The Lanksters: Great Strides 2010

Wow. There are no words. The support we received this Saturday was amazing. Think of it - a beautiful spring day at Applebee's Park. A sea of pink. All for one cause and for one little girl. In the immortal words of Miss Olivia Kate, "it is amazing!"

The Great Strides walk was better than I could have ever imagined. I will admit, Jeremy and I approached May 15th with quite a bit of trepidation. You see, when you launch into fundraising for a cause that is very personal to you, it is a bittersweet endeavor. On one hand, you feel empowered. On the other, you are reminded every time you participate in a fundraising event of the obstacles you face in battling CF. I was warned by many mothers that this reminder can make a Great Strides event very difficult to endure. Some mothers have told me that they do not attend because they cannot handle seeing some children and adults who are much sicker than their children or families walking in remembrance of a child lost. These thoughts haunted me the week of Great Strides. While I wanted, and needed it to be a positive experience, you can never quite divorce yourself from the fact that you are not just a participant - you are living the experience on a daily basis. And while many will walk or give money, they will probably spend the following week doing normal things and barely think about that day. But that isn't the case for us. We live it and sometimes it is hard to be reminded of that fact, even in dealing with a positive experience.

Had I known the stress that kind of trepidation and fear would have caused me the week prior to the walk, I may not have offered to host an after-walk brunch. Of course, at the time, I thought we would have 20-25 people walking and I felt confident I could handle that. After all, when we started this fundraising effort, Amy posted a goal of $500-1,000. But the money kept rolling in. $1,000. $2,000. $5,000. $8,000. Huh? $8,000. Unbelievable. Oh, and by the way, the emails kept coming in - the RSVPs and the numbers crept up. 40. 50. 60. 70. 80! Oh my. Luckily, the dinner club girls realized that I was in way over my head and offered to help with the food. Then others started stepping in and offered to buy food and bring food for the brunch. My family realized that I could not manage to hold those kinds of numbers in my house and they suggested a tailgate. And I resisted, really, all of it. I wanted to give something back. But to be helping me, that crowded my idea of giving back. I am not the type of person, I am realizing, that accepts help very easily. I choke down the idea. I would rather be the person giving than the person receiving. The only way I can really explain my feelings about it is through my daughter. The day of the walk, Olivia told me that she didn't want anyone commenting about her t-shirt and she didn't want to show anyone her t-shirt. In other words, she didn't want to be singled out. I get that. It is so hard for me to be singled out by so many people with offers of help. So I resisted and I feel bad for it now, because boy, did I ever need the help!

Everything turned out perfect. The sun was shining and the weather was warm. The people kept pouring in and seeing that sea of pink was quite overwhelming. If there were others at the walk that were walking in remembrance or because they had CF, I barely noticed, because I was surrounded by my family and friends. Some of those friends I didn't even know I had and some came from far distances. People that I never would have guessed gave money and walked on our behalf. Sometimes you have no idea the friends you really have in life until an event like this happens.

And you know what? I worried for nothing. It was one of the most positive experiences of my life. The last 5 months have been hell. There is no other words to describe it. Pure hell. I know that others have a more difficult time than I do, but dealing with the diagnosis has been harder on me than I ever imagined it would be. I guess it is all relative. But on Saturday, I felt real hope. And that was a great feeling. My dad told me that he was talking to one of the walkers, who came from Somerset, and thanked her for coming. She replied, "I know what support means." I know what support means now too. It is being there when someone needs you the most. We needed the support and we got it on Saturday.

People walked. People talked. People ate (a bunch as you can tell by the pictures). And people raised awareness. We gained attention. Last year, the Lexington Great Strides event raised $2,000. This year, I think I remember (and I was in a fog, so don't quote me) the walk raised $23,000 and probably a little more. I know that we were a big part of that. The Foundation was so excited and I promised them that I would do whatever was in my power to continue the momentum to make this event as successful in the future. I had to make that promise - and it is a promise I pray I can keep.

Lilly was a perfect angel at the walk. She slept through most of the walk itself, but she was full of smiles for everyone before and after. She is, of course, clueless, but I am saving her t-shirt and other mementos and one day I know she will realize what people have done (and are doing) for her and she will be so thankful. For now, I will have to be her voice in saying "thank you" to everyone who helped - by donating, by walking, by making food/buying food, by setting up the tailgate, by calling me to check on me, and by just being there. It means the world - really - and I feel like a broken record, but I cannot say "thank you" enough.

I cannot possibly point out everyone who helped along the way, but I do some special "shout outs!"

Thank you to Amy Wickliffe (dinner club gal, sorority sister, and overall great person) for organizing our efforts, t-shirts, etc. She was our Team Captain and she put in an incredible amount of time in helping organize things.

Thank you to the dinner club girls - Katie, Amy, Ellen, Laura, Alex, Mills, Ashley, Kristen, Lauren, and Sara (Veen) (oh, God, who am I missing!) - for buying food, making food, calling me/texting me/emailing me to check on me. Some helped put together the t-shirts too and many traveled quite a distance to be there. Those that could not were there in spirit. You cannot imagine a better group of friends. I am not worthy of their friendship, but blessed to have them.

Thank you to Uncle Bob and Aunt Windy, who set up an amazing tailgate at the last minute.

Thank you to my cousin, Trey, and his wife, Cara, who brought fruit salad and pork tenderloin (delicious!).

Thank you to Alex and her sister and stepmother for bringing the donuts.

Thank you to Grandma Cranfill for buying the ham biscuits and for Connie Minor and her husband for discounting the biscuits so the additional money could go to "Team Lilly."

Thank you to Nanny who prepared the wonderful monkey bread. Thank you to Nanny (and Papaw) who cared for Lilly while we cleaned up.

Thank you to my mom, who cared for the girls while I prepared the night before.

Thank you to our Kileen, Texas Great Strides walkers who walked on behalf of "Team Lilly." In particular, thank you to Kayla Day. I have never met this woman before, but she had a heart so big that when she heard about Rusty's niece (my brother, Rusty, and her husband are in the Army together), she wanted to do something special to help and she did. Kayla formed a branch of Team Lilly in Kileen, Texas, near Fort Hood, and raised money, created a team (and t-shirt!) and walked on her behalf. Like I said, sometimes you don't realize the friends that you have until an event like this.

I know I am probably forgetting someone, but it is because it is late, I am tired, and still a little emotional, so I hope you will forgive me.

I don't know the final numbers, but I am guessing we probably cleared $10,000. I will keep you posted when I know. What a fabulous success, and fun day, and I hope to see many of you there next year!