Four years ago, our family attended a fundraising banquet and, I'll be honest, the goal was to get a good meal. A neighbor had invited us to a local Amish-style restaurant that was hosting an awareness dinner for Cystic Fibrosis. At the time, I really didn't know anything about C.F. and neither did my family, but I took Bard and Houdin.Wow. We learned a lot. A couple from the church we were attending were at the banquet and we learned that they have two children who suffer from Cystic Fibrosis. After meeting Eva and her brother Christian and learning from their mother what a nightmare C.F. is and how frightening it is to wake up in the middle of the night to a child who can't breathe, we decided to get involved. We're not alone. I'm amazed how this community rallies around Eva, Christian, their family and the many others in our community who suffer from or have lost children to C.F.
I've mentioned before that my eldest son, Houdin, could ask for money from anyone. It's just a gift he has; he has no inhibitions and holds the belief that people generally want to be of help. When Houdin found out that there would be a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis called the Great Strides Walk for a Cure, he was all over it. I turned my head in embarrassment every time he asked a stranger for money, but, somehow, people just believe in him and he almost always gains their support.
Within days of setting out, Houdin had asked everyone he knew for a donation. He walked the streets of our local town and asked businesses to contribute. By the end of his fundraising campaign, he had raised over $500 for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.That was four years ago. Last year, Houdin decided to form his own walking team, Team Fox. We had twelve walkers and he met his fundraising goal due to the generous donations from friends and family, AND the team walked six miles in the rain!
This year, Houdin is again forming a team, but he has tripled his fundraising goals and doubled his team goals. This year, by May 8th, Houdin would like to raise $1500 and have twenty four walkers on his team. It's a big goal, but I believe he can do it. I believe that in encouraging him to continue his fundraising efforts, we are encouraging Houdin's gifts and talents.
If you would like to donate to Houdin's efforts, you can do so through the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation webpage. You can access Houdin's fundraising page by going here. Any little bit will help and every dollar will not only work towards a cure for Cystic Fibrosis, but will also help to boost Houdin's confidence.For more information about Cystic Fibrosis in an easy-to-read kids' presentation, please visit this site.
Thanks for your support!
