2009 was no exception.  Despite our nation’s “Great Recession”, we once again raised thousands of dollars for local families.  These moneys were generated from promotional events like “Pink Dish! Day,” contributions as part of in-store offers, and — more than ever before — out-of-pocket donations from dishers and hosts alike.

Your generosity enabled us to provide every Pink Dish! nominated family in the Mid-Atlantic region with a FREE dish-and-dash session.  We hope these healthy, pre-assembled meals make their daily challenges feel a little less overwhelming, at least around dinnertime.

We couldn’t have done it without you.  And for that, we — like the families that received these free meals — are sincerely grateful.

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I had the privilege of meeting Susan on two occasions. The first was the day that I shared with her and her fellow teachers and the Little River Elementary School the news that she was chosen as the Pink Dish for a Year recipient. As the bearer of good news, I was introduced to Susan in front of all members of the faculty. I had the honor of telling Susan that 145 separate people wrote to us at Let’s Dish! to share their love for her.

A couple of weeks later I saw Susan again at a wonderful celebration thrown by the teachers, administrators, parents and children at the school. Alexa and Rick Corcoran and I were invited to formally present Susan and her family with her official Let’s Dish! for a Year prize. The room was loaded with pink balloons, children and adults wearing pink, and pink artwork. Each of Susan’s first grade students presented Susan with a pink rose and a hug.

In my remarks I spoke directly to the dozens of children who were gathered on the floor in front of the podium. I told them, “there will be many times over the years that you’ll think about your time in Mrs. Marrinan’s class and smile. You may think about things she taught you, life lessons you learned, scrapes she cleaned, tears she dried and most certainly about fun times you shared. Your Mrs. Merrinan is one of those special teachers who you’ll know positively influenced the person you become.”  Susan Marrinan was one of those rare truly special people who touched everyone in her path.

We express our deepest condolences to Mike, Abby and Megan and to every member of the Little River Elementary School community. Susan, if you can hear our thoughts, you know that we are thinking about you. We are honored to have met you and proud to have been given the opportunity to celebrate your life with your family and friends. You have touched all of us at Let’s Dish! and we will always remember you.

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You see, at this school there’s a very special first grade teacher. She’s the kind that you remember when you’re all grown up as one of your favorite teachers. Well, this special teacher has breast cancer, and she’s fighting for her life. She’s scared and exhausted but she comes to school every day and does amazing things with and for the children.  I was brought there before the entire faculty and administration to share the news with this first grade teacher, Susan Marrinan, her husband and her daughter that she was named the recipient of Pink Dish!-For-A-Year, a year of free meals from Let’s Dish! as part of Let’s Dish!’s Pink Dish Campaign.

In October, 50 local families were nominated by their communities as part of our Pink Dish! Campaign.  Thanks to the generosity of Let’s Dish! customers and staff, all nominated families will receive healthy, convenient meals to help them face the challenges of a breast cancer diagnosis.  And, Susan, who was nominated by 150 separate people, learned that she was going to get a free Let’s Dish! order every month for an entire year. That’s 96 dinners to feed her family of three. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Jill Malinchock, school secretary at Little River Elementary and Susan’s colleague, shared with us, “These meals will relieve the stress and guilt of wanting to provide dinners for the family but being too tired to be able to do it. It will be a big help for Susan and her family to have healthy fresh meals when they need them most.”  Jill, who along with several other teachers as well friends and family, organized the nomination push for Susan, added, “When Susan receives these meals each month she will be reminded how much we love and honor her and how much we appreciate what she does for our children.”

That was one of the highlights of my professional career and my life.  I am proud to work for a company that makes such a difference in our communities.  And I was delighted to be the bearer of such wonderful news.

RELATED LINKS:

- A Pink Dish! Success Story, Thanks To You
- WMAR Tells the Pink Dish! Story
- Elizabeth Dishes Pink on WUSA9
- The Pink Dish! Campaign website: www.letsdish.com/pinkdish

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We are proud to announce that this year’s contributions enabled us to fund all of the families nominated for a Pink Dish! gift, meeting our goal of giving to 50 recipients in 2008.

Being a part of Pink Dish! has again been a moving experience for all of us.  The dedication and generosity of those who nominated a friend or family member for a potential gift is a powerful testament to all the forms that support of breast cancer survivor can take.  Those of you who sent Pink Dish E-Dedications and brought them to the store went the extra mile to fight breast cancer and help those fighting it personally.  Finally, we appreciate everyone who has shared their Pink Dish! Story, both online and in person.

That story continues as we get to know the Pink Dish! Families, who come from all walks of life here in the mid-Atlantic. We will be giving Let’s Dish! meals to mothers, daughters, sisters, even husbands who were nominated.  They are teachers, business professionals, volunteers, community directors, presidents of the PTA and homemakers. They have all coped with breast cancer and deserve a gift, a surprising act of kindness.  We are honored to be able to give that gift to each and every one of them - and hope our healthy, homemade meals will make some of their nights a little easier.  All of our Pink Dish! Families will have the opportunity to sit with their family and enjoy dinner together without the work of preparing that meal.

We want to take a final moment to thank all of the media outlets who supported our mission, giving us an opportunity to spread the word about Pink Dish! to as many as possible.   Without publicity, we would not have achieved our goal for this year.

We hope to share the new Pink Dish! stories after the families are notified so all of you can get to know them as well.  And, stay tuned for the moving story of our Pink Dish!-For-A-Year recipient - hers is a true testament to the strength of support and community.   We look forward to next year and aim to give Pink Dish! gifts to even more families.

We appreciate the generosity and support of all those who were involved in Pink Dish! this year. You have helped us to give Let’s Dish! meals to so many families; you have made a difference in the lives on those coping with breast cancer.

Thank you.

and

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YouTube Direktvideo link

Pink Dish! has gotten plenty of publicity this fall. Thanks to all the media outlets who have chosen to feature us. If you enjoyed the video above, please catch Elizabeth on Channel 9 as well!

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