Helping People Breathe

Last month I was part of an open house along with my friend Tammy Champion. We held one together with her jewelry by Lia Sophia and I with my products from Tastefully Simple so that we could donate some funds to the Nebraska chapter of Cystic Fibrosis. When we decided to do this we were unaware of how much more would come of it. Apparently there was a short writeup in the Omaha World Herald about it. But we have no idea who put it in the paper. I haven't read it myself but Tammy has it for me.

Then after the all was said and done, we were invited to attend a benefit dinner as well for the same cause because of what we had done. It was an honor to be a part of such a great cause. Tammy's sister Debbie works at Bellevue University and they were the reason we got involved in the first place. We were invited by them to attend the benefit dinner. So she and her husband Steve and I and our mutual friend Trisa (my date) all went and joined Debbie and her family for the evening. The dress was business casual and dinner consisted of many restaurants from Omaha setting up small food stations in the huge ball room. Guests could mingle and eat the cuisine that suited their taste. Before dinner there was a silent auction of more than 60 items which included a gift basket that Tammy and I donated. She gave jewelry and I gave food products.

After the dinner was done there was also a live auction which brought in many more donations than the silent auction itself.

A special guest speaker attended. It was Trev Alberts. Trev Alberts was named the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Director of Athletics on April 29, 2009. One of the most decorated defensive players at the University of Nebraska Lincoln's Cornhusker history, Alberts became Nebraska's first Butkus Award winner in 1993, capping one of the finest seasons in history by an NU defensive player. As senior co-captain, Alberts led the Huskers to an undefeated regular season and an Orange Bowl appearance against Florida State.
Alberts was the fifth pick in the 1994 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts and played for the Colts until 1996. He has served as an analyst on college and professional football games for major national networks.

This was extra special special to many Omaha people as they go crazy in this city for the Nebraska Cornhuskers! Another respected (well, sometimes!) person in attendance was the Mayor of Omaha, Jim Suttle. When we were getting ready to leave, he and his wife were standing by the entrance doors of the building. In fact, he opened the doors for us as we were exiting! So I asked to have a picture taken with him. He said, "Sure!" Tammy and Steve had a photo opportunity with him earlier inside the ballroom.

There was a dance afterwards which we didn't stay for. It happened to be Tammy's birthday yesterday as well. So we met a couple of other friends at Old Chicago later to celebrate that.

It was very rewarding to be a part of it all. I never knew much about Cystic Fibrosis but after hearing from some of the unlucky people that suffer from it, I'm more interested than ever before. They need volunteers to do anything you have time for. It's utterly amazing the strides that have been taken to help find a cure.

Here are just a few pictures that I had taken.

Mayor Jim Suttle of Omaha....with Me and Trisa Eastman.

Me and Tammy Champion with the basket of our products that we donated for the Silent Auction.

I learned something at this dinner as well. First of all, if you didn't know about it before, the symbol for CF is a rose. Here is how this came to be. Very touching.....

65 Roses is what some children with CF call their disease because the words are much easier for them to pronounce.

Mary G. Weiss became a volunteer for the CF Foundation in 1965 after learning that her three little boys had CF. Her duty was to call every civic club, social and service organization seeking financial support for CF research. Mary's 4 year old son, Richard, listened closely to his mother as she made each call. After several calls, Richard came into the room and told his Mom, "I know what you are working for." Mary was dumbstruck because Richard did not know what she was doing, nor did he know that he had cystic fibrosis. With some trepidation, Mary posed the question, "What am I working for Richard?" "You are working for 65 Roses," he answered so sweetly. Mary was speechless. She went over to him and tenderly pressed his body to hers. He could not see the tears running down Mary's cheeks as she stammered, "Yes Richard, I'm working for 65 Roses."

Since 1965, the term "65 Roses" has been used by children of all ages to describe their disease. But, making it easier to say does not make CF any easier to live with. The "65 Roses" story has captured the hearts and emotions of all who have heard it. The rose, appropriately the ancient symbol of love, has become a symbol of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

It's okay if you shed a tear while reading that little excerpt. I did.