Joy Martucci, Birmingham, Alabama
I met her in a chemistry class when we were both undergraduates at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Notwithstanding her physical challenges, she was living on her own. She earned her degree in Communications Studies in 2006, and then went to the E.H. Gentry Technical Facility in Talladega, a postsecondary rehabilitation and training center for adults, where she learned how to read Braille and to walk better with a white cane. She graduated this year from the University of Alabama with her Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, and I have pictures of her walking across the stage to accept her diploma! Anna’s story of triumphs in spite of her circumstances challenges me every day to be a better person.
An Example to Live By
I have a good friend, Anna Trotman, whose story is a great inspiration to me. Anna was born with a very rare genetic syndrome called Bardet Biedl Syndrome which is characterized by having vision problems, obesity, kidney abnormalities, short and stubby fingers and toes, speech delay, and short stature. As she has grown up, she has had to overcome many obstacles and challenges in her life. She is blind, has difficultly hearing, and is 13 years out of a living-related kidney transplant from her dad.I met her in a chemistry class when we were both undergraduates at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Notwithstanding her physical challenges, she was living on her own. She earned her degree in Communications Studies in 2006, and then went to the E.H. Gentry Technical Facility in Talladega, a postsecondary rehabilitation and training center for adults, where she learned how to read Braille and to walk better with a white cane. She graduated this year from the University of Alabama with her Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, and I have pictures of her walking across the stage to accept her diploma! Anna’s story of triumphs in spite of her circumstances challenges me every day to be a better person.
Kim Stockton, Birmingham, Alabama
A Dog's Life
This is a story about a group of dog-loving strangers throughout Alabama whose efforts helped to place Murdock in the welcoming home of Regions associate Donna Parker.
First found in Florida, Murdock is believed to have been displaced from his family after one of the many storms to hit the coast. Murdock was friendly and very well socialized, but he tested positive for heartworms, making it harder to get him adopted. The Mobile, Ala., nonprofit group SouthBARK rescued him from a shelter where he was likely to be euthanized. People throughout Baldwin County took turns providing homes for him, and a local animal clinic provided care.
After SouthBARK posted his information on their Facebook page, my friend Julie Ellis agreed to be his next foster owner. "No idea why—it was something about that face," Julie told me. Julie lives in Birmingham, so two volunteers offered to deliver Murdock from Mobile.
Julie kept Murdock for the next two weeks, while she made flyers, posted updates on Facebook, and emailed friends about Murdock. When I forwarded the information to Donna, she and her son, Brady, looked at the photos and description of Murdock, fell in love, and decided to adopt him. They have since renamed him "Bubba," and he is loving his new home. Donna continues to put pictures on Facebook, drawing many comments from people who have followed and been touched by this story.
To view some photos of Bubba click here: http://hardin518.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=20576618&AlbumKey=pdBfJZ
This is a story about a group of dog-loving strangers throughout Alabama whose efforts helped to place Murdock in the welcoming home of Regions associate Donna Parker.
First found in Florida, Murdock is believed to have been displaced from his family after one of the many storms to hit the coast. Murdock was friendly and very well socialized, but he tested positive for heartworms, making it harder to get him adopted. The Mobile, Ala., nonprofit group SouthBARK rescued him from a shelter where he was likely to be euthanized. People throughout Baldwin County took turns providing homes for him, and a local animal clinic provided care.
After SouthBARK posted his information on their Facebook page, my friend Julie Ellis agreed to be his next foster owner. "No idea why—it was something about that face," Julie told me. Julie lives in Birmingham, so two volunteers offered to deliver Murdock from Mobile.
Julie kept Murdock for the next two weeks, while she made flyers, posted updates on Facebook, and emailed friends about Murdock. When I forwarded the information to Donna, she and her son, Brady, looked at the photos and description of Murdock, fell in love, and decided to adopt him. They have since renamed him "Bubba," and he is loving his new home. Donna continues to put pictures on Facebook, drawing many comments from people who have followed and been touched by this story.
To view some photos of Bubba click here: http://hardin518.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=20576618&AlbumKey=pdBfJZ
Sandra Hawkins, Birmingham, Alabama
The square dancers rallied with a marathon dance. Callers, cuers, line dance instructors and dancers from all over the state of Alabama and the southeast gathered at our dance hall in Fultondale to raise money for the victims, dance and fellowship. We raised $2,652, during 10 hours of dancing and fellowship, and it was donated to the Salvation Army.
Square Dancers Aren't Square
When the April tornadoes tore through Alabama, we were so concerned that our square dance hall in Fultondale, Ala. was severely damaged or completely destroyed. Fultondale was one of the hardest hit areas in the path of tornadoes that day. When we were notified that the streets were clear enough of debris so that we could go check on our building, to our surprise, it had only minor damage. The properties surrounding our building were completely destroyed. Our hearts immediately went out to all our dear friends and fellow dancers that were dealing with so much damage from that day. We also were very concerned for all the people in the path of that horrible tornado. Many lives and homes were destroyed that day.The square dancers rallied with a marathon dance. Callers, cuers, line dance instructors and dancers from all over the state of Alabama and the southeast gathered at our dance hall in Fultondale to raise money for the victims, dance and fellowship. We raised $2,652, during 10 hours of dancing and fellowship, and it was donated to the Salvation Army.
Connie Tucker Long, Huntsville, Alabama
Anyone who has or previously had breast cancer or any other type cancer was given the opportunity and honor to sign one of the pink fire trucks. The event was heartfelt as strangers spoke to strangers, and a kinship was felt all around. The Madison Fire Station parking lot was overrunning with young and old alike wearing pink.
I attended this event with my dear friend and co-worker Mary Hix and my husband Wayne, (both who supported me during my treatment and recovery), and we had the opportunity to meet up with our fellow co-worker and breast cancer survivor Teresa Morgan.
The air was full of hope and promise for brighter tomorrows. Being a five-year breast cancer survivor, I feel truly blessed. It is an inescapable fact that one out of eight women are at risk for developing breast cancer in their lifetime. However, if detected early, the survival rate is 98 percent--which just proves that awareness is truly the key and sharing with others is a real reason for HOPE.
You can learn more about the Pink Heals Tour at http://www.pinkfiretrucks.org.
The Color of Hope
The Pink Heals Tour arrived August 30, 2011, in Madison, Ala., hosted by local Fire Station # 1. In 2007, Dave Graybill of Arizona founded the Pink Heals Tour, which is a nonprofit organization that solely relies on the sale of T-shirts for revenue. For this event, firefighters serve as guardians dressed in PINK gear and tour all over the United States in pink fire trucks with the goal of raising awareness about breast cancer and other forms of cancer found in women. Money raised at events is distributed to local charities that help women and families battling this horrible disease.Anyone who has or previously had breast cancer or any other type cancer was given the opportunity and honor to sign one of the pink fire trucks. The event was heartfelt as strangers spoke to strangers, and a kinship was felt all around. The Madison Fire Station parking lot was overrunning with young and old alike wearing pink.
I attended this event with my dear friend and co-worker Mary Hix and my husband Wayne, (both who supported me during my treatment and recovery), and we had the opportunity to meet up with our fellow co-worker and breast cancer survivor Teresa Morgan.
The air was full of hope and promise for brighter tomorrows. Being a five-year breast cancer survivor, I feel truly blessed. It is an inescapable fact that one out of eight women are at risk for developing breast cancer in their lifetime. However, if detected early, the survival rate is 98 percent--which just proves that awareness is truly the key and sharing with others is a real reason for HOPE.
You can learn more about the Pink Heals Tour at http://www.pinkfiretrucks.org.
Belinda Hernandez, Cordele, Georgia
Austin was flown to different hospitals numerous times. This took a toll on Belinda. With determination and extensive searching, Belinda finally located a specialist in Augusta, Ga., who approached Austin’s condition differently than all the other doctors. He eventually was able to determine that Austin was having complex partial seizures.
In August 2010, Austin went in for what would be the first of two life-changing surgeries.
Austin miraculously suffered no memory loss and has been seizure free since the surgeries. Belinda notes that he is in the gifted program, plays in the band and participates in the competitions, and has just started playing soccer. Belinda’s prayers for Austin to live a normal, healthy life were answered. Austin was given a second chance at living a normal life, and he loves every minute of it.
A Fight for a Miracle
Belinda Hernandez’s son Austin was born a healthy child and seemed to be growing into normal adolescence. When Austin was eight years old, Belinda received a call from the school notifying her that her son was “acting funny,” and it was just shortly after she picked him up that he had a seizure. She was terrified and couldn’t understand how Austin went from being “a healthy boy to having seizures about every 2 months.” After numerous doctor visits and multiple tests, Austin’s seizures continued to be diagnosed as “harmless.” However, Easter morning of 2007, Austin’s seizure went from “harmless” to life threatening.Austin was flown to different hospitals numerous times. This took a toll on Belinda. With determination and extensive searching, Belinda finally located a specialist in Augusta, Ga., who approached Austin’s condition differently than all the other doctors. He eventually was able to determine that Austin was having complex partial seizures.
In August 2010, Austin went in for what would be the first of two life-changing surgeries.
Austin miraculously suffered no memory loss and has been seizure free since the surgeries. Belinda notes that he is in the gifted program, plays in the band and participates in the competitions, and has just started playing soccer. Belinda’s prayers for Austin to live a normal, healthy life were answered. Austin was given a second chance at living a normal life, and he loves every minute of it.
Valerie A. Stowe, Kingston, Tennessee
For more information on Storehouse Ministries, visit http://www.beba.ws/136268.
When the Team Pulls Together
Our Regions branch in Wartburg, Tenn., is in a very rural area. When the economy went bad, many people here lost their jobs. In fact, Scott County has the highest unemployment rate in the state. Because of that, many families are struggling just to take care of the basic necessities. There is a wonderful, charitable organization called Storehouse Ministries that serves the people of the area with free food, clothes, and services. In the past, Regions has helped by setting up donation barrels in our lobby. In the spring of this year, I told my team that if we won a bike in the Deposit Focus Week contest, we would use it to help raise money and food for Storehouse. My team really pulled together, and we did indeed win the bike. We put the bike on display in the lobby and took donations of money and canned food items. We raised over $300 and some 280 non-perishable food items. To the people of our tiny community, it was a lot. We intend to continue to help out in our area, because my team and I feel that "do what is right" is not merely a phrase. It is a way to truly help one another.For more information on Storehouse Ministries, visit http://www.beba.ws/136268.