Ambassador of Hope
Sentimental Journey
Dr. Condeleezza Rice honored as sixth recipient of Ambassador of Hope Award
Annual Durham Museum benefit raises $115,000
Story and photo courtesy of UNMC.
Story courtesy of The Durham Museum. Photos by John Gawley.
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ormer U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice, whose mother’s battle with breast cancer played a key role in her life, was honored with UNMC’s Ambassador of Hope Award in October. Nearly 800 people attended the event. Hosted by the Friends of the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center, the gala is held every two years and is one of the top fundraising events in the city. The Ambassador of Hope Award is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to the fight against cancer through research, patient care activities or by raising public awareness of cancer. Only five others have received the award: Robin Roberts, Tom Brokaw, Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Sam Donaldson and Chuck Durham. “Condoleezza has been a strong advocate for breast cancer research and screenings and has done much to raise the public’s awareness of cancer,” said Ken Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center. “She is an excellent addition to our select group of Ambassador of Hope honorees.” Also honored were Mike and Lin Simmonds. The Simmonds received the Margre and Chuck Durham Spirit of Nebraska Award for launching a program in 2004 through their Simmonds Restaurant Management firm and its affiliated Burger King restaurants. The program – called Help Beat Cancer for Kids – has raised more than $1 million for cancer research at UNMC.
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onorary chairs Christy and Bob Turner welcomed nearly 300 supporters of The Durham in November to Sentimental Journey, the museum’s annual benefit. The theme of this year’s celebration was Have Yourself a “Mary” Little Christmas with festivities paying homage to the holidays and the upcoming, With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition opening at the museum on Jan. 15. In keeping with the exhibit theme, guests enjoyed a performance by Omaha humorist Mary Maxwell and a guest appearance by Fritz Klein, an Abraham Lincoln impersonator. Maxwell delighted guests with her tongue-in-cheek portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln and offered insights into several of our country’s most notable First Ladies. The Durham’s Executive Director, Christi Janssen, gave an update on the museum’s programming and thanked participants for their continued support of the museum. An elegant dinner, catered by Hap Abraham Catering, was served in front of The Durham’s magnificent Christmas tree. Proceeds from the evening’s celebration exceeded $115,000.
For more information on the gala, go to www.nebraskahope.org.
Above: Honorees Dr. Condoleeza Rice and Linn and Mike Simmonds.
www.readonlinenow.com
Top: Honorary Chairs Bob and Christy Turner and Fritz Klein (Abraham Lincoln). Above: Allen and Mary Kay Greenberg, Steve and Judie Olson, Janie and Terry Kolbeck, Lynne and John Boyer pictured with Abe Lincoln (Fritz Klein). januar y/februar y | 2011
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