TWISTER COMBINE FLIES THROUGH CANCER

The Twister Combine will have a 250 mile benefit cancer race on October
20, 2012 from Hugo, Oklahoma.  Proceeds from this race will go to help children battling cancer.

Funds are raised through (1) direct donation, (2) AU banded pigeon racing, and (3) auction.  Anyone and everyone are invited to take part.

To race a combine bird, the bands cost $10 each and will be sold until October 19, shipping day.  Proceeds will be presented on behalf of the winner and the Twister Combine.

If you are a fancier yourself and would like to fly your own birds, please send your birds along with the $10 donation to the Combine.  (At this point in the year, this applies to the 2013 race.)

This year’s auction features 2 footballs signed by the Iowa Barn Stormers arena football team’s NFL potentials.  Donations are provided by event chairman Jerry Smith’s nephew, a past team member.  “We’re trying to get more pigeon racing clubs involved in helping kids in their area.  If we can get clubs to work together, even the $10 donation will help the recipients with gas money,” says Jerry.  He hopes to obtain more items signed by celebrities to auction off for more donation recipients.

For information about this Race, contact:

Jerry Smith Twister Combine President at 620-743-3039.
Send any email correspondence to 
TwisterCombine@gmail.com

http://www.twistercombine.com/

Donations may be sent to:
St. Clair County State Bank 
680 North 2nd 
P.O. Box 539 
Osceola, Missouri 64776

The goal for this year’s benefit is to raise enough to help the families of the following:

MISSOURI – Courtney

This is Courtney.  She will be fifteen in September this year.  She is infatuated with the color pink and Paris’ Eifel Tower.  Her bedroom is covered with the theme:  pink walls, Eifel Tower statues, pictures, jigsaw puzzle, and quilt.  Her two cats are her buddies.  She has done well in cheerleading and gymnastic competitions.  She may not be into boys yet, but she loves Justin Bieber.

Courtney just started her highschool freshman year when she experienced stomach pains and was diagnosed with stage 3 lymphoma.  Treatment is out of state, in Memphis, Tennessee.  Courtney lives in Missouri.  She spent April through July in treatment.  The family now goes back and forth five to six weeks, spends a week, and then comes back for a few days.  This lasts for four treatments.  This session of treatments will continue through mid-September, and then the family will travel back and forth for another month for heavier chemotherapy treatments.  Right now, Courtney is homeschooled to protect her immune system.  Once Courtney is on maintenance treatments, she will be able to go back to school.  Maintenance treatments continue for two or more years.

Courtney’s dad is retired navy and was working full time until the economy forced elimination of his job.  He is currently going to school to retrain, which keeps him away during the day.  Her mom works full time as an accounting clerk.  Courtney’s grandmother takes care of her during the day.  Saying the family’s budget is stretched, would be putting it mildly.

IOWA – Alivia

This is Alivia.  As a typical young girl, she loves to play with Barbies, ride her bike, go camping with her family, and play school.  She also loves sports:  soccer, softball and volleyball. 

This picture was taken when she was a flower girl in a wedding in 2011, one month before she was diagnosed with Philadelphia Chromosome Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Ph+ALL for short. While the ALL part of this cancer is very common among children, the Ph+ part is extremely rare. It is most common in adults and most often results in death.

The cure rate among children and a defined treatment is unknown so Alivia is in a clinical study to help children in the future have a "road map" to follow to find a cure.  Alivia’s family lives 100 miles from the hospital where she receives chemotherapy and medication.  She is admitted every three weeks for 5 to 6 days at a time, for three years. 

Disease is an overwhelming challenge in the first place.  In addition to that massive burden, Alivia’s mother can work only part time when possible.  She must care for Alivia at home; as Alivia is unable to be around others during this process due to her lowered immunity.  Needless to say, expenses have grown quickly.

TWISTER COMBINE'S FLIGHT FOR THE FIGHT

This is MacKenzie in 3^rd grade.  That was in 2010, before she got sick.  Doctors found a cancerous tumor.  The Twister Combine pigeon racing members became aware of her situation and the struggle the family faced, driving 100 miles one-way to treatments. 

The Combine organized the Twister Combine Pigeon Festival in Nevada, Missouri – first, to bring attention to the race that will take place in October, to benefit a child that is struggling with cancer; second, to raise funds immediately to give to MacKenzie’s family.  Even with just enough money to help the family with gas for the doctor visits, it was paramount that efforts begin immediately.  There was concern that MacKenzie would not actually see 2013.

The event was a great success its debut year.  The Combine was able to give the family $2500.  The family felt a little relief with travel expense.

Now we’re happy to report, MacKenzie is cancer free.  Imagine the cheers that went up from combine members when they found out.  MacKenzie will see 2013 and more.  With check-ups until she is 21, she is able to continue HER race.

This has fueled the fire of efforts toward helping other children stricken with cancer.  The Twister Combine is gearing up for the October 20 race and urges all who can, to consider participating.

If you are a fancier yourself and would like to fly your own bird, or if you would like to donate $10 to a Twister Combine member to race a bird in your name, please contact Jerry Smith, Twister Combine President, at 620-743-3039.

Ten dollars.  Think about it.  Then call Jerry.

TWISTER COMBINE

A Pigeon Racing Combine
Sac-Osage Invitational
Midwest RPC and OIL RPC

Twister Combine's
Flight For The Fight.

The Twister Combine will have a benefit cancer race on October 20th 2012 from HUGO OK 250 mile race. The proceeds from this race will go to help a child with in our area who is fighting their battle with cancer.

The bands will cost $10 dollars and will be sold till October 19^th which is shipping day. The person who purchased the winning band will have their name on behalf of the Twister Combine, on a check presented to the recipient.

If you are a fancier yourself and would like to fly your own bird, please send your bird along with $10 dollars to a member of Twister Combine .

For more information about this Race or any other questions, please call

Jerry Smith, Twister Combine President at 620-743-3039.
Send any email correspondence to TwisterCombine@gmail.com
or for other information go to www.twistercombine.com

AU YEARBOOK ADVERTISING

Advertising contributions make the AU Yearbook publication a successful one, and one that members anxiously look for.  We look forward to receiving your ad for the 2012 edition.

The layout process will begin soon for the upcoming publication and we are excited to offer advertising space to you.  The advertising rates remain the same and are listed below.

Please submit the reservation form below as soon as possible so we might reserve the appropriate space for you. 

Receiving ads in one of the digital formats listed below will help us ensure the best quality.  If you will be submitting ads in a different format, please call the office (405-848-5801).  Our artist will work with you to provide the best product possible.

Adobe PageMaker                   Microsoft Word*

Adobe PhotoShop                    Microsoft Works*

Adobe PDF                               Microsoft Publisher*

Corel WordPerfect*                  All Basic Word Processing Formats (.txt files)*

*Ads with graphics embedded in a document – please send separate graphics file with the ad.

Additionally, we are continuing our Breeders’ & Classified Directory and Memorial Ads, which will be included in the 2012 Yearbook.  For an additional $25 advertisers may submit a business card size ad.

We look forward to hearing from you soon to confirm your ads.  Many advertisers have already reserved space and we want to accommodate as many as possible.  Ads should be received by no later than August 1, 2012.