This is my favorite time of year. We have just awarded St. David's Neal Kocurek Scholarships to 31 amazing high school graduates. Meeting the kids and hearing their stories of overcoming adversity to rise to the top of their classes brought tears to the Scholarship Selection committee. The students are truly inspirational, and we couldn't be more proud to have them in the St. David's Neal Kocurek Scholarship family. Of all the things here in Central Texas with Neal's name on it, I'm positive that these scholarships would make him the most proud.

Earl Maxwell
CEO, St. David's Foundation

Last Thursday, the St. David’s Neal Kocurek Scholarship Committee interviewed and selected 31 St. David’s Neal Kocurek Scholarship recipients. This year, recipients came from school districts in Leander, Hutto, Hays, Georgetown, Austin, Pflugerville, Del Valle, Eanes, and Round Rock, and will attend Rice, Texas A&M, UT Austin, UT Arlington, UT San Antonio, Texas State University, Baylor, and Texas Christian University. Daniel Simons from Round Rock received the Alfred A. King Chairman’s Award, with plans to attend Rice University and study Pre-Med. In addition, 25 students at Austin Community College will receive $2,000 scholarships. Thanks to St. David’s Neal Kocurek Scholarship program, more than 120 students will be studying health care careers at Texas colleges and universities this fall.

St. David’s Foundation was the presenting sponsor of the 2010 Jr. Dillo Kid’s run, part of the Statesman’s Capitol 10,000. Nearly 1,000 kids and their families turned out for the one mile run and ½ mile walk at Auditorium Shores. Theo the Bear, the mascot of the St. David's Dental Program, joined in the family walk, and one of the St. David’s Dental Program vans was available for tours. Foundation staff handed out temporary “Theo” tattoos and jump ropes to kids at the sponsor tent.

In April, Mothers’ Milk Bank held a reception for St. David’s Foundation and St. David’s Health Care in celebration of the Milk Bank’s new location. The space was donated by St. David’s Medical Center, and the building renovation was generously funded by a lead grant from the Foundation. Guests toured the new facility, including the drive-through Milk Drop, where donor moms deliver milk which is then pasteurized and distributed by physician prescription primarily to premature and ill infants.

Dr. Ensy Atarod, a dentist for St. David’s Dental Program, recently participated in a medical mission trip to South Africa. The trip was organized by Seacrest Church, based in Charleston South Carolina. Dr. Atarod was part of a team of physicians, physician assistants, dentists, and dental students. Throughout the 10 day mission, Dr. Atarod saw about 20 patients daily, extracted more than 30 teeth each day, and even worked without electricity one day. See Dr. Atarod’s updates, as well as a photo album of her trip, on the Foundation’s Facebook page.

St. David’s Foundation is now on Facebook and Twitter! We look forward to connecting with you and keeping in touch. Check our pages often to see updates on granting, Toast of the Town, Health’s Angels, and Foundation news!
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