A Walk Down Memory Lane!

This summer has been an emotional journey.  Back in June, my Uncle Vic approached my cousin Melissa about forming a family team and participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer's in honor of my Grandma.  I initially set out to meet my $100 goal and planned on having the business make the contribution...win-win!  A donation to a good cause and a tax deduction.  I didn't plan on actually walking because it was after the school year started and I don't like to have Emily miss school unless she is sick so I planned on meeting the $100 threshold and calling it quits. I asked my good friend Andy if he would like to make a donation and he said of course, so I went to $150 and figured I would call it a day.  While I was at it, I asked my friend Stephen and my Dad if they would like to donate and they happily agreed so my momentum began...$100 turned to $200 to $300 and on and on!  Via Facebook donations started pouring in from so many friends and co-workers, I just couldn't stop!  I decided the only right thing to do would be walk and have Emily join me.  I added her to the team.  The donations kept coming in and the stories of so many friends who had experienced the same loss that I was experiencing came with the donations.  I couldn't let my friends/donors down...not only did I have to honor my Grandma but I had to honor their loved ones.  Throughout the summer, we had a yard sale and donated the profits; I had Mary Kay and Thirty-one parties, again with the profits benefiting our cause.  The outpouring of love was phenomenal.  Ironically, a walk to honor and help people suffering from memory loss brought so many memories to the surface and I made so many memories in the process.  This journey has made me feel so loved and so proud of my friends and family, words cannot truly express the joy in my heart.  I am pleased to say that our "Mae" We Find A Cure team raised a total of $14,500 and we could not have done it without the love and support of each other and our donors.

Here are some pictures from my personal memory walk, may I always hold them in my heart and if not, may my loved ones keep them alive for me as I am diligently keeping my Grandma's memories alive for her!

More photos to come...my little photographer, Emily, took a bunch of awesome shots!