Long-time McArdle administrative employee, Mary Jo Markham, is doing her part to support cancer research outside the office. Mary Jo is one of a dozen members of the BC Golf Rally Committee who organize a golf event every fall at Oregon’s Foxboro Country Club to raise funds for breast cancer research at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research and the Carbone Cancer Center.
The BC Golf Rally was created many years ago by Oregon resident Sonja Henriksen in memory of her 
mother-in-law who died from breast cancer. Mary Jo and her husband Bill have participated in the event for more than a decade and have hosted as many as 60 participants/year sponsored by Bill’s company, A&B Remodeling/Construction. Bill was so successful in recruiting golfers that in 2016 Ms. Henriksen invited him to become her co-organizer of the event.
Mary Jo says that she and her husband are thrilled to be associated with the BC Rally. “Sonja has created a great event that is fun for participants and supports an important cause. We are happy to do our part.”
As a member of the organizing committee, Mary Jo now helps with preparing gift baskets and other auction items, in addition to set-up, registration, selling raffle tickets, and photography on the day of the event. Although the golf event could not be held in 2020 due to COVID-19, the BC Rally group still raised over $5,000 for breast cancer research through raffle ticket sales and cash donations.
Since 2016 the BC Golf Rally has raised $30,000 for the McArdle Laboratory alone. Mary Jo is hopeful the event will continue to grow and contribute even more funds to support such important research. “I am proud to represent the BC Rally Golf group and to hand off the donation check to the McArdle Laboratory director Paul Lambert each year.”
The organizers hope to be out on the golf course again in 2021. Stay tuned for details.