Update #56 for Alan’s Army
Leaving now for Philly to visit the bigwig oncologist, but this has been typed up for nearly a week and needed photos added, sorry about the delay.
This morning was radiation treatment #31 of 33 so we are getting close!
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So, after the fantastic benefit dinner on Thursday evening, what could be next?
Well, since I’m sitting in a Radiation Oncology waiting room, I’ll tell you!
On Friday afternoon we were invited to Montgomery Park where the Recreation Department was holding the final day of Rec’n'crew Summer Camp. All three camps (Grades 1/2; Grades 3/4; and Grades 5/6), which are usually at three different sites, come together on this final day for a big party with an ice cream truck, races, games, etc. It seems that the Rec Dept had heard about Alan and decided to run fundraisers for him as a competition in each camp. The kids did a variety of fundraisers from collecting change, to a Bike-a-thon and Dance-a-thon. Alan’s cousin Morgan was in the 5/6 grade group and kept us informed on the progress over a few weeks time.
When we got to the park we met with Lindsay Fischer who coordinated the fundraiser effort. She got the word out that Alan was there and the kids swarmed around to meet him and ask questions. The kids presented Alan with giant checks representing what each group had raised as well as some giant get well cards they had made. Some of the kids were a bit intimidated by Alan’s size so we found a bench in the shade where he could sit down and get closer to their level and the kids had a chance to talk to him. He met one cute little girl who had raised $250 herself and a pair of twin boys who had raised $400. In all, the kids raised over $4,100 for Alan - unbelievable. Many thanks to all the camp staff and the children for their amazing efforts! I took some pictures and have attached them.
Wow!
So now, two quick stories about how people felt led to help Alan:
A old friend came up to me at the benefit dinner on Thursday night. He and I had served as Assistant Scout Masters together for many years and our sons remain very good friends, keeping in touch to this day. This is one of those guys you simply look forward to spending time with, a real salt-of-the-earth kind of guy. He handed me an envelope for Alan and upon opening that envelope later that night, I found a note that said that as God had blessed him in his business, he and his wife felt led to share their blessings with someone who needed help. Accompanying the note was a check for $5,000. So, do parents such as this pass those virtues of thankfulness and generosity along to their progeny? You bet they do - we later opened a card that their son had placed in the collection box at the dinner and he gave Alan an additional $500! What a wonderful blessing, thanks!
Fast-Forward to Friday evening when Ginny and I were preparing a deposit slip to put the Rec Dept. money into Alan’s medical account. Alan reached into his pocket and pulled out three quarters and said, “Include this in the deposit please.” We said, “OK, where did 75 cents come from?” Alan said, “Today when I was sitting on the bench at the park, one of the kids came up to me and said he wanted me to have his ice cream money.” OK, are you crying? I am. How wonderful - that kid is going places.
When I was contemplating an order on-line for wristbands as a fundraiser for Alan, “Alan’s Army” was a no-brainer, but I wasn’t sure what to put on the back-side. I typed in “Armed and Awesome!” but wasn’t sure I liked it and planned to re-visit it. Well, I got busy on something else and eventually submitted the order as it was. I later realized that I hadn’t sat down to re-think the words and was a little disappointed in myself for not doing so. But as it turns out, I couldn’t have possibly put something better. Alan’s Army is indeed armed – armed with prayer, armed with positive energy, armed with generosity, armed with compassion, armed with love. And being armed with all these things, the Army is most definitively AWESOME!
Thanks to you all and God Bless,
Andrew
