Volunteer Honorees

Volunteer of the Year
Kathy Pearson  

Kathy Pearson's first contact with Komen OC was approximately 14 years ago, when she by chance was shopping at Fashion Island one Suday in September. She followed the crowd and came upon some volunteer forms on a table. Pearson took one, stuck it in her purse and mailed in the volunteer form several months later. As they say, the rest is history.
 Race committee member since 1995, she initially enlisted volunteers to help dstribute T-shirts. In 1997, Pearson put together a group to set up the Vendor Expo Area. When there was no coffee at 5 AM, she signed up to be the captain of the Food Expo Area, guaranteeing volunteers that critical cup of early morning coffee. For two years, she fed more than 1,500 volunteers at the Race with generous donations from local restaurants and vendors. In 2002, Pearson stepped up her commitment by taking on the challenge of being chairing the Race, and served as either Chair or Co-Chair through the 2005 Race. Her dedication does not end there. For the 2006 Race, she is mentoring this year's co-chairs, and taking a leadership role in other areas of the Race.
 For four Races, she's tackled whatever needed to be done to ensure a flawless event for participants, spectators and survivors. Often doing work in a quiet and behind the scenes way, for Pearson no job is too small or too big.
 Her involvment is not limited to the Race. She has served as a chair for what was then called the Survivor Tea (now the Life in Bloom Breast Health Symposium & Spring Luncheon), and remained involved in the event through 2005. She has also served as part of the Speakers Bureau and assists with general tasks around the office.
 "When I mailed in that volunteer form, it was the beginning of the most meaningful commitment of my life - other than my marriage to my husband, Keith," says Pearson. We all thank you for your dedication and all you have done to fulfill the promise made between two sisters.

Cameo Award Winners
Megan Stirrat
Cameo Award recipient Megan Stirrat of Costa Mesa began her support of the Komen Orange County Affiliate by forming a team for the 2000 Race for the Cure - and she has been a team captain every year since. In that capacity, she has touched the lives of new participants and increased our network of support. Driven by a desire to get more involved, in 2002, she attended a volunteer orientation. There she expressed an interest in the Speakers Bureau. Stirrat not only became a part of the Speakers Bureau, she chaired this educational component of the Komen Affiliate and played a key role in helping get our life-saving message out to the community. In 2005, she increased her involvement yet again and joined the Board of Directors as Education Chair. Through her coordinating efforts, the Education Committee has developed active subcommittees and an action plan to increase activities.
 In her professional life as a partner in the Merrill Lynch Berlin, Hales & Stirrat Private Client Group, she has been able to help secure underwriting for our Spring Luncheon as well as hosting the Women of Merrill Lynch Breakfast, for which the Komen Orange County was the beneficiary. Her smile and laugh brightens everyone's day. Thank you for all you do!

Cindy Thomsen
 A wonderfully energetic, motivated and inspiring two-time breast cancer survivor, Cindy Thomsen has transformed her experience into a catalyst for creative fundraising, awareness building and outreach into the business community.
 She has not only served on the Komen Orange County Race for the Cure Steering Committee as the Survivors Hospitality Chair in 2004 and 2005, she is also the founder of the Reds, Whites & Greens Charity Golf Classic (RWG). The event pairs golf and wine tasting to raise awareness of and funds in support of the Komen Orange County Affiliate and our mission to eradicate breast cancer.
 In 2005 with her characteristic grace and determination, Thomsen exceeded her goal for the tournament and raised nearly $73,000 - bringing her three-year fundraising total to more than $153,000.
 Events, as well as the force of someone like Thomsen, not only raise much-needed funding, they give Komen the opportunity to spread our life-saving message of awareness and hope.
 This model golf tournament would not have been possible were it not for her strength, unstoppable energy, vision, optimism and ability to inspire others. A founding partner in her marketing firms, Thomsen & Null and Personette West, we are fortunate for the time and funds she bestows on our Affiliate. We can't say thank you enough for all that she does in the fight against breast cancer. Her commitment is staggering.

Volunteers of the Month

Priya  Montupalli
January 2006
Priya began her involvement with the Komen Foundation as a high school student, helping distribute Race entry forms. Last year, Priya started coming to the office once a week to help with a variety of tasks, She has done everything from data entry - her personal favorite - to organizing the Wig Bank and supply closet. A person who can always be counted on to bring a smile to the work she does, Priya brightened the day as a volunteer at the Diversity Conference.

Sally Molnar
February 2006
For those who know Sally, she has done just about every job there is at Komen. During February, in addition to her duties as Treasurer for the Board of Directors, Sally has been instrumental in organizing speakers for the upcoming Life in Bloom Breast Health Symposium & Spring Luncheon, interviewing key informants for our Community Profile, continuing her key role in the Treatment Grants Program and, in general, always helping wherever she can.

Betty Winek
March 2006
A treasured Komen volunteer for approximately 14 years, Betty has assisted with the Spring Luncheon and the Race VIP Committee. Additionally, she has been coming to the office on a weekly basis to hand write personal thank you notes to donors. This has been a passion of hers for many years and, at the end of March, she is passing the baton to another volunteer. We thank Betty for her many years of dedication.

Leslie Whitfield
April 2006
Leslie, a breast cancer survivor has participated in Orange County Race for the Cure® for going on ten years! Two years ago began volunteering and with activities such as Fit for a Cure® and mammogram-a-thons, as well has helping with team registration and team packet pick up. This year Leslie stepped up her involvement again and participated in the Breast Health Symposium & Spring Luncheon committee. Leslie took a lead role and worked with another volunteer to coordinate the Fashion Show. Leslie asked and coordinated with Talbots to provide the outfits for the models, adding color, style and flair to this great event. Leslie is also a team captain and volunteers in the office when asked.

Marie Blash
May 2006
Marie is a twelve year volunteer with the Orange County Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. She has been involved in many different capacities from fundraising through the Orange Grove Quilters Guild to working with and Chairing the VIP committee for Race for the Cure.  This year Marie also chaired the Breast Health Symposium & Spring Luncheon for the blank year. This year's Symposium was a great success with six breakout sessions, plus a true celebration of survivorship during the Luncheon

Carla Longfellow
June 2006
Carla has volunteered for Race for the Cure® for 9 years. She is always ready to jump in and assist where needed. Three years ago, she saw a need to have one person coordinating all the trucks and golf carts Race weekend, so she stepped up and has been that person for the past two years. She has also served on the Teams Committee and for the past two year been the Race Administrator helping with a wider variety of tasks behind the seasons including but not limited to working with Susan's Garden and distribution of entry forms.

Annie Stoeckmann
July 2006
While Annie has participated in the Race for the Cure over ten years, she began stepping up her commitment just over a year ago. Annie assists in the office on a weekly basis helping to do a variety of tasks from mailings to data entry. Annie also assists with the Speakers Bureau and helped to organize the last training session. In addition, she has helped at health fairs and served as a facilitator for one of the break out sessions of the Breast Health Symposium & Spring Luncheon.