In the photo associated with this article, two long-time friends who are Arcadia High School graduates head up different teams competing to raise money for a cure of juvenile (Type One) diabetes. Both of them are mothers of victims of the condition and are also daughters of Rotarians. It was Rotary International which joined forces with other organizations including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) to petition the United Nations to declare November 14 World Diabetes Day.

With them are their respective Type One children. The occasion is the 2009 Walk for a Cure at Dodger Stadium. The sponsor is JDRF which raises funds for research on Type One diabetes, research that can also be useful as to Type Two.

On the left is Maura Hudson Speirs, captain of “Team Miranda Sarah,” with Miranda in her arms. On the right is Julie Myers King, captain of “Kings for a Cure,” with her son Jeffrey in the foreground. Of the two children, Jeff was the first to be afflicted. At the time, Julie’s friend Maura made a contribution to JDRF in support of Jeff. Later, at age 3 Maura’s own daughter Miranda also developed the condition.

Maura Hudson Speirs is vice president of C. B. Richard Ellis, the company that manages New York City’s Empire State Building and other buildings around the world. Pursuant to UN Resolution 61/225, on November 14 (World Diabetes Day) the Empire State Building and other monuments around the world light up in blue. This signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic. Maura is married to Gerard Speirs. Maura is also the daughter of Sharon and Dirk L. Hudson. Dirk is a member of Arcadia Rotary (district 5300).

Julie Myers King was the 1988 Rose Queen. (This recalls last week’s Arcadia Rotary meeting on the historic Pasadena Rose Festival which brought so many people to this once under-populated state.) A UCLA graduate, Julie is an Instructional Assistant at Yerba Buena Elementary School in Agoura Hills, where she lives with husband, Curt King, and three sons– 15-year-old twins Kevin and Steven, and 11-year-old Jeffrey. In her spare time, she guest lectures for the Exploritas program and is an assistant scoutmaster in Boy Scout Troop 127 in Agoura Hills. Julie is also the daughter of Sandy and Roger Myers. Roger is the 2009-2010 President of Woodland Hills Rotary (district 5260).