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MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital Lemonade Day 2014

dlschlepphorst
Explorer C
L1L2 Southwest Airlines has a long-standing relationship with MD Anderson Cancer Center. As a matter of fact, they were one of the first hospitals in the Southwest Airlines Medical Transportation Grant Program, which now includes more than 82 hospitals and four Medical Transportation groups.  For the past three years, we’ve sponsored “Lemonade Day” at the Children’s Cancer Hospital, providing lemonade, cups, napkins, and volunteers for the hospital’s on-site lemonade stand experience, which supports Lemonade Day Houston. Southwest Employees pitch in to help kids learn with a “marketing lesson” to create posters to promote the event.

As Center Admin Coordinator for the Houston station, I consider myself blessed to work for a Company with Leaders who allow their Employees to volunteer for causes near and dear to their heart.  MD Anderson and cancer survivors are one of those causes near and dear to my heart--I am a cancer survivor myself, and know how that journey impacts one’s life.

This year, I spent my time at the dessert table with “M,” my new 8-year-old friend from Saudi Arabia. It turns out that marketing skills weren’t the only skills learned that day-- “M” and I practiced his newly-acquired English skills as he offered our guests delicious lemon bars and shared, “when life gives you lemons, you make lemon bars!” I was reminded that feeling truly fulfilled in this life comes from giving from the heart to your community and spreading the LUV!  “M” and I did just that-- he reminded me that “with ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable!”