 |
 |
Wow ! ! ! All this and $15K too. You are amazing -- your energy, your organizational abilities, your influence on others. We are so lucky too have you on our side. Bill ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ At 05:19 PM 10/6/2007, Joan Blessington Snyder wrote: >"When you're hidin' from the night; > >Nothin' you do seems to turn out right, > >Desperation is in your bone, > >You cry for help but there's no one home. > > > >In the dark again, I tell you friend > >The light's gonna shine on you, yes it is." > > > >It is time once again for my yearly report on the events of our >Parkinson's weekend and our annual fundraiser, Shake, Rattle & Roll: >an ice cream social forParkinson's Disease. After months of >planning, it was finally Friday, September 28th and it was time to >see if all those plans were going to work! Gary "g-birdboy" Boyd & >James "tuneshaker4u" Shrader were the first to arrive. I took >advantage of the fact that James had a truck and we left for the >airport to pick up my friend Paula Wittekind (paula w). We had to >pick up my brand new electric wheelchair (a "Zchair), one that I can >hopefully use without further damage to our home. Soon, almost >everyone had arrived: Len & Joyce (Jazzy PA) Ferree, "Hobby" Jan & >"Husband" Alan White, > >Marion & Bob Licko and Carol "Caz" & Roger Post. >That first night, we were all very tired so we had dinner delivered >to the hotel and only drank a little bit of my homemade Irish Cream. >The next morning, everyone converged on my house for breakfast and >to help get us ready for our 'parkie picnic' which started about 1:00 pm. > >First we served lunch-hot dogs, deviled eggs, beans, homemade salsa >& chips-all the regular picnic-type fare. Then we had time to listen >to my good friend and stem cell researcher, Dr. Craig Cady speak. >Everytime I hear him, he renews my hope for the future. Paula from >the Parkinson's Pipeline Project was next, followed by Marion Licko >and then we had 2 drug reps who spoke and hung around all afternoon >to interact and to answer any questions. Soon it was time for the >music to start. Some of my very good friends over the years have >always had a band called "Ready, Steady, Go" When I asked if they >might like to play for us in my backyard, they didn't hesitate. They >play lots of Beatles and other British Invasion music and the crowd >loved them, They had lots of fun with Chris"cinemearipper" Friggo & >his girlfriend from Canada as it was his birthday.. We all drank >champaigne & had birthday cake. I enjoyed myself so much that I >almost forgot my last-minute errands. > >This was an early night because we all had to be downtown Peoria to >set up on Sunday morning. > >Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful: sunny, breezy and no >humidity. We loaded up a trailer, cars and trucks and all set off >for the beautiful downtown riverfront where we had our work cut out >for us. First the guys had to set up the awnings, tables & chairs. >Then the decorating team took over to cover and skirt the tables, >run black & red ribbon down the tables and place pots of silk >tulips. Balloons were blown up in huge bunches and placed all over >and especially on our walk route. We had workers signing up for >their appointed jobs: kid's carnival workers, kids stage workers, >Bradley students to run the sno-cones & cotton candy machines, >people to man the hospitality table, the id check-in and ticket >sales, folks to set up tables for the tons of food that was donated >for our volunteers and entertainers. We also had a food tent to get >ready and the ice cream social to prepare. Lest I forget, we to have >registration tables ready to hand out t-shirts and butterflies to >those who pay $25.00 to do the walk, auction tables to be set w/ >bidsheets and to display the 35 silent and the 7 live auction items. >We also had soundmen all over the place, getting both stages ready >for the speakers and the bands. Many hands make anything possible >and before I knew it was time to gather the 250-300 folks who were >going to make the walk. > >State Representative David Leitch and I led the walkers and when he >looked back and saw all the people following us, Davud was astounded. > >I was thrilled and as we all gathered at the turn-around point, I >started to get misty-eyed. Everyone got quiet as I told the legend >of the butterfly & mentioned the names of Gina Reily and Danley >Wilcox (she with the voice of an angel & he with the soul of a >lion); two of our own lost this past year. After I finished >speaking, Hannah Offat, a very talented artist, played her guitar >and sang a positively soul-filled version of "The Wind Beneath My >Wings.." After a brief moment of silence, we all released the 200 >butterflies that we had ordered for the occasion. It was a lovely >sight and there were lots of oooohhhs &aaaahhhs all around. So the >large crowd walked back to our staging area. Then things really took >off. Our newsanchorwoman from our NBC affiliate opened up the adult >stage with mention of the many activities that were available and my >friend Sharon started off the kid's stage. > >She told about the kid's carnival which cost a quarter to play a >game (such as a ring-toss) and if they won, the child received a >sticker which could then be traded in for larger items with more >stickers. The kids entertainment line-up had the Peoria Zoomobile do >a hands-on demonstration of exotic animals, the Hair Co. Kids (a >song & dance company), a magician, 2 clowns, and a storyteller. The >kids loved it and kept it busy all afternoon. Meanwhile on the adult >stage, things kicked off with the psychedelic/funk/fusion sounds of >the Nickalogic Groove Project. Then we were treated to the electric, >eclectic country sounds of Ken Carlyle & the Cadillac Cowboys >featuring Kent "Doc" LeCouris on the harmonica & trumpet. They were >followed by the Vanessa Davis Band from Chicago-a crowd pleasing, >high energy mix of jazz and blues (and whose song "The Light is >Gonna Shine" is quoted in this post), all topped off by the >boogie-woogie southern flavored tunes of the Dave Chastain band-Dave >is the reincarnation of both Stevie Ray & Jimi. In between bands, we >heard from Dr, Craig, State Senator David Koehler, and State Rep's >David Leitch & Arron Schock. The Patricia Pavelka award for the >outstanding person living with PD was awarded to my long-suffering >and often complaintless husband Stan. It was a lovely day and I am >looking for about $15,000 to hand out to local PD organizations. I >thank you for your prayers and support. > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] >In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.3/1054 - Release Date: >10/6/2007 7:12 PM Bill Isbell ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn Santa Barbara , California