Benji's Co-workers- ED, Benji, and Chris
Melissa (far left)worked the streets for advertisers and auction items!! Thank you Melissa!
The bankers...
Setting Up....
Gina's Mom and Dad- Arlene and Enzo
CDH Awareness Board
Danielle (Gina's Sister) and Gina
College and high school friends- Laura, Whitney, Gina, and Nicole
I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our community, friends, family, co-workers, and complete strangers. The Friends of Wyatt Benefit was truly a humbling experience and probably the most meaningful event I ever experienced. Wyatt is a superhero... he unites people from around the world and helps them do superhero acts like organizing this event....and also leading our ex-nanny to her new career (read Lori's blog for more info). It has taken me several days to write this post, because I just don't know where to begin. I heard that the idea of the benefit started on New Years Eve in casual conversation and what did that conversation create??.... the most spectacular night ever!!! This event would not occur if it wasn't for the organizers, Joe Carr, Maria Carr, and Jessica Bair. Wonderful people that I met working at New Windsor Middle School. We moved to this town seven years ago. I knew NO ONE!!! After this event, I realized this is a town where I am proud to raise my children, work, and live. It is truly the most caring community. It all started when we purchased a grill six years ago at Lowes and it would not fit into our car, a kind stranger offered to take it to our house, then shortly after that we purchased a small freezer at Wal Mart and it would not fit in our car (we purchased a truck after this!), so a strange man GAVE US HIS KEYS to his truck and we took it home and returned his truck to the Wal Mart parking lot!!! Is that trusting or what!! Then, my friend Kelly organized a local 5k Race for the Cure for Breast Cancer a few years ago, and our tiny little faculty at New Windsor gave us $800 for the cause!!! Then Wyatt's benefit.... after all my experiences in 7 short years, I KNOW this is a great place to live, work, and play!!!
The night started when I drove up to the VFW at 5:30pm to help set up. When I walked in, I was overwhelmed the the number of people helping to set up. I teared up instantly. Everyone was working so hard to make the place turn into a magical place. My friends, their husbands, and people I have not seen in the longest time were setting up tables, blowing up balloons, and working so hard to the last minute before the crowd arrived.
The crowd started to pile into the hall at 8pm... I am not sure how many people (Joe is counting), but it was packed... all the tables and chairs were full. It seemed like a wedding or roast... the crowd consisted on high school friends, college friends, co-workers from Harford County, co-workers from Carroll County, neighbors, family (cousins, aunts, grandmom, parents), best friends, and complete strangers. Everyone important in our lives life were there.
Everyone had such a giving spirit. The silent auction was more than we ever imagined thanks to Jessica. We had some fantastic items such as a year membership to the YMCA, handcrafted clock, homemade quilt, New Vera Bradley Tote, The Color Purple Tickets, Creative Memory items, baked goods, Bags from around the World, gift certificates, sports memorabilia, hand-crafted chair, HUGE Party-lite candle, wine, wine glasses, and so much more!!! Everyone was so generous in their bidding!!!
The 50/50 raffle drew in $400 and Elizabeth Kenny won the raffle and donated back to the Friends of Wyatt Foundation. What a wonderful, giving person! Elizabeth could of really used the money herself, but decided to donate in honor of Wyatt.
The Money Wheel was great fun with Whitney Rohde as "Vanna White" spinning the wheel ever so gracefully!!
The bands were great!! Special thanks to Eternal Buzz for donating their time to play at their event. They normally get paid BIG bucks to play out in Baltimore, but donated many hours to our event. Chris did a great job DJ'ing as well! Thanks to Muggsy Thuggo and Time Alone. Maria has such a fantastic voice, Joe rocked on the guitar, Muggsy Thuggo was great!!! especially my hubby on the bass!
People danced the night away, especially my neighbors Ligia, Kathy, and Jessica!! They are an inspiration to us all!
An important part of the night was to raise CDH awareness. CDH occurs one in every 2,500 births. A slide show of Wyatt along with facts about CDH and hyrdocelphus. A tri-fold board and brochures from the Breath of Hope along with turquoise ribbons were also part of the CDH education.
Additional thanks goes towards Barb Bankard for being the banker, Pam Hayes for helping to set up and clean up, the Tontalla's, Ed and Lisa Macurak, Melissa, Joe, Maria, Jessica, Alex, and so many more that I am not mentioning and will think of after I post this!!! It was an overwhelming, special night for Benji and I. Wyatt will hear all about it when he is older, look at all the pictures, and know that he is a survivor because of YOU!!!!!!!
I heard that the money that was raised was double of what the organizers thought. Joe is doing the final count and he will let us know soon. The money raised will be donated to Johns Hopkins Children's Center, Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, and Wyatt's expenses. Thank you.
Finally, thank you for everything. This blog has taken a life on it's own. When I first started it during Christmas Week, I was not planning on sharing it with the world... but I decided to and because of it, the blog has almost 17,000 hits since Christmas (about 100 hits a day) from around the world- Canada, Africa, Italy, Japan, Austrailia, and through out the United States (MN, WA, CA, SC, NC, KY, TX, etc...) It's amazing of all the people I met in cyber space that pray and care for Wyatt and all the other babies I met along the way that give me hope for Wyatt that survived CDH. Thank you world!! It really is a good place!
Life lesson- this event arose from an idea that someone had and made it into real life... so all the ideas that you have if you think they are silly or not... make them REAL!! Follow your heart and good things will come from it.
3 comments:
Looks like it was a huge success and a lot of fun! We were with you in spirit!
Gina, that's a sweet post. A great summary of the evening for those who couldn't make it.
Great post Gina. It was a success. We had a great time and it appeared that every one there did as well! Every one worked very hard for the success of the event. Its really great to see people coming together for such a great cause. It warms my heart. It was an amazing night for an amazing cause!! The bands were great too. Were still praying for Wyatt. Hope to see you again soon! Chuck, Sue and Megan
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