winter 2014 newsletter: champion feature
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Read about our latest news & events in our Winter 2014 Newsletter, featuring our Champions for Children event.TRANSCRIPT
Winter 2014
newsletter
We took a trip back to high school for The Breakfast Club: A Champions for Children Event benefiting Texas Center for the Missing (TCM). Over 190 caring Houstonians came out to support TCM’s life-saving programs and enjoy a night of throwback fun based on the 80s hit teen movie, The Breakfast Club.
The event was held at the Historic Julia Ideson Library Building in Downtown Houston and included a live auction, big board auction, and paddle raising. During the night, Stephanie & Mark Deverka were awarded the 2014 Gabriel Lester Hero Award for their dedication to keeping children and endangered adults in our community safe.
Overall the event raised $180,000 for the organization! These funds will go to Internet Safety classes, Amber Alert issuance, Child ID Kits for local families, and the launching of a regional Silver Alert Program in the Houston area for missing elderly.
Event Co-Chairs Luba Bigman, Christine Hoffer, Rosemarie Johnson, Melissa Mithoff, Nanette West, and Tiffany Wong ensured the evening was a success, and with a close-out performance by Molly & The Ringwalds, the party lasted late into the night.
Thank you to everyone who made the evening such a fun success!
Vice President Stephanie & Mark Deverka
Mary & Allen Shindler, Star 5 Ranch
Secretary A Fare Extraordinaire
Rosemarie & Matt Johnson
Light Charitable Trust
Melissa & Michael Mithoff
Jan & Trevor Rees-Jones
Kim & Bill Sanchez
Cliff & Nanette West
Tiffany & Randall Wong
Treasurer Nadine & Stephen Boutros
Karen D. King & Richard J. Burch
Laura & Ned Davenport
Christine & Ty Hoffer
Brandi Maxwell
Doreen Wise & Frank Crapitto
Historian Beth Alberts & Mark Sendt
The Boehler Family Charitable Fund
Howard & Stacie Chapman
Dr. Edward & Dr. Daniela Group
Keri & Michael Herrin
Drs. Mary F. Ice & Alexander Sardiña
Legacy Community Health Services/Chree Boydstun
Jennifer & Joel Moore
Mercedes & Vinny Pilegge
Ashley & Jonathan Sloan
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We are so excited to announce our newest project, the Safety Savvy App, will be available for Apple and Android mobile devices by the end of 2014!
Over the last year we have been working to put together an engaging education resource for parents and guardians that will encourage safe behaviors. Safety checklists include Prevent Abduction, School Safety, and Endangered Adult Safety. Users can track their progress through the checklists and advance through levels.
We also want to ensure that if an emergency ever occurs help will be right at the fingertips of Safety Savvy App users. Through the
mobile application, a user can easily call 9-1-1 and notify TCM of a missing persons case. Users can also access helpful emergency resources, like the Find My Child or Long-Term Missing Checklists.
This Safety Savvy App Project was made possible by generous gifts from Stephanie & Mark Deverka and Kim & Bill Sanchez.
Download the Safety Savvy App in mid-December!
Apple App Store
Google Play Store
The 10th Annual Golf Challenge for Children Tournament, presented by Dynamic Industries International LLC, was held on September 9th, 2014, at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas.
Over 120 golfers and volunteers came out to support Texas Center for the Missing (TCM), and to enjoy a great day of golf that raised needed funds to keep local children safe. The day began with a Ceremonial Swing from Honorary Golf Chair Houston City Council Member Oliver Pennington, followed by a Shotgun Start sending 27 teams scrambling on this beautiful Houston course.
With a wide array of talented golfers, the tournament proved competitive! Emcee Dayna Steele kept the post-play ceremony lively and awarded the Cliff and Nanette West Team with 1st Place Gross, including players Scott Owens, Allan Measom, Josh Patterson, and Cliff West.
Overall, the tournament raised $55,633 for Texas Center for the Missing! These funds will go to new child Internet Safety classes, Amber Alert issuance training, and Child ID Kits for local families.
Thank you to everyone who made the 10th Annual Golf Challenge for Children such a success!
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Connect with Texas Center for the Missing on all your favorite social media sites!
http://fb.com/TXCenter
http://twitter.com/TXCenter
http://www.pinterest.com/txcenter
https://plus.google.com/+TheTexasCenterOrg
https://www.youtube.com/user/theTXCenter
https://www.linkedin.com/company/texas-center-for-the-missing
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Texas Center for the Missing
turns 14! Since our founding in
2000, we have helped 802 families,
trained 6,523 law enforcement, and
issued 154 Amber Alerts for missing
children. Thank you for supporting
our mission over the years!
See our latest Video highlighting
our Emergency Response to crisis
missing persons situations and law
enforcement support efforts. Watch
at https://www.youtube.com/
user/theTXCenter.
Become a Trainer! Save the Date
for our Internet Safety Train-the-
Trainer on January 22, 2015,
sponsored by TCM, Houston Metro
Internet Crimes Against Children
Task Force, and DePelchin
Children’s Center. This training
prepares volunteers, social workers,
school counselors, and law
enforcement to share the
NetSmartz internet safety
presentation with their local
communities. Contact
[email protected] for more
information.
Thank you to the Houston
Galveston Area Council for their
grant renewal supporting TCM’s
Case Manager. Because of their
continued support, we are able to
better serve our community and
bring missing children home. To
date, Melissa Rangel has assisted
155 families and is responsible for
the safe recovery of 75 children.
SAVE THE DATE for the 2015
Golf Challenge for Children on
September 1, 2015, at Memorial
Park Golf Course. Visit http://
centerforthemissing.com/events/
golf in Spring 2015 to register.
Use our Amazon shopping link
so a percentage of your online
winter and holiday shopping can
benefit Texas Center for the
Missing! Visit http://
centerforthemissing.org/give/
donation-programs/ to find our
access link and save it in your web
browser’s bookmarks.
The National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest is a great way to engage 5th graders about safety! Administered annually by the Department of Justice, the Poster Contest is open to all 5th graders across the country from early fall till early spring each year.
Poster artwork must reflect the theme, “Bring Our Missing Children Home,” be exactly 8 1/2 x 14 inches, and can be created using acrylics, watercolor, pencils, charcoal, magic markers, spray paint, crayons, & pastels.
Texas Center for the Missing administers the Texas State Level Judging, with submissions for the Poster Contest due in our offices by February 23, 2015. The Texas 1st Place Winner will receive a framed copy of their artwork, and will have their poster submitted to
the National level for judging. The single National winner, his/her parents, and a teacher will be flown to Washington, D.C., for the awards ceremony in May 2015.
Talk with your child’s school, scout troop, or community organization about participating!
Learn more and download important contest documents at http://centerforthemissing.org/poster-contest/.
Talk with your child’s school, scout troop, parent organization, or community group about hosting a Safety Presentation during the 2014-15 school year. Request a presentation at
http://centerforthemissing.org/act/presentations or email [email protected] for more information.
Nadine Boutros Nadine Boutros Designs
http://fb.com/TXCenter
http://twitter.com/TXCenter
http://www.pinterest.com/txcenter
https://plus.google.com/+TheTexasCenterOrg
https://www.youtube.com/user/theTXCenter
https://www.linkedin.com/company/texas-center-for-the-missing
Serena Hightower and Arthur
Moreno are like family to us! They
are inaugural volunteers with TCM
and have supported our efforts in
so many ways it’s hard to count.
As the owners of Yeti Sunshine,
makers of local and all-natural sno
cones, they have donated their
services to our special event
auctions, held fundraising events in
our honor, and donated sno cones
for the 2014 Champions for
Children event.
As individuals though, they have gone
above and beyond. Serena and Arthur
have been an integral part in all our
special events, from helping with set-up
and décor to wrap-up and tear-down.
Not to mention that last year they ran the
Aramco Half Marathon in support of
TCM’s programs, raising $1,042 on our
behalf!
Thank you Serena and Arthur for your
continued support of our mission to
bring missing children home - you truly
are our Champions!
Allen Shindler Board Chair
Mark Farrell Immediate Past Board Chair
Suzy Granger Secretary
Sam Trail Treasurer
Doreen Wise Founder
Brad Bouillion
Nadine Boutros
Stephanie Deverka
Darryl Drenon
Terry Edge
Amy E. Gignac
Vince Hash
Vinny Pilegge
Michael Snodgrass
Cliff West
Tommy Wilson
Tiffany Wong
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Tax deductible donations can also be made online at centerforthemissing.org. Name _______________________________________ Company (if applicable) _______________________________________
Mailing Address __________________________________________________________________________________________
City _____________________ State ____ Zip ________ Phone _______________ Email _____________________________
Please accept my gift of $ _______ This donation is in honor / memory of ___________________________________________
Make check payable to Texas Center for the Missing.
American Express Discover MasterCard VISA
Card No. ___________________________________________ Expiration Date _________________ CVV ________________
Signature ___________________________________________ Amount $ ___________________________________________
I would like my gift to be a recurring gift of $______ per month year beginning ______(date)
This is an anonymous gift. Name for Recognition purposes: ____________________________________________
I would like to receive (choose all that apply): Bi-annual newsletters Amber Alert notifications Information about volunteer opportunities
Invitations to special events Annual Reports Please note: All communications listed above are distributed via email.
Yes, I want to keep every child safe!
Texas Center for the Missing is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit bringing
hope and healing to the missing and their families through
crisis intervention, prevention, and community education.