Community
Immunity
Spring
Luncheon
Surges Forward to
Keep
Texans
Free of
Vaccine
Preventable
Diseases
HOUSTON,
TX
(April
16,
2012) –
More
than 320
Houstonians
filled
The
Junior
League
of
Houston
for the
third
annual
“Community
Immunity
Spring
Luncheon”
and
awards
ceremony,
on April
12. The
esteemed
Judge Ed
Emmett
and wife
Gwen
served
as
honorary
chairpersons,
while
Kim and
Scott
David
were
co-chairs.
The
event
raised a
record-breaking
$151,326
which
will be
used to
safeguard
children
and
families
from
vaccine-preventable
diseases.
Roseann
Rogers
served
as emcee
for the
fundraiser.
Dr.
Peter
Hotez,
professor
of
Pediatrics
and
Molecular
Virology
and
Microbiology
at
Baylor
College
of
Medicine,
chief of
a new
Section
of
Pediatric
Tropical
Medicine
and
founding
dean of
the
National
School
of
Tropical
Medicine,
was the
keynote
speaker.
He
engaged
the
audience
with a
presentation
that
covered
neglected
tropical
diseases
in
developing
countries
where
people
do not
have
access
to
vaccines
or
adequate
healthcare.
Through
his
research
and the
efforts
of the
Sabin
Vaccine
Institute
at Texas
Children’s
Hospital,
he is
helping
to
develop
life
saving
vaccines.
Anna C.
Dragsbaek,
president
and CEO
of
The
Immunization
Partnership,
and
board
members
honored
Dr.
Hotez
with the
prestigious
Ralph
D.
Feigin,
M.D.
Award
for
Excellence
in
recognition
of his
research
and
tireless
efforts
in
saving
hundreds
of
thousands
of lives
around
the
world,
while
protecting
against
disease
through
immunizations.
Houston
Community
College’s
Coleman
Campus
received
the
Boettiger
Award
for
Community
Partnership,
for
their
support
in
implementing
best
practices
to keep
Texas
children
up-to-date
with
their
immunizations.
The
Boettiger
award,
formerly
known as
the
Community
Partnership
Award,
was
renamed
in
memory
of the
late
John
Boettiger
Jr., ASA,
CFA,
CMC,
former
board
member
of
The
Immunization
Partnership
(TIP).
Boettiger,
through
his work
with TIP
and
other
organizations,
including
the Boy
Scouts
of
America,
embodied
the
spirit
of
community
partnership.
Following
the
awards
presentation,
St
Luke’s
Episcopal
Health
Charities
surprised
Dragsbaek
and The
Immunization
Partnership
with a
check in
the
amount
of
$50,000
for
their
commitment
to
eradicating
vaccine
preventable
diseases
through
public
and
private
partnerships,
education,
advocacy
and
public
policy.
Guests
dined on
grilled
chicken
with
risotto,
mixed
vegetables,
and
pecan
ball
with ice
cream
for
dessert.