Friday, May 24, 2019

Friday, May 24, 2019

Tonight's picture was taken in May of 2007. That Memorial Day weekend we took Mattie to Dutch Wonderland, in Pennsylvania. I snapped this photo of Mattie and Peter in a roller coaster car. This was Mattie's first experience on such a ride, and I wasn't sure he was going to like it. But he wanted to try it. Notice the smile! That day Mattie rode the roller coaster with Peter at least five times. After that he caught the roller coaster bug and couldn't get enough of them. Though Mattie and I were a lot alike, we differed very much when it came to rides involving motion. 


Quote of the day: True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others, at whatever cost. ~ Arthur Ashe

As promised, I will be sharing photos from our 10th anniversary Walk over the next week. This is our Cup Tally board. Each cup color represents a different team. We had 17 walk teams this year. Each lap that a person does, a cup is earned. The cup is then placed through a chain link fence. Which makes a beautifully colored visual, of the amazing number of laps walked for our cause. 

We are proud to announce that the Blessed Sacrament School's Bullfrogs team won the cup challenge. They walked 146 laps in total, which is 37 miles! 

Our cup table on the track. As walkers complete a lap, they grab a cup with their team's color. 

The fellow you see holding cups with the plaid shirt is our loyal volunteer and supporter, Dave. Dave was on campus, the morning of the Walk, at 6am with Peter. Dave helped with setting up our challenge wall for cups, our sponsor posters, and this cup table. Dave does this for us each year, and it is a ton of work. Which we appreciate! I also know when Dave is tasked with something, it will get done effectively! What you can't see behind the cups in Dave's arms, is that he was wearing our original t-shirt, from the Mattie March of 2009. The event that gave birth to the Foundation's annual awareness Walk. 

The teen holding the yellow cups is Abby. Abby went to preschool with Mattie. She is a loyal volunteer! Abby and her sister, Emily, not only volunteer at the Walk but prior to the event they visit local stores and shops and post flyers advertising the Walk. We are grateful for thier decade of service to the Foundation. 

The teen handing off a cup to the little one is Emily (Abby's sister). Emily is handing a cup to Charlotte. Who is Charlotte? Charlotte is the grand daughter of my dear friend Margaret (Mattie's preschool teacher). Charlotte was our youngest volunteer at the Walk this year, as she was working at our craft tables. 

This trio is Sergio, Lili, and Rachael. They are the children of our DJ, Sergio. Over this past decade, Sergio's children have helped at our cup wall. This year, I officially made them volunteers. I love seeing the little ones volunteering, because this is the best way to bring awareness of childhood cancer to the next generation.