Susan's Rally Newsletter (Fall 2006)

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News from our Recipients

CHRISTUS Health, a Catholic not-for-profit health system headquartered in Dallas, announced that it is becoming the corporate sponsor for the Stehlin Foundation for Cancer Research. This new backing will support drug development, major updating of lab equipment, and will allow a 20 percent increase in staff. Ongoing support will continue from Friends of the Stehlin Foundation, through which Susan's Rally has donated funds since our beginning.

The M.D.Anderson Network's big weekend finished with a great dinner attended by a crew from the Rally. Great food and entertainment. The Network's goals continue to expand and just getting better. We're busy at Soujourn House, trying to get ready to furnish two apartments.

The Rose, which provides mammograms for women who cannot afford them, has received major funding from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Congratulations!

The Great Race

This year's race, since we started at Molina's Restaurant out on Westheimer, stayed pretty clear of the inner city this time. But, of course, there was still plenty of fun and interest along the route.

For example, I doubt if many of us knew about the casket store, where you can pick out a casket and drive away with it. And the pipe art gallery was a treat, definitely worth the drive. And the Buddhist temples were beautiful. And we got to have our photos taken with our gocarts! So thanks to all our participants, not only for contributing their Sunday and their dollar donations, but also for doing it with some expensive gas in their tanks.

Next year, partially because of those fuel prices, Susan's Rally will include, along with the driving, some bits of walking, and some pieces of the puzzle requiring some cerebral activity. So, dig your thinking caps out of the closet.

The 1st Annual Golf Tournament

Pink, Pink, Pink was the theme for the Susan's Rally First Annual Golf Tournament on April 10 at Bay Oaks Country Club, report tournament cochairs Kathleen Smith and Jeri Terry. The tournament was a huge success netting over $40,000 for the Rally. The beautiful sunny day was enjoyed by 131 golfers, with party holes, food, and mariachis, and fun throughout the course.

The day wound up with awards for the winning team of Greg Allen, Perry Laabs, Bob McDaniel and Ron Schulte, and a silent auction bringing in $7,000.

Sponsors included Lexus of Clear Lake, Stubbs Harley Davidson, and Silver Eagle Distributors. Major underwriters included Bay Oil Company, AHI, Houston Pilots, Varrichio Foundation, Neochem, Amergy Bank, Merrill Lynch, BK Consulting, Chevron Oil, Shell Oil, and Valero Oil Company.

In addition to the tournament cochairs, kudos for the smashing success of the tournament to the Golf Committee: Mary McMullen, Barbie Clariday, Kayt Foyt, Sonja Johnson, Jerri Knapp, Lisa Schulte, Tina Janoe, Cheryl Maultsby, Nell Veazey, Janice Allen, Rhonda Smith, Linda Knapp, Jan Bailey, Donna Hetland, Donna Warren and Angela Schroeder.

Here are the participants in the Rally's first but not last!--golf tournament: Greg Allen, Tony Allen, Judge Mike Anderson, Steve Anderson, Doug Ardoin, Scott Armstrong, Dave Austgen, April Bailey, Brent Bailey, Joe Base, Steve Brown, John Burgos, Jack Burns, David Burton, Jerry Bush, Larry Bush, Phil Cameron, Tiffany Clariday, Craig Clark, Russ Clark, Jeff Clausen, Ron Daily, Chris Daniel, Herb Davis, Bill Fenoglio, Matt Fleming, Ed Flores, Ray Forsthoffer, Jerry Foyt, David Gaspard, Mark Gladstein, Rick Gornto, Bert Graham, Mike Grank. Todd Griesenbeck, Jim Grimes, Paul Grover, John Hall, Shawn Hanson, Chet Hawkins, Sharon Heaton, Joe Hegyesl, Dave Herkner, David Hicks, Mike Hines, Brent Hornes, Buster Irby, Steve Jennings, Jackie Kilgore, Misty Killibrew, Buzzy Knapp, Clark Knickerbocker, Chris Krebbs, Kirk Krist, Randy Kublcek, Perry Laabe, Chuck Lafen, David LeBoe, Anthony Lekos, Keith Leonard, Danny Levitt, Phillip Linkous, Bruce Lurie, Jake Marsico, Vic Marsico, Ron Masters, Cheryl Maultsby, Jim Maultsby, Bob McDaniel, Cathey McGee, Chad McLean, Wynn McMullen, Judge Mike McSpadden, Pat McWaters, Roger McWaters, Cole Mercer, Jonathan Morrow, Larry Moser, Kathy Nelson, Bill Netherton, Jeff Noblin, George Parker, Jonathan Penn, Nelle Pratt, William Ray, Kent Roberts, Verda Rowland, Chuck Schussler, Ron Schussler, Ron Schulte, Ann Shea, Steve Shook, Larry Shumate, Bob Slekar, Randy Simpson, Bill Smith, Brooke Smith, Phil Smith, John Springman, Mark Stanger, Blake Stocke, Bryan Stokes, Jerry Stubbs, Jason Taylor, John Taylor, Reese Terry, Gary Tolbert, Nik Thepsouvanh, Judge Brock Thomas, Bill Thornton, Kyle Todd, Maureen Valcaza, Tony Varrichio, David Veazey, Aaron Wallrath, Dan Wallrath, Donna Warren, Monte Warren, John Wats, Lou Wilcox, Jeff Wortham, and Jeff Wynegar.

Next year's tournament is scheduled for April 16th

Here They Are...
The Ones Who Make It Work

Susan's Rally really gets the best out of everybody, and we can't begin to say thanks to all of those whose dedication, imagination, brains, energy, and time made it all work. But we'll try to list some of the main players below.

The heroine of this year's Rally may well have been Marlene Friedman, who brought in over 100 items to be sold at the auctions. And each time we thought she was through, and maybe went home to put her feet up, here she came with another trunkful. She is amazing, and can apparently talk just about anybody out of just about anything, and all the time spreading the word about Susan's Rally. We are lucky to have such a hard-working and charming asset!

Auction Chairman Tom Yerby did a great job for the Rally, not only smoothly putting together the auctions, but also getting the Ferrari Club of America involved. With help from Co-chair Marlene Friedman, Dale and Naomi Wilson, Dawn Gervais, Martha Lurie, and Martha Love, the auctions ran as smoothly as those Ferraris. And thanks to schleppers Geno Carola and David Kerns.

Polo Becerra and Deborah Guthrie at Post Oak Grill provided hard work and support for the Finish Line Party and the silent and live auctions. Stop in for a wonderful meal and tell them the Rally says thanks.

Fox Channel 26's General Manager D'Artagnan Bebel and former committee member Lisa Whitlock were great at getting our word out to Houston.

Thanks again to Kathleen Smith and Jerri Terry for perhaps the best golf tournament our city has ever seen. Wait 'til next year!

And we don't ever want to have a live auction without auctioneer Doug Harris, who not only gets that last dollar out of your pocket, but also serves as the man behind the rally's P.R. Rallymaster Max Yarbrough, along with Chase Breidenthal, Clay Albers, Ron Koutsodontis, Jonathan Morrow and Jamie Watson, adapted to our new starting venue and got all our cars off and away with efficiency and panache.

The good folks at Events ala Carte provided all the tables for our silent auction.

Molina's Mexican Restaurant on Westheimer was the perfect place for our Starting Line. Many thanks for all their help.

Patricia Page was responsible for creating the rally invitation and getting it you in the mail. It's a thankless job, so thanks, thanks, thanks to her and her committee.
And Treasurer Stephanie Dorman kept us honest again, another job we don't really get to see, so say thanks when you see her.

Beverley Sutton keeps things moving along in the office.

And of course, Bruce Roberson, sine qua non!

The Executive Committee

Birgitt Adenacker Judy & Ron Biffle Billie & Joe Bond Kim & Mike Box Chase Breidenthal Karen Briscoe Ellie & Roy Camberg Sergio Chaverria Jane Cherry John Cooney Stephanie Dorman Sheldon (Charlie) Evans Sissy & Bill Fenoglio Julie & Andrew Francis Marlene & Dr. Monte Friedman Pat Funston Dawn & Dr. Richard Gervais Glen Guidroz Doug Harris

Ann Hodges Dustie Hollon Jr. Elsa Kaim Karen Knickrahm Ron Koutsodontis Marcy Kurtz Margaret & Bill Larkin Joe Lennon Martha Love Martha & Bruce Lurie Rachel & Jake Marisco Jane Martin Laurie & Sherron McAdams Donald McDonald Kathryn Miller Lin MillsMike Moore Jonathan Morrow Mary Neeley Dottie Newton Patricia Page Paul Railey

Bruce Roberson Rhonda Ross Eric Rozelle Angela Segari Kari & Jake Short Rhonda Smith Kalynn Smith Kathleen Smith Deanna Sullivan Beverley Sutton Sue Sutton Ludeen & Harry Sweeney Gus Tamborello Jerri & Reese Tarry Jan Wallace Jamie Watson Denise Wells-Novotny Tom Williams Dale & Naomi Wilson Max Yarbrough Tom Yerby

And some notes...

TULSA ALERT: The Tulsa folks have changed their plans from an autumn event to springtime. Stay tuned for the date, and we'll see you in Tulsa.

Bruce's and Susan's mother Emma Roberson just celebrated her 89th birthday and still dances a mean tango. Congratulations, Emma!

We who have known Susan's son Eliott since he was a toddler are having a hard time wrapping our minds around the fact that he's six feet tall, at least so far.

Jane Cherry and Tulsa's Carolyn Quiggle have put together the latest and greatest Rally Cookbook. Call us at 713-526-2747 and we'll save one for you.

We've Got Class

We at Susan's Rally have always thought of ourselves as pretty classy, but this year we found out what classy can really be.

The Houston Chapter of the Ferrari Club of America exhibited 19 of their automobiles at the Post Oak Grill during the Finish Line Party and Silent Auction of this year's rally. Committee member Tom Yerby told the group about our rally and they really jumped right in. Thanks to the hard work of Glenn Barnett, FCA's Membership Director, and Patsy Richard, their Social Director, this bunch didn't just show off their extraordinary machines, they contacted their members, explained the goals of Susan's Rally, and got them involved. Some of these folks actually drove their cars in the rally, despite this spring's high fuel costs. And they pitched in to help Tom set up the auction tables, then dove in with their checkbooks and bought lots of auction items.

All in all, the Ferrari Club of America
members are some of the classiest folks we've
ever met.

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