Donny and Marie Osmond will crown "America's Favorite Mom" chosen by your votes from submissions in five categories: Working Mom, the Single Mom, the Military Mom, the Adopting Moms and the COE (Chairman Of Everything) Mom. Don't miss this extraordinary event presented by Teleflora, Sunday May 11th 7/6c.

Betty Yerkes - Single Mom

It's all in the hat
We lost our father when I was twelve, but you wouldn't know it with the kind of vibrant, warm spirit my mom embodies. My mom created BirthRight and volunteered for many years, helping teenage girls through their pregnancies, with vast amounts of emotional, medical and physical support. When other moms displayed little to no acceptance, my mom would stand behind the girl's decision to have the baby and make every effort to alleviate her stress, from buying maternity clothes to providing a bed under her roof. When my mom had children of her own, she continued to be active in the community. I learned much of my negotiation skills from my mom, watching her in her bubbly, genuine manner obtain financial support for our school and church community. It seemed everyone knew Betty! Going to the grocery store could take hours, stopping in each aisle, chatting with this person and that.

When our diving team coach resigned, my mom and I together coached the team. I was 11 at the time but I might as well as been 35, with the amount of faith my mom showed me in my ability to organize, motivate and train the younger divers. My mom drove the whole team to every meet. We had all these wacky games for the ride that kept us in stiches the whole way. Our favorite was beeping the horn repeatedly while driving by a pedestrian. Once the person turned to look at the car, we would all wave animatedly to the other side of the road where noone was, leaving the person bewildered. We thought this was hysterical. Now my mom works as a school crossing guard. Everyone looks forward to seeing her wide smile in the mornings. Part of their wake up call includes Betty's latest hat acquisition - anything from the feather hat (pictured) to my all-time favorite hat, closely resembling a sea anenome. My mom just reaches people in a way that I've spent my whole life emulating. I've always admired her for her complete selflessness for her family, her friends and complete strangers. In 2003, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. It still brings me to tears as I write this now.

Her lack of vanity saved her life. It turned out that the cancer has spread much farther than the tests had revealed and the doctor later admitted that her decision for a masectomy may have saved her life. Now as I conduct research in breast cancer, my mom is out there again recruiting subjects for my study. Her commitment to my happiness is never-ending. My mom represents every value we were every taught -community service, unconditional love, individuality, dedication and zest. You know, for twenty years the bush in our front yard never flowered. The spring after my father died, one single white flower emerged. We knew then that dad was with us. More importantly, we learned that nothing was impossible. Life emerges where you least expect it and there is always something out there larger than oneself. I love my mom for creating a world full of hope and laughter. Without her, life would hold little meaning.

Working Mom

Single Mom

Military Mom

Adopting Moms

COE Mom