SPECIAL

NEWS

This page is dedicated to short term notice or special items of interest for the club or club members.

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Very Sad News

The world's tallest woman, Sandy Allen, died early this morning at a nursing home in Shelbyville, Ind., at the age of 53.No cause of death has been released, but a family friend told the Indianapolis Star that Allen had been sick for several months.Allen, who was 7-foot-7, is listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest living woman, and has appeared in the publication since the mid-1970s.She came into the world weighing an average 6.5 pounds – but her abnormal growth began soon after her birth in June 1955. By the age of 10, Allen stood at 6 feet 3 inches tall and by the age of 16 she towered over 7 feet tall.Her height was due to a tumor in her pituitary gland that caused it to release growth hormones uncontrollably, according to the world record book. At the age of 22, she underwent surgery to correct the condition.When a tumor produces too much of one or more hormones, several conditions can occur including gigantism, the National Institutes of health reported on its Web site.In her first letter to the Guinness Book of World Records in 1974, Allen wrote, "I would like to get to know someone that is approximately my height. It is needless to say my social life is practically nil and perhaps the publicity from your book may brighten my life."Following the letter, there was an offer from film directorFederico Fellini to take a role in his film "Casanova" in 1975, and then her first date with a 7 foot Illinois man.In the last years of her life, Allen suffered from poor circulation and weak leg muscles which resulted in her being dependent on a wheelchair.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

Our Captain, Carolyn Hagendorf, has been selected TCI WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2008.

This is a very great honor for her and our club and long over due for all that she has done for TCI, TCI Foundation, and all the local clubs she has been involved with.

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES….Please submit any articles to Jan V at whosurto@netscape.com. Be sure to identify in subject line that it is HBATT related.

SOCIAL EVENTS… looking for hosts and events. Please send your info to Jacqueline N at jacnel@msn.com. Be sure to identify in subject that is HBATT related. Include dates, times, address, your contact info, etc.

SCHOLARSHIPS…. We have already had a couple of inquiries about scholarships. Carolyn will forward TCI scholarship info. Send all requests for information to mstb97@hotmail.com.