Elect Laura

Thursday night May 29th, Club Casa was the setting for the Kickoff of Laura’s general election Campaign for Judge of the Circuit Court in the 12th Judicial Subcircuit. It was a special night as Laura had teamed up with another Laura; Laura Hudgins, a Des Plaines native and 26 yr. old , who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a partial mastectomy and re-constructive surgery.

To Candidate Laura Morask, the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is a personal cause. Having witnessed her mother and grandmother succumb to breast cancer at an early age, Laura decided to donate 10% of all proceeds raised at this event to sponsor a team in the Avon Walk.

Through an amazing series of synchronicity of what a small world we really live in, or six degrees of separation, Laura Morask was introduced to Laura Hudgins by a mutual friend who worked at Maine Township where Laura Morask is a trustee. Township Food Pantry supervisor, Carol Langhan knew the Hudgins family and knew that they had put together a team to walk in the upcoming Avon Walk; Team Cosmonaut. When the two Lauras first spoke, Laura Morask was instantly impressed with the 26 yr old’s grit, determination and guts, and decided to sponsor their team. As it turned out at the event Thursday night, everyone who came was somehow connected through Maine West, or Des Plaines or a mutual friend, to the Hudgins’ family.

Guest speaker Kathy Menis (Laura’s sister) spoke passionately about the long journey their family has taken together and brought tears to grown men’s eyes when recounting the story of how Laura, her sister and mother learned the diagnosis at Christmas time. She told how her sister Laura researched all her available options with incredible maturity, optimism and determination.

Kathy recounted how Laura asked her sister and mom to meet her at a restaurant near Christmastime so she could tell them what she planned to do. Laura told her family she had decided to have a mastectomy but she had also decided she wanted to do something to help others in this situation and wanted to walk the Avon Breast Cancer Walk. She and her sister decided to form a team of their friends and family members to walk and in a play on words, according to Kathy, “they wanted to reach for the stars, the cosmos, but also enjoyed their favorite drink, the cosmopolitan. Thus Team Cosmonaut with their slogan of “Reach for the Stars” was born. Friends and family were so supportive that Team Cosmonaut in six months raised over $80,0000 and became the highest ranked team in Chicago.

Longtime Des Plaines activist Mary Rohde donated her gifted artistry to making unique photo memory boxes in various shades of pink which were raffled off to much acclaim, leaving people clamoring to buy more of these limited edition boxes. Pink Balloons and flower arrangements rounded out the festive atmosphere.

Numerous local dignitaries, politicians, family, and friends attended, including Township Supervisor Carol Teschky, Highway Commissioner Bob Provenzano, Township Clerk Gary Warner, Elk Grove Township Committeeman, and State Representative Candidate Michael Sweeney as well as local Maine Township Republican Precinct Captains.

Candidate Laura Morask in her remarks introducing Kathy Menis, reminded everyone that there are life events far more important than anything else and this cause was one of them. Remarkably, everyone who attended stayed the entire evening and were so overwhelmed by Kathy Menis’ speech that their team received numerous donations and a standing ovation. At the conclusion of Kathy’s speech, Laura Morask presented Laura Hudgins with a complimentary photo album box with a check from Committee to Elect Laura Morask.