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Gift
of Life, Inc.
NOTES
FROM OUR CHAIRMAN
October
10,2001
For
the past two years, the Gift of Life has been blessed with an
exceptional volunteer to drive the Coachmen RV for the 1,000-Mile
Run. Moving a 40 foot vehicle through the cities and towns is no
easy task. The RV is always placed in a convenient location for the
runners to use the facilities and to replenish their bodies with
fruit, water and nourishing snacks.
The RV becomes the command center and home base for the run. Toni
Pleines is one of the unsung heroes of the run.
Ms.
North Carolina Senior
America
Pageant
A
week after the run this year, Toni won the Ms. North Carolina Senior
America Pageant. The shock was not that she won but rather that she
is a "Senior." Toni's beauty and talent put her in a
position to represent North Carolina in the Ms. Senior America
Pageant which will be held in Las Vegas in December of this year.
All
of us at the Gift of Life wish Toni the best of luck for her success
in the pageant. One thing is for sure, we couldn't find a better
person or a more beautiful RV driver for our Run.
Good
Luck Toni!
God
Bless America!
Robbie
Donno
Robert
P. Donno on the Road
Sunday,
September 30th
Part II
As
we wove our way through the streets of Brooklyn, up the
Brooklyn/Queens Expressway, the view of lower Manhattan to our west
would appear and disappear between the buildings. The images of
downtown blinked like a fast moving slide show. You see it for a
second and then you don’t. It happens so quickly your mind does
not allow your eyes to see what is really there, or rather what is
really missing. The mind places the World Trade Center where it used
to be and you begin to think that you have woken up from a
nightmare. Then we come to a long open stretch near Montague Street
and the promenade; the start truth is there before us. The towers
have been erased.
  
Somehow
the sad reminder only strengthens our resolve to work for world
peace. The effects of the enthusiasm of the children of Sierra Leone
surrounds us like a warm coat on a cold day. Our hearts are glad for
their courage and support. We move on, closer to the end of our
journey.
We
run into the “Moon Festival” an event run by the
Flushing/Chinese Business Association. The day thus far has reminded
us of the familiar surroundings of home. Somehow being accompanied
by children of Sierra Leone and now throngs of Chinese Americans
tells the story of a great melting pot of cultures that is the
chemistry and heart of New York. We are glad to be here.
The
rawness of this dreary day has gotten worse, much more indicative of
November than the end of September. An enthusiastic crowd meets us.
Three weeks ago, many of these same people had sent us off to
Chicago with 12-year-old Zhenzhen from Shandong, China. Zhenzhen
stepped off the curb at Rotary International with our National
Spokesman; Chad Everett at the same time the World Trade Center was
under attack.
Today,
we greet this enthusiastic crowd with yet another child, 5-year-old
Le Zhao and his mother Li Zhen Zhang of Hebei Province, in China. Li
had be diagnosed by Dr. Ami Cohen of the Save A Child’s Heart
Foundation in Tel Aviv, a partner in helping children receive life
saving surgery.
We
spoke for a few minutes of our long journey, just 10 miles from its
end. We handed out American Flags in honor of our country. Several
were cheering, “We are Americans. God Bless America” evidence of
how the events of recent weeks brought the whole country together.
Li
Zhen Zhang spoke of her long journey to this country and how
grateful she was to be given the opportunity to come to America to
save her child’s life. She is scared, as the operation won’t
take place until next Thursday. But like many of her former
countrymen, she wanted to greet people who run 1,000 miles to raise
money to provide the surgery her child needs to live. When she
returns with the heart in her son mended, she will tell the story of
the runners and the cheering crowd and a spirit here that is
typically American. If just this one life had been saved by our
journey, it would have been worthwhile.
God
Bless America!
Robbie
Donno
MORE
CHAIRMAN'S COLUMN(Continued):
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