On Saturday, October 18th, "Team Cale" participated in the ADA Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes. "Team Cale" raised $3,200 for the American Diabetes Association's important research, education and its mission: to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. I am very happy to say that "Team Cale" was the highest donating team in the Rockford area!!!!
What started out as a VERY foggy morning, turned into a beautiful Autumn day. We walked 1-1/2 miles up the Rock River and the 1-1/2 miles back down to the YMCA lodge. The scenery was beautiful and the walkers were plenty!
Our team had specially made shirts, designed by our very own Chris Davito (Thank You Chris!!!) that included one of Cale's passions: Star Wars. The circle emblem at the top of this post was on the front and "TEAM CALE" was on the back in the Star Wars font. Cale loved them!! We even had a poster that our entire team signed and we carried along on the walk (it is now hanging right next to Cale's bed by the top bunk where he requested it be hung). There were signs of encouragement along the route that really made Cale feel special.
We were offered plenty of snacks throughout the day and there were vendors available with lots of free goodies (yeah to Accu-chek and the free test strips!!!). There was a silent auction (Auntie Lauren won a poster of a pretty bird for Kevin's office - Grandpa wanted to cry, he didn't win the nail gun) and a raffle. Grandma won rounds of golf for four with a golf cart at a great golf course (Uncle Steve was happy) AND a Family Four Pack of Fun at the hotel in Rockford with a water park inside (Cale and Ryan are VERY happy about that! - "Grandma Rocks" -quote from Cale). There was also a huge banner that anyone with diabetes was asked to sign and a picture was taken of a lot of those people with the sign for the website for next year. Cale was holding onto one side of the sign. He's a celebrity!!!
"Team Cale" grew even larger on that day. Grandma, Grandpa and Ryan decided to walk with us and Jenny even showed up to show her support and ended up walking with us!!! It was great!! The only negatives about our day was that Stefanie (who had a family emergency) and Daddy (who had school) weren't able to make it to walk with us. But they were there in spirit! Our thoughts are with Stefanie and her family.
The day is over, but it is one we will not forget. We are already looking forward to next year!!
2 comments:
Great post, awesome pictures, and fantastic job raising donations!!!
It really looked like a beautiful day.
I'm glad you all really liked the shirts! Especially Cale! :)
Congratulations! Those t-shirts are cool, great job Chris! What a very special day to have everyone supporting and walking along with you to make this a great experience for Cale and your family. I'm proud of the active roll you all are taking and looks like I need to step up our game! Thanks for the pictures, it was nice to see all you superdorks!
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