Thank You Team Ben! It is 4 days post walk and my head is still in the clouds. What a year!! It was an exceptionally beautiful walk day weather-wise, we had more then 80 of the cOOlest walkers, and we raised more then $20,000 (including outstanding company match donations that will trickle in throughout the year). All in all....what a HUGE SUCCESS!! We have so many awesome people to thank! Here goes.... -First of all, my mom Pam Hartwell. Darn near every single week, she bakes and peddles her scrumptious baked goods to her co-workers (yes....shes a pro), which raised $3,000 this year alone. Add to that her candy bar sales and her asking for donations and that brings her another $2,000. We get the first $3,000 matched at a 1:1 ratio and Mom brings in a total of $8,000!! And BAM....thats almost half our team $$ raised!! Mom....are you tired yet?? I dont think it matters how tired she is, cause shes already planning her assault and starting her baking for the 2015 campaigns!! GO MOM!!!! -On a similar path is my sarcastic and yes, kinda crazy sis-in-law Jenny Hartwell. Jenny runs Jeans for Genes campaigns, also sells candy bars, hits up by email and in person all her amazingly generous friends and co-workers, and then gets all her co-workers donations and work campaign dollars matched by her awesome employer ECP, Inc. What are we going to end up at this year Jen?? $2,500 plus?! I think thats right....you ROCK!! -Then theres the Dames Family. Little Julia (age 11) has spent countless hours going door to door in our subdivision selling raffle tickets. Julia has also infiltrated her school (again this year) w/ a teacher event....Jeans for Genes campaign. Dames Mom....Theresa held our team garage sale this year as well as helped me to get the kiddo shirts ordered. Theresa is my main go to actually for all things Team Ben. She and Julia are already planning their big event for next year in fact. Add in a $700 company match and Theresa and Julia brought in about $2,000 this year!! Just amazing! -Our Super Striders this year were The Maul Family at $750, The Egizio Family at about $600 (watching for the company matches), The Stephenson Family (8 year old Carter) at almost $550, The Baltz Family at $500, The Kuchar Family (Michael & Ryan) at $400, and The Trustys at $400. The Egizio Family ran a special Coins for the Cure campaign this year w/ Chloes preschool (Mrs. Mariellens of Minooka) to raise much of their money....thank you Mariellen! Carter Stephenson went door to door w/ a small group of his neighbor friends (including Bens other classmate and baseball teammate Garrett Lee) collecting donations, in addition to his awesome parents posting a Facebook link. Ryan and Michael Kuchar (other baseball teammates of Ben) made a goal for themselves to ask 15 & 17 people to donate....which are their respective baseball jersey numbers this year to raise almost all of their $$ (such a super cute idea). You know....it completely warms my heart when the kids get so involved!! Its obvious that the parents help direct them....so thank you everyone for helping so, so much!! -My nephew Brett Hartwell designed our new Team Ben kiddo t-shirts this year and did such an amazing job!! They turned out WAY better then even I expected....and yes, I expect ALOT! One of our walkers even wore his shirt to school on Monday he liked it so much (thank you Michael Kuchar)!! So, Brett....youre amazing and I love you! And thank you soooooo much!! -Our corporate sponsors this year that help give us such an amazing boost were: Spesia & Ayers ECP, Inc. Associated Orthodontists Vintage (Cassie VanTassels awesome shop in downtown Morris) -Our 2014 Great Strides Walk Vendors were (donating and/or discounting our walk day lunch): Fat Boyz Pizza TCBY Along w/ the financial support you all provide each and every year, wed like to let you all know how much we appreciate your unwavering help in so many other ways! From the simple Facebook likes and CF related informational shares to the huge check-ins and emotional support that you all provide on a daily basis. -Bens awesome teachers and nurse are just on it all the time (yes, this can be exhausting)! -His coaches are carrying hand sanitizer....for Ben!! -Bens friends are warning us when theyre around and not feeling great themselves so we can shield Ben....and theyre only 8 yrs old! You know....I could go on and on!! We are so thankful and proud to be surrounded by such an amazing group of lovely friends and family! You guys truly care and every single one of you are making such a huge impact on our lives every day. Taking a breather here....whew. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! Dont you guys realize? Youre literally saving lives here!! We can NEVER thank you enough! Much love, Bob, Michelle, and Ben
Posted on: Wed, 14 May 2014 16:07:14 +0000
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