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2nd Annual Family Fun Run

Student-led event continues huge success

Grant Starr was a friend of Race Director and creator of the event, Ryan Alexander, a junior at Clements High School. Ryan wanted to create an event to honor Grant that would be so cool that Grant himself would have wanted to participate! The race is proving to be an on-going vehicle for adolescent participation, and definitely creates awareness of the Foundation for kids, participants and the community.

New to this year's event was the competitive, chip-timed 5K race, which was in addition to the non-competitive 5K and kids 1-Mile races. This was truly a race for all! After the runs were completed, the post race festivities began. Food, drinks, and entertainment were plentiful. Local Sugar Land restaurants generously donated awesome taste treats, from bagels to sushi, coffee to chicken fingers! An inaugural "Kid's Zone” was part of the fun this year. Face painting, sports games, a cupcake walk and more, delighted the kids...this attraction proved very popular.

St. Luke's Sugar Land Hospital was presenting sponsor for this year. Mr. Jim Levermann, CEO of the hospital, was on hand to kick off the race and congratulate the winners. In addition, St. Luke's representatives were onsite to distribute goodies as well as vital information about services offered at the conveniently located facility. The foundation is extremely thankful for St. Luke's support and looks forward to a continued relationship.

Stay tuned for information about next year's Fun Run. Keep your running shoes close by.

Top Fun Run Sponsors

2010 Fun Run Fort Bend ISD Student Board

Students dedicated energies for success

Ryan Alexander Race Director Caitlin Papso Sr. Director Publicity B. J. Jordan Director Event Site Jennifer Macdonell Director Registration Demi Dollihite Director In-Kind Sponsors Ellen Hay Director Race Course

Ryan Lisse Director of Volunteers Paige Lambert Director FBISD Relations Josie Henning Director of Publicity Dylan Dollihite Director Sponsorships Rachel Lisse Treasurer Alex Hohn Secretary

FBISD Student Fun Run Board was instrumental in organizing the event.

Diagnostic Testing Program Review Underway

The Grant-A-Starr Foundation is committed to advancing diagnostic testing to save children's lives. To this end, it seeks leading projects that will meet this mission.

The board of directors is currently reviewing ways to expand efforts and contribute more significantly to a project or series of projects.

Early in 2010, a request for proposal ("RFP”) was issued to several leading organizations and institutions seeking details of programs or projects that may be underway. Organizations across the U.S. were targeted to receive the RFP.

Key elements requested from each organization include: 1) detailed project description, 2) impact to children, 3) strategic importance of the project within the organization and 4) funding requirements over the next several years.

Watch for more to come on this exciting development.

Annual Auction Update

The annual "Wish Upon a Starr” auction has been deferred for 2010. The event held at Momentum BMW in Houston was a huge success for the last three years.

It was decided to take this year off. The decision was made partly due to the weak economy, as well as, allow a focus on the successful 2nd Annual Fun Run.

According to Tracey Lisse, Executor Director, "We plan to hold the auction again during 2011. With the Program Assessment expected to complete this year, it will be an ideal opportunity to update our generous donors on our go-forward plans.

Community Efforts Continue to Raise Funds and Awareness

Individuals and organizations across Fort Bend County and the Sugar Land community have been the largest supporters of the Grant-A-Starr Foundation since its inception.

Recent community initiatives have helped to promote the Fun Run as well as generate charitable donations to support the mission. These include student organized activities at FBISD schools. Students at Commonwealth Elementary, Fort Settlement Middle School and Clements High School initiated several activities to raise donations, including a hat day and selling blue stars.

Youths at Christ United Methodist Church in Sugar Land participated in mission work as part of an extensive Confirmation Program.  Their Spring project was to raise money for the Grant-A-Starr Foundation.  The class of 76 students held a bake sale and car wash to raise significant donations.  The project was personal for many of the youth involved, who are friends with Grant as school classmates or teammates on the baseball and soccer fields.

"It is amazing and heartwarming to know the community continues to help us celebrate Grant's life”, said Rod and Dolores Starr. "We are so grateful for the support to the foundation's mission to save children's lives by advancing diagnostic testing—Thank you!”

Please consider a donation to the Grant-A-Starr Foundation and help save children's lives through early diagnosis. You can donate online at www.grantastarr.org or by mail to the address below.