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Tatum Hubbard honored for leadershipNov 09, 2012 (Odessa American - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- It's been a good week for Tatum Hubbard, who won the Athena Award Thursday. Presented by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, the Athena Award honors women who have served the community and assisted other women in reaching their leadership potential. "I'm rarely at a loss for words," Hubbard said at the awards luncheon at the Odessa Country Club. "I love our community so much, and I'm so thankful for the blessings God has given me." The CBS7 anchor also celebrated a victory Tuesday evening, following the passage of the $129.75 million bond for the Ector County Independent School District. Hubbard was a member of the political action committee, Odessans for Kids, which campaigned for the passage of the bond. An Odessa native, Hubbard attended the University of Texas at Arlington and was named Miss Texas in 1998. Her time spent in Odessa has consisted of volunteering and emceeing for various community events. "Tatum is passionate about anything she is involved in," said former Odessa Mayor Lorraine Perryman, who hosted the event. "You can always depend on Tatum to give everything she's got." Hubbard was joined by fellow nominees Kathie Braunstein and Mara Barham. The luncheon's enduring message was conquering adversity, which was emphasized by keynote speaker Marion Luna Brem. Brem is a breast cancer survivor and president and chief executive of her auto dealership, Love Chrysler, founded in Corpus Christi in 1989. Through her struggles with breast cancer and the financial "tsunami" that hit the American auto industry, Brem said the truths of resilience, creativity, nurturing, sensitivity and passion are what helped her not just survive but thrive in life. "I've never coped with tragedy, I've always chosen to convert it," Brem said. "I am a testament to resilience and how important it is." One pivotal moment in Brem's life was when she was hugging the commode and experiencing the side effects of a "grueling" chemotherapy treatment. At that point in life, she had already lost her left breast, her marriage due to stress and her self-esteem. "At the time, I thought I was not going to make it," Brem told the audience of around 270 people. Then her two sons, who were 12 years old and 7 years old, approached her holding a smoking can of macaroni and cheese. "He (her eldest) said, 'Don't worry mom, only the bottom is burned,'" Brem recalled. "That's the way tragedy is in life. You need to take inventory of not what is lost, but what is left over." Brem said that she doesn't just live life as a survivor but as a "thriver," taking advantage of every second that life offers. "I've learned to be my own best friend," Brem said. "I can give more to others if I can take care of myself first." Contact Lyxan Toledanes on twitter @OAcitylife, on Facebook at OA Lyxan Toledanes, or call 432-333-7786. ___ (c)2012 the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas) Visit the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas) at www.oaoa.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |