Total Raised by The Rockin' Rollers As of Saturday

As you all know, last Saturday I was part of the Spina Bifida Association of Cincinnati's Walk and Roll. This was the 9th year for the event.

While final numbers may not be available for several weeks, we do have a total-to-date for my team, the Rockin' Rollers.

As of when I spoke with Judy Albert, the Walk Committee chairperson for SBAC, our team total was... $2147! That's just our team...and that is with a couple hundred dollars of donations still needing to be collected.

And Judy also tells me that together, all the people involved raised OVER EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. The goal for SBAC was $70,000! We blew that goal away!

As I noted Friday, coming up this Thursday will be a post to begin Spina Bifida Awareness Month, which goes through all of October here in the United States. As I noted, I'll tell you what it is, how many people are affected, and what can be done to either help deal with the problems that come with it, or outright prevent it.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Staffmark Downtown HQ Blows Me AWAY!!!!

Without being able to give a final total, I will go ahead and put over the folks at Staffmark, 435 Elm Street, Downtown Cincinnati.

People all over the building, spurred on by my mother, Tereasa Herald, as well as whatever knowledge they have about me, have come up HUGE for Spina Bifida Association of Cincinnati! I will have a final total Sunday for our team.

I was simply blown completely away. As noted before, Staffmark personnel had raised $665 between donations to my mother and to myself IN THREE DAYS. We not only doubled the $690 we had raised before today... but have tripled, and QUADRUPLED IT at least with a couple more hours left in the workday to collect!

This is HUGE for Spina Bifida Association of Cincinnati! Staffmark has blown my expectations of a low fundraising event completely out of the water, almost doubling our team goal!

So, to everyone at Staffmark, especially the second, third, sixth and eighth floors, I say THANK YOU ALL.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

One Down, One To Go - 28 Hours Away!

Even though you're probably reading this at 8 AM or later, I wrote this around 4 AM.

As I noted previously, I did the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes at the World Peace Bell in Newport, Kentucky. I don't know the exact number, but HUNDREDS were there. WKRC-TV 12's Cammy Dierking was there, also and met my friend Lindsay (pictured in the sidebar at right).

By the way, I continue my efforts to raise money for the JDRF. They still have my page up, so feel free to donate anytime.

I also continue my efforts to raise money for Spina Bifida Association of Cincinnati. At the second picture link at right, you will find my fundraising page for that event. That fundraising effort does continue into 2010 according to the website at sbacincy.org. But I plan to leave the page up until I meet my personal goal of $600. (That's right, it's raised from $300 to double that, thanks to help from my mom's office at Staffmark in Downtown Cincinnati I had raised nearly my entire original goal in 3 days, so I decided to challenge myself. I plan to head to Staffmark's offices later today to meet and thank each and every person who donated, individually and the office teams as a whole. I was told some other things were being done to raise money for the Rockin' Rollers team.)

As I get set to walk on Saturday morning, I think it's a good time to put everything into perspective. I'm just one of 185,000 people in the entire United States of America who has Spina Bifida and there are thousands more around the world - perhaps even a few million.

Coming October 1st, I will do a blog post specifically with the talking points about Spina Bifida - what it is, how it affects people, and some more of the current statistics that are out today. You might be shocked at just how serious of a problem Spina Bifida still is - and how it can easily go undiagnosed for 20 years or more!

I'll try to put it in laymen's terms and avoid as much medical terminology as I possibly can.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Got this one from Busy Bee Suz

Before I play 15 Words, I wanted to explain it... I got this idea from Suz of Day By Day, My Life As A Busy Bee fame, who in turn got it from Caution Flag of The Human Race 600 fame. Sums up my Wednesday morning pretty well. Basically, you use fifteen, AND ONLY 15, words to describe...whatever is on your mind.

Three hours sleep.

Not a good thing.

Need some more sleep.

That, or some caffeine.

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Walk To Cure Diabetes Day

If you remember, last June, I did the American Cancer Society Relay For Life in Union. Today, it's time for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Walk to Cure Diabetes in Newport, KY.

After this week, I focus on a cause that I am 100 percent passionate about...Spina Bifida. I'll be doing the Walk and Roll in Harrison, Ohio. That's going to be next Saturday morning at 8 AM.

Whew...I'll be tired after these...

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Friday Freestyle

So it's been awhile

For the Friday Freestyle

But I'm back again

So let's get goin

So my Bengals lost last week

Yo, that's alright, it's only week one

We can get that loss back

Time to play the Pack

Year ago this week

Ike blew through my hometown

No power, no food for many

We all learned how to rough it

I got lucky, only lost it for about 18 hours

Some went without a lot longer

Special person in my life

Who I miss and love to bits

Not bein with her is the pits, but

It'll resolve itself real quick

Guess that's all I got to say

For this week's Friday freestyle

Stay blessed

Get rid of the stress

And I'll see ya in seven days

Courage + Belief = LIFE

Still Need TONS Of Help!

Hey guys!

As you know a couple of major fundraising efforts are happening on my part in the next two weeks. I am doing the JDRF Walk To Cure Diabetes this weekend in Newport, KY and I'm nowhere near my online goal of $100. If you can help with that, click to the right on the top picture of myself and Lindsay.

Also, the following week I switch gears to concentrate on the Spina Bifida Association of Cincinnati Walk and Roll 2009. If you're able to help with this, PLEASE click to the right on the second picture.

I realize both walks fall within one week and it's a lot to ask you to support both...But if you even give $5, it would help me TREMENDOUSLY!

Thanks y'all and remember...

Courage + Belief = LIFE