Pin Oak Donates $125,000 to Our Charities

posted on Aug 15, 2012 by Pin Oak Admin

To view our photo gallery of the check presentation, visit the Pin Oak facebook page.

On August 2nd, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show continued its 67-year history of helping children and charities by presenting 125,000 ways that horses touch the lives of sick children through Texas Children's Hospital - West Campus, Houston's Ronald McDonald House Family Rooms and Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance. 35 supporters, charity representatives, and hospital leaders gathered to celebrate Pin Oak's success after the 2012 show in the sunny Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Child Life Room at Texas Children's Hospital - West Campus and accepted a record donation of $125,000!

The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show hit a rough spot this past year when it lost $80,000 in sponsors. However, President Lynn Walsh said many of their sponsors such as Superior Energy Services, Inc., Haras Dos Cavaleiros, Moet & Chandon, and Valobra Jewelry and Antiques came in and kicked in high gear so the organization could continue helping Texas children.

“Many of our sponsors have been with us for years,” Walsh said. “We’re very honored that they have chosen to continue their support. We gain new sponsors every year; we bring them in and hope they feel they’re part of our family.”

“Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has a simple mission: to help children,” remarked Lynn Walsh as she presented Dr. Charles T. Hankins, Chief Medical Officer of Texas Children's Hospital - West Campus with a check for $100,000. With this donation, Pin Oak meets 50% of its $400,000 commitment to this new Texas Children's Hospital and its second major gift. Pin Oak first commitment to the new West Campus facility was for $300,000 and helped the hospital break ground for this state-of-the-art facility in west Houston. That commitment was fulfilled in 2011 and the new $400,000 commitment was made.

Lynn Walsh, president of Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, presents a
check for $125,000 to Dr. Charles T. Hankins, Chief Medical Officer
for Texas Children's Hospital West Campus. Also pictured are
Ketrese White, Roxanne Cook, Mary Jones and Rachael Walker

The Child Life Playrooms are a refuge away from medical tests and procedures where patients and their siblings can do arts and crafts and play games with Child Life specialists. “Now if we were a business, this would be the CEO suite because there is not a better room in this hospital than this room,” Hankins said to the crowd. “Nobody pays us a penny more because this room exists. So we can take the CEO equivalent suite and make it a Child Life Playroom.”

Texas Children's Hospital West Campus Child Life Specialists,
Katy Wolford, Susan Eyers, Rachael Walker and Sarah Rowe

“We could never really repay Pin Oak with gratitude, but it’s there,” Hankins said. “We also want to make sure that Pin Oak knows we’re open. Anytime we could help Pin Oak do what they need to do or anything they sponsor, we’re more than glad to make our doors open.”

$15,000 was presented to Mikki Donnelly, representing Houston's Ronald McDonald House to support the Family Rooms inside of Texas Children's Hospital - West Campus. $10,000 was presented to Gay Foust, who represented Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance.The money will be earmarked to cover the cost of parking for the the months of February and March for Texas Children's Hospital patient families in need. 

Lynn Walsh, Mikki Donnelly, David Hicks and Debbie Bauer


Lynn Walsh, Gay Foust, Roxanne Cook and Mary Jones

Dr. Hankins acknowledged, “Without the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, Texas Children's Hospital may not exist since it provided the seed money in 1947 to build Texas Children's Hospital which opened its doors to sick children in 1954.” “Pin Oak makes the difference for a patient’s experience at Texas Children's Hospital.” The three charities of Pin Oak work in unison to bring healing to sick children and provide the multi-faceted, family-centered care needed during such a difficult time.

The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show would like to thank the event hospitality sponsors:
 

Two Forks Catering
Evamor Natural Artesian Water
Nothing Bundt Cakes
Michael's Cookie Jar