Since her voice is known all across Texas and much of the nation as well, Connie Yates often gets teased about her southern accent, but I know that behind that southern charm is a woman whose determination has moved mountains, especially when it comes to being a champion for The Rose. As Director of Public Affairs and Governmental Relations for Randalls Food Markets Connie’s remarkable in-store announcements and radio spots are unmistakable, her enthusiasm bringing life to her message.
When face-to-face with Connie, her passion is evident. Her bright demeanor is dimmed only when talking about her sister who lost her battle with breast cancer two years ago. Maybe it was seeing and knowing what her sister went through after the diagnosis that motivated Connie to be such a champion but somehow I think her unstoppable efforts to increase awareness and funds runs even deeper.
Connie’s most recent foray in support of The Rose involved convincing Channel 2 to team up with Randalls by producing breast cancer awareness public service announcement spots aired at all Randalls stores and featuring the incredibly beautiful and well known anchor Dominque Sachse. Admittedly, Channel 2 (KPRC) is an old friend also, so maybe it didn’t take a lot of convincing but even so, Connie isn’t someone you can easily say no to.
She is a stunning lady, always perfectly dressed and her flashing, deep set steel blue eyes demand your fullest attention. Her gorgeous hair belies her youth and energy. She’s easy to spot in any crowd and in crowds is usually where I’ve found her.
Randalls events at the different stores -- bake sales, the raffles and the times the managers served breakfast in tuxedoes and long dresses to the staff as another way to raise money in October -- are fond memories for me. Randalls’ giving involves everyone: employees, managers, vendors and most importantly customers. I couldn’t be any prouder than when I walk through a Randalls and see aisles all decked out in pink balloons and staff sporting pink ribbons. I marvel at the way cashiers encourage customers to add another dollar or two to their purchases because it is such a good cause.
Randalls has been a supporter of The Rose since 1992 and after nearly two decades they have helped with virtually every service area, from funding our Young Women’s Services to helping to purchase our first mobile mammography unit in 2006, a service that covers 14 counties and one Randalls has continued to support year after year. Whenever we have guests at The Rose and I tour them through the Randalls Resource and Conference Center, a huge area that has hosted hundreds of educational and fundraising events, I explain that those dollars they are asked to donate in October at Randalls stores made that area possible. Seeing the Conference Center or the Mobile Unit brings it all home for Randalls Good Neighbor Program.
Each fall, at the 34 Houston-area Randalls stores, customers and employees Scan-A-Dollar for breast cancer. Connie explains, “We say ‘One dollar many times makes many dollars.’” To date, that has totaled $1.5 million. I’m not sure how she’s done it year in and year out, but I suspect it has been Connie’s influence that has kept those fundraising dollars close to home serving not just The Rose but other breast cancer organizations.
Some of the best Randalls/Rose moments are the times Dawne Profitt, Randalls Public Affairs and Governmental Relations Manager, would call and leave a message saying, “We have our total amount of our gift to The Rose.” She would never tell me the amount in the message and after hours tracking her down, I would learn again of their remarkable gift. I think Dawne likes to hear me scream. Dawne and Connie are such a team, a dream team, when it comes to partnering for The Rose.
Making Every Day Matter …
Some folks are supporters long before you even know them and as I go through 25 years of scrapbooks, pictures of one couple keep showing up: Bob and Elaine Domec followed closely behind by Corkey and Debbie Turner. Be it a Soroptimist event or a Yoga fundraiser, one of those four would show up, sometimes all of them together.
Bob became a member of our Board in 2003 and in 2005 he brought Corkey to the table. I knew right away putting those two together had to spell trouble since keeping them in line during board meetings was hard enough. Bob, who abhors wearing socks and hates to dress up (ties do not appear in his wardrobe) has a quick wit and never misses a chance to use it. Granted Corkey is the quiet one, (conservative in dress, he does wear socks and ties!) but then every comedy act has to have a straight man.
When it came to breast cancer however both were serious. Bob’s daughter had battled the disease and he had lost a niece to it; both women were way too young to face such ordeals. Corkey retells the day Debbie thought she had found something and how upset and worried she was. Thankfully her results were benign but the agony she experienced was a memory he will never forget. So both these men, these incredibly wonderful men, bring a deep sense of purpose to their work with The Rose.
I remember the meeting they brought up a new fundraising idea. Boy, did we need new ideas as we were in another one of those especially difficult years, watching every dollar. (Actually most of our years are like this but this one was tougher than usual.)
Bob and Corkey are Casa Olé franchisees and they proposed getting as many restaurants as possible to take one day out of every week in October and give 10% of the stores’ sales to The Rose. I didn’t really think it would fly—lots of restaurants offer to support this or that charity with portions of the profits but nobody donates 10% of sales—that was huge!
They were committed, even if it was just their stores, they intended to do it. So we needed a campaign, and we needed to brand it. Enter our ace communications person (at that time) Maggie Phillips and after lots of brainstorming we came up with “Make Tuesdays Matter.” And, matter they did. Bob and Corkey even convinced the Mexican Restaurants Inc. to include their Casa Olé Restaurants which were managed company stores.
It helped that Larry Forehand founder of Casa Olé, who had opened the first restaurant in Pasadena 35 years ago, was also an old friend and supporter of The Rose.
The campaign began and every Tuesday Casa Olés around Harris County and beyond, from Pasadena to Hwy 290 and into Baytown and Conroe, decorated in pink and joined in. Imagine seeing Make Tuesdays Matter signs on every table at the restaurants, with information about breast cancer symptoms and the importance of early detection displayed. Make Tuesdays Matter banners lined the walls and migrated to other businesses and the city joined in. Over the years, other money-making efforts were added, one year Corkey raised $7,000 selling Pink Ribbons which lined the walls with names of survivors or loved ones who had lost their battle. Local businesses reserved Tuesdays as a special employee “day out” for lunch, and regular customers changed their day to Tuesday. One very special man gave a little extra each visit to sweeten the pot.
Year after year, they came up with different ways to promote Make Tuesdays Matter, maintaining the program through the toughest economic times and to date Casa Ole has raised more than $126,000! Astounding!
Another difference made by people who care. We treasure Bob and Corkey more than they can ever imagine.
And we send our heartfelt thanks to all of the participating Casa Olé restaurants: 7750 Spencer Hwy., Pasadena; 1520 E. Southmore, Pasadena; 2726 Spencer, Pasadena; 3121 Palmer Highway, Texas City; 20131 Highway 59 North, Humble; 12350 Gulf Freeway, Houston; 2608 Highway 36 S., Brenham; 1020 Federal Road, Houston; 5920-A Highway 6 North, Houston; 12203 Murphy Road, Stafford; 11120 Northwest Freeway, Houston; 3100 East Broadway, Pearland; and 2010 Westview, Conroe.
This memory is one of 25 short stories written by Dorothy Gibbons, the Co-founder and CEO of The Rose, a nonprofit breast cancer organization. She and Dr. Dixie Melillo received the 501C3 documents for The Rose in 1986. A memory will be shared daily, culminating with number 25 on the day The Rose celebrates its 25th anniversary November 10.
© 2011 Dorothy Gibbons. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment