Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2007. The reason I am posting this photo is because we were just at Butterfly World last week. Standing in this very spot! I will never forget our first trip to Butterfly World, it was a surreal experience because you can't imagine what it is like walking among butterflies! A friend asked me if visiting places I had once been with Mattie was difficult. I would have to say it isn't any more difficult than living day to day without Mattie. In some ways, returning to a place we were together helps to evoke memories and conversation, which are good things!
Quote of the day: As any parent, teacher, or librarian knows, there is no richer experience than to see children's faces light up at the suspense of a new tale or the surprise of a new poem. The uninhibited joy with which they listen is surely akin to that of adult audiences of old around campfire and hearth. ~ William Jay Smith
Tonight's quote seems to capture the spirit of my day. Surprises come in all forms, and they maybe different for each of us. One of my greatest surprises however occurs when I go to the Foundation's mailbox and pull out checks that I wasn't expecting. Mattie Miracle hosts an annual drive each December in which we do a mass mailing to 500 of our most loyal supporters and of course send out an email newsletter promoting our drive to thousands of people. In the course of the last two weeks, we have had about 100 individual donations. That may not sound like a lot but it most certainly is, when you consider I am the only one who processes them and writes letters of acknowledgment. There are two periods of time in which keeping up with acknowledgment letters is challenging, one is in December and the other is Walk season. We have about three hundred letters of thanks that go out then. But I take processing these donations very seriously, because I write personal notes to each donor and make a mental note of donor names.
The photo above is of Carl M. Freeman. The grant was given to us by his grandson, Nicholas. I read a little bit about Carl and Nicholas' father, Joshua. Carl died in a car accident and Joshua in a helicopter accident. Such tragedy for a family. The Freemans are builders. Just look at this history.....
Carl M. Freeman began his real estate career in California in 1937, concentrating on sales and land planning activities. After six years in the business, he left California to join the Army. He served during World War II in the Army Engineers in the China-Burma-India Theater of operations. At the end of the war, he relocated to the Washington, D.C. area and resumed his career in real estate. Founded in 1947, the Carl M. Freeman Associates, Inc built its first housing community in Carole Highlands, Maryland. The award-winning development featured Mr. Freeman’s California Cottage home, creating a community of truly livable spaces. In the early 1950’s the Company expanded into apartment building development. Together with an emphasis on balconies, patios, and contemporary design, the fabulously successful Americana garden apartment became the company trademark through the 1950's and 1960's. The design, featuring the window-wall concept (such a feature can be found in my own living room today) to let the outside in, was quickly copied throughout the United States. Since the 1950s, the Carl M. Freeman Companies built planned communities in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Iowa. During Mr. Freeman’s lifetime, the Company participated in the development of more than 20,000 apartment units, townhouses and single-family homes in over 50 residential communities.
Needless to say, I am deeply appreciative to all our supporters who made this year's annual drive our MOST successful to date!!! It is thanks to our individual donors that we can keep the psychosocial miracles happening. I am sharing this wonderful news about the Freeman grant with our supporters, because ultimately this will enable us to expand our program services.
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