3rd Annual "Celebration of Mothers and Daughters" Concert honors Dolly O'Neal

On October 2^nd the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama along with sponsor, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell and Berkowitz, PC hosted its Third Annual Celebration of Mothers and Daughters Concert.

 

Before the annual concert began, Linda Zwern, Chairman of Belk, Western Division presented Marion Walker, President of the BCRFA with a donation for $30,000 from the Spring BeautyWorks promotion at Belk stores. It was an incredible start to the evening.

 

The concert celebrating mothers and daughters was held in honor of Dolly Ashton O’Neal. Marion Walker, a life-long friend, spoke of Dolly’s life, her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment 13 years ago and resulting determination and success in raising money for breast cancer research. In 1996, Dolly O’Neal along with Bruce Sokol, Norman Berk and Charlie Baker started the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. 

 

Since the inception of the Foundation, nearly $1.9 million has been raised to fund research at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center by the BCRFA. The foundation will also be honored at National Philanthropy Day as 2007’s Outstanding Charitable Organization. Dolly will be speaking and accepting the award.

 

 “She is one of the most incredible women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing,” said Marion Walker, as the audience rose to their feet in praise. Dolly’s husband Bert, son Camper and daughter Amy were in attendance as well as a large number of supportive friends, including Ann Hayes, and Judge Sharon Blackburn.

 

The guests then enjoyed the beautiful velvet vocals of Mae Robertson, which included original songs, as well as uplifting tunes. Mae was accompanied by Jim Ohlschmidt on guitar. “Every year we think it was better than the last. Mae’s music with the acoustic guitar of Jim, leaves you with such a feeling of love” said Fern Singer, a partner at Baker Donelson, who sponsored the event for the third year in a row.

 

Mae announced that she and Cally, her equally talented daughter are recording a “Mothers and Daughters” CD that will be available in early spring 2008 with 100% of the sales of the CD donated to the BCRFA. 

 

The reception preceding the event had a Mediterranean flare with tasty favorites by George Sarris of the Fish Market, Southside. Beautiful pink orchids and exotic flower centerpieces were designed by Nancy Trucks of Flower Trucks.

 

Many mother-daughter pairs were spotted in the crowd, including Cissy and Ginger Held, Susan and Kelly Griffin, Terry and Katie Walls, Patsy and Maggie Dreher, Rhonda and Angela Weinberg, Rosemary Shaw with daughter Erin Street, Maureen and Keri Petrofsky. Attending with sponsor, Baker Donelson were Joan Budd, Denise Killebrew with her mother Mildred Williamson, cousin Nancy Wright and her two aunts, Mary Rose McGukin and Polly Tankersly, Jennifer Swain with her two daughters, Margaret and Virginia and Connie Hughes.

 

Other attendees spotted were, Sandra Cleveland, Linda James, Ann Hillhouse, Carolyn Satterfield, Deborah Stone, Leigh Hutson, Virginia Loftin, Phyllis and Norman Berk, Cathy Friedman, Kate Kiefer, Jeanie MacKenzie, Violeta Caceres, Peter Printz, Donna Clark and Kim Mitchell.

 

Ms. Virginia Donovan, Mae’s mother along with husband, Webb Robertson listened proudly to the beautiful tunes that filled the Theatre of Workplay. 

 

Nearly $14,000 was raised from the annual favorite event. All proceeds from the evening benefit breast cancer research at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center.

BCRFA News

Gift of 100 free pre-commitment for the Funding Breast Cancer Research in AL specialty tag have been claimed!
Mary and Charles Welden of Birmingham, AL graciously provided a gift to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama to provide 100 Alabamians with the “Funding Breast Cancer Research” license plate. As a breast cancer

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