RANDOM ACTS: Soup's on for diabetes fight

By Ann Geracimos (Contact) | Wednesday, November 12, 2008

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Linking beef-barley soup with juvenile diabetes research can be as short a step as the distance between spoon and mouth at the District's Oceanaire Seafood Room this month.

November being National Diabetes Awareness Month, the restaurant's executive chef, Rob Klink, teamed up with former Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, who has Type II diabetes, to promote the habit of eating this heart-healthy food. Proceeds from any cup or bowl ordered by patrons will be donated to the local chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Mustache men

November also is being touted as a good time for men to take a stand against prostate cancer. Claiming that more than 186,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, a five-year-old charity named Movember calls on men to grow a "mo" - Aussie slang for mustache - the entire month while collecting donations for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of America.

The worldwide effort is aimed at making men aware of such statistics as the likelihood of prostate cancer affecting one in six men, with black men thought to be 60 percent more vulnerable than Caucasian men. Instead of a wristband or the familiar pink decorative items marking support of breast cancer, Movember wants a "hairy ribbon" to promote conversation and information about the disease.

Helping hands

Boston Market has a double-duty idea for helping the less advantaged as well as its budget-minded customers during the coming holidays.

The Colorado-based corporation is marketing its coupons as "ideal stocking stuffers" to feed the needs of both donor and recipient. A coupon booklet selling for $1 at the chain's restaurants through November is worth $35 in food. The proceeds of each booklet will go to Give Kids the World Village in Florida.

The latter gives children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a weeklong cost-free fantasy vacation on its home site. This is the first year Boston Market has partnered with the nonprofit. The plan also involves setting up a restaurant at the site to treat families free of charge during their stay.

In addition, Boston Market holiday specials include pre-cooked turkey banquet orders for cost-conscious customers that are as low as $5.25 a person when a total of 12 people are involved. The chain features so-called comfort food at 550 restaurants nationwide.

Public service appeal

L'Oreal Paris, sponsor of a Women of Worth program, has named Lina Czubas, 84, of Falls Church one of 10 honorees across the country to be cited for their volunteer efforts in several areas. Chosen by a panel of judges for her work with returning soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, she was among a total of 3,000 applicants. She will receive $5,000 for her charity, plus a $5,000 matching donation in her name that goes to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. To raise the ante for her or any of the other honorees to receive an additional $25,000 for her favorite nonprofit, the public is invited to vote through Nov. 24 at www.womenof worth.com.

Honors of note

• Charitable work isn't in short supply in Northern Virginia, to judge by two recent Neighbor of the Year awards given by a local community Web site, myNeighborsNetwork.com, to recognize outstanding volunteer enterprise and good will. One for an adult younger than 22 went to Alex Holtberg, a freshman at Langley High School in McLean, who has been active in outreach for troops serving overseas. Another, meant for an older adult, was given to Elizabeth Marcotte of Great Falls, who has helped organize meal deliveries to families in crisis, as well as troop care packages under the network's Helping Hands program.

• The Alzheimer's Association pays tribute to local Washington TV anchorwoman Barbara Harrison today at the Washington Monuments luncheon in the Omni Shoreham for her interest in promoting health matters.

• Six Washington-area philanthropists are to be recognized at the seventh annual National Capital Philanthropy Day on Monday at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, sponsored by the Washington DC Metro Area Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Awardees are Robert M. Pinkard of the real estate firm Cassidy & Pinkard Colliers; Dickstein Shapiro LLP law firm; James W. Lintott, board head of the Children's Hospital Foundation; the D.C. Bar Foundation; Deborah Peeples of Iona Senior Services; and Joseph T.N. Suarez of the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.

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