Each year Missy's non-profit puts on a one mile walk to raise awareness for Down syndrome through her organisation DSIA (Down Syndrome Information Alliance). This year was the second one I was involved with. Last year's walk was at the beginning of our fourth month of courtship and I think I was still kind of wet behind the ears in the world of dating then. Missy had told me she was the organizer of the walk. My naivete led me to believe that this meant she just made a few calls to get the acting board members to fulfill the jobs that were needed for the walk to happen. So for the second or third time in my life I was wrong. It doesn't happen often but every now and then I slip just a little.
As a side note, we used to use the term E.O.E. (expert on everything) for another family member however I hear it directed at me from time to time now. I might never have had any formal training in either electronics or aeronautics, but by god I'm sure I could command the space shuttle on a rainy day with the loss of the auto pilot while my buddy Ben straps in as my copilot after we both have had a double crown and coke at 7am on a monday morning.
Last years walk prove to be a lot more work than I ever thought it would be. Truth be told Missy organized, helped plan, commanded, lead, directed, and damn near did every job imaginable for the walk. One acting board member helped her in the area of registration but that was about it. I was amazed at how much she did and how good it went. Well this years lead up was a bit more. They partnered with a new software company to make it easier and more user friendly, which helped in many areas and hindered in others. They also brought on new board members unsure in the process leaving extra loose ends for Missy to manage. And manage she did. Our house turned into a T-shirt storage center for the registrants who received shirts. UPS was knocking on our door every day at nap time for three weeks it seemed. She would get up at 5am to get two hours of good work in before getting the kids up and starting the household morning routine. She took phone calls from 8am till 9:30pm. She worked an hour or two after the kids went to bed and through-out the day she was either working on the computer, at a meeting, picking up walk items or packing boxes for the event.
The morning of the event Missy and I were at the location by 6:45am, even though the walk didn't start till 10am. There was a lot of set up and getting ready to do. Missy was once again in charge and she ran the event flawlessly. There were about eight hundred registered walkers, forty-five volunteers, twenty-five vendor booths, a crew who volunteered time and resources to cook lunch for eight hundred people, a crew who volunteered to collect recyclables, an audio/video company, a band, a kids puppet show, a dance and sing team from a local theater, a local police K9 unit, a local fire department with their fire engine, table and chairs, a one mile walk course marked and barricaded from traffic, day of registration and so many other little things; and Missy did it all. Again the same board member from last year, Lisa helped out a lot and a new one Hillary played a vital role in the rounding up of volunteers, yet it was Missy who put it all together and ran it. The walk is the main fund-raising that DSIA does each year and it sets the years financial goal for what the organization is going to be able to do. This year turned out great. The overall numbers are down just a little bit from last year and I know she's a little upset at herself for that. However, I saw what it took first hand and I watched how hard she worked, so if you ask me she hit a home run. I heard nothing but great things from the participants, where several of them stopped her to expressed how much smoother it went this year as compared to years past.
With all the prep and all the hard work it's easy to forget the whole reason for the event. For DSIA the reason is to raise awareness, raise funds and to support other families in the Down syndrome community. For Missy the only reason is Gabby. The weekend of the walk Gabby and Lucy were scheduled to be with us. However, Gabby and Lucy's grandmother on Jorge's (their dad) side was flying in from Florida just for the walk. Missy had agree to switch the weekends with the one stipulation that once the girls got to the walk they were now on "her time". She wanted to share the walk with Gabby and our other five kids and she wanted it to be known. Can you blame her? Hell I can't, I commend her for knowing what she wanted and asking for it. The relationship between Missy and Jorge is really a good one and he completely understood her want and need for the girls to be with her. So they were.
In the middle of the chaos of running an event like this Missy never skipped a beat with the kids. She held them and walked with them, she fed them and played with them, she talked to them and listened to them. It was just like any other day to be honest. She did an amazing job being there for the kids, for me, for our families, for her friends, for the other families and for every child there with or without Down syndrome.It was a perfect day for a walk!!!!!!!
I don't know if Gabby understands the effort her mom puts into DSIA in the hopes of helping other families navigate life through the rough waters that might be created due to a diagnosis of Down syndrome. I'm not sure if she realizes how she has impacted her mom's life work to support all families including those who have a child with special needs. I don't know if she will ever comprehend how one tiny little chromosome that stuck around has been the catalyst for the care and support of thousands of people through the words, hugs and tears that her mom has shared with so many. But when I look in her eyes I undoubtedly know she understands the depth of the love and gratitude her mother has for her because of the person she is. She is Gabby, daughter of Missy and that's all that matters to us.
No comments:
Post a Comment