Gratitude and Appreciation

I have been thinking about all of you since the first donation we ever received, which was also the easiest donation from a business. During a running practice with our YWCA Triathlon Club, I pitched the idea of this beach to beach swim and using it as a fundraiser for ZOE Ministry.  Wouldn't you know one of the runners turned out to be the president of Sweeney PR right here in town?  Immediately, she had ideas that she strung out in several run-on sentences throughout the entire run!  One of the others running with us is a small-business web designer, is writing a book and enthusiastically offered to help with our blog!  The other triathlete with us at practice became our Swim for ZOE director. He determined the best currents and tides for the swim by floating empty bottles in the ICW to find out which direction they'd take. Plus, he took on the responsibility of keeping me safe and alive during the actual swim. My friend (I call her BFF) Beth Sheppard wanted to be a part of our team, and now we're five strong. The YDUBTRICLUB certainly has a few gems! Our Swim for ZOE team was born!  

As it turns out, JenManocchio is our PR Diva and has already gotten me into many media venues: the area newspaper, my hometown newspaper, a local magazine, on our local morning newscast. She continues to seek getting the word out to other media that haven't covered our cause.  Beth Andrew's computer and technology skills have surpassed and surprised all of us - she created a Swim for ZOE dvd, stickers for the donation jars, created Swim for ZOE postcards, parking passes for our beach brunch celebration, she painstakingly updates the blog site weekly, and many other things that have taken up her time for months.  BFF's ideas and business visits have secured a team who will paddleboard with me during the swim.  Ben Bowie continues to check tides and finds dates to have me swim from this particular point to that in order for him to see exactly what that water will do to me. We didn't expect this event to take up so much of our time on a day-to-day basis, nor did we expect to feel God's strength within to keep it up. This has been such a joy-ride!  It is truly remarkable how much work we've all put in to this event in hopes of helping our AIDS brothers and sisters have a chance at a real life.

Part of Our Zoe Team [from left to right]: Jen Manocchio, Leanne and Doug LaFave, Gaston Warner, Beth Andrew and Ben Bowie

Since the birth of this endeavor, it is you, our donors and sponsors that we are the most thankful for.  We cannot reach the goal of $18,000 with our own money - that would not be what we feel God would want.  We feel blessed to share this opportunity.  My joy is multiplied by including you in the whole course of this experience.

I have had so many wonderful contacts through this: Aunt Ida from California whom I've never met; cousin Jae from Oregon whom I had the pleasure to share many Thanksgiving dinners with when we lived in Washington State, business donor friends who have given not once, but twice already; a charming man named Evan (Butch) who I met and see often at our UNC-W Women's Basketball games, and the many friends and family who give out of the goodness of their hearts, that's YOU!  Thank you so much for giving to this cause.  I feel grateful to God who has given me everything I have, and also the choice to participate in things worthwhile.  This is definitely a calling He has given me to help some of the most vulnerable children on earth and I am pleased to say YES! alongside all of you!!

And you think I love the water?  Check out this water-monkey!: