|
About Us – in the South
The Southern Division of Making Memories was launched in February, 2006, with its first “Brides Against Breast Cancer” sale in Houston, Texas, at Shirley Acres. “The beautiful landscape, tall pines, colorful flowers and lush grass reminded us of our Oregon roots,” Dee Appel reminisced. See our photo gallery for some photos of this event.
Our Director and Staff
Dee Appel is the Director Making Memories Southern Division. Having moved to Texas from Portland, Oregon in June, 2005, she and her daughter, Jennifer and son-in-law, Michael, have made Making Memories’ southern branch a family affair. “We are privileged and excited to be a part of such an amazing network of incredible, compassionate, giving people, whose goal is simply make this world a better place,” Dee said. Since bringing Making Memories to our now-home-state of Texas, we have discovered the true meaning of Southern hospitality and have come to love the warm hearts of these gentle southern souls. Click here to learn more about Dee’s involvement with Making Memories and her move to the South.
Getting Acclimatized!! -- (The Hurricane!!)
The weather has been an adjustment for Dee. Jennifer and Mike have lived near Beaumont, Texas for almost five years and have had time to become accustomed, but Dee is still getting used to the humidity. “To top it off, shortly after arriving, we were targeted by Hurricane Rita and had to evacuate for over two weeks! What an introduction!” To read about Dee’s family’s experience, click here.
What Will We Ever Do About a Warehouse? The destruction left by Hurricane Rita forced some creative wedding gown warehousing for the Southern Division. Every conceivable storage unit, warehouse or previously-unleased building was either already in use or was destroyed by the hurricane. Undaunted, the northern transplants used every nook and cranny on their own properties to store the gowns until they could buy a building and bring the gowns from five locations into one workable one. see photos
Following in some Big Footsteps!! Learning all about Making Memories and its primary fund-raiser, “Brides Against Breast Cancer,” has been life in a whirlwind (quite literally, at times!) Dee says you’d think she would have been better prepared after following Fran Hansen, the Founder and CEO of Making Memories, around for a few years in Oregon – but Fran’s boundless energy, creativity, and apparent ability to go huge stretches of time without sleep, is a hard act to follow! (She can also leap tall buildings in a single bound!)
Without Fran’s help and the encouragement and hard work put in by our Eastern Region Director, Barbara Raskin, (our angel in disguise!!) – we absolutely would not have been able to get off the ground! THANK YOU to our supportive angels throughout the Making Memories network!
Our Southern Friends at TexasWeddingMall.com
Another big part of that network has been the wonderful people at www.Texasweddingmall.com. They have generously donated a website storefront for all their Texas venues, as well as space at expo’s that have helped us promote and raise awareness of our Southern presence. This month (April, 2006) they published a two-page article in their Texas Bride magazine, as well! We can’t thank you enough, TexasWeddingMall !!!! – Click here to see the article!
More New Friends at Gift of Life!!!
We are also so very grateful to Regina Rogers and her staff at Gift of Life, headquartered in Beaumont, Texas. http://www.giftoflifebmt.org/ They have gone above and beyond in their efforts to support us and bring us into the fold. They have so willingly helped us with contacts locally, and it is because of them that our very own hometown “Brides Against Breast Cancer” gown sale will take place during Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October 2006) at the Beaumont Country Club.
http://www.beaumontcountryclub.com/ They have also sponsored us at a local bridal expo and been so responsive to any questions or help we have needed. Gift of Life’s mission is to “decrease the incidence of death associated with breast and prostate cancer in Southeast Texas through educational outreach, free mammogram and prostate screenings and access to treatment for individuals with limited financial means.” They recently celebrated their 10,000th free mammogram!
Joining forces with this remarkable organization has been such a blessing to all of us. Because of both foundations’ emphasis on early detection, the following slogan brings us together:
Making Memories and Gift of Life Agree –
EARLY DETECTION IS THE KEY!!! ”
Our Events
Generally, Making Memories’ Southern Division’s main emphasis of “Brides Against Breast Cancer” events will be in Texas and other surrounding southern states (Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico.) However, when possible, we will fill in for our “prior home state,” when Fran isn’t able to make it due to “leaping tall buildings” (see previous reference -- as we will in Kansas City, Kansas at the Radisson Hotel for a three day sale….June 16-18!!
In addition to Houston, in February 2006, we have been to Austin/Liberty Hill (March 2006) at Outlaws Event Center – see photos, and Dallas/Fort Worth at the DFW Marriott Airport South in late March 2006. see photos We are looking forward to our next event in late April in San Antonio at Holy Trinity Church – a FIRST – as well as Abilene two weeks later (also a first) at the Elegante Suites!! JOIN US!!! We’d love to see you ANYTIME!!!
Click here for a calendar of events planned by the Southern Division:
To reach our staff:
Dee Appel
Southern Division Director
dee.south@makingmemories.org
223 Church Loop
Lumberton, TX 77657
409-227-0013 Office & Fax
Mike & Jennifer Nazarian
Southern Division – Event Coordinators
jen.south@makingmemories.org
mike.south@makingmemories.org
223 Church Loop
Lumberton, TX 77657
409-751-3234 Office & Fax
|
