October is Cancer Awareness Month. In a spirit of "Mama Mia" enthusiasm among three innkeeper friends, Savannah cancer survivor Jackie Heinz exemplifies breast cancer's new hope.
Today the owner of Zeigler House Inn, Jackie Heinz -- golfer, caterer, B&B innkeeper, amazing mother, breast cancer survivor and cancer research fund-aiser -- is a vision of energy and creativity.
One chapter of her inspiring story includes a grassroots fundraising initiative in Savannah, Georgia, which began with her own need for new hope during an impending divorce. With rallied support among innkeeper friends, her breast cancer cause and her business are getting a boost.
In the spring of 2008, three creative living innkeepers in Savannah decided to rediscover a more lively, yet authentic Deep South experience in Savannah. Part of their team-of-three commitment is to give back -- to pay it forward from their successes. This means tripling the benefit, multiplying the resources (and sometimes dividing the expense) by three, and kicking up the fun of their 24/7 hospitality businesses by working together.
One breast cancer survivor among the three innkeepers has a personal commitment to generate cancer research dollars. Her passion is to give back to the people who gave her hope as a very young mother fighting breast cancer.
To raise cancer research dollars, Jackie has been decorating whimsical pink hats for shop sales. She and her support group of two innkeepers -- Teresa Jacobson (Azalea Inn and Gardens) and Diane McCray (Green Palm Inn) -- ride pink bikes, partly for breast cancer awareness and, in part, to conserve gas rambling about downtown Savannah. The threesome will be serving up pink desserts at their prominent breakfast inns during October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The most conservative of the three will sport new pink tennis shoes.
The trio's newest adventure began in July, planning ahead to stimulate a lot of pay-it-forward momentum in support October Breast Awareness Month. All three inns are donating $5 per night/per room during October 2008, and asking guests to match or add their support to fund cancer research. The funds from Zeigler House Inn, Azalea Inn and Gardens, and Green Palm Inn will support Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
