I attempted to blog last night knowing that writing was needed in order for me to move forward. However, as I read those words this morning I didn't feel the same way. Today was a hard day for me. I'm not exactly sure why but getting back into things was far from easy. My thoughts have been racing since Saturday causing me to feel very emotional at times. Exhaustion probably isn't helping at all. However, please know these thoughts are not negative by any means. I am rather overtaken by joy and appreciation! Thoughts of my dad have been at a constant since Saturday, which has made me want to escape life for a little and once again work through what is going on in my head. Of course I miss him, but on Saturday I wanted him by my side. I wanted him to see what we had done and needed to know that he was proud of me. I know he is proud of me but having that person actually tell you that means so much more.
Saturday July 21st, 2012 will go down as the day we put on our 1st Annual Give'N'GetFit Golf tournament. Although we only spent two months planning, it felt as if it took much longer. I have a new found respect for every single person who attempts big fundraising events. Not to say that we didn't learn some of this last year with our first ever attempt at fundraising, but this was different. The weeks leading up were filled with little sleep, a variety of emotions and a schedule that left very little time to even breathe. Thankfully being so busy allowed me to stay focused on the task ahead rather then anything else.
My dad loved to golf. He felt that the minute you stepped foot on the course nothing else in life mattered. It allowed him time to take in the world in a very different manner then his everyday life. He found joy in forgetting the stress of his life and bonding with friends. I truly believe that on Saturday a number of people felt that same emotion. It was such a beautiful day and Mt Woodson is absolutely breathtaking. I couldn't have asked for a better place to hold our first ever golf tournament. Kristen and I were amazed at the emotions that filled the air by each and every person. On this day, one person after another showed their love and support to the two of us. They expressed their sincere gratitude in our fight for these two causes. It was pretty awesome to see the effect this event had on a lot of people. The stories shared, the smiles and the pictures are constant reminders that what we are fighting for is something that affects so many others. The small things about this tournament made it completely worth it. It proved to me that people really can gain hope through another's fight, as well as their story.
Our tournament consisted of 58 golfers and at least another 15 volunteers. In my eyes that is such an incredible turn out. Two weeks ago we were very nervous that our efforts would come short of our goal. Kevin, Kristen, myself and so many others buckled down and fought to make it everything it turned out to be. I am thankful for the effort so many of you put out to get us the numbers we had. I am also so grateful to have two amazing people by my side that believe there is so much more to life.This tournament would have been impossible without the help of Kevin. He was our golf knowledge and provided us with every detail we needed to make this tournament successful. On top of that he was support on days where we questioned if things would workout. Each day we all grew closer and found out things we probably never wanted to find out lol but it was a blast. Kristen has been just like a big sister should be. She has been there since the day my dad passed and has provided me with so much support. Our hearts are similar in a lot of ways, which gives us this incredible strength to never stop fighting for what we believe. Being able to team up with people that are willing to fight as hard as you are only changes more lives in the process. I feel blessed to have you both in my life and hope you both feel proud of what we have achieved.
We are unsure at this point how much money we raised on Saturday but in reality it's not important. This tournament proved to me that awareness is just as important if not more important. I witnessed first hand lives being touched by the support shown on one day. Each of you that showed up affected the lives of so many others. Your support and willingness to spend money on a cause is proof that among all the negative in this world there is still so much positive. I fully believe that each of us has the ability to change the lives of at least one person. We have the ability to bring more good into this world and more smiles. No matter what your circumstance may be, step back, look around and notice you have a place here on earth. You have a chance each day to touch a life but you must believe that as one person you can make a difference.
I am proud of what GIve'N'GetFit has been able to achieve thus far. I am proud to be apart of something that is slowly changing the lives of so many people. Our efforts won't stop here. We hope to continue this fight for the rest of our lives. The story behind why we fight will never die and we will continue to make our mark on this world. It's like that quote says, "people may not remember exactly what you said, but they will remember what you did and how you made them feel." My personal goal is to never lose hope and never stop fighting.
Thank you again. Thank you for being there and showing your support. I appreciate the texts and calls from those of you who could not be there. We had a blast and the pictures are proof of that. Keep fighting and never stop showing others the love in your heart. God Bless!
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| Two amazing people! Love you both! :) |
Much Love,
Tay Tay