Latest / Conversations: Special Guests with Preston Scott / The #FlamingoChallenge Is Underway

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The #FlamingoChallenge Is Underway · Conversations: Special Guests with Preston Scott

• 0:03
  Speaker 1: Well, good morning, everybody. If you're just waking up and
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: joining us, Friday, October 2nd, here on The Morning Show
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  Speaker 1: with Preston Scott. Grant Allen running the radio program as
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  Speaker 1: he wants to do from time to time here on
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  Speaker 1: a Friday. And pleased to have with us, good friend
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  Speaker 1: of the show, good friend of this community, Cecilia Homason, CEO,
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  Speaker 1: First Commerce Credit Union. Cecilia, how are you this morning?
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  Speaker 2: Hey, good morning, Preston. Thank you so much for letting
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  Speaker 2: me come and join you and your listeners and talk
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  Speaker 2: about what October represents in our community and the launch
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  Speaker 2: of the Flamingo Challenge.
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  Speaker 1: Let's back up for just a second here, because obviously
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  Speaker 1: I think a lot of people at this point know
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  Speaker 1: that in October, there's a real big focus on breast cancer,
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  Speaker 1: breast cancer awareness. treatments, detection, all of that. But let's
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  Speaker 1: back up a little bit. Where did this start with
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  Speaker 1: First Commerce? When did you decide to get involved in
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  Speaker 1: this with the Flamingo Challenge?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, so back in 2020 during COVID, during so much
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  Speaker 2: of what we were having to reimagine, if you would,
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  Speaker 2: as we were doing social distancing, we felt that there
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  Speaker 2: needed to still be a tremendous opportunity to fundraise and
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  Speaker 2: bring awareness to breast cancer. because things were getting lost
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  Speaker 2: in the mix during COVID. And the team came up
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  Speaker 2: with this fabulous grassroots way to bring out flamingos representing
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  Speaker 2: the heart, breast cancer awareness, the spirit of survivorship. And
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  Speaker 2: from that, the Flamingo Challenge was launched. And we've had
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  Speaker 2: now in its seventh year raising nearly $ 700, 000 across our region.
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  Speaker 2: It has struck a chord in our community because, as
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  Speaker 2: we know, so many individuals and families have been affected
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  Speaker 2: through breast cancer over the years. And so we're just
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  Speaker 2: really excited and really looking forward to yet another great
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  Speaker 2: fundraising campaign through the month of October.
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  Speaker 1: Well, you know, you and your team have not only
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  Speaker 1: managed to raise an incredible sum of money so far,
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  Speaker 1: and it's just going to continue to grow. And I
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  Speaker 1: want to get into the different places where those funds go.
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  Speaker 1: But you've managed to make those tacky, pink, plastic flamingos
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  Speaker 1: and make them cool.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, like I said, I think it just really is
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  Speaker 2: such a visible sign of support and awareness. It's meant
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  Speaker 2: to be a spirit of fun. It's meant to be
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  Speaker 2: uplifting and encouraging and a visible way that our community
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  Speaker 2: shows how much we love and support the individuals and
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  Speaker 2: the families that are dealing with this dreadful, dreadful disease.
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  Speaker 1: You've mentioned, Cecilia, that you're attacking the region by raising funds.
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  Speaker 1: And I want to make sure people understand the footprint
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  Speaker 1: of First Commerce Credit Union. And when you say the region,
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  Speaker 1: you literally mean the region because we have, obviously on iHeart,
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  Speaker 1: we have listeners across the country, even around the world.
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  Speaker 1: But our radio listeners, they are in Panama City, Bay County,
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  Speaker 1: the surrounding counties. They're in Leon County, Tallahassee, and the
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  Speaker 1: surrounding counties. You're literally talking about the entire spread of
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  Speaker 1: the region, even into South Georgia.
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  Speaker 2: Oh, absolutely. So we have been able to work with
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  Speaker 2: partners in each of these areas. So here in Tallahassee,
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  Speaker 2: we're working with TMH. In Panama City, working with Sacred
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  Speaker 2: Heart Ascension. And in Valdosta, working with Southern Medical. And
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  Speaker 2: then in the SGMC, as I think how many people
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  Speaker 2: know that.
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  Speaker 1: And then in.
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  Speaker 2: Thomasville, we work with Archbold. So yes, in each of
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  Speaker 2: these hubs, we've partnered with these hospitals that are serving
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  Speaker 2: breast cancer treatment to really make sure that every dollar,
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  Speaker 2: and this is so important, Preston, every dollar raised stays
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  Speaker 2: local to really support treatment, mammogram scans, and really help
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  Speaker 2: make sure we have local access.
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  Speaker 1: Joining us on the program is Cecilia Homason. She's the
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  Speaker 1: Chief Executive Officer at With First Commerce Credit Union, we're
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  Speaker 1: talking about the Flamingo Challenge. It's the hashtag Flamingo Challenge
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  Speaker 1: because obviously we want you to not just take part,
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  Speaker 1: but to take part and post it on your social.
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  Speaker 1: And we're going to talk more about the specifics of
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  Speaker 1: how you can do that next here on The Morning
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  Speaker 1: Show with Preston Scott. 11 minutes past the hour with
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  Speaker 1: Cecilia Homason, CEO, First Commerce Credit Union. We're talking about
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  Speaker 1: the hashtag Pink Flamingo Challenge. It is the Flamingo Challenge,
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  Speaker 1: and it's about breast cancer awareness. But I would say
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  Speaker 1: that people are aware, but now it's about raising support.
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  Speaker 1: It's those dollars that stay local that make a difference. So, Cecilia,
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  Speaker 1: someone listening right now, and I know that it's for businesses,
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  Speaker 1: it's for individuals, it's for civic organizations, community groups. that
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  Speaker 1: want to take part, they want to get in on this.
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  Speaker 1: Take us through the steps. What does someone need to do?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, so the first thing is to go to firstcommercecu.org
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  Speaker 2: slash Flamingo. And that way you can see all the
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  Speaker 2: different ways you can join. But you get to, if
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  Speaker 2: you want to contribute as an individual and get your
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  Speaker 2: own flock to land on your front yard to really
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  Speaker 2: show your visible support inside of your neighborhood, there's an
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  Speaker 2: opportunity to do that. We have a lot of businesses
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  Speaker 2: and groups that will form together and run challenges against
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  Speaker 2: each other to see who can contribute. do the most
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  Speaker 2: creative fundraising. Last year, we introduced yet another opportunity with
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  Speaker 2: these Franny the Flamingo, where people were customizing these five-foot flamingos,
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  Speaker 2: beautiful displays that then landed in the cancer center so
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  Speaker 2: patients could see them. And so there's lots of different
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  Speaker 2: ways that people can fundraise. We've had one group up
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  Speaker 2: in Georgia that contributed through doing a huge Boston Butt fundraiser.
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  Speaker 2: So Be creative and look at ways that you and
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  Speaker 2: your group, your business, can join together and be a
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  Speaker 2: part of the flock and the Flamingo Challenge. So, again, firstcommercecu.org
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  Speaker 2: slash flamingo. And there is all the resources you need
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  Speaker 2: to get started.
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  Speaker 1: And I take it that that's and they'll be directed
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  Speaker 1: on how to get their own flock of flamingos and
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  Speaker 1: signage and everything for the yard or in front of
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  Speaker 1: the business or whatever it might be.
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  Speaker 2: That's exactly right, Preston. Absolutely. And Preston, I know we're
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  Speaker 2: going to run out of time, but I do want
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  Speaker 2: to make sure that I just encourage individuals out there
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  Speaker 2: to make sure you stay up with your screenings and
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  Speaker 2: your mammogram. It is so, so important to great treatment
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  Speaker 2: to have that early diagnosis. I am a great example
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  Speaker 2: of what not to do. I missed one year of
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  Speaker 2: And a year later, I was diagnosed. And it cost
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  Speaker 2: me through my treatment. It made things more complicated. So
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  Speaker 2: to the women and families out there, please make sure
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  Speaker 2: you take advantage of the screenings and the mammograms and
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  Speaker 2: stay on your annual schedule.
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  Speaker 1: If someone participates in this, they've got, you know, most
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  Speaker 1: people have some form of social media out there. You
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  Speaker 1: want them posting photos and saying something with the hashtag
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  Speaker 1: Flamingo Challenge?
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  Speaker 2: Oh, absolutely. Yeah, we want, again, part of the spirit
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  Speaker 2: of this is to encourage and show a united community. So, yeah,
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  Speaker 2: my husband and I get out there and we do
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  Speaker 2: our flamingo pose with our yard signs and post them out.
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  Speaker 2: We've had some great, great community postings out there. It's
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  Speaker 2: a great way for businesses to show their spirit inside
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  Speaker 2: of their communities and also promote their business and how
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  Speaker 2: they're giving back. So, yeah, by all means, join the fun.
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  Speaker 1: Cecilia, thanks so much for what you and your team
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  Speaker 1: at First Commerce Credit Union do. Obviously, not just this event,
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  Speaker 1: but you all do so much for the community year-round.
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  Speaker 1: And we so appreciate our partnership. And thank you so
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  Speaker 1: much for what you're doing to lead the community in
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  Speaker 1: this area.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you, Preston. And again, really do appreciate your support
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  Speaker 2: and your listener support of First Commerce.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you. Cecilia Homason with us this morning from First
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  Speaker 1: Commerce Credit Union. Again, the website is firstcommerce, the letter C,
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  Speaker 1: the letter U, firstcommercecu.org slash Flamingo. It's just that simple.
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  Speaker 1: And so that's the challenge. You know what? This is
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  Speaker 1: a perfect lead-in to the giving season, right? Because, you know,
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  Speaker 1: starting in November, we have our Operation Thanksgiving, and then
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  Speaker 1: Operation Spirit of Christmas. And so October, it's a perfect time.
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  Speaker 1: And this is a wonderful cause. $ 700, 000 since 2020. And
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  Speaker 1: that's just, that's a remarkable testimony to the efforts of
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  Speaker 1: First Commerce and the hospitals and the organizations that are
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  Speaker 1: linked in. She mentioned Tallahassee Memorial, Healthcare, the Walker Breast Program,
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  Speaker 1: the Ascension Sacred Heart Bay Cancer Center, the Archbold Cancer
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  Speaker 1: Center Resource Fund, and the Perlman Cancer Center at SGMC Health.
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  Speaker 1: These are all great organizations in dealing with breast cancer.
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  Speaker 1: And again, this money stays local. So do your part.
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  Speaker 1: And again, that's firstcommercecu.org slash Flamingo. All right, 16 minutes
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  Speaker 1: past the hour. Back with more of The Morning Show
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  Speaker 1: with Preston Scott.