A young Alex Burd is shown with his mother, MaryEllen Locher, and father, David Burd.If you go
› What: Mel’s Derby Day.› When: 1 p.m. April 29.› Where: Chattanooga Westin, 801 Pine St.› Admission: $50 for adults and $30 for children under 10. Free for breast cancer survivors (survivors need to register for the event by emailing Cindy Pare at cindy@melfoundation.org or by calling 423-490-4555.› Online: www.melfoundation.org.
Alex Burd has been involved with the MaryEllen Locher Scholarship Foundation since it was founded by his mother in 2002, three years before breast cancer took her life. He says, however, he didn't really imagine himself as the executive director of the organization until about a year ago.
At 28, Burd is married with a 1-year-old son and a law practice here in Chattanooga. He says he realized it was time that he should take over the lead role.
"Really, when I saw all of these people who have been busting their rear ends for all these years to keep this going, I just felt like it was time," he says.
The foundation will hold its Mel's Derby Day fundraiser, a luncheon and silent auction, on April 29 at the Chattanooga Westin. Scheduled to perform and speak to the gathered crowd is Chattanooga native and singer/songwriter Mitch Rossell. Rossell has opened for and performed with country superstar Garth Brooks. And he wrote Brooks' current hit, "Ask Me How I Know."
Rossell is also no stranger to the impact Locher had, and continues to have, on this community.
"I'm incredibly honored to be a small part of this event," he says. "We all know how special MaryEllen Locher was and still is to this community, and what this foundation represents and provides for these families is remarkable. I'm just very humbled and grateful to have been asked to play!"
Locher was a popular news anchor and on-air personality at WTVC NewsChannel 9 for many years. She battled cancer on three occasions before passing away in 2005. The foundation she started has awarded 460 scholarships totaling $471,000.
Burd, himself a beneficiary of the scholarship fund, says some of the previous winners are annual recipients and a few will be helping with things like ushering and food service at next Sunday's event. About 40 applications come in each year from high school students living within a 50-mile radius.
The foundation awards 30 to 40 scholarships a year, based on available funds, according to administrator Cindy Pare. Money is raised through a variety of events, including a Rocktoberfest at Rock City, a Hoops for Hope high school girls basketball tournament and Bras for a Cause, a fashion show featuring men from the local real-estate community modeling decorated bras.
Burd says he has been involved in reading through the applications over the years, along with other family members, including his wife, Lacy, father, David, and aunts and uncles.
Some read all of the applications and some only a few. Each year, it's a powerful reminder of the tremendous hardship that breast cancer puts on individuals and families.
"My dad is slowest because he can't make it through without crying; he can only get through about one a night before the crying gets to him," Burd says.
"It's amazing to see what all of these kids are going through as they are blindsided by something like this and how they put that into words."
Burd says that since taking the position, he has been going through a lot of the files, notes and plans the foundation has gathered over the years. Many were handwritten by his mother.
"She had some pretty big plans, including taking this nationally."
Burd says facilitating the local program is a big job, and the focus will remain there at least for now.
"She did have some interesting fundraising ideas that we will look at."
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.