Willis Volvo of Des Moines
9800 Hickman Road
Des Moines, IA 50325
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When Alex Scott, who was diagnosed with childhood cancer just before her first birthday, was four she told her parents she wanted to set up a front-yard lemonade stand. Her plan: to give the money to doctors to help them find a cure. Her first "Alex's Lemonade Stand", held with the help of her older brother Patrick, raised an astonishing $2,000 in one day. While bravely fighting her own cancer, Alex continued to set up lemonade stands every year. As news spread of the remarkable girl so dedicated to helping other sick children, people everywhere were inspired to start their own lemonade stands?donating the proceeds to
her cause.
In 2002, Volvo met Alex through our Volvo for Life Awards program and awarded her with our first "Childhood Hero" award. Although Alex was still very sick with cancer, she was selfless, courageous and determined to help other sick children by selling lemonade. Alex embodied the very best of the human spirit ? she was our hero.
In 2004 when Alex passed away at the age of eight ? her stand and inspiration had raised more than $1 million towards finding a cure for the disease that took her life. Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation was started by her parents in 2005 to continue the work that Alex began and Volvo became the founding sponsor. Their mission is simple: to raise money for and awareness of childhood cancer causes? especially research into new treatments and cures?and to encourage and empower others, especially children, to get involved and make a difference for children with cancer.
Since Alex set up her first lemonade stand in 2000 truly exemplifying the saying "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade"?they have raised more than $55 million. That money has helped to:
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Fund more than 250+ cutting-edge research projects
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Create a travel program to help support families of children receiving treatment
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Develop resources to help people everywhere affected by childhood cancer
To Learn More about Alex's Lemonade Stand>>>
The 2012 Volvo S60 ? the highest rated European Luxury Vehicle in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's new Small Overlap Frontal Crash Test.
No two drivers, or accidents for that matter, are the same. That's why every year the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) specifies a battery of crash tests, from many different angles, to help consumers make the right choices when it comes to automobile safety.
But tests, much like accidents, can sometimes come out of nowhere. Case in point - the new Small Overlap Frontal Crash Test prescribed by the IIHS. A crash test where 25% of a car's front end on the driver's side strikes a 5-foot-high barrier at 40 miles per hour. A test that has never been conducted before in the
The result? Predictable, to say the least. Only one European luxury sedan earned a "good" rating from the IIHS?the 2012 Volvo S60. Now let's put that in perspective. In the very same test, both the Mercedes- Benz C-Class and the Audi A4 earned a "poor" rating, while the BMW 3-Series earned a "marginal" rating. In addition, the Volvo S60 also scored the highest in Structural Integrity among all cars tested. That's crucial because in certain crashes, a robust structure along with a strong safety cage work in tandem to absorb much of the impact thereby helping protect the occupants.
While we're flattered to receive such high praise from the IIHS, we can't say we're terribly surprised. We've been performing hundreds of similar Small Overlap Tests (thousands if you take into account the other crash tests we've conducted) since the 1980s. We've also been diligently taking down notes and keeping the results in mind when designing newer models like the 2012 S60. So while most automotive manufacturers are content to design their cars to excel in existing tests, we are continually looking for new opportunities to improve on passenger safety. Because at Volvo, we don't build cars to merely pass crash tests; we build them for the people who will eventually drive them. And that evidently is making a big impact.
Safety. It's one of the many ways a Volvo is designed around you.
Where is Marilyn Adams Today
Introduced in December 2002 by Volvo Cars of North America (VNCA), the Volvo for life Awards (VFLA) became the largest-ever national search for and celebration of everyday heroes. Since 2002, VCNA received more than 10,000 nominations from all 50 states, provided more than $1 million in awards and contributions in honor of heroes, and more than $5 million to help hometown heroes continue their extraordinary work in their communities.
Throughout the summer, we have re-told these six heroes' amazing stories of inspiration and filled you in on what they've been up to since Volvo named them America's Greatest Hometown Heroes. Here is the sixth and final Volvo for life Award winner's story.
We hope you've enjoyed this series, and to celebrate the final post we're holding a giveaway. To win a copy of Marilyn Adams' book, "Rhythm of the Seasons?A Journey Beyond Loss" (http://www.amazon.com/Rhythm-Seasons-Journey-Beyond-Loss/dp/1882835387) just enter a comment on this story below. All comments will be entered into a random drawing, held on or around August 14, 2012, to win her book.
Marilyn Adams
In 2008, Marilyn Adams, Earlham, Iowa resident and founder of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids, was named America's Greatest Hometown Hero and grand prize award winner in the 6th Annual Volvo for life Awards. In recognition of her extraordinary work protecting children, Adams was awarded $100,000 for her charity and a new Volvo every three years for life.
Marilyn Adams, with a picture of her son, Keith
More than 25 years ago, Adams tragically lost her son in a farm equipment accident. The death inspired her to become a safety hero to thousands of children through Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK), which she founded to educate kids and their families nationwide about farm safety and health. Through her visits to rural schools, media appearances and testimony before government agencies and Congress, Adams has spread her farm safety message across the country.
"I personally want to thank Volvo for honoring me with the highest award in the Volvo for Life safety category in 2008," said Adams. "I am proud to have received this lifetime award on behalf of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids in loving memory of my son, Keith. Thank you, and God Bless all of America's Heroes."
Adams, 61, recently announced her plans to retire from FS4JK on June 1, 2012, during the organization's 25th anniversary year. She will remain on the board of directors and continue to fulfill speaking engagements.
"Since receiving the grand prize, Volvo has helped us spread our farm safety message to countless rural families and to save an untold number of children from farm tragedies," said Adams. "We couldn't be more grateful. The $100,000 donation helped us expand our educational programs and establish an endowment fund for the organization's future."
Volvo Names Marilyn Adams "America's Greatest Hometown Hero" in 2008
Adams' Volvos
In 2008, Adams chose a pearl white Volvo XC90, and named her car "Pearl," fitting for the color of the car and in honor of a woman named Pearl who Adams worked with when she received her award. Since then, she has fallen in love with her XC90, taking it on countless road trips, and when her 3-year lease ended, she purchased it.
Marilyn Adams sits in her new Volvo XC90
Marilyn Adams stands in front of her Volvo XC90
Her favorite trip in "Pearl" was driving it cross-country to South Carolina for her son-in-law's National Guard graduation. Peyton, her granddaughter, who was 6-months-old at the time, and her mommy, were along for the ride and excited about the built-in DVD player and all the toys the car could hold. "Everyone in my family has taken the car out for a test drive and they all love it!" exclaimed Adams.
In 2011, Adams picked up her new, red 2012 Volvo S60 T6 she named "Ruby." Adams chose Volvo's luxury sports sedan because she thought it would be fun to drive during her retirement. In fact, her 89-year-old mother has already asked her, "Why haven't you taken your mother out for a test drive in your new red, hot rod yet?"
During her retirement, Adams plans to spend more time with her grandkids, garden, travel and continue to farm. She also plans to sew and quilt landscape art of both of her white and red Volvos.
Marilyn in her Volvo XC90, presented by Willis Auto Campus in Des Moines
More About Marilyn Adams and Farm Safety 4 Just Kids
In 1986, Adams faced every mother's greatest fear. Her 11-year-old son, Keith, suffocated in a gravity flow wagon while helping with the first full day of harvest on the family's farm in Iowa. Determined to find a constructive outlet for her grief, she was inspired to create a nonprofit organization working to educate children and their families about farm safety and health.
A year later, in 1987, Adams founded Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK) and set out on a mission to promote safe farm environments and eliminate farm-related child health hazards, injuries and fatalities. A report by the National Safety Council found that children between the ages of 5 and 14 were 66 percent more likely to be injured in a farm accident than adults aged 45 to 64.
2012 marks the 25th anniversary of FS4JK. Since it was created, the organization has promoted farm safety to more than 6 million people through local programs and education. Today the organization has established a network of more than 120 local chapters across the United States and Canada that offer farm safety presentations on a local level. Outreach coordinators each cover nine different states, and over the past 25 years, 35,600 volunteers have donated more than 280,000 hours of their time.
FS4JK focuses on prevention through education. The organization has created a spectrum of nearly 100 educational resources on a variety of farm safety related topics. All resources are available to the public via an online catalog.
Farm Safety 4 Just Kids' contribution to the farm safety movement has helped to reduce the number of agriculture-related fatalities among children. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, from 1998 to 2009 the rate of all farm youth injuries has decreased by 59 percent. Farm Safety 4 Just Kids was specifically mentioned as a contributing factor to the decline.
FS4JK is funded by corporate sponsors and individual donors. Current projects include overhauling the existing all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety packet. In addition, FS4JK is working with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health to research how safety needs are impacted in the changing demographics of agriculture as small, part-time farms are on the rise.