helping children through the Children’s
Miracle Network. It’s part of our culture,”
says Mike Youngblood, president of McLane
Grocery Distribution. “As a company, we
understand that our efforts help a great
number of children with serious needs.”
Tina Boren, who has served as
Children’s Miracle Network coordinator
at McLane for the last decade, has a
great-niece who was born with a heart
condition. She needed multiple surgeries
in the first few years of her life. They were
all performed at Children’s Miracle
Network hospitals. “It’s easy to take life for
granted until you go through something
like that,” Ms. Boren says. “It can’t hit any
closer to home than to have your own
family being given the best care because of
the support your company provides
through Children’s Miracle Network.”
She has taken the opportunity to tour
Scott & White to see firsthand the impact
Children’s Miracle Network contributions
can have. “When you do your job every day,
it’s easy to sometimes forget why we’re
doing this,” she says. “But there’s nothing
like standing in front of a piece of
equipment that our efforts helped to
provide, and knowing that it has helped
repair a child’s heart. And that it will do the
same for many other children.”
“More than $3 million has been raised
by McLane for Scott & White’s pediatric
programs,” says Lesli Cearley, director of
development, Children’s Hospital at Scott
& White. “It means the world to us to
know that such a successful, highly
regarded organization is supporting the
work we do. McLane’s impact at Scott &
White is felt every day. Their generosity has
helped save many lives.”
CEFCO Convenience Stores
A retail chain of stores in Texas, Alabama,
and Mississippi, CEFCO has rallied its
employees and stores around the needs of
children for almost a decade. CEFCO
hosted its first Hackers-R-Us golf
tournament and started selling miracle
balloons for $1 to benefit Children’s Miracle
Network in 2001. Funds raised in Central
Texas have benefited pediatrics programs at
Scott & White since 1997. “When we
started, we raised $14,000 and thought we
hung the moon,” says Kim Fikes, CEFCO
chief administrative officer and co-owner.
“We’ve gotten more passionate about it
every year.” This year’s tournament raised
$150,000 for Children’s Miracle Network.
“Hearing the stories behind what Scott &
White and Children’s Miracle Network have
done makes me very emotional. When you
look into the sweet little eyes of a child, it
just makes you want to do more.”
CEFCO prepares for the annual golf
event starting each January and closes its
main office so that everyone can participate
in the May tournament. The store manager
who sells the most Children’s Miracle
Network balloons also gets to participate.
This year, one store sold 6,000 balloons.
“We have such a wonderful team of
employees,” says Mrs. Fikes. “Everyone
gets motivated because Children’s Miracle
Network is part of us, part of our culture.”
“CEFCO’s commitment to Children’s
Miracle Network and the Children’s
Hospital at Scott & White is inspiring,”
says Mrs. Cearley. “Their dedication has
helped us provide the highest level of
healthcare and their support has garnered
$500,000 over the past decade. We are
absolutely thrilled with their continued
commitment.”
“If we can buy one piece of equipment
that may save a child’s life, it’s well worth
it,” says Mrs. Fikes. “We’re very proud of
our community and what it stands for.
Scott & White is the lead employer, and we
should support our leaders. More
importantly, we can help these children
who need it so desperately. If you’ve got the
love, you can make anything happen.” ★
CEFCO owners Kim and James Fikes.
sw.org | Fall 10 THE CATALYST
37