Only a handful among the 150 guests gathered at the Blue Bird Circle Resale Shop on Alabama knew what was coming at the "Fall-en Love With a Blue Bird" event. So it was applause and cheers all around when president Pat Edwards presented Texas Children's Hospital leaders with a check for $2 million.
"Texas Children's has no better friends than the Blue Birds," Kline said.
The funds were given to establish the Blue Bird Circle Endowed Chair for Pediatric Neurology and the Neurosciences. Accepting the check were Dr. Mark Kline, physician-in-chief of Texas Children’s Hospital, and neurologists Dr. Gary Clark and Dr. Robert Zeller. Clark will be the first holder of the chair, one of only four endowed pediatric neurology chairs in the country.
"Texas Children's has no better friends than the Blue Birds," Kline said.
This was just the latest milestone in the Blue Bird Circle's 90 years of assisting in the healthcare needs of children. Each year, Blue Birds brings in more than $1 million for the Blue Bird Circle Clinic for Pediatric Neurology, the Blue Bird Circle Developmental Neurogenetics Laboratory and the Blue Bird Circle Rett Center. In addition, members contribute more than 100,000 volunteers annually at the hospital and at the resale shop.
Among those gathered for the surprise presentation were Suzy Rhodes, Regina Romano, Anne Romano, Dr. Charles Gay, Gwen Wilkinson, Maggie Austin, Claire Manning, Dodi Willingham, Mark Willingham and Lelani and Tom Sinclair.
Dr. Gary Clark, left, Pat Edwards and Dr. Mark Kline.
