Diabetes Walk

Last week the girls came home talking about the diabetes lessons they learned in school. They also were excited about the school's Walk for Diabetes on Friday. Both girls asked Bryan and I to take their "Walk for Diabetes" fundraiser to work with us. They have learned from cookie dough sales and Girl Scout cookie order forms that "work" is the magic place where people fill in the blanks. To be quite honest, I had absolutely no intention of bringing yet another "money" form to work to put in the break room, but Brenna was so excited last week and asked me every day whether I'd brought it to work yet. So I caved and set up an online donation site for both girls. I hoped for a few $5 and $10 donations so the girls would have something to feel proud about.

Within thirty minutes of sending out an email to some family and friends, the online site had already picked up $100. I reset the goal amount three times, and each time I was overwhelmed by our friends and family's generosity. Even more touching were the emails that flooded my inbox telling of this person or that who has diabetes. I printed all of those emails to bring home for the girls to read. (That was the first night Brenna started running a high fever, so Cameron read them all.)

Thursday night we transferred all of the online donations to the entry form and printed the gift history list. Combined with offline checks, we turned in $450!! Actually, when we returned from the walk there were two more donations - $500!


THANK YOU to everyone who either gave money or sent us an email with information.


Friday arrived and Brenna was still home sick, but Cameron proudly walked for everyone!

She walked for:

Uncle Mike,

in memory of Great-Grandma,

in memory of Great-Aunt Maxine,

Ellie, a 9-yr old girl in Florida,

Julia, an 8-yr old girl in Maryland,

Debbi,

Eleanore Stauble,

Bobby Peebler,

Julia Dunn,

in memory of Frank Arthur Oakley, and

in memory of Karen B.'s mommy.

The entire third grade, about 100 students, marched around the outside of the school waving ribbons, pom-poms, carrying signs, cheering, and chanting. I was very impressed with the two PE teachers who organized this event, from the curriculum to the actual event. What fun! I heard children chanting "Walk for the cure!" and "Exercise an hour a day and don't forget to be fit!"

As a result of everyone's generous support, Cameron was the top girl fund-raiser at school and will be receiving 4 tickets to Galveston's new Schlitterbaun waterpark. So once again, THANK YOU.