2009 Cattle Barons' Ball announces special guests and auction hosts

Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp The Lee County American Cancer Society 2009 Cattle Barons' Ball live auction and R.O.C.K. program will be hosted by special guests Sheriff

Mike Scott and Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, announced event chair Theresa Himschoot Mitchell.

The sixth annual fundraising event will be held Saturday, Jan. 24, at 6 p.m at the ACI Hangar at Page Field.

"We're hoping these two will really be able to draw a crowd and encourage that crowd to donate generously," said Ms. Himschoot- Mitchell. "The auction and the call for donations during

the R.O.C.K. program are the highlights of the evening. The encouragement of Sheriff Scott and Lt. Gov. Kottkamp can only add to the process."

Looking to maintain its four-year record of being the largest Cattle Barons' ball in the state of Florida, the Cattle Barons' Ball committee has many new and exciting events on the agenda. Now, in its sixth consecutive year, the Lee County Cattle Barons' Ball has raised more that $2.5 million in support of the American Cancer Society.

Sheriff Mike Scott Besides funding valuable research for both children and adults, there are many other programs that the money collected supports.

This year, 22 local kids were sent to "Reaching Out to Cancer Kids" camp, where they spend a week in a safe environment with a hospital and medical staff on the premises, just getting to be "normal" kids. In addition, five families were able to attend family's weekend and 13 local children were granted college scholarships.

Programs also include:

Look Good Feel Better, which teaches cancer patients hands-on cosmetic techniques to help them cope with appearance-related side effects from chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Road to Recovery is the transportation program which provides rides for cancer patients to and from treatments, volunteers drove 95 patients this past year.

Man to Man is a support group that helps men and their families that have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, through meetings and education.

More than 450 people visited local Cancer Resource Centers, which provide wigs, prosthesis, bras and ostomy supplies.

Sponsorships, table sponsorships and tickets for the event are currently available. For more information on this event, other volunteer opportunities or ways to contribute, contact Beth Hayes at the American Cancer Society at 936-1113, ext. 113.