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To the Editor:
Hi, my name is Connie Gerhart and I am the
Director of the Alpha & Omega Learning Center, an outreach
ministry of Countryside Cathedral Church of God. We are a public,
Christian school located in Safety Harbor.
I would like to let you and the community
know about our 'Trike-A-Thon' event being held
Friday, Aug. 31 at our school/church. Here at Alpha & Omega
Learning Center we have a five-year-old student who is battling
cancer and has since she was born. This little girl was born with a
Wilmes Tumor and is presently on the kidney transplant waiting
list. This little girl is has many more surgeries, including the
breaking of all of her chest and rib bones to correct the
malformation of her bones and chest area.
Until I took the position of director of
this school, I felt that I was blind to the medical problems that
face today&rsquos child. Upon meeting this child and getting to
know her and her family, I have been introduced to St. Jude
Children's Research Hospital and all of the wonderful ways
they help families and their children. I have recently joined with
St. Jude to sponsor a Trike A Thon with all proceeds going to the
children of the hospital.
These funds will help St. Jude in its
ongoing fight against childhood catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is
internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures
and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases.
Founded by the late entertainer, Danny Thomas, and based in
Memphis, TN, St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific
and medical communities around the world. No family every pays for
treatments not covered by insurance and families without insurance
are never asked to pay.
Trike-A-Thon is designed to expose
pre-schoolers to using riding toys safely through a week-long fun
activity and provides a parent-awareness program that involves the
parents in safe behavior practices to help ensure their
child&rsquos well-being.
In order to make this event a successful
one, I need some help from the community. As we all know,
today&rsquos child is tomorrow&rsquos future and without
our help and support some of these innocent children may not have a
tomorrow. But, with all of our support these children may have a
chance to see tomorrow.
Anyone interested in participating or
making a donation, may call me at 727-725-5465 or visit
www.stjude.org/trike.
Thank you for your kind consideration and
support.
Sincerely,
Connie Gerhart
Director/Alpha & Omega Learning
Center
Safety Harbor
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