing, Brady Wombolt, Mindy Buford, Todd Baker, Cathy Goodman,
Debbie McClendon, Dale Schwader, Tom Mitchell, Dan Simon, Tim McKee,
Brent McCune, David Harrison, Phil LaCerte, Pete Heaven, Brian Roby,
Rob Heise, Ed O'Malley, Joe Eby, Steve Fleischaker, Charles Warren,
Jean Garten, Brian Dunn and Greg Harrelson.
Erica
Fraka recognized TLC's Special Event Co-chairs; Valerie Burke,
Michelle Hardeman, Carl Little, Allen Skeens, Kristen Shaner, Vernon
Avant, Valerie Craig and Mary Hobbs.
The evening concluded with
music provided by Kent and Nedra Hobert.
"For the
Children" Annual Fund volunteers holding up signs reflecting
the total amount the campaign raised.
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Todd Skeens has been
volunteering at TLC for almost two years. He came to TLC after
Ford Motor Company down sized and temporarily cut his
position. Todd remains a full-time employee for Ford but
spends his 40 hours a week volunteering for TLC. Todd has many
family and friends who are involved in the organization, so TLC was
a natural choice for him. Todd spends his days at TLC helping
with a variety of tasks. Along with picking up donations,
organizing the pantry and shelter closets and helping to maintain
TLC's referral data base, Todd also serves on the Hoops for Kids
committee and assists with the Tee It Up for TLC golf tournament and
other special events. Todd says that he enjoys his volunteer
work at TLC because he gets to help a good organization and be
around good people until he is called back to work. TLC enjoys
having Todd as a volunteer because no task is too small and he is
always willing to help. Volunteers like Todd make it a little
easier for TLC to help the many children in crisis that we serve on
a daily basis.
Todd Skeens volunteering
at TLC.
For more information on TLC volunteer
opportunities visit our
website.
Special Event Spotlight...
United For Kids Gala
TLC
for Children and Families will be hosting it's ninth annual United
For Kids Gala, entitled Triumph over Adversity, featuring
Linda Armstrong Kelly, mother of world champion Lance Armstrong, on
Oct. 14, 2005 at the Overland Park Sheraton Hotel. Linda will share
her inspirational story as told in her book, "No Mountain High
Enough" Raising Lance, Raising Me, to help TLC raise money for
children and families in crisis in our community. Last year TLC
served 5300 homeless, runaway, abused and neglected children through
their various programs. The number is expected to increase each
year. TLC for Children and Familie's United for Kids Gala evening
will include a banquet dinner and a silent and oral auction
featuring an autographed official Lance Armstrong TREK bike.
Honorary Chairs are Tom and Mary Martha Carrico and gala committee
co-chairs are Valerie Burke, TLC Board of Directors, and Michele
Hardeman. Individual tickets are $100 and table sponsorships start
at $1250. To order your tickets you may call TLC at 913-764-2887 or
purchase online at www.kidstlc.org
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