Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the nationally syndicated Energy Mix Radio Show, produced
by the Energy Network Media Group. The Energy Mix Radio
Show will give you an inside look at the energy
industry and how it affects you by talking with industry leaders, experts,
and government officials on the Energy Mix Radio Show.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Welcome to the Energy Mix Radio Show, your go to
show for all things energy. I'm Kimbalatto, your host, and
today we have a fantastic lineup of stories and insights
for you, from the latest and oil and gas to
energy trends. We've got it all covered. So sit tight,
stay tuned, and let's dive in today's show. My guest
today is Brittany Franklin, CEO of sky High for Kids. Brittany,
(00:39):
Welcome to the Energy Mix Radio Show.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Thank you, Kim, honored to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Well, we're happy to have you because you recently grace
the cover of Shell magazine, and by the way, that
issue was doing very well online. I happen to believe
that once you get and I mean this in the
sweetest way, when you have a real pretty face on
the cover in an oil and yes pretty much magazine,
it does well with clicks and wanting to read the story.
(01:05):
So tell me how that how you felt about being
on the cover of Shell magazine and as covering your mission.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Extremely honored.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I've worked in oil and gas for fourteen years and
I saw that magazine on so many clients desks and
in their reception areas for so long, and so to
be on the cover was, I mean a complete honor.
And I think that that just, you know, helped our
credibility in terms of.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
What we do. And then also it was beautifully written.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
I mean, it's what energy's doing to impact childhood cancer
and there's not enough good light shed on our industry
as a whole, and so I think that was just
it was just huge.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
I'm very very grateful.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Well, you know, you all are the first nonprofit that
has ever made the cover of Shell magazine too, and
Shell magazine has been around for fourteen years too.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
You definitely are in a good mix of folks that
have made the cover. And but what you got guys
are doing, and I'm so happy to have you here.
We want to talk about it today. What you guys
are doing, the mission of sky High that we're going
to cover on today's show is really vital and how
important oil and gas is playing in changing children, saving
(02:15):
children who have cancered their lives. So I'm glad that
you're here today.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
And by the way, you.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Are also you were on the cover first quarter and
the second core. A second cover that's coming after you
is also a very high steemed woman who is Commissioner
Don Buckingham, the Commissioner of the General Land Office. So
I'm pretty proud that we had.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
To and then back to back. This is amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
We got some strong women in Texas.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
I'll tell you.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Let's get started though, tell us a little bit about
sky High the mission. Y'all are a nonprofit, so you
work primarily off doing good for children with cancer and
it's all by donations. So what's the mission and what
inspired you as the founder to do this? Because gives
me chills and goosebumps. This is a big thing you've done.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
It's a wild story, Kim, and I know you know
it inside and out. But just to educate the listeners.
First of all, thank you to everybody in the oil
and gas community who has supported us in the past
and who's supporting us now. I had a dream when
I was in high school after being introduced to Saint
Jude Children's Research Hospital as a volunteer to do something
(03:24):
about the severity of this disease, right, to do something
to support children around the globe who were fighting for
their lives. And I didn't know that this was a
thing until I visited Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital as
a freshman high school, and so my world stopped and
(03:44):
I said, this isn't fair and we need to do something.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
So fast forward to college.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Started a sporting clay tournament and I had a passion
for sporting clays.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
I love the outdoors.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
With my girlfriends, we all worked together at Edie's Biscuits
and well I went to school together, and so we
hosted the first fundraiser and it was wildly successful. The
Alafayette community wrapped its arms around us and our mission
to help impact families that were undergoing treatment at Saint
Jude at the time, and we never imagined raising fifty
(04:15):
thousand dollars, but we did, and before you knew it,
we were at the statue on Saint Juke campus in Memphis, Tennessee.
And that's when really everything changed in terms of what
I thought my future would look like.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I thought I was going to go to law school.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I had big plans to move out of my small
town Abbeyville, Louisiana, and well, God said, no, I have
something else in store for you. And so we met
Bryce Norwood that day. He unfortunately was terminally ill with
Wilm's tumor. It's a type of kidney cancer, and we
at sky High were able to fulfill his last adventure
(04:52):
is what we call it. It's very similar to make
a wish, and we were able to do that in Uvalde,
Texas at four M Ranch, which was owned by Frank's
Frank's Casing Crew if you know Frank's or Frank's International.
The family donated that trip. And when we were able
to impact Bryce and his family in that way, you know,
it really just showed me my vocation. And so we
(05:13):
launched our five o' one C three officially in two
thousand and eight and the rest is history, right. So
that was the motivation and inspiration behind it, and our
mission morphed into something so much bigger, and it is
to gather the community to provide comfort, fund research, and
save lives of those fighting pediatric cancer and other life
(05:36):
threatening conditions. And so we worked tirelessly day in and
day out to fulfill that mission, and the oil and
guy's industry has been our backbone since day one.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
How many nonprofits would you estimate that actually are taking
into consideration children with cancer? I mean, everybody knows Saint
Jude's and it's amazing parents don't pay anything when their children
actually have cancer. But outside of that, how many other
organizations are really looking at helping children with cancer? And
then how did you zone in on oil and gas specifically?
(06:08):
Was that also just a fluke, something just fell into
your old lap? And why did you select oil and
gas as opposed to any other type of business out there?
Speaker 4 (06:16):
When I answer your first question, there are several nonprofits
that are impacting the childhood cancer community. I don't have
the exact number. I'm sure we could google that real quick,
but there's a lot though, well, no, there's not a ton.
I mean I say several as in like, I'm part
of an MPO group here in Houston and we work
(06:38):
with probably I think there's about sixteen nonprofits that are
directly impacting you know, the childhood cancer community in some way,
shape or form, right, So that may be through housing support,
that may be through wishless items that are delivered weekly
to families inpatient at the hospital, and may be something
focused strictly on BMT, which is bowing transplant. There's there's
(07:02):
a there's a few, right, and they're phenomenal. Sky High
for Kids is one of the largest in the country
in terms of what we do directly supporting groundbreaking research,
uh the impact directly to families while they're in it,
as I like to say, and even post treatment, as
(07:24):
well as all of the volunteer opportunities that we give
the community to then put their hands on our mission
and our cause. The big ones that you may have
heard of obviously Saint Jude which is ALSAC, that's their
fundraising arm, Alex Lemonade, Stan Saint Baldric's. Those are twenty
five million dollar plus organizations.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
But there aren't that many.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
To answer your question, I just don't have the exact number,
and Skyhigh's right in the middle in terms of being
fairly large in terms of our impact and the dollars
that we raise. To back up and answer your second question,
oil and gas was something that I was familiar with
my entire life because my dad works seven and seven.
He quit high school in ninth grade, when his father died,
(08:08):
they had no choice. They had to go to work,
and he put on FRCS And I'll never forget vividly
seeing my dad leave to go offshore and he'd come
back and we would laugh because he'd come back with
a big check and I thought that was literally like
a physical, humongous cardboard check, like on the prices. Right,
That's just what I remember thinking about, and then my
dad would leave again. My dad crashed in a helicopter
(08:32):
in the Gulf of Mexico in nineteen eighty nine. I
was six years old, and that was like two weeks
before Christmas. He was going out to his job site
show his boss. They all survived, thankfully, but I remember,
you know, all I knew about oil and gas was that, right,
my dad goes offshore seven and seven and supports the family.
(08:53):
But then he crashed and it was it ended his career,
and so I didn't know how I felt about the
oil and gas industry. And you know, you think back now,
but later on in college, I had no intentions of
joining this industry, just because I wanted to be a
lawyer and moved to big city, thought that's what you
had to do. I was so fortunate to gather people
(09:15):
for supporting the first Sporting Play Tournament in two thousand
and seven. And all of those people worked in the
oil and gas industry, from Frank's casing crew to LC
Crane my gosh, work strings, linear controls, all the oil
and gas companies in Lafayette. The owners worked at the
restaurant that you know. I mean, the owners came to
(09:38):
the restaurant to eat breakfast, and I served them every morning.
And that's of course who received the first flyer about
the Sporting Play Tournament, and then they registered and they supported,
and so our first event was like one hundred percent
oil and gas. And that's how I got my job offer.
So came to Houston, did a pitch at Pegasus Internation.
(10:00):
They turned around and said, hey, look, this is fantastic
what you're doing, but we also want to hire you
to be our project services coordinator. And I was like,
what what's a project services coordinator? Like, well, you're gonna
runt our inspection personnel out on pipeline projects. And I
was like, uh okay, Anyway, it was too good of
a job offered to pass up, and I put my
(10:20):
boots on and got in a U haul and moved
literally from Lafayette to Houston with four hundred dollars to
my name and started my careerent oil and gas, and
so naturally every single person that I ever touched in
this wonderful industry. I also shared the good work of
sky High for kids and what we were doing, and
everyone said yes, started to grow.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
I don't think that people really if you work in
oil and gas, you get it. But if you're outside
like me, never worked a day in oil and gas,
but got to grow up in Houston, Texas, and especially
at a time because I'm much older than you, when
we know you're not when we saw well and I
need to know who you were going to. But I
(11:02):
do remember, you know, when we were going through the
embargo and there were gas lines that were five miles
long where we were waiting in line to get gas,
and there were fights and there was such upheaval in
that period of time that led us to understanding how
important energy was to us as a nation in a country,
(11:22):
and it is a matter of national security. I bring
that up because I don't think that people really understand
you get this bug about you when it comes to
oil and gas and it just kind of engulfs you
and before you know it, you understand how important energy
is and the people, the wonderful people that work in
it people and you just catch that bug or you
catch that fever, and after that you know you're just
(11:44):
You're one of the team. You're here to help. Where
can I help you at Let's take a quick break.
When we return, I want to talk a little bit
about some of the accomplishments because you guys have been
around for a long time. There's some pretty heavy projects
you guys have accomplished. Some children that have really you've
made a difference in their lives and their face families.
I've been fortunate to attend a lot of some of
your events to hear some families talk about it. So
(12:05):
we're going to get into that when we return back.
For more information to donate, if you have a child
that needs assistance, Andrew want to volunteer, please visit sky
High for Kids dot org. Again, that's sky Hi for
Kids dot org. You're listening to the Energy Mix radio show.
Speaker 5 (12:22):
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Speaker 3 (13:02):
And we're back.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
You're listening to the Energy Mix radio show. My guest
today is Brittany Franklin, CEO of sky High for Kids,
a nonprofit that is specifically geared at helping children and
families with cancer. Brittany, before the break, you were telling
us a lot about the mission and how it got started.
Now let's talk about some of the accomplishments, because the
accomplishments are really what makes everything go. I have attended
(13:26):
your golf tournament last year. It was well attended, but
I also was so touched because I got to hear
from the family and a couple of children that had cancer.
I've been very fortunate as a parent to have not
had to deal with something like that. It makes my
heart so sad to think that a family has to
go a child has to go through this, and then
the family has to go through this along with keeping
(13:47):
up with all the bills and probably other children that
are in the house. It's very traumatic and all help
they need, desperate help, emotional helps you, any kind of
help is needed. So tell me a little bit about
some of the accomplishments that you guys since you've been founded.
Are there some really that stand out in your mind,
(14:08):
maybe some children that you know made it and some
that maybe didn't that you think are worth sharing with us.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
Yes, I'm so just grateful to be able to share
these astounding accomplishments. And it's all because of the people
that have been behind us since day one. We were
a sole volunteer organization for seven years before we turned
the corner to build the actual business as I like
to call it, in terms of having staff and really
(14:34):
putting the proper you know, structure in place, policies, procedures.
We run a business just like you run your business.
We just have a much leaner budget. One that stands
out to me is helping build the first ICU and
Surgery Center on Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital campus. If
you could believe this, for decades, families who had to
(14:56):
undergo a uh, you know, dream surgery of any kind,
or really the kids that were in the most critical
state during their treatment, we're having to go down the
street to Labonner. And that was a wonderful partnership and
still in a partnership that exists today. But when you're
a family and you're navigating a new city, a new hospital,
(15:19):
and you have to pack up and then go down
the street so your child can undergo an eleven hour
brain surgery, I mean, it just adds more logistics. And
there's already so many logistics when your child is diagnosed
that people just don't understand. That's just something we don't
want to add that, right. So Creativity Foundation former Eric
Trump Foundation, asked us to partner on this. They committed
(15:43):
twenty million dollars to support the buildout of the ICU
and Surgery Center, and we were able to commit five
million dollars to help build a wing of that, specifically
the Family Recovery Room where families are waiting for their child,
you know, while they're undergoing the surgery or they're in
the ICU and then the medicine room, the actual surgical suites.
(16:08):
So we're proud to say that Buckeye Partners, Farmer Antadarko
Petroleum which is now oxy and Strike USA, Strike Construction
are all companies that really helped us fulfill that five
million dollar commitment. And now we know families that have
literally gone through that surgery and ICU center. In fact,
(16:29):
yesterday I got a picture from the Dago family from Louisiana.
Madeline removed a kidney. She had a type of kidney
cancer and removed the kidney in that surgery and ICU center,
and he sent photos post a year from her surgery,
her life saving surgery, standing in that surgery and ICU center.
And so to see that and know that our kids
(16:50):
that we have to provide a future to or in
those facilities that we helped build, is just it's surreal.
We built the Tumor Biology Center at Texas Children's Cancer Center,
which provides precision therapy for children who may not respond to.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
A blanket protocol.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
We built the Generator Housing Unit at Ronal McDonald House
of Memphis, which is the only RMH that houses children
from one soul hospital, which is Saint Jude. We had
engineers in the oil and guys industry again former Anadarko
come to Memphis, Tennessee and help Ron McDonald house plan
out their power grid project, and we gave one point
(17:29):
two five million dollars to help them keep the life.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Big numbers, by the way, let's kind a check for
twenty thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
These are big numbers.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
You guys are doing some amazing, amazing work in how
you're really changing not just one child's life, tons.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Tons, thousands, thousands. So those are some of the big
ones that stand out. And then there's countless stories, Kim
when it comes to the kids.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Well let's talk about Okay, Okay, So I want to
get into a little bit later on the needs. So
the listeners go get your pen paper in between, or
you know, get ready to type it in where you
can help if you want to support this great cause.
But can we drill down just a little bit and
talk about some of the families, like there was a
family at your golf tournament, and that family that there
(18:14):
was a little girl there that I remember I don't remember.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Okay, Ellie, what what's Ellie's story.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
But I remember the mom being so touched by like
that this sky high for d you know, sky high
for kids actually was really a huge inspiration for them.
You know, she said how much she was grateful because
you guys were like a support even though you're not
a therapy or supportive system. You're not really designed to
(18:39):
do that in the mission.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Yet you all are yes, and that is the providing
comfort piece, right and whatever that looks like, we seem
to just say yes and figure it out. Ellie has
an inoperable brain tumor, and her mother has been fighting
tooth and nail to find the best possible treatment and
(19:01):
obviously find a way for Ellie to be cured.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
I mean you met her. She is so full of life.
Oh my gosh. I mean she really is a super dynamic.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Right.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
No, she walked in our fashion show at brunch, she
was our star at our Young Professionals golf tournament. We've
done a lot for Ellie and her family, everything from
providing transportation to and from treatment, groceries, gift cards where
it's needed to help offset that financial burden. You know, Uh,
if I'm not mistaken, Ellie's mom, you know, takes care
of the kids. Uh dad is a amazing manager at Pinkerton's,
(19:38):
which is a really cool bar and restaurant. And so
if you think about you know that income and when
when your child is diagnosed with.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
That's not a lot to try to get through cancer, No,
especially terminal brain cancer. I mean you have to get
ready for clinical trials.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
And Brittany, I'm up against a heard break? Yes, take
this back up. Okay after the break for more information
to donate. If you have a child that needs assistance,
Andrew want to volunteer, please visit sky High for Kids
dot org. Again, that's sky High Kids dot org. You're
listening to the Energy Mix radio show and we'll be ready.
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Speaker 2 (21:19):
Find and we're back. You're listening to the Energy Mix
radio show. My guest today is Brittany Franklin, CEO of
sky High for Kids. Brittany, we were talking about y'all's
last year twenty twenty four golf tournament in which you
had a delightful little girl named Ellie and her family.
You told us a little bit about the family, and
(21:41):
this is a it's got to be a real hard
thing when you when mom stays home, dad works in
the hospitality industry and they make good money, but not
always and then you're dealing with a child with cancer
when you have other kids, the amount of stress and
pressure and heartship and just saddens must be just overwhelming.
I think about it, and I you know, don't want
(22:03):
to even you know, think about it too much because
I'll just really get emotional. Tell me a little bit
more about Ellie. You said she's got terminal brain cancer. Yes,
is she aware of this? And how old is she?
Speaker 3 (22:15):
I think Ellie's four now she is aware, And I
think a four year old really comprehend with you. No.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
I mean, let's you know, I have an almost two
year old, and I mean, although she's very smart and
it is now making her own coffee in the morning,
kids at that age don't truly understand what's happening, poked
prodded on, you know, undergoing clinical trials, different treatments, whether
it's chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries. One thing about Ellie that's very
(22:48):
unique is that she just has this you know, insane
strength about her and this this aura when she walks
into her.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Room, she is she's confident, full of life.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
I mean, she is so full of life, and she's
going to make an impact on this world no matter
how long she's able to do that here on earth.
It's pretty phenomenal. Just this kid, I mean, she lights
up a room. She leaves a standing impression on everybody
that she meets. But we've done a lot to help
this family and we are continuing to do so today,
(23:24):
if you can believe it. Her puppy dog, her Labrador
Retriever that we gifted to her and her family was
dropped off at Running Gun Adventures in Bay City, Texas
to you know, go through training. But this dog is
going to be with her through her journey and become
a very big part of her support system. And those
are things that we do for families.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
How you know, I'm curious it obviously has appeared that
while y'all are writing big checks getting buildings built, which
you're going to get into that a little bit on
in the show, but there's also like a personal place
that all the employees and team of sky High, These
people come in and they are part of the family. Now,
how is that established? Who makes these decisions on which children?
(24:10):
For somebody who's listening, how do you explain who gets accepted?
Is there an acceptance process? You know, things like that?
How do these children come into your you know network,
or into your nonprofit and get services.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
It's a wonderful question. And we had a meeting today
with Laura Angel, who's our Cancer Warrior coordinator, who's a
mom of Peyton Angel, who underwent two and a half
years of treatment for lymphoma at nine years old. And
now Laura is here is an unbelievable volunteer running this
program and we have had an extreme increase in applications
(24:53):
just this month. Number One, the process is call us,
message us on Instagram, Facebook.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Just reaching out.
Speaker 4 (25:02):
It doesn't matter, just reach out. I told people today
that I, on average personally get three to five phone
calls a week or messages from newly diagnosed families or
people who know a newly diagnosed family, and I immediately
send my cell phone and say connect me with mom
or dad, and then the process starts there. The second
(25:24):
part is we don't deny anyone in the application process,
and I won't lie to you. We don't have it
super formalized, Kim. The reality is every family has a
little bit of a different need and we just work
through those needs one on one with the family. I
have a family from Columbia, their child has liver cancer.
(25:46):
I got a phone call from Anna and she said, Brittany,
these people have nowhere to stay if they get accepted
into Texas Children's for this clinical trial which could save
his life. Right, Columbia said, there's nothing else we can do.
Florida said, there's nothing else we can do. That we
have to get into Texas Children's. He's in, he's in.
And then we called Ronald McDonald house and guess what
(26:07):
the family moved in within twenty four hours. It's a
magical thing. Right, We just know who to call. We
know the resources out there, and so whether it's transportation, houses, groceries,
essential needs for the families. We do not decline a family.
We do not turn away any application.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Well, I will say that as we get ready for break,
one thing is becoming a parent is that you all
are large in cutting big checks, but you have not
turned into this corporate structure in which you have to
fall into a certain box. You all are open to
any child that is experiencing any form of cancer. Let
us see what we can do. Roll up our sleeves
(26:45):
and we're ready to go to work. And I also
think that oil and gas the industry is very much
exactly like that too. We got a problem. We're going
to figure it out. Because they're figuring out the world's
biggest challenges and problems. How do we enough energy to
supply the planet? For more information to donate, If you
have a child that needs assistance andrew want to volunteer,
(27:09):
please visit sky High for Kids dot org. Again, that's
sky High for Kids dot org. You're listening to the
Energy Mix radio show. We'll be right now.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
And we're back.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
You're listening to the Energy Mix radio show. My guest
today is Brittany Franklin, CEO of sky High for Kids
and recently on the cover of Shell Magazine. If you'd
like to learn about Britney sky High for Kids, please
visit Shell mag dot com and her article along with
the issue. The latest issue is there, and you can
also visit sky High for Kids dot org for more information. Brittany,
(27:45):
before the break, we were discussing how personalized your programs
are sky Higher Kid and no one has turned away.
I want to give our listeners another some more time
to learn a little bit more about children their families
and then kind of wind down that kind of cuts
you off because of the break on housing and things
that you were talking about. So can you go back
(28:06):
on that topic with the press.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
So, our Cancer Warrior applications are open on our website
at Skyhigherkids dot org. We do not turn a family away.
We help with essential needs, whether it's groceries, transportation, et cetera.
Some of the examples right where you really impact a family.
So we got a call about Heidi who was diagnosed
with brain cancer, which is the toughest form of childhood
(28:31):
cancer okay, and really low survival rates. So there's a
lot to do in the brain cancer world or brain
cancer space. With that said, she has to be in
a certain type of wheelchair and can only be you know,
literally sitting up a certain way, move certain parts of
her body, and to be transported five days a week
to MD Anderson to receive proton radiation, which is crucial
(28:53):
for her treatment. Her parents did not have that type
of transportation. I mean, you can't go by ambulance five
days a week. So our organization sprang into action with
the help of several donors, including Laurie and Jamie Donnell,
who stepped up in a very big way, we were
able to buy a mobility van and give that to
(29:15):
this family, a family of five, okay, with two small
children at home as well, and now Heidi is able
to be transported back and forth from MD Anderson five
days a week and receive her life saving treatment.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
I mean, this is like real stuff.
Speaker 4 (29:33):
This is like a family who may have not been
able to bring their child to treatment.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
I mean this happens to families.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Yes, it's shocking to think how we don't really talk
about this. Okay, So the child is diagnosed with cancer
and they're going to go to Saint Jude's and then
you look and Ronald McDonald is going to house and
or Saint Jude. But it's all the other little details
in between that families really struggle with, and it possibly
(30:01):
could be the main reason why that child cannot get
the assistance they need and possibly even save their lives.
And it's amazing that you guys are not such a
corporate structure that you don't have. In other words, somebody's
got to operate in the gray. And that's you all.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
Oh my gosh, you just nailed it on the head.
Victoria said it this morning. We are the gray. You
can have all the policies, processors, processes, SOPs, everything, nothing
is black and white in this oneness organization and operating
in the gray is key to making a bigger impact
on these families. And so we don't say no, we
(30:37):
figure it out. We always do. It's what Chantay said
this morning. We always figure it out. And we're going
to continue to operate that way and continue to impact
more kids and their families. And so, if you know
a family that is in this battle right now, if
you know a family that's been recently diagnosed, if you
know a family that's already been through this and unfortunately
their child did not win the battle, or their child
(30:58):
is a survivor, we want to get them involved with
our organization and we want to support. So please pass
the message sky Hifourkids dot org. You can find us
on all the social media outlets as well. Please please
please let us know who these families are. We are
here to help.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
Now, I want to go off script a little bit
and talk to you about something that just popped into
my head, which is the amount of work that you
guys do to raise money. It's shocking to me. I
look at it and I'm like, I get tired looking
at your social media posts in the way of like
when do y'all sleep. You all have bazillions of events
and they're all A lot of them are so much fun.
They all are, but some are more of my you know,
(31:36):
personal I like to golf and stuff. But how in
the world do you all state, you know, ahead of
this in the way of being able to have all
these events plus all these children's needs, plus you know,
where's the money allocated? This is a big job. I
ran one of the largest nonprofits in San Antonio and
I'm telling you, you guys are doing an amazing job.
(31:59):
And that was my back ground prior to this, and
so I can spot a really good and clean, well
organized using the money resourcefully and making sure that it
goes where it needs to go. How do you tell
us a little bit about all your events? How about that?
Because there's wow.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
I know it's such a loaded question, but okay, our
event portfolio is pretty robust. We start in Houston at
Stake forty eight. It's a one hundred person private mix
and mingle. It's one thousand dollars a ticket, VIP's fifteen hundred.
You get a steak dinner. Sherwyn Williams and TF Warren
Tarsco are the headline sponsors for that, So we kick
things off there. We raised about one hundred and fifty
(32:38):
thousand easy mix and Mingle night.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
It's awesome.
Speaker 4 (32:42):
Then we move to Better in Boots, which is our
humongous staple event of the year. It's the Western Gala.
It's the Sporting Play tournament at the Revere at Greater
Houston Sports Club, and there's about six hundred attendees and
that is powered by our people, which when I say
our people are in turn team is phenomenal. We're all gas,
(33:02):
no breaks, that's our motto. But we have tons of
volunteers and need tons of volunteers to execute an event
of that size to meet our budget protocols. Right, we're
in eighty twenty Golden Rule operation.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
That's important. That's what Charity Guide says is important. Meaning
for the listeners, you give out eighty percent of what
is raised and only keep twenty percent, meaning you're not
making a million dollars like and I'm not trying to
pick on anybody, but some of these larger nonprofits, those
CEOs are making bukus and bukus of bucks as opposed
to going out for the nonprofit. I don't like that
(33:37):
I do. Like I said, this is my background. When
it's eighty twenty, it's clean. It's clean and very clean.
And that's our golden rule.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
And so in fact, Better in Boots right now is
on track for a sixteen percent expense ratio. Will work
really hard with our budget and we're very transparent. Our
committee of thirty five individuals that work in all different
industries in Houston sit on that committee.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
They meet every month. You got live auction, silent auction.
Speaker 4 (34:01):
Logistics, and everybody knows and understands every single cent that
is coming in and out. How much did we pay
for the Lenons? Well, zero because Michelle Pew donated them. Right,
So we work so hard that event is on track
to raise one point two million. We still have plenty
of room for sponsors and participants and volunteers. Then we
(34:21):
move to Lafayete, Louisiana, which is our hometown event. We'll
have a banquet at La Pavion. We have a pickleball,
tennis and golf tournament. If you can believe all that.
Then we'll go to Tulsa, Oklahoma. We'll host the sare
at Osh Casino. The next day we'll have a golf tournament,
and then we'll finish the spring.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
In well, you know, I'm gonna say it.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
The oil capital of the world, West Texas, Baby, the
Permian Basin. We're on track for one point two million
there as well. Petroleum Club will host our banquet and
then Jakes'll hosts our sporting clay tournament. I mean, look,
we're on fire, we move, we shake, we're all guys,
no breaks.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
Well, we have children that need help, and we do.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
You always have to. But on a choice that's right,
how do we do it? We just do it. That's
right by the grace of God and the people.
Speaker 4 (35:04):
Yeah, it takes an army to power these events and
to do it the way we.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Do it exactly. This show is probably the most inspiring.
And I've been on the air a long time. Okay,
let's take a quick break. When we come back, we're
going to talk about what is the needs of sky
High and you know what, you haven't even finished off
your calendar yet, so let's cover that after break. For
more information to donate, if you have a child that
needs assistance Andrew want to volunteer, please visit sky High
(35:31):
for Kids dot org. Again, that's sky High for Kids
dot Org. You're listening to the Energy Mix radio show
and we'll be late.
Speaker 5 (35:40):
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(36:01):
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Speaker 3 (36:11):
We're back.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
You're listening to the Energy Mix radio show. My guest
today is Brittany Franklin, founder CEO of sky High for Kids,
a nonprofit organization that its mission is to help children
who have childhood cancer. Brittany, I have to say that
I've done the show for about nine years. I've interviewed everybody,
Black Rock executives, a lot of CEOs, and we talk
(36:33):
about energy. You're the first nonprofit that's ever been on
the show. You're also the first nonprofit that was on
Shell magazine's cover. There was a reason for that, and
most of it is While there's so many great nonprofits
out there, this one really speaks to me because these
kids they didn't deserve. They don't deserve anything they're getting
or their families, and you know, as a community, as
(36:54):
just human beings, we should really be mindful of that
and trying to help. And so today's show has really
been covering some of that. It's important what the work
you guys are doing to cover the gray area that
we talked about, in which families and kids they may
not even survive or get the treatment they need had
it not been for the work of sky High. So
our listeners, I asked that you guys pay attention and
(37:14):
get involved please if you can in any way you can,
But let's finish covering you guys got a busy schedule.
I think we got through spring with you. We've got
another happy year of events we do.
Speaker 4 (37:25):
So Energy Classic will be September twenty sixth. That is
our clay tournament and concert and auction that evening, all
in the same location at Greater Houston. That's hosted by
Summit Midstream, Howard Energy, Navigator Energy, and we're really hoping
that Western Midstream steps up this year, so hey, I'm
making that.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
No pressure on Western pressure.
Speaker 4 (37:48):
So really excited about that. And then we have our
Ladies Who Brunch event. Kim, Oh my gosh, I'm not
sure if you've been to that one yet, but it's
six hundred and seventy five women and we raise a
million dollars on a Sunday. If you can believe that,
it's really impactful. And what's so cool is all of
our cancer warriors, the families working with the little girls
and their siblings walk in our fashion show with the
(38:09):
professional models. It's it's really awesome. Then we have our
Young Professionals Golf tournament you attended last year. That's October
sixth at the Golf Club of Houston. Our YP team
is so so phenomenal. I mean I'm talking twenty five
to about forty years old, and I mean they put
the pedal of the metal.
Speaker 3 (38:26):
They are the.
Speaker 4 (38:29):
Energy I know, but you know this not Look, I'm sorry.
There's a lot of YP groups out there that kind
of just go and have a beer and socialize the network.
Our YP team gets their hands dirty. They make gift
bags for the kids at every single happy hour, they
host CEOs, you know at their roundtable sessions. I just
love our Young Professionals team. Howard Energy also does an
(38:50):
event called Boats on the Bayou in Port Arthur, Texas.
So that'll be October tenth. Then we have the last
event of the year, which is concert and in San Antonio, Texas.
As you mentioned, Parker McCullum was our headliner last year.
Donated the entire concert Phenomenal human being Phenomenal Team, and
so we right now.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
He supports the group too. And if Parker mccaulus supports,
you know you're in good hands of donating money and
getting involved.
Speaker 3 (39:17):
He's an amazing human.
Speaker 4 (39:18):
He actually took out two of our cancer Warriors now
Casin and Madeline, on private hunting trips at Spitzer Industri's
ranch in South Texas. They got to have one on
one time with Parker. They got to harvest an animal,
spend time around the campfire, share their stories with him.
And he has a big heart and he cares so
much that he is going to stay personally involved the organization.
(39:41):
And I'm very grateful to Spitzer Industries, to coll It
and Jody for gifting us the ranch and gifted us
this relationship but again, these are all people who fuel right, yeah,
you know, and give us the energy to be able
to impact these kids.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
It's all about the energy. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
Let's before we close out the show, I want to
leave our listeners. What is the need that Sky High needs.
You talked about a capital campaign specifically for something that
is needed in Houston that these children with cancer do
not have, and talk to us about what the need is.
Speaker 4 (40:10):
Well, our current project is the immunotherapy center, and then
the work we're doing in Uganda and Malawi through Texas
Children's through Global Hope. Okay, So that was a twenty
million dollar commitment that we made in twenty eighteen. We
have about ten million dollars to go, so there is
you know, still a large amount of money to raise
and donate for those projects. It's the only immunotherapy for
(40:32):
pediatrics in the entire country. And we built the seventh floor,
which is a sky Higher for kids patient floor that
has the CODEAC gaz bone marrow transplant unit. Brett and
Shelley Pennington have the first wing. We have DZMI, which
is a commercial real estate firm who has the elevator bank.
There's twenty two on cology rooms, ten bone marrow transplant units,
(40:54):
and that floor all happened because of the support of
everybody who's donating a sky high for kids right heavily
oil and gas as well. And then at Saint Jude
we built a twenty million dollar research floor which is
fighting bone, brain and solid tumors. We have ten million
dollars left to go there, so capital campaign wise, we
have a goal of three years from now to finish
these pledge commitments so we can move on to the
(41:16):
need that's right here in Houston. We work closely with
the Ron McDonald House, have so much respect for what
they do there. They house seventy families at all times,
and the reality is there's a waiting list. There's not
enough housing, especially for pediatric cancer related families. We have
one hundred and eighty families a year coming from West Texas.
(41:36):
Imagine that we have over one hundred families from San Antonio.
We have families from all over the world coming to Houston,
Texas the largest cancer center, by the way, in the
country in terms of volume, the largest one hundred.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
And fifty kids.
Speaker 4 (41:48):
Today we'll go in and out of outpatient clinic at
Texas Children's We don't have enough housing. So a big
dream of sky Highs is maybe to partner with URMH Christina.
You don't know this yet, but maybe maybe we build
another you know, uh wing and more rooms. I mean,
what's what what can we do to impact these families?
Speaker 5 (42:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (42:06):
Again, it's one thing to support research and to have
what's needed to actually treat the child, it's a whole
another ball game when it comes to transportation, housing, food,
food and security is a real thing. We now have
a Sunday Supper program every single Sunday night. If you're
a restaurant in Houston, we need your help. Every Sunday night,
(42:28):
we provide one hundred and seventy seven meals to all
seventy in patient families. These patient, these kids, these families
are in those four walls for a very long time,
dealing with some pretty serious issues, serious stuff, and so
to think about where your next meal is going to
come from really shouldn't be in the cards, right And
so thankfully, so many restaurants in the Houston community have
(42:48):
stepped up to help deliver these meals.
Speaker 3 (42:50):
We need more. We want to do every single Sunday. Restaurants.
Speaker 4 (42:53):
Yeah, so we need restaurants but there's so much right.
So we want to finish the pledge commitments we already
have ongoing with Texas Children's Saint Jude, and we want
to get ready to make our decision as an executive
board on what is next. And we're going to depend
on Texas Children Saint Jude, Covenant and Lubbock and our
partners to tell us what those needs are right to showcase, Hey,
(43:14):
here are the gaps, here's where sky Hike can feel them.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
And the thing is, there's going to be so many Yeah,
you know, it's gonna be really hard to pay.
Speaker 4 (43:21):
It be hard to pick, but we're going to pick
the one that meets our vision to in childhood cancer
and our mission to provide comfort and fund research. And
we'll come out with some of the brightest minds helping
us make those decisions. Take a look on our website
of our executive board. I mean we have the retire
of I mean he's the EVP of Shell Oil, Greg
Gidry as our board president. We have very powerful, influential
(43:41):
people who are helping us make these decisions, and I'm
grateful for their time and commitment to our organization.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
Well, let me close out the show with You know,
there's a lot of people that listen to the show
and it's in syndications. So we're talking about Middland, Houston,
San Antonio, Corpus, Tulsa. And here's the thing is the
people who are listening, they might work in the oil
and gas industry, get involved. You might know somebody that
has a childhood cancer neighbor. Tell them about sky High.
You also might be sitting in West Texas with more
(44:09):
money than you know what to do with. Make a donation.
And so it's about everybody getting involved wherever you are
to do whatever you can to help children with cancer
and their families. So I want to close out the
show with saying for more information, visit sky sky Hi
High four f O R Kids Kids dot org or
(44:31):
go to shell mag dot com. There's a banner ad
click through we'll take you straight to Skyhigh's website. Please,
after hearing the show today, get involved. I know you
might say to yourself, for a second, I'll call next week.
You're going to forget pick up the phone our email
call Britney.
Speaker 4 (44:45):
Seven one three seven, one four eight five eight seven
one more time seven one three seven one four eight
five eight seven Thank you for joining me.
Speaker 3 (44:54):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (44:55):
The Energy Mix Radio Show is where we explore topics
that affect us all in the oil and gas industry.
Every week, our host will interview the movers and shakers
in this fast paced industry. You will hear from industry experts,
elected officials, and many more on the Energy Mix Radio Show.
Welcome to the nationally syndicated Energy Mix Radio Show, produced
by the Energy Network Media Group. The Energy Mix Radio
Show will give you an inside look at the energy
industry and how it affects you by talking with industry leaders, experts,
and government officials on the Energy Mix Radio Show.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Welcome to the Energy Mix Radio Show, your go to
show for all things energy. I'm Kimbalatto, your host, and
today we have a fantastic lineup of stories and insights
for you, from the latest and oil and gas to
energy trends. We've got it all covered. So sit tight,
stay tuned, and let's dive in today's show. My guest
today is Brittany Franklin, CEO of sky High for Kids. Brittany,
(00:39):
Welcome to the Energy Mix Radio Show.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Thank you, Kim, honored to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Well, we're happy to have you because you recently grace
the cover of Shell magazine, and by the way, that
issue was doing very well online. I happen to believe
that once you get and I mean this in the
sweetest way, when you have a real pretty face on
the cover in an oil and yes pretty much magazine,
it does well with clicks and wanting to read the story.
(01:05):
So tell me how that how you felt about being
on the cover of Shell magazine and as covering your mission.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Extremely honored.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I've worked in oil and gas for fourteen years and
I saw that magazine on so many clients desks and
in their reception areas for so long, and so to
be on the cover was, I mean a complete honor.
And I think that that just, you know, helped our
credibility in terms of.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
What we do. And then also it was beautifully written.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
I mean, it's what energy's doing to impact childhood cancer
and there's not enough good light shed on our industry
as a whole, and so I think that was just
it was just huge.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
I'm very very grateful.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Well, you know, you all are the first nonprofit that
has ever made the cover of Shell magazine too, and
Shell magazine has been around for fourteen years too.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
You definitely are in a good mix of folks that
have made the cover. And but what you got guys
are doing, and I'm so happy to have you here.
We want to talk about it today. What you guys
are doing, the mission of sky High that we're going
to cover on today's show is really vital and how
important oil and gas is playing in changing children, saving
(02:15):
children who have cancered their lives. So I'm glad that
you're here today.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
And by the way, you.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Are also you were on the cover first quarter and
the second core. A second cover that's coming after you
is also a very high steemed woman who is Commissioner
Don Buckingham, the Commissioner of the General Land Office. So
I'm pretty proud that we had.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
To and then back to back. This is amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
We got some strong women in Texas.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
I'll tell you.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Let's get started though, tell us a little bit about
sky High the mission. Y'all are a nonprofit, so you
work primarily off doing good for children with cancer and
it's all by donations. So what's the mission and what
inspired you as the founder to do this? Because gives
me chills and goosebumps. This is a big thing you've done.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
It's a wild story, Kim, and I know you know
it inside and out. But just to educate the listeners.
First of all, thank you to everybody in the oil
and gas community who has supported us in the past
and who's supporting us now. I had a dream when
I was in high school after being introduced to Saint
Jude Children's Research Hospital as a volunteer to do something
(03:24):
about the severity of this disease, right, to do something
to support children around the globe who were fighting for
their lives. And I didn't know that this was a
thing until I visited Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital as
a freshman high school, and so my world stopped and
(03:44):
I said, this isn't fair and we need to do something.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
So fast forward to college.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Started a sporting clay tournament and I had a passion
for sporting clays.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
I love the outdoors.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
With my girlfriends, we all worked together at Edie's Biscuits
and well I went to school together, and so we
hosted the first fundraiser and it was wildly successful. The
Alafayette community wrapped its arms around us and our mission
to help impact families that were undergoing treatment at Saint
Jude at the time, and we never imagined raising fifty
(04:15):
thousand dollars, but we did, and before you knew it,
we were at the statue on Saint Juke campus in Memphis, Tennessee.
And that's when really everything changed in terms of what
I thought my future would look like.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I thought I was going to go to law school.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I had big plans to move out of my small
town Abbeyville, Louisiana, and well, God said, no, I have
something else in store for you. And so we met
Bryce Norwood that day. He unfortunately was terminally ill with
Wilm's tumor. It's a type of kidney cancer, and we
at sky High were able to fulfill his last adventure
(04:52):
is what we call it. It's very similar to make
a wish, and we were able to do that in Uvalde,
Texas at four M Ranch, which was owned by Frank's
Frank's Casing Crew if you know Frank's or Frank's International.
The family donated that trip. And when we were able
to impact Bryce and his family in that way, you know,
it really just showed me my vocation. And so we
(05:13):
launched our five o' one C three officially in two
thousand and eight and the rest is history, right. So
that was the motivation and inspiration behind it, and our
mission morphed into something so much bigger, and it is
to gather the community to provide comfort, fund research, and
save lives of those fighting pediatric cancer and other life
(05:36):
threatening conditions. And so we worked tirelessly day in and
day out to fulfill that mission, and the oil and
guy's industry has been our backbone since day one.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
How many nonprofits would you estimate that actually are taking
into consideration children with cancer? I mean, everybody knows Saint
Jude's and it's amazing parents don't pay anything when their children
actually have cancer. But outside of that, how many other
organizations are really looking at helping children with cancer? And
then how did you zone in on oil and gas specifically?
(06:08):
Was that also just a fluke, something just fell into
your old lap? And why did you select oil and
gas as opposed to any other type of business out there?
Speaker 4 (06:16):
When I answer your first question, there are several nonprofits
that are impacting the childhood cancer community. I don't have
the exact number. I'm sure we could google that real quick,
but there's a lot though, well, no, there's not a ton.
I mean I say several as in like, I'm part
of an MPO group here in Houston and we work
(06:38):
with probably I think there's about sixteen nonprofits that are
directly impacting you know, the childhood cancer community in some way,
shape or form, right, So that may be through housing support,
that may be through wishless items that are delivered weekly
to families inpatient at the hospital, and may be something
focused strictly on BMT, which is bowing transplant. There's there's
(07:02):
a there's a few, right, and they're phenomenal. Sky High
for Kids is one of the largest in the country
in terms of what we do directly supporting groundbreaking research,
uh the impact directly to families while they're in it,
as I like to say, and even post treatment, as
(07:24):
well as all of the volunteer opportunities that we give
the community to then put their hands on our mission
and our cause. The big ones that you may have
heard of obviously Saint Jude which is ALSAC, that's their
fundraising arm, Alex Lemonade, Stan Saint Baldric's. Those are twenty
five million dollar plus organizations.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
But there aren't that many.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
To answer your question, I just don't have the exact number,
and Skyhigh's right in the middle in terms of being
fairly large in terms of our impact and the dollars
that we raise. To back up and answer your second question,
oil and gas was something that I was familiar with
my entire life because my dad works seven and seven.
He quit high school in ninth grade, when his father died,
(08:08):
they had no choice. They had to go to work,
and he put on FRCS And I'll never forget vividly
seeing my dad leave to go offshore and he'd come
back and we would laugh because he'd come back with
a big check and I thought that was literally like
a physical, humongous cardboard check, like on the prices. Right,
That's just what I remember thinking about, and then my
dad would leave again. My dad crashed in a helicopter
(08:32):
in the Gulf of Mexico in nineteen eighty nine. I
was six years old, and that was like two weeks
before Christmas. He was going out to his job site
show his boss. They all survived, thankfully, but I remember,
you know, all I knew about oil and gas was that, right,
my dad goes offshore seven and seven and supports the family.
(08:53):
But then he crashed and it was it ended his career,
and so I didn't know how I felt about the
oil and gas industry. And you know, you think back now,
but later on in college, I had no intentions of
joining this industry, just because I wanted to be a
lawyer and moved to big city, thought that's what you
had to do. I was so fortunate to gather people
(09:15):
for supporting the first Sporting Play Tournament in two thousand
and seven. And all of those people worked in the
oil and gas industry, from Frank's casing crew to LC
Crane my gosh, work strings, linear controls, all the oil
and gas companies in Lafayette. The owners worked at the
restaurant that you know. I mean, the owners came to
(09:38):
the restaurant to eat breakfast, and I served them every morning.
And that's of course who received the first flyer about
the Sporting Play Tournament, and then they registered and they supported,
and so our first event was like one hundred percent
oil and gas. And that's how I got my job offer.
So came to Houston, did a pitch at Pegasus Internation.
(10:00):
They turned around and said, hey, look, this is fantastic
what you're doing, but we also want to hire you
to be our project services coordinator. And I was like,
what what's a project services coordinator? Like, well, you're gonna
runt our inspection personnel out on pipeline projects. And I
was like, uh okay, Anyway, it was too good of
a job offered to pass up, and I put my
(10:20):
boots on and got in a U haul and moved
literally from Lafayette to Houston with four hundred dollars to
my name and started my careerent oil and gas, and
so naturally every single person that I ever touched in
this wonderful industry. I also shared the good work of
sky High for kids and what we were doing, and
everyone said yes, started to grow.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
I don't think that people really if you work in
oil and gas, you get it. But if you're outside
like me, never worked a day in oil and gas,
but got to grow up in Houston, Texas, and especially
at a time because I'm much older than you, when
we know you're not when we saw well and I
need to know who you were going to. But I
(11:02):
do remember, you know, when we were going through the
embargo and there were gas lines that were five miles
long where we were waiting in line to get gas,
and there were fights and there was such upheaval in
that period of time that led us to understanding how
important energy was to us as a nation in a country,
(11:22):
and it is a matter of national security. I bring
that up because I don't think that people really understand
you get this bug about you when it comes to
oil and gas and it just kind of engulfs you
and before you know it, you understand how important energy
is and the people, the wonderful people that work in
it people and you just catch that bug or you
catch that fever, and after that you know you're just
(11:44):
You're one of the team. You're here to help. Where
can I help you at Let's take a quick break.
When we return, I want to talk a little bit
about some of the accomplishments because you guys have been
around for a long time. There's some pretty heavy projects
you guys have accomplished. Some children that have really you've
made a difference in their lives and their face families.
I've been fortunate to attend a lot of some of
your events to hear some families talk about it. So
(12:05):
we're going to get into that when we return back.
For more information to donate, if you have a child
that needs assistance, Andrew want to volunteer, please visit sky
High for Kids dot org. Again, that's sky Hi for
Kids dot org. You're listening to the Energy Mix radio show.
Speaker 5 (12:22):
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Speaker 3 (13:02):
And we're back.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
You're listening to the Energy Mix radio show. My guest
today is Brittany Franklin, CEO of sky High for Kids,
a nonprofit that is specifically geared at helping children and
families with cancer. Brittany, before the break, you were telling
us a lot about the mission and how it got started.
Now let's talk about some of the accomplishments, because the
accomplishments are really what makes everything go. I have attended
(13:26):
your golf tournament last year. It was well attended, but
I also was so touched because I got to hear
from the family and a couple of children that had cancer.
I've been very fortunate as a parent to have not
had to deal with something like that. It makes my
heart so sad to think that a family has to
go a child has to go through this, and then
the family has to go through this along with keeping
(13:47):
up with all the bills and probably other children that
are in the house. It's very traumatic and all help
they need, desperate help, emotional helps you, any kind of
help is needed. So tell me a little bit about
some of the accomplishments that you guys since you've been founded.
Are there some really that stand out in your mind,
(14:08):
maybe some children that you know made it and some
that maybe didn't that you think are worth sharing with us.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
Yes, I'm so just grateful to be able to share
these astounding accomplishments. And it's all because of the people
that have been behind us since day one. We were
a sole volunteer organization for seven years before we turned
the corner to build the actual business as I like
to call it, in terms of having staff and really
(14:34):
putting the proper you know, structure in place, policies, procedures.
We run a business just like you run your business.
We just have a much leaner budget. One that stands
out to me is helping build the first ICU and
Surgery Center on Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital campus. If
you could believe this, for decades, families who had to
(14:56):
undergo a uh, you know, dream surgery of any kind,
or really the kids that were in the most critical
state during their treatment, we're having to go down the
street to Labonner. And that was a wonderful partnership and
still in a partnership that exists today. But when you're
a family and you're navigating a new city, a new hospital,
(15:19):
and you have to pack up and then go down
the street so your child can undergo an eleven hour
brain surgery, I mean, it just adds more logistics. And
there's already so many logistics when your child is diagnosed
that people just don't understand. That's just something we don't
want to add that, right. So Creativity Foundation former Eric
Trump Foundation, asked us to partner on this. They committed
(15:43):
twenty million dollars to support the buildout of the ICU
and Surgery Center, and we were able to commit five
million dollars to help build a wing of that, specifically
the Family Recovery Room where families are waiting for their child,
you know, while they're undergoing the surgery or they're in
the ICU and then the medicine room, the actual surgical suites.
(16:08):
So we're proud to say that Buckeye Partners, Farmer Antadarko
Petroleum which is now oxy and Strike USA, Strike Construction
are all companies that really helped us fulfill that five
million dollar commitment. And now we know families that have
literally gone through that surgery and ICU center. In fact,
(16:29):
yesterday I got a picture from the Dago family from Louisiana.
Madeline removed a kidney. She had a type of kidney
cancer and removed the kidney in that surgery and ICU center,
and he sent photos post a year from her surgery,
her life saving surgery, standing in that surgery and ICU center.
And so to see that and know that our kids
(16:50):
that we have to provide a future to or in
those facilities that we helped build, is just it's surreal.
We built the Tumor Biology Center at Texas Children's Cancer Center,
which provides precision therapy for children who may not respond to.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
A blanket protocol.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
We built the Generator Housing Unit at Ronal McDonald House
of Memphis, which is the only RMH that houses children
from one soul hospital, which is Saint Jude. We had
engineers in the oil and guys industry again former Anadarko
come to Memphis, Tennessee and help Ron McDonald house plan
out their power grid project, and we gave one point
(17:29):
two five million dollars to help them keep the life.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Big numbers, by the way, let's kind a check for
twenty thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
These are big numbers.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
You guys are doing some amazing, amazing work in how
you're really changing not just one child's life, tons.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Tons, thousands, thousands. So those are some of the big
ones that stand out. And then there's countless stories, Kim
when it comes to the kids.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Well let's talk about Okay, Okay, So I want to
get into a little bit later on the needs. So
the listeners go get your pen paper in between, or
you know, get ready to type it in where you
can help if you want to support this great cause.
But can we drill down just a little bit and
talk about some of the families, like there was a
family at your golf tournament, and that family that there
(18:14):
was a little girl there that I remember I don't remember.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Okay, Ellie, what what's Ellie's story.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
But I remember the mom being so touched by like
that this sky high for d you know, sky high
for kids actually was really a huge inspiration for them.
You know, she said how much she was grateful because
you guys were like a support even though you're not
a therapy or supportive system. You're not really designed to
(18:39):
do that in the mission.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Yet you all are yes, and that is the providing
comfort piece, right and whatever that looks like, we seem
to just say yes and figure it out. Ellie has
an inoperable brain tumor, and her mother has been fighting
tooth and nail to find the best possible treatment and
(19:01):
obviously find a way for Ellie to be cured.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
I mean you met her. She is so full of life.
Oh my gosh. I mean she really is a super dynamic.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Right.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
No, she walked in our fashion show at brunch, she
was our star at our Young Professionals golf tournament. We've
done a lot for Ellie and her family, everything from
providing transportation to and from treatment, groceries, gift cards where
it's needed to help offset that financial burden. You know, Uh,
if I'm not mistaken, Ellie's mom, you know, takes care
of the kids. Uh dad is a amazing manager at Pinkerton's,
(19:38):
which is a really cool bar and restaurant. And so
if you think about you know that income and when
when your child is diagnosed with.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
That's not a lot to try to get through cancer, No,
especially terminal brain cancer. I mean you have to get
ready for clinical trials.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
And Brittany, I'm up against a heard break? Yes, take
this back up. Okay after the break for more information
to donate. If you have a child that needs assistance,
Andrew want to volunteer, please visit sky High for Kids
dot org. Again, that's sky High Kids dot org. You're
listening to the Energy Mix radio show and we'll be ready.
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Speaker 2 (21:19):
Find and we're back. You're listening to the Energy Mix
radio show. My guest today is Brittany Franklin, CEO of
sky High for Kids. Brittany, we were talking about y'all's
last year twenty twenty four golf tournament in which you
had a delightful little girl named Ellie and her family.
You told us a little bit about the family, and
(21:41):
this is a it's got to be a real hard
thing when you when mom stays home, dad works in
the hospitality industry and they make good money, but not
always and then you're dealing with a child with cancer
when you have other kids, the amount of stress and
pressure and heartship and just saddens must be just overwhelming.
I think about it, and I you know, don't want
(22:03):
to even you know, think about it too much because
I'll just really get emotional. Tell me a little bit
more about Ellie. You said she's got terminal brain cancer. Yes,
is she aware of this? And how old is she?
Speaker 3 (22:15):
I think Ellie's four now she is aware, And I
think a four year old really comprehend with you. No.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
I mean, let's you know, I have an almost two
year old, and I mean, although she's very smart and
it is now making her own coffee in the morning,
kids at that age don't truly understand what's happening, poked
prodded on, you know, undergoing clinical trials, different treatments, whether
it's chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries. One thing about Ellie that's very
(22:48):
unique is that she just has this you know, insane
strength about her and this this aura when she walks
into her.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Room, she is she's confident, full of life.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
I mean, she is so full of life, and she's
going to make an impact on this world no matter
how long she's able to do that here on earth.
It's pretty phenomenal. Just this kid, I mean, she lights
up a room. She leaves a standing impression on everybody
that she meets. But we've done a lot to help
this family and we are continuing to do so today,
(23:24):
if you can believe it. Her puppy dog, her Labrador
Retriever that we gifted to her and her family was
dropped off at Running Gun Adventures in Bay City, Texas
to you know, go through training. But this dog is
going to be with her through her journey and become
a very big part of her support system. And those
are things that we do for families.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
How you know, I'm curious it obviously has appeared that
while y'all are writing big checks getting buildings built, which
you're going to get into that a little bit on
in the show, but there's also like a personal place
that all the employees and team of sky High, These
people come in and they are part of the family. Now,
how is that established? Who makes these decisions on which children?
(24:10):
For somebody who's listening, how do you explain who gets accepted?
Is there an acceptance process? You know, things like that?
How do these children come into your you know network,
or into your nonprofit and get services.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
It's a wonderful question. And we had a meeting today
with Laura Angel, who's our Cancer Warrior coordinator, who's a
mom of Peyton Angel, who underwent two and a half
years of treatment for lymphoma at nine years old. And
now Laura is here is an unbelievable volunteer running this
program and we have had an extreme increase in applications
(24:53):
just this month. Number One, the process is call us,
message us on Instagram, Facebook.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Just reaching out.
Speaker 4 (25:02):
It doesn't matter, just reach out. I told people today
that I, on average personally get three to five phone
calls a week or messages from newly diagnosed families or
people who know a newly diagnosed family, and I immediately
send my cell phone and say connect me with mom
or dad, and then the process starts there. The second
(25:24):
part is we don't deny anyone in the application process,
and I won't lie to you. We don't have it
super formalized, Kim. The reality is every family has a
little bit of a different need and we just work
through those needs one on one with the family. I
have a family from Columbia, their child has liver cancer.
(25:46):
I got a phone call from Anna and she said, Brittany,
these people have nowhere to stay if they get accepted
into Texas Children's for this clinical trial which could save
his life. Right, Columbia said, there's nothing else we can do.
Florida said, there's nothing else we can do. That we
have to get into Texas Children's. He's in, he's in.
And then we called Ronald McDonald house and guess what
(26:07):
the family moved in within twenty four hours. It's a
magical thing. Right, We just know who to call. We
know the resources out there, and so whether it's transportation, houses, groceries,
essential needs for the families. We do not decline a family.
We do not turn away any application.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Well, I will say that as we get ready for break,
one thing is becoming a parent is that you all
are large in cutting big checks, but you have not
turned into this corporate structure in which you have to
fall into a certain box. You all are open to
any child that is experiencing any form of cancer. Let
us see what we can do. Roll up our sleeves
(26:45):
and we're ready to go to work. And I also
think that oil and gas the industry is very much
exactly like that too. We got a problem. We're going
to figure it out. Because they're figuring out the world's
biggest challenges and problems. How do we enough energy to
supply the planet? For more information to donate, If you
have a child that needs assistance andrew want to volunteer,
(27:09):
please visit sky High for Kids dot org. Again, that's
sky High for Kids dot org. You're listening to the
Energy Mix radio show. We'll be right now.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
And we're back.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
You're listening to the Energy Mix radio show. My guest
today is Brittany Franklin, CEO of sky High for Kids
and recently on the cover of Shell Magazine. If you'd
like to learn about Britney sky High for Kids, please
visit Shell mag dot com and her article along with
the issue. The latest issue is there, and you can
also visit sky High for Kids dot org for more information. Brittany,
(27:45):
before the break, we were discussing how personalized your programs
are sky Higher Kid and no one has turned away.
I want to give our listeners another some more time
to learn a little bit more about children their families
and then kind of wind down that kind of cuts
you off because of the break on housing and things
that you were talking about. So can you go back
(28:06):
on that topic with the press.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
So, our Cancer Warrior applications are open on our website
at Skyhigherkids dot org. We do not turn a family away.
We help with essential needs, whether it's groceries, transportation, et cetera.
Some of the examples right where you really impact a family.
So we got a call about Heidi who was diagnosed
with brain cancer, which is the toughest form of childhood
(28:31):
cancer okay, and really low survival rates. So there's a
lot to do in the brain cancer world or brain
cancer space. With that said, she has to be in
a certain type of wheelchair and can only be you know,
literally sitting up a certain way, move certain parts of
her body, and to be transported five days a week
to MD Anderson to receive proton radiation, which is crucial
(28:53):
for her treatment. Her parents did not have that type
of transportation. I mean, you can't go by ambulance five
days a week. So our organization sprang into action with
the help of several donors, including Laurie and Jamie Donnell,
who stepped up in a very big way, we were
able to buy a mobility van and give that to
(29:15):
this family, a family of five, okay, with two small
children at home as well, and now Heidi is able
to be transported back and forth from MD Anderson five
days a week and receive her life saving treatment.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
I mean, this is like real stuff.
Speaker 4 (29:33):
This is like a family who may have not been
able to bring their child to treatment.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
I mean this happens to families.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Yes, it's shocking to think how we don't really talk
about this. Okay, So the child is diagnosed with cancer
and they're going to go to Saint Jude's and then
you look and Ronald McDonald is going to house and
or Saint Jude. But it's all the other little details
in between that families really struggle with, and it possibly
(30:01):
could be the main reason why that child cannot get
the assistance they need and possibly even save their lives.
And it's amazing that you guys are not such a
corporate structure that you don't have. In other words, somebody's
got to operate in the gray. And that's you all.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
Oh my gosh, you just nailed it on the head.
Victoria said it this morning. We are the gray. You
can have all the policies, processors, processes, SOPs, everything, nothing
is black and white in this oneness organization and operating
in the gray is key to making a bigger impact
on these families. And so we don't say no, we
(30:37):
figure it out. We always do. It's what Chantay said
this morning. We always figure it out. And we're going
to continue to operate that way and continue to impact
more kids and their families. And so, if you know
a family that is in this battle right now, if
you know a family that's been recently diagnosed, if you
know a family that's already been through this and unfortunately
their child did not win the battle, or their child
(30:58):
is a survivor, we want to get them involved with
our organization and we want to support. So please pass
the message sky Hifourkids dot org. You can find us
on all the social media outlets as well. Please please
please let us know who these families are. We are
here to help.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
Now, I want to go off script a little bit
and talk to you about something that just popped into
my head, which is the amount of work that you
guys do to raise money. It's shocking to me. I
look at it and I'm like, I get tired looking
at your social media posts in the way of like
when do y'all sleep. You all have bazillions of events
and they're all A lot of them are so much fun.
They all are, but some are more of my you know,
(31:36):
personal I like to golf and stuff. But how in
the world do you all state, you know, ahead of
this in the way of being able to have all
these events plus all these children's needs, plus you know,
where's the money allocated? This is a big job. I
ran one of the largest nonprofits in San Antonio and
I'm telling you, you guys are doing an amazing job.
(31:59):
And that was my back ground prior to this, and
so I can spot a really good and clean, well
organized using the money resourcefully and making sure that it
goes where it needs to go. How do you tell
us a little bit about all your events? How about that?
Because there's wow.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
I know it's such a loaded question, but okay, our
event portfolio is pretty robust. We start in Houston at
Stake forty eight. It's a one hundred person private mix
and mingle. It's one thousand dollars a ticket, VIP's fifteen hundred.
You get a steak dinner. Sherwyn Williams and TF Warren
Tarsco are the headline sponsors for that, So we kick
things off there. We raised about one hundred and fifty
(32:38):
thousand easy mix and Mingle night.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
It's awesome.
Speaker 4 (32:42):
Then we move to Better in Boots, which is our
humongous staple event of the year. It's the Western Gala.
It's the Sporting Play tournament at the Revere at Greater
Houston Sports Club, and there's about six hundred attendees and
that is powered by our people, which when I say
our people are in turn team is phenomenal. We're all gas,
(33:02):
no breaks, that's our motto. But we have tons of
volunteers and need tons of volunteers to execute an event
of that size to meet our budget protocols. Right, we're
in eighty twenty Golden Rule operation.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
That's important. That's what Charity Guide says is important. Meaning
for the listeners, you give out eighty percent of what
is raised and only keep twenty percent, meaning you're not
making a million dollars like and I'm not trying to
pick on anybody, but some of these larger nonprofits, those
CEOs are making bukus and bukus of bucks as opposed
to going out for the nonprofit. I don't like that
(33:37):
I do. Like I said, this is my background. When
it's eighty twenty, it's clean. It's clean and very clean.
And that's our golden rule.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
And so in fact, Better in Boots right now is
on track for a sixteen percent expense ratio. Will work
really hard with our budget and we're very transparent. Our
committee of thirty five individuals that work in all different
industries in Houston sit on that committee.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
They meet every month. You got live auction, silent auction.
Speaker 4 (34:01):
Logistics, and everybody knows and understands every single cent that
is coming in and out. How much did we pay
for the Lenons? Well, zero because Michelle Pew donated them. Right,
So we work so hard that event is on track
to raise one point two million. We still have plenty
of room for sponsors and participants and volunteers. Then we
(34:21):
move to Lafayete, Louisiana, which is our hometown event. We'll
have a banquet at La Pavion. We have a pickleball,
tennis and golf tournament. If you can believe all that.
Then we'll go to Tulsa, Oklahoma. We'll host the sare
at Osh Casino. The next day we'll have a golf tournament,
and then we'll finish the spring.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
In well, you know, I'm gonna say it.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
The oil capital of the world, West Texas, Baby, the
Permian Basin. We're on track for one point two million
there as well. Petroleum Club will host our banquet and
then Jakes'll hosts our sporting clay tournament. I mean, look,
we're on fire, we move, we shake, we're all guys,
no breaks.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
Well, we have children that need help, and we do.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
You always have to. But on a choice that's right,
how do we do it? We just do it. That's
right by the grace of God and the people.
Speaker 4 (35:04):
Yeah, it takes an army to power these events and
to do it the way we.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Do it exactly. This show is probably the most inspiring.
And I've been on the air a long time. Okay,
let's take a quick break. When we come back, we're
going to talk about what is the needs of sky
High and you know what, you haven't even finished off
your calendar yet, so let's cover that after break. For
more information to donate, if you have a child that
needs assistance Andrew want to volunteer, please visit sky High
(35:31):
for Kids dot org. Again, that's sky High for Kids
dot Org. You're listening to the Energy Mix radio show
and we'll be late.
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Speaker 3 (36:11):
We're back.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
You're listening to the Energy Mix radio show. My guest
today is Brittany Franklin, founder CEO of sky High for Kids,
a nonprofit organization that its mission is to help children
who have childhood cancer. Brittany, I have to say that
I've done the show for about nine years. I've interviewed everybody,
Black Rock executives, a lot of CEOs, and we talk
(36:33):
about energy. You're the first nonprofit that's ever been on
the show. You're also the first nonprofit that was on
Shell magazine's cover. There was a reason for that, and
most of it is While there's so many great nonprofits
out there, this one really speaks to me because these
kids they didn't deserve. They don't deserve anything they're getting
or their families, and you know, as a community, as
(36:54):
just human beings, we should really be mindful of that
and trying to help. And so today's show has really
been covering some of that. It's important what the work
you guys are doing to cover the gray area that
we talked about, in which families and kids they may
not even survive or get the treatment they need had
it not been for the work of sky High. So
our listeners, I asked that you guys pay attention and
(37:14):
get involved please if you can in any way you can,
But let's finish covering you guys got a busy schedule.
I think we got through spring with you. We've got
another happy year of events we do.
Speaker 4 (37:25):
So Energy Classic will be September twenty sixth. That is
our clay tournament and concert and auction that evening, all
in the same location at Greater Houston. That's hosted by
Summit Midstream, Howard Energy, Navigator Energy, and we're really hoping
that Western Midstream steps up this year, so hey, I'm
making that.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
No pressure on Western pressure.
Speaker 4 (37:48):
So really excited about that. And then we have our
Ladies Who Brunch event. Kim, Oh my gosh, I'm not
sure if you've been to that one yet, but it's
six hundred and seventy five women and we raise a
million dollars on a Sunday. If you can believe that,
it's really impactful. And what's so cool is all of
our cancer warriors, the families working with the little girls
and their siblings walk in our fashion show with the
(38:09):
professional models. It's it's really awesome. Then we have our
Young Professionals Golf tournament you attended last year. That's October
sixth at the Golf Club of Houston. Our YP team
is so so phenomenal. I mean I'm talking twenty five
to about forty years old, and I mean they put
the pedal of the metal.
Speaker 3 (38:26):
They are the.
Speaker 4 (38:29):
Energy I know, but you know this not Look, I'm sorry.
There's a lot of YP groups out there that kind
of just go and have a beer and socialize the network.
Our YP team gets their hands dirty. They make gift
bags for the kids at every single happy hour, they
host CEOs, you know at their roundtable sessions. I just
love our Young Professionals team. Howard Energy also does an
(38:50):
event called Boats on the Bayou in Port Arthur, Texas.
So that'll be October tenth. Then we have the last
event of the year, which is concert and in San Antonio, Texas.
As you mentioned, Parker McCullum was our headliner last year.
Donated the entire concert Phenomenal human being Phenomenal Team, and
so we right now.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
He supports the group too. And if Parker mccaulus supports,
you know you're in good hands of donating money and
getting involved.
Speaker 3 (39:17):
He's an amazing human.
Speaker 4 (39:18):
He actually took out two of our cancer Warriors now
Casin and Madeline, on private hunting trips at Spitzer Industri's
ranch in South Texas. They got to have one on
one time with Parker. They got to harvest an animal,
spend time around the campfire, share their stories with him.
And he has a big heart and he cares so
much that he is going to stay personally involved the organization.
(39:41):
And I'm very grateful to Spitzer Industries, to coll It
and Jody for gifting us the ranch and gifted us
this relationship but again, these are all people who fuel right, yeah,
you know, and give us the energy to be able
to impact these kids.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
It's all about the energy. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
Let's before we close out the show, I want to
leave our listeners. What is the need that Sky High needs.
You talked about a capital campaign specifically for something that
is needed in Houston that these children with cancer do
not have, and talk to us about what the need is.
Speaker 4 (40:10):
Well, our current project is the immunotherapy center, and then
the work we're doing in Uganda and Malawi through Texas
Children's through Global Hope. Okay, So that was a twenty
million dollar commitment that we made in twenty eighteen. We
have about ten million dollars to go, so there is
you know, still a large amount of money to raise
and donate for those projects. It's the only immunotherapy for
(40:32):
pediatrics in the entire country. And we built the seventh floor,
which is a sky Higher for kids patient floor that
has the CODEAC gaz bone marrow transplant unit. Brett and
Shelley Pennington have the first wing. We have DZMI, which
is a commercial real estate firm who has the elevator bank.
There's twenty two on cology rooms, ten bone marrow transplant units,
(40:54):
and that floor all happened because of the support of
everybody who's donating a sky high for kids right heavily
oil and gas as well. And then at Saint Jude
we built a twenty million dollar research floor which is
fighting bone, brain and solid tumors. We have ten million
dollars left to go there, so capital campaign wise, we
have a goal of three years from now to finish
these pledge commitments so we can move on to the
(41:16):
need that's right here in Houston. We work closely with
the Ron McDonald House, have so much respect for what
they do there. They house seventy families at all times,
and the reality is there's a waiting list. There's not
enough housing, especially for pediatric cancer related families. We have
one hundred and eighty families a year coming from West Texas.
(41:36):
Imagine that we have over one hundred families from San Antonio.
We have families from all over the world coming to Houston,
Texas the largest cancer center, by the way, in the
country in terms of volume, the largest one hundred.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
And fifty kids.
Speaker 4 (41:48):
Today we'll go in and out of outpatient clinic at
Texas Children's We don't have enough housing. So a big
dream of sky Highs is maybe to partner with URMH Christina.
You don't know this yet, but maybe maybe we build
another you know, uh wing and more rooms. I mean,
what's what what can we do to impact these families?
Speaker 5 (42:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (42:06):
Again, it's one thing to support research and to have
what's needed to actually treat the child, it's a whole
another ball game when it comes to transportation, housing, food,
food and security is a real thing. We now have
a Sunday Supper program every single Sunday night. If you're
a restaurant in Houston, we need your help. Every Sunday night,
(42:28):
we provide one hundred and seventy seven meals to all
seventy in patient families. These patient, these kids, these families
are in those four walls for a very long time,
dealing with some pretty serious issues, serious stuff, and so
to think about where your next meal is going to
come from really shouldn't be in the cards, right And
so thankfully, so many restaurants in the Houston community have
(42:48):
stepped up to help deliver these meals.
Speaker 3 (42:50):
We need more. We want to do every single Sunday. Restaurants.
Speaker 4 (42:53):
Yeah, so we need restaurants but there's so much right.
So we want to finish the pledge commitments we already
have ongoing with Texas Children's Saint Jude, and we want
to get ready to make our decision as an executive
board on what is next. And we're going to depend
on Texas Children Saint Jude, Covenant and Lubbock and our
partners to tell us what those needs are right to showcase, Hey,
(43:14):
here are the gaps, here's where sky Hike can feel them.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
And the thing is, there's going to be so many Yeah,
you know, it's gonna be really hard to pay.
Speaker 4 (43:21):
It be hard to pick, but we're going to pick
the one that meets our vision to in childhood cancer
and our mission to provide comfort and fund research. And
we'll come out with some of the brightest minds helping
us make those decisions. Take a look on our website
of our executive board. I mean we have the retire
of I mean he's the EVP of Shell Oil, Greg
Gidry as our board president. We have very powerful, influential
(43:41):
people who are helping us make these decisions, and I'm
grateful for their time and commitment to our organization.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
Well, let me close out the show with You know,
there's a lot of people that listen to the show
and it's in syndications. So we're talking about Middland, Houston,
San Antonio, Corpus, Tulsa. And here's the thing is the
people who are listening, they might work in the oil
and gas industry, get involved. You might know somebody that
has a childhood cancer neighbor. Tell them about sky High.
You also might be sitting in West Texas with more
(44:09):
money than you know what to do with. Make a donation.
And so it's about everybody getting involved wherever you are
to do whatever you can to help children with cancer
and their families. So I want to close out the
show with saying for more information, visit sky sky Hi
High four f O R Kids Kids dot org or
(44:31):
go to shell mag dot com. There's a banner ad
click through we'll take you straight to Skyhigh's website. Please,
after hearing the show today, get involved. I know you
might say to yourself, for a second, I'll call next week.
You're going to forget pick up the phone our email
call Britney.
Speaker 4 (44:45):
Seven one three seven, one four eight five eight seven
one more time seven one three seven one four eight
five eight seven Thank you for joining me.
Speaker 3 (44:54):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (44:55):
The Energy Mix Radio Show is where we explore topics
that affect us all in the oil and gas industry.
Every week, our host will interview the movers and shakers
in this fast paced industry. You will hear from industry experts,
elected officials, and many more on the Energy Mix Radio Show.
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