Check out the Becker Family in the news! Eric and Jill Becker created Launch Chapel Hill, a “‘venture lab,’ [that is] a combination of a business accelerator and co-working space for budding entrepreneurs”. Launch is catered to students at the University of North Carolina where their son Greg recently graduated, and where Jake will be heading this Friday! Launch provides students with resources such as guest speakers and workshops to help develop their business venture, connecting and networking with businesses, and mentorship of local business leaders….

Grant Cohen, a sophomore at the University of Maryland and Jack Miller, a junior at McDonogh School, created their own jobs this summer by starting “MC Windows”, a home window washing service for residents in the Baltimore area.  Grant and Jack have utilized their sales savvy and literally knocked on doors to build their business. These two young men had the idea to open a window washing business from Jack’s dad, Ira Miller, who had a summer job of washing windows when he was growing up….

Arianna Huffington of the The Huffington Post published an article about Points of Light, an organization which was founded 23 years ago with a mission of promoting and recognizing Americans to join together to volunteer. The article cites how volunteering has remained the backbone of American history and present day culture that instills the desire to organize Americans as one to face adversity.The name Points of Light is derived from a report given by President Bush, on January 8, 1993, who described people “who gave their time and energy to their fellow Americans as “a thousand points of light”….

Congratulations to James Piper Bond who is the president and CEO of the Living Classrooms Foundation for winning the Social Entrepreneur award by Ernst & Young! Living Classrooms has a variety of programs to provide a hands-on approach to education and job training. Last year Cara was involved in the fundraising department of Living Classrooms. She would be proud of Living Classrooms for receiving this honor.

To read the full article:
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2013/06/26/ernst-young-entrepreneur-of-the-year.html

For more information on the Living Classrooms Foundation visit their website: https://livingclassrooms.org/

 …

A big thanks to Tails in the City, a pet accessories boutique in Chicago, for making a generous donation to Karma for Cara. Cara loved going to their shop with Happy and Chewy!

http://www.tailsinthecity.com/

The article “Can Service Save Us?” from Time.com describes how service work has helped veterans to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder by giving back to the community. A Mission Continues Fellow Jake Wood describes how Posttraumatic Stress can be overcome by helping others, “If you’re out doing disaster relief you’re less likely to be thinking about yourself and more likely to be thinking about the people you’re helping”.

This article supports our mission for K4C in honoring Cara’s memory by using her example of giving back to encourage and support youth engagement in communities and rewarding and recognizing those excelling in their service projects….

As we celebrate July 4th, we think of Cara this time last year. Working at the pool at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore. Cara loved to work. The job was outdoors overlooking the harbor; Cara would tell her Dad, “Dad, I have the best office and view in Baltimore!” She loved making hotel guests happy. And her co-workers! Love this summer photo, kidding around in the towel shack. Cara was a beautiful young woman with an amazing sense of humor….

On July 18, 2013, Baltimore’s 5th Southside Cup Invitational Tennis Tournament was held in honor of Cara Becker at the Woodholme Country Club. The tournament, organized by Jill Becker, Jodi Brodie, Pam Gillin, Elyse Jacob and Karen Philippou, drew 30 local women to participate. Despite record setting heat, with temperatures soaring to 100 degrees and a lightning show, the ladies challenged one another on the courts for more than two hours. There was a fantastic mix of camaraderie and competition….

Last night we had one of our final tastings for Cara’s Cheesebombs, a delicious cheesy and crunchy cracker that is also gluten-free! Inspired by the classic taste of the “Cheez-it” she so enjoyed before her transition to a gluten-free diet, Cara sought out to develop a gluten-free cracker that would “explode” with flavor. To our excitement when we compared Cara’s Cheesebombs to other crackers we learned how they had a great crunch, delicious cheesy taste and our nutritional profile was so much healthier!…

On June 23rd the Woodholme Country Club held a Tennis Pro-Am event to benefit Karma for Cara and it was a GREAT success! The total amount raised was $5,295! Not even the stormy weather could stop everyone from coming out and supporting us! There were 60 players and professionals that participated.

We have so many people to thank including Jodi Brodie and Dara Schnee for organizing the tournament, Claude England who arranged the professional tennis players to come out and play, Woodholme Country Club for hosting our event, the talented and charismatic pro’s that donated their time, all the volunteers working the tables and selling t-shirts, and everyone who came out to play and support us!…