Kansas City TRIO members enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Lone Star Steakhouse on January 9^th as we presented our first Mandy Carver Strength & Courage Award.  Mandy was one of our first members and also the first group member we lost.   The winner of the award was Reggie Quinn, a heart/kidney transplant recipient of 6 years.  Reggie is a former KC Kansas police department mechanic and a regular attendee at our monthly support group.  Our members are also actively involved in mentoring potential transplant candidates as the need arises.

 

Planning is underway for participation in local donor awareness activities for the month of April.  Several of our members are also Ambassadors for our local OPO.  We are ordering some TRIO KC t-shirts, which will be delivered at our February meeting on the 13^th.  Our monthly transplant support group continues to provide a forum for members to share our struggles and our triumphs.

 

The annual fundraiser “MerleJam” will be on May 4^th & 5^th at Knuckleheads Saloon.  This will be the sixth year of the event.  Net proceeds will benefit Saint Luke’s Hospital Foundation and TRIO KC with a portion of the proceeds donated to TRIO National.  For more information on the event check out  www.merlejam.com

 

This year will mark a milestone for me personally.  February 23^rd is my 5^th transplant birthday followed a few weeks later by my 50^th birthday.  Not bad for a man whose doctor once told him he wouldn’t live to 40. 

 

Respectfully,

 

Merle Zuel

President, KC Chapter of TRIO

www.kctrio.org