CJ's Thumbs Up Foundation

The Thumbs Up Ball

2012-01-29T11:14:00.000-05:00

Have you made your plans for Valentine's Day yet?

Bring the sweethearts in your life to the Thumbs Up Ball!

This family dance will feature:
Live music by Offering, a diverse local band!

Family-friendly food provided by Pepicelli's Pizza and Kelly's Cakes.

Craft activities for the kids

We will have a Silent Auction with items ranging from massages, restaurant gift certificates, tools from Ashland Ace Hardware, veterinary services from The Housecall Vet and Wellesley Animal Hospital, a pink mini-cooper kid's car, tickets to Goochland Drive-In, and MORE! For more items, check out a full list of our generous sponsors.

There will be raffle items too! Each ticket to the event will give you a raffle ticket. Additional tickets will be available at the event for $1 each.

PLUS...take advantage of the opportunity to have the family "all dressed up". Richmond Photographics will be on hand to take family photos for a nominal donation to CJSTUF.

The best part? 100% of the proceeds will benefit CJ's Thumbs Up Foundation!

The event will be Saturday, February 18th from 4:30-7:00 PM at the Shady Grove United Methodist Church in Short Pump. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door (if available).

Get your tickets online at our website.

PS Don't forget to bring some extra spending money for the Silent Auction and Raffle. We will be able to accept cash, check, or credit cards at the event.

Share your memories with us

2012-01-06T15:22:00.000-05:00

Saturday January 7th will mark two years since Charlotte emerged from her consuming chrysalis and flew away as a beautiful butterfly.

We will remember the day with friends and family at 1 PM in our cul-de-sac. Anyone local is welcome to attend. We will have plenty of balloons and blank notes so people can write and send messages to Charlotte.

If you cannot attend our Remember CJ event, we invite you to remember sweet Charlotte in your own way. Please leave a message in the comments, either here in the blog or on our Facebook page, telling us how you have marked the day, a favorite Charlotte memory, or anything else you would like to share.

We appreciate the love and support that we feel from our community at this time.

With much love,

Rachel & Roger

If you have tissues handy, you're invited to watch this video created by our friends, Julia Dollison & Kerry Marsh, in honor of Charlotte. It's a beautiful tribute to our girl.

Radiance from Julia Dollison on Vimeo.

About the music: transcribed from Keith Jarrett's improvised solo piano recording in "Radiance Part 8", vocal a cappella arrangement by Kerry Marsh, lyrics by Julia Dollison, performed by Kerry Marsh & Julia Dollison.

Lyrics:

Sometimes in her sleep, she smiles.

Is she dreaming? is she far away?

Sometimes in her sleep, she laughs.

Is she happy? does she wish she could stay?

Sometimes in her sleep, she cries,

and you hold her and pray.

Morning comes, and she'll forget -

Things we dream about never make much sense.

Then the sun shines in, so bright,

just like her radiance.

All these moments fly by so quickly,

but she never seems to mind -

as long as you're by her side.

Sometimes in her sleep,

She awakens to find you were there all the while.

With a smile, she returns to her dreams.

How Cool is That?

2012-01-03T21:44:00.001-05:00

January is starting off with a BANG!

First of all, a group of aspiring marketing students at King William High School are using our organization for their DECA project. For one part of their project, they have created new CJSTUF plastic bracelets to sell at their school. They have given us a limited quantity of the bracelets to distribute to anyone interested in the Richmond area. Suggested donation is $1 per bracelet and all proceeds will benefit CJSTUF.

The bracelets are pink and purple and feature our name.

We will have a bunch of the bracelets at the Remember CJ event this Saturday. Roger and I will also carry the bracelets around until we sell out. Contact Roger (or me) if you would like to get a few.

Next on the agenda, there are only 2 more days until voting officially ends for the Eagle Rare Life Award. After all the votes are tallied, there will be an official selection process by the good folks at Eagle Rare to pick the top 20 and, eventually, the top 7 prize winners. We are hopeful that Rachel's strong third place status in the popular vote will yield great results for the foundation. There's still time to submit your vote. Thanks to all those who have been voting on our behalf. We expect to hear news of final results sometime in February.

Speaking of voting, Macaroni Kid of Richmond has generously offered to give $1 for every "Like" that their fan page gets on Facebook during the month of January (up to $200). If you live in the Richmond area and are looking for great family activities or deals, Macaroni Kid is a great resource. Please visit their Facebook page and thank them for supporting CJSTUF.

Finally, you may have heard through the grapevine that the Thumbs Up Ball is back! For those of you who remember the event from 2010, we are excited that this year's family dance and silent auction is going to be just as much fun! We will be in a new location this year (the Shady Grove Methodist Church in Short Pump) and the date is Saturday, February 18th, 4:30-7:00 PM. Tickets are $10 per person and space is limited. We expect this event to sell out and registration is open now on our website.

We are also currently seeking donations of items for our Silent Auction and raffle during the Thumbs Up Ball. If you would like to be featured as an event sponsor, contact our event coordinator for details.

That's all for now! Whew! What happened to that leisurely holiday vacation????

My Big Year-End

2012-01-01T01:45:00.002-05:00

Wait...that didn't sound right.

Well, it's that time again when it seems everyone is either making top 10 lists of what happened the last year or predicting what's GOING to happen next year.

Well, I'll jump on the band wagon and give you a list of my own.

Here's my list of top 10 (or so) businesses that didn't disappoint me in 2011 (in no particular order).

Cougot's Chimney Service - We had them replace the panels in the fireplace and then, when one of them cracked again, they replaced it for free even though they really didn't have to. They were polite and usually early. http://cougotschimneyservice.com/

Atlee Chiropractic Center - Dr. Anna Madland Bender has been the family chiropractor since before Charlotte was born and continues to be amazing for all her patients. http://www.atleechiropractic.com/

AAA - I need them, I call them, they're there. Plus, they even offer "Tipsy Tow" service in some areas for free and you don't even have to be a member. Call: 1-800-222-4357 to see if they are going your way.

Primos Pizza Mechanicsville and Pepicelli's Pizza Ashland - Between the two of them, that's where I eat 99% of my pizza. Yummy all around!

The Bed Corner in Mechanicsville - We bought a bed there. It's very comfy. http://www.thebedcorner.com/

Target - Because "there's ALWAYS something to buy at Target!" (Said Charlotte)

Cracker Barrel - the food is great, the service is fabulous, and they have all that wonderful candy!

Air Park Auto - We have gotten a lot of our basic maintenance done there. And as with most on this list, the service is always great. http://www.airparkauto.com/ He also has a party business on the side just in care you were in the market for a bounce house or something.

VW Motor Rebuilders - Speaking of auto repair, this is the only place Rachel wants looking at her car. The place kind of looks like a dive from the outside but the guy is knowledgeable, fast, and honest! 804-798-6437

Taza Coffee n Cream in Westover Hills - My little oasis across the river. There's a chocolatier on premises and they support the arts. I picked up a few pieces for the Art Auction by meeting artists who had art on the wall there. http://www.tazacnc.com/

And a bonus - Humana One Insurance. Yeah, I know we had to wrestle with them a time or two when we were getting treatment for Charlotte but they always paid and with the police I still have with them, it has come in very handy for the little esophageal procedure I had done and some other little things here and there.

And now for some predictions:

The Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos will meet again in Super Bowl XLVI.

CJ's CD will be recorded and produced with the help of the very talented local Richmond music scene.

Barack Obama will get re-elected but will choose Steven Colbert for vice-president and Jon Stewart for Secretary Of State. Hillary Clinton will begin writing children's books

CJSTUF will distribute $50,000 in financial assistance grants, meals, and emergency funds.

On December 13, 2012, I will wake up in a strange hotel room in North Korea with a massive hangover and a chubby Korean guy named Kim passed out in the bed next to me. Oh, and don't forget the llama with the red silk boxing trunks chewing on what appears to be the remnants of a US $1,000 bill.

And in conclusion:

Yet another year to which I say "good riddance" has ended although I can honestly say it didn't suck quite as much as 2009 or 2010. 2012 is shaping up to be a very good year for CJSTUF. Let's hope so.

If I could offer everybody one wish, it would be that you gain a little more peace this year than you had last year.

Now go have an adventure!

Remembering CJ

2011-12-30T15:25:00.002-05:00

For anyone interested in helping us remember Charlotte on the day of her death, we are going to have a small get-together at our house at 1 PM. We will have some helium balloons to release with notes to CJ. You may bring your own balloons/notes as well (no mylar please). Then we'll have some fellowship time with coffee and hot cocoa/chocolate milk for all. Anyone is welcome. There is an invitation on Facebook if you would like to RSVP

If you live far away and can not attend, you are welcome to remember Charlotte in your own way. Please feel free to share your remembrances on 1/7 on the CJSTUF facebook page or on our blog. We will set up a special page on January 6th and you will be able to add comments to that post with your memories of Charlotte or ways that you are remembering her that day.

Thank you,

Rachel & Roger

It's been a good day

2011-12-18T20:39:00.001-05:00

I don't think I spend enough time talking about the good moments we have. Lord knows I copiously inflict my bad ones on everyone when they come along.

Here are a few good things:

Today has been pretty good so far. The dark side has been trying to crowd out my happy memories (as it always does) but it has been kept at bay pretty emphatically. Lots of good things going on in our lives.

Rachel's doing more and more writing (the book is getting closer every day thanks to her work and some very capable editors), I'm even doing some freelance stuff for the local paper, we keep getting VERY generous donations for the year-end challenge match (which you all blew away, thank you very much!), and we feel very loved and supported from all over Tarnation.

A baby was baptized this morning and she was so adorable! I was reminded of when we baptized Charlotte up at Trinity in Fredericksburg. I especially remembered that purple silk Chinese outfit she wore. It was very slippery and I was constantly afraid that I was going to drop her. All of it filled me with a warm feeling. No leaking this time.

Another thing that has made me happy was the result of the Christmas Jar campaign at Westover Hills United Methodist Church. Last year, Donna introduced the concept to the congregation and they ran with it. People saved their change all year in Mason jars and then turned them in last week. There was an anonymous donor who agreed to donate $1,000 if 20 or more jars were collected. I believe at last count, there were 22. Those jars alone brought in around $1,000 which was distributed to the YWCA, a local elementary school, and some local at-risk youth among others programs.

I might have to steal that idea for CJ's Birthday in July. What do you think?

The Foundation Is looking very strong for next year and our amazing Board has had a huge amount of impact on that. The original founding members and the new ones coming on board have us feeling euphorically optimistic. We come across so many horror stories about "bad boards" that we are in awe of how awesome ours is.

As we all continue moving through the season we hope you can be comforted and find some peace and hope via the work you've enabled us/CJSTUF.org to do. Rachel and I certainly take refuge in it and will selfishly do so for the foreseeable future.

Don't be strangers and don't let the the energy wane,

Rog

Time for the annual posting of the "Disney Letter."

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Time for the annual posting of the "Disney Letter." 'Tis the season and all that...

February 12, 2010
Disney World Corp.
Magic Kingdom Guest Services
311 World Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Dear All At Disney World,

I’m sure you receive letters like this frequently enough that you don’t really need me to write you another one but it is very important to us that you know about our trip and the events leading up to it.

On January 20, 2009, while Barack Obama was taking the oath of office, I was in a hospital emergency room with my then 3-year old daughter Charlotte Jennie learning that she had a very large tumor in her brain. We were admitted to MCV in Richmond, VA that day, she had a full MRI the next morning, and had her first of four brain surgeries on Thursday, Jan. 22.

We have chronicled our experience on www.CJSTUF.org so I won’t go into too much excruciating detail about that.

In the spring, we were approved for a Make-A-Wish trip. When asked what she would do if she could do anything in the world, she answered, “Go where the princesses are.” (Meaning Disney World, of course). We were planning to go possibly after the first of the year, after the majority of her current treatments were finished but in November we learned the worst. After all the surgeries, chemo, and radiation, the tumor was still growing. And it had moved to the brainstem. We were out of options and it was the opinion of our medical team that we needed to think in terms of weeks and not months.

The main goal in all of our lives was refocused to getting Charlotte to Disney World as soon as possible while she could still enjoy it. We contacted our local MAW chapter and they got on it, securing us a week at Give Kids The World Village Starting Dec. 1.

We arrived safe and sound and headed off to the Magic Kingdom the next day (Wednesday, Dec. 2). We were told the Disney staff would offer extra help to MAW families. We had no idea how deep Disney’s commitment to MAW would be. We were ushered to the front of lines all day and given preferential treatment everywhere we went. Characters went out of their way to visit with us and cast members seemed to seek us out to ask if we needed anything. We felt very well cared for.

Topping the list of amazing events for us were the character visits with Mickey and Minnie and then with the Faries Silvermist, Tinkerbell, and Rosetta. We arrived at the area to see Mickey and Minnie in the morning and toured both of their houses first. When we walked into the “barn,” it was almost an accident. This was our first experience with bypassing the long lines and we couldn’t believe it when we were actually walking into the room with Mickey and Minnie after waiting less than 10 minutes.

The visit was wonderful and both Mickey and Minnie conveyed to us, even without words, the care and concern they felt for us with extra long hugs for Mommy and Daddy from Minnie and multiple extra firm handshakes from Mickey as if he was trying to let us know through the glove how much he sympathized.

Charlotte was doted upon and given more time to be with them than I ever thought would be possible. We walked out on a cloud.

Not thinking we could top that for the entire trip (and it was the FIRST thing we did on the FIRST day there), we headed up to see what there was further in the park. We eventually found ourselves at the Fairies and Princesses venue and since we were having lunch at Cinderella’s Castle (generously donated by a friend), we decided to see the Fairies. The sign for wait times was set at 45-min but we got to go in the “other” way, which had us waiting about ten.

The following events are etched into our brains forever and we will keep them close for as long as we live.

As we neared the room where the fairies were waiting, we got Charlotte out of her chair and had her walk in. I held her hand as she was rather unsteady. She was greeted by Silvermist, who took her other hand and began to lead her over to a large flower to discuss the color similarities between the petals and CJ’s pink tutu. As Silvermist took her hand, Charlotte immediately let go of mine and totally forgot about us. It was as if she and Silvermist were best friends from long ago. It was truly magical! We had a video camera but seeing CJ so incredibly happy after all she had to endure made us completely forget to tape anything! It’s ok. We got lots of photos. We just watched and cried as Silvermist called Tinkerbell and Rosetta over to discuss matters of great import like what talent Charlotte might have. I believe they decided she had multiple talents.

Tinkerbell was Charlotte’s absolute favorite and they got to spend a lot of time together. CJ told her about all the other fairies and what they all did. All three fairies were so amazingly attentive and gentle with her. All the while we never felt hurried or pushed into leaving. Charlotte got to spend as much time as she wanted with them and when we finally left, we knew we had experienced something very special.

It wasn’t even noon yet. Did I mention this was the first day?

The next major thing was lunch at Cinderella’s Castle after a quick visit with Ariel (CJ’s absolute favorite princess!) in her grotto. I think I was looking forward to the lunch as much as anyone. When we walked in, Cinderella was greeting people in the front room and, of course, we were ushered right up to her. Charlotte had a wonderful visit with her and soon after, we were called up for our table.

This was another wonderful experience. The princesses all came in and made the rounds and CJ was in heaven! One humorous part was that when Belle (another of Charlotte’s favorites) came around, it was the exact moment the food arrived. CJ was very hungry and that hotdog was calling to her but at the same time, here was Belle! I’m sorry to say Belle didn’t get nearly the reception she would have normally received.

By the way, the food was divine!

CJ crashed after that and we headed back to GKTW for the rest of the day.

Day 2: (Thursday, Dec 3) We basically retraced our steps and did the exact same thing in the morning. Some cousins who came up from south Florida joined us. We toured Mickey and Minnie’s houses and got to see them again. This time we were in a different room but with the same results. They were wonderful again. Mickey pulled out a new trick and made his nose wiggle which CJ found very amusing. Again with the long visit and the extra care and everything. Oy! It was great.

The wait for the fairies was over an hour this time. We only waited 10 minutes again. Mommy was also ready with the video camera and it was rolling when Charlotte walked in. We were greeted by the same Rosetta who was there the day before. The first word out of Rosetta’s mouth was, “Charlotte!” The fact that she remembered CJ and the things they had talked about took our breath away. Again, it was like old friends getting together.

Rosetta was very cool and made sure the other fairies (the same Tinkerbell but a different Silvermist, we think) knew that CJ had been there before. “Hey look, it’s Charlotte who was here yesterday, REMEMBER?!? (hint, hint)”

It was another magical visit and this time Rosetta got the lion’s share of Charlotte’s attention. They were nuzzling forehead to forehead and talking quietly about the things the fairies and princesses do. I felt such a strong sense of affection between CJ and all the fairies and I can only think that they show the same to all the guests who come through.

Later in the trip, we went to Animal Kingdom and got to see Finding Nemo, The Musical. Charlotte was very tired and had been just lounging in her chair for most of the morning but as soon as the performance began, she was attentive, alert and watched the whole thing sitting up on my lap. We all particularly loved the bit with the penguins! It was very funny and penguins were CJ’s favorite birds.

One last item of note was when we went to Rafiki’s after the safari. Rafiki was greeting kids when we rolled in and his assistant told us he was just getting ready to go on break, which was fine since there weren’t that many people around and we had just arrived. We figured we’d talk to him when he came back out. Well, he caught sight of us and made a bee-line for Charlotte. I don’t think he got much of a break that time.

It is a testament to the talent and training of all the cast members that we had such an amazing trip. I sincerely hope they know that their job means much more to people like us than they could ever possibly imagine. It is evident even in the elderly street sweeper I met outside the bathrooms who showed me his very efficient technique for scooping up little bits of things. It was kind of cool and it stuck with me enough for me to mention here.

Charlotte Jennie Reynolds passed on Thursday, January 7, 2010 at home surrounded by stories, music, and love. It was a beautiful passing and Disney was a part of it.

I can’t imagine that this letter might make it’s way to the specific cast members with whom we came in contact but if so, please let them know that they have touched our lives and become permanent pieces or our memories forever. I’m sure they do it everyday and yet might not realize their impact.

Sincerely,
Roger and Rachel Reynolds (Charlotte Jennie’s daddy and mommy)
www.CJSTUF.org

The Challenge is On!

2011-12-13T08:03:00.000-05:00

Earlier this month, we told you that we have thirteen families on the waiting list for Financial Assistance Grants. Today, we received an amazing challenge from a family that wishes to remain anonymous.

If we can raise $2000 before December 31st, the family will match the donation with an additional $2000. That will allow us to give eight families on our waiting list a financial assistance grant before January!

You can find out more about the great things we have done this year by checking out our Annual Report for 2011. With your help, we can continue our progress into 2012.

Who's up for the challenge? No donation is too small (or too big!)

Please donate using the special challenge badge on our website.

"One G# D&#ed Chocolate Chip Cookie"

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Or better yet, "That Damned Kiss." - A Mighty Wind

Or slightly more diffused, "You know you've ruined it for me..." - Out Of Africa

We all have had events in our lives where one little detail eventually became more than just a detail in the overall fabric of our experience. It morphed into an major element of the plot, influencing further development and screwing up your plan for where you thought you were going. This butterfly did that to me:

A few days ago, Rachel came in the house and said, "Have you seen the new butterfly?"

We both went out and she showed me the purple butterfly that someone had covertly attached to Homer the Pine Tree overhanging CJ's Butterfly Bush. We occasionally find things on or around CJ left by people we didn't see and they are always appreciated but I think I must have been in a certain frame of mind to receive this certain butterfly because it changed the course of my psyche.

Rachel and I had just come back from our vacation (it was fabulous, in case you hadn't heard) and I wasn't ready to get back into reality. On top of that, I had been having lots of little "moments" that were weighing me down. Moments brought on by the weirdest things. Like hearing a song or being in a place where Charlotte had been. The bus was certainly back, parked squarely on my chest, and my "woe-is-me" song writing machine was picking up speed. And a part of me was ready to stay on that path for a while. There's value (at least to me) in feeling the pain. At least when I feel the pain, I know I'm remembering her. (I hate "at leasts")

And then I saw that damned butterfly. It wasn't like the weight was lifted or anything too dramatic like that but it reminded me that people are thinking of us, which is comforting, and that I need to get my head on straight. It even altered the direction of one of the songs I had been working on for a long time.

The problem is that it was fixing to be a pretty good sad song before then. Now it's all confused and I may have to break it up into two different songs that sound a lot alike.

Be that as it may, the song writing machine (along with my attitude) has come out of its nose-dive and has leveled off for now. The moments are still there, nothing has changed in that respect, but I'm at least able to deal with them for the time being.

Thanks to whoever placed that damned butterfly.

In other news, the Foundation is ending the year with both good and bad news. The good news is that we were able to help 30 families, one way or another, to the tune of $14,000. That takes the total amount of aid since incorporation to around $27,000 in two years. (We thought we were closer to $30K for a while but it still ain't too shabby)

The bad news is that we still have 13 families on the waiting list. That's $6,500 if you want an amount. We're really hoping that some last minute fundraising opportunities will help narrow that gap.

One not-so-last-minute FUN-raiser is the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K on March 31, 2012. TEAM CJ will be in effect and there are different ways you can get involved:

1 - Join TEAM CJ, collect pledges, and run in the 10k. If you commit to raising $500 or more, CJSTUF will give you a code to register for free!

2 - Go to MY fund raising page and make a pledge. My goal for all of TEAM CJ is $10,000 but if I could do that personally, wouldn't that be totally cool!?! The Mother Runners are going to be involved somehow. We haven't solidified details but there may be a pink running skirt involved! :-)

3 - Be a cheer-er for TEAM CJ along the route. We need spirit, we know we do! We need spirit, how about YOU!?!

By the way, there are new racing shirts (real running shirts!) for all Team CJ participants!

GO TEAM CJ!!!

January will also be "Remember CJ Month" when participating stores will be donating up to 5% of sales for the month to CJSTUF. Our first participant will be the Bed Corner in Stonewall Square in Mechanicsville. Come buy a bed or mattress in January and help CJSTUF!

If you own a business or know of one that would be interested in participating, have them contact us asap.

I think that's all for now. I'm sure Rachel will be back on with something I've forgotten.

Bye for now,

Roger

p.s. If you want me to explain the chocolate chip cookie reference, please let me know.

As the year winds down

2011-11-06T09:32:00.001-05:00

What a weekend! We had such a wonderful time with the Comedy Sportz team. If we could make all our FUN-raisers work using improvisational sketch comedy, I think I would be a happy girl! There are so many people to thank:

Thanks to the fans who came out on Friday and Saturday evenings for our organization.

Thanks to Kate Hall and all the folks at Richmond Mom for promoting the event. Kate sacrificed herself to the comedy gods and the results were HILARIOUS! She does a mean Martha Stewart impersonation.

Captain Rachel takes on Captain "Boots"

The teams show off their mad rhyming skills in Doo-Rap

Kate Hall shows she's suited up
& ready for battle

Boots and sweatpants
are an excellent fashion choice

Thanks to Roger and CJSTUF board member Lauren Coe for also stepping up to the stage for a good cause. Lauren's boots were the hit of the evening on Friday and Roger wielded so much power on Saturday he was even able to rename cast members. If you happened to catch the late show, Roger and I even managed a brief cameo in the spit-take game. Let's just say things got a little damp on stage.

Thanks to Christine Walters, Dave Gau, and all the other incredible performers at Comedy Sportz for offering this opportunity to spread the word about CJSTUF and make some money in the process. There are talks of making this an annual event so stay tuned.

In other news, we just learned that the Spirited Art fundraiser will be delayed due to some challenges with their grand opening plans. We will announce when the event has been rescheduled.

This means that, as of now, we do not have any "official" events scheduled for CJSTUF for the rest of 2011. However, our wait list for financial assistance grants continues to grow. We still need your help and there are great ways that you can support our cause.

CJSTUF merchandise is available for purchase on our website. 100% of the proceeds from merchandise sales goes towards our Meal Fairies program, providing healthy snacks and meals to families in the hospital.

If you know someone who has a birthday coming soon, consider a request for gifts to CJSTUF in lieu of presents. We have some fabulous goodie bags that you can give your guests as a thank you for their donation.

Stave off the holiday weight gain and start training now for your next race! If you need more motivation, consider running your next race for CJSTUF. It doesn't matter if you're walking a 5K or running an ultra-marathon. Team CJ would love to have you on board. You can join our race team and ask your friends and family to support you through dedicated donations. New Team CJ race shirts will be available in 2012 and you can get your own personalized website to track donations.

Are you trying to make a little extra money for the holiday shopping season by selling your old stuff on eBay? Want to get rid of gifts that you didn't really want in the first place? Consider donating a portion of your eBay sale transaction to CJSTUF through the eBay Giving Works program. You can designate anywhere from 10-100% of your sale price as a donation to CJSTUF. In return, you get a portion of your selling fees refunded and help a great cause while you shop.

Finally, remember that our corporate partner, Barefoot Books, has great gift ideas for kids of all ages. Shop through the link on her website and a portion of proceeds benefits our organization.

That should keep you busy for a while. Stay tuned for news as we move towards 2012.

November Events

2011-10-29T12:20:00.001-04:00

Join us November 4th & 5th as we make you laugh for a good cause. CJSTUF is teaming with Richmond Mom and Comedy Sportz for two nights of laughter. Bring the gang out to this family friendly show and watch as representatives from CJSTUF and Richmond Mom join the Comedy Sportz Pros in improv skits and games.

Rachel & CJSTUF board member Lauren Coe will team up for the Friday show while Roger and RichmondMom founder Kate Hall will engage in a battle of wits on Saturday.

Roger, Lauren, and I attended one of their shows last Saturday and we were in stitches the entire night. It was a great show for all ages.

Admission is $10 per person and a portion of the proceeds will benefit CJSTUF.
Show times are 8 PM on Friday, November 4th & 7 PM on Saturday, November 5th.
Call 804-266-9377 to reserve your tickets.

If art is more your thing, join us November 14th at Spirited Art. We are honored to have been chosen by this new art venue in Short Pump to help with their Grand Opening. Spirited Art can help bring out the artist in everyone. If you can draw basic shapes and stick figures, you can create a painting masterpiece! Check out the details below, grab your friends, and reserve your spot!

On Sale Now!

2011-10-16T14:10:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love a sale?

All CJSTUF t-shirts have been discounted. We would like to get some new merchandise with the NEW CJSTUF logo but we need to clear out some of our existing inventory.

Start your holiday shopping and get a shirt for everyone in the family! Quantities are limited and these shirts will never be made again (at least with this design). Many shirts are available in adult and youth sizes.

Butterfly Tee, Ladies Cut (white)
Available in sizes S-XXL
Now $15
*Note: This shirt will not be discontinued

Bald Chicks Rock Tee (pink)
Available in Youth Sizes XS-L
and Adults Sizes S, L, XL, XXL
Now $11.25

Team CJ Tee (purple)
Available in Adult Sizes S-XL
Now $7.50

TUF Chicks Tee (pink)
Available in Youth Sizes 2T-Large
Now $7.50

TUF Guys Tee (pink)
Available in Youth Sizes 2T-Medium
Now $7.50

Also available: window clings, posters from the CJSTUF Art Auction (limited quanitites available), and the downloadable single of Strengthened By You.

The Art Auction 2011 Poster Design
Suitable for framing

Shipping is $5 for out-of-town orders but waived on all in-town (local pick-up) orders.

Do you have any ideas for new CJSTUF t-shirts or merchandise? Email your thoughts to us! (or just comment on the blog)

California Pizza Kitchen: This Thursday!

2011-10-09T12:06:00.001-04:00

First, a thank-you to the generous donors who supported us recently during The Amazing Raise. We did not receive any of the matching challenge grants but we did raise over $1000 in a 36-hour period! We hope that The Community Foundation will repeat this event next year.

The year is winding down. Can you believe it's already October? While our major events are done for the year, we do have some fun things to put on your calendar.

First, plan to eat your dinner at California Pizza Kitchen in Short Pump this Thursday, October 13th. Print and bring THIS FLYER to the restaurant and 20% of your order will benefit CJSTUF. This offer is valid all day for both take-out and dine-in options but you must have the flyer.

Also, keep the evenings of November 4th or 5th reserved on your calendar. You will not want to miss this! CJSTUF has teamed with ComedySportz Richmond and RichmondMom for an evening of improv humor. The shows are at 8 PM on Friday and 7 PM on Saturday. If you've never heard of Comedy Sportz, think "Whose Line is It Anyway?"

The show is all improv humor and will be very family-friendly. Here's the kicker: Roger, Rachel, and two representatives from Richmond Mom will join the comedy professionals on the stage for a night of fun. $2 from each $10 ticket sale will benefit CJSTUF.

More events on the docket for November (and maybe December too). Stay tuned!

The Amazing Raise Starts Today!

2011-10-05T06:16:00.000-04:00

This is it! Today is the day!

If you didn't have a chance to support us through the Art Auction...
If you've been looking for a way to help your donation go farther....

Join us in The Amazing Raise!

This 36-hour online giving event will start at 6 AM on Wednesday, October 5th and ends at 6 PM on October 6th. During this event, Richmond area organizations like ours will be eligible for matching gifts of up to $10,000 when we receive unique donations of $50 or more from our supporters.

It's super simple:

1. Go to our profile on the Give Richmond website (just search for CJ's Thumbs Up Foundation) or look for the webforms in this blog post and on our website. Give a donation of $25 or more. Prizes will be given to the Richmond-area organizations that collect the most unique donors. In addition, there will be other prizes given throughout the 36-hour period.

2. Spread the word on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. Encourage your friends, family and strangers to join you in The Amazing Raise.

The Amazing Raise goes from 6 AM October 5th-6 PM October 6th. Thanks for your support!

My Favorite Part of the CJSTUF Art Auction

2011-10-03T07:01:00.002-04:00

On Friday, the First Annual CJSTUF Art Auction took place at the Cultural Arts Center of Glen Allen. It was a ton of work, most of it done by others. The lion's share of my contribution was to secure donations of art and be a cheerleader for the real worker bees of the event, Rachel and Michelle (Alford).

It was a successful evening and the fact that all of our expenses were covered before anyone even walked through the door made anything that came in from the actual auction pure bonus.

The dessert table, wonderfully set by Homemades By Suzanne, included a chocolate fountain (a MUST at any CJSTUF event). Coconut macaroons, strawberries, pineapple, and pound cake were skewered on big toothpicks and dunked in the chocolate and various other delectable chocolaty things were available to "make everything better" (since we know that is definitely the case).

The wine was very good and we are fortunate to know Ian at The Caboose in Ashland who donated it all.

Anthony Williams provided some great guitar music to start things off. Taught him everything I know. OK...maybe not.

Susan Greenbaum was masterful in her role as auctioneer. So masterful, in fact, that John Toscano and I never felt the need to assume our roles as co-emcees. We mostly did our best Vanna White impression and displayed/traded out art pieces as they were auctioned off.

But of all the great things that happened Friday night, I believe my favorite part of the evening was when Deb Price, mother of four including two with Sickle Cell Disease, came to the podium and spoke about their journey. She didn't come to ask for pity or grovel in appreciation. She came to be the face of what we do; to remind everyone in attendance of why they they were there and the reason we keep having fund raisers.

Well spoken and poised, she related Nile's and Olivia's story and the long recovery process involved with SCD and Nile's bone marrow transplant. No one else there could have said it better. We thank her for her candor and appreciate her courage.

The crowd wasn't huge but very generous and with what we've learned from this first event, next year's Art Auction should be quite the shindig! Mark your calendars now (we're not sure when but mark them anyway).

Next up on the docket is the Amazing Raise this week. Starting at 6am October 5, you can help CJSTUF win thousands in matching gifts buy donating just $50. Depending on when you donate, your contribution will count toward any number of contests that could bring us $1,000 to $10,000 above the actual donations!

Here is a list of the separate contests and I'd like to enlist your opinions of what THREE (3) areas we should target to maximize our impact. Please email Roger@cjstuf.org with your top three categories and, as always, spread the word!

Thank you very much,

Roger

Early results are in!

2011-10-01T07:28:00.002-04:00

Oh what a night!

Our first annual CJSTUF Art Auction was last night and it was, in a word, amazing!

I will have pictures and more information to post soon, but I can share a few things:

Over 30 pieces of art were auctioned for a total of over $2200
The raffle tickets and event registrations will add to that total.

Thanks to our generous sponsors, our costs were covered before the event even began so 100% of the money earned last night (and then some) will go directly to the support of families with chronic and life threatening illnesses.

There are so many people to thank:

Alyssa Ford and Meredith Hayes designed the decor and filled the room with pink and purple butterflies
Susan Greenbaum was the energetic, entertaining, amusing, and adorable emcee
Anthony Williams shared his talents on the guitar
Deb Price shared her experience as a beneficiary of a CJSTUF financial assistance grant
Our amazing Board of Directors helped in any way necessary, including setup, cleanup, and (most importantly) bidding on some fabulous art
Thanks to our generous sponsors who provided both financial and in-kind support to make this event possible:

Thanks to the 18 artists who donated their works to the event
Thanks to the local chapter of the American Heart Association for their generous loan of easels and display materials
Thanks to our event coordinator, Michelle Alford, who has been working on the details of this event for almost 6 months. Not only was this event a labor of love, but Michelle had her own labor of love this week when she gave birth to her second child, a baby girl, on Thursday morning. We were sad that Michelle was unable to attend the event but grateful for all the work she did to make the evening a success.

September is finished but October is still busy for CJSTUF.

Just a reminder to set your clocks for The Amazing Raise this Wednesday and Thursday. If you missed the Art Auction, here is a great opportunity to make a donation to our organization. Donate through the Give Richmond website from 6 AM October 5th through 6 PM October 6th and your donations may be matched through generous grants provided by the Community Foundation.

ALSO! Join us at California Pizza Kitchen in Short Pump on Thursday, October 13th. Bring this flyer, present it when you order and 20% of your sale will benefit CJSTUF. This is valid for both carry out and dine-in options.

Stay tuned for more news and events!

September Biz of the Month: An easy way to help CJSTUF

2011-09-08T17:31:00.000-04:00

Last night we hosted a Gold Does Good party at our house. Even with our small turnout, we raised over $300 for CJSTUF. How did we do it?

I went through my jewelry boxes and junk drawers and found a small box full of old, broken, unwanted jewelry and metal. There were a few unmatched, broken earrings, some tangled chains, and a few pieces that I just didn't want or need anymore.

Thanks to the high value of gold, sterling silver, and platinum, even these seemingly "worthless" pieces carried some great value! We got a debit card for the value of the items (Roger and I donated most of it directly to CJSTUF instead of keeping it for ourselves) PLUS CJSTUF gets an additional 12.5%. For more information, check out our website for details.

So now we want to know, who else is interested in

helping CJSTUF by selling your unwanted metals?

There is another Gold Does Good party hosted by Kimberly Johnson on September 17th from 7-9 PM at the Martin's Community Room at 11361 Midlothian Turnpike

We are also looking for at least one more person to host a gold party for CJSTUF. If you are interested in hosting your own Gold Does Good party during the month of September (or any time) and donating your hostess fee to CJSTUF, please contact us.

Carnival Cancelled due to Irene

2011-08-26T08:48:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone. If you haven't guessed already because of the impending forecast, we are cancelling the Carnival and Bake Sale tomorrow.

We do not have a re-schedule date. With all of the upcoming fall activities (include our Art Auction and Biz of the Month!) the calendar is already fairly full.

We may look at a time to reschedule a less formal event like a bake sale and/or spirit night at Pepicellis.

Thanks again to everyone who volunteered to help.
Thanks to Pepicellis and Jade Enterprises for their help with all of the organization and preparation.

Better luck next time.

Stay safe this weekend and stay tuned for more upcoming CJSTUF events.

Carnival Update!

2011-08-24T21:31:00.001-04:00

Hi Everyone!

Many of you have inquired about our plans for the Carnival and Bake Sale scheduled for this Saturday, August 27th.

You got questions? I got answers!

At last report, the storm is trending east and while we may feel some of the effects, many forecasts show that we will not get much rain (if any) west of I-95.

Soooo.. we are going forward with the Carnival as planned from 4-10 PM with a few exceptions:

There will no longer be a set admission charge. You may give a donation of your choosing "at the door".
We will still be selling beer, pizza, Kona Ice, and baked goods with $$ going to CJSTUF.
We will still have bingo for $1 per card. We've got lots of cool prizes to give away including passes to the Childrens Museum, Target and Olive Garden gift cards, a small motorized kid's car, and MORE!
The remainder of the kid's activities such as crafts, moonbounce, cornhole games, etc will be available weather permitting.

If you have offered to volunteer, please let us know ASAP if you are unable to attend for some reason. We are still accepting baked goods although we have a good bit left from last weekend's sale (they've been frozen for freshness!).

Please come out for what we hope will be a fun event for everyone! If nothing else, we can make it a Hurricane Party.

Obviously, if the storm takes a crazy turn, we will update and change accordingly. Stay tuned to Facebook and our website for more information.

So to recap:

Carnival and Bake Sale

August 27th, 4-10 PM

Pepicellis Pizza parking lot
208 S. Washington Hwy

Admission: donation of your choosing

Y'all come!

Questions? Contact Us!

September Biz of the Month: Mark Your Calendars

2011-08-22T09:00:00.002-04:00

Mark your calendars now! Our September Biz of the Month event is coming soon.

The September Biz of the Month is Gold Does Good

This time, you don't have to buy anything. Instead, we are asking you to SELL your gold, silver jewelry, and coins.

Local representative Beth Boston is helping CJSTUF. Here's how it works:

During the month of September, CJSTUF volunteers will host gold parties. You are invited to each open house and encouraged to bring your gold and other select metals (you can contact us for a complete list of qualifying items). Jewelry can be broken, tangled, or old.

You get: a debit card loaded with the full value of your qualifying gold or silver jewelry and coins.

CJSTUF gets: up to 15% of the total amount

It's that easy!

The first open house will be held:
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
5:30-8:30 PM.
9 Slash Ct., Ashland, VA.
You can come any time during the selected hours.

If you are interested in hosting your own Gold Does Good party during the month of September (or any time) and donating your hostess fee to CJSTUF, please contact us.

We will post here and on our calendar if more Gold Does Good events that benefit CJSTUF are scheduled.

PS There's still time to book your cake with Kalico Kitchen for the August Biz of the Month.

Remodeling and Renovation

2011-08-07T13:42:00.000-04:00

As you know, we've been busy with many things over the last few weeks. Over the weekend, Roger and I worked on some revisions to the website as we incorporated the new logo and the style changes recommended by our great team at the CreateAThon on Campus at VCU. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Big thanks to our web geniuses, Jay & Ruth Campbell at Jade Enterprises, for their help in this endeavor as well as their continued support by hosting the CJSTUF website on their server.

We took this opportunity to update our foundation video as well. You can view it here or on our website. Did you know that since we launched this video in early 2010, it has been viewed over 10,000 times? That's pretty amazing!

CJs Thumbs Up Foundation (CJSTUF)

More PowerPoint presentations from Rachel Reynolds

The video is available on YouTube as well but I like this version better because it didn't cut off the song at the end. I think something happened in the conversion process.

Anyway, as you know, we've got a lot of events coming up in the next few weeks and we still need volunteers. If you can bake for the bake sale(s) on 8/21 or 8/27 or would like to volunteer some time at the Carnival on August 27th, please contact us today.

Thanks to our loyal supporters, blog followers, and friends for continuing to spread the word about our organization. We can't do it without you!

August Business of the Month

2011-08-03T09:00:00.003-04:00

Do you need a cake for a special occasion?

Kalico Kitchen can help! As our Business of the Month, Kalico Kitchen will give CJSTUF 20% for any cake reserved this month.

Jeni made Charlotte's 4th birthday cake and I can tell you that it was not only beautiful; it was delicious as well!

So what are you waiting for? Call Kalico Kitchen at 804-262-1966.

While we're talking about birthdays and other special occasions, this would be a great time to remind you that you can hold a Birthday Party for CJ any time of the year. Children (or adults) of any age can request donations to CJSTUF in lieu of presents and we will provide you with fun goodie cups filled with adorable swag PLUS a t-shirt for the birthday boy or girl.

Stay tuned for more information on our September business of the month. We just partnered with a local representative from Gold Does Good for an amazing opportunity. Imagine helping our foundation and getting paid for it! Stay tuned for more details in future blog posts as well as on our Facebook site.

PS Did you get our August newsletter? If you're not already on our mailing list, it's easy to sign up. It's the best way to stay hip to all the latest news (besides this blog, of course).

Check out our new look!

2011-07-20T21:50:00.000-04:00

We are excited to announce some big changes for CJ's Thumbs Up Foundation. In April of this year, CJSTUF was selected as one of 12 Richmond area nonprofits to participate in the CreateAThon on Campus project. Each team of marketing and advertising students worked with representatives from the respective organizations to help develop marketing materials.

At our quarterly board meeting on July 19th, the Board adopted the new logo and color scheme created by our CreateAThon team. We love it. We hope you do too.

The original CJ butterfly will still be around in various forms but look for changes in the coming months to our website as well as other marketing materials. You can see some of the immediate changes on our Facebook page! (Are you a fan already?)

This also means that all of our current t-shirts containing our old logo have now become limited edition collector's items! Get 'em while they last.

Stay tuned for more announcements with our August newsletter (coming soon!)

Sacred Places and Bourbon

2011-07-18T08:00:00.001-04:00

We all have our sacred places.

In what has become something of a weekly ritual, I am sitting at TaZa Coffee Shop in Westover Hills after my church choir gig doing my best job of NOT working on what I was originally supposed to be doing and basking in the glow of serendipity. I feel very comfortable here and when I want to be alone and/or do some work (or write a blog post), this a good place.

I've often quoted (and mis-quoted) the line from Kung Fu when Caine says, "when a man finds his way, Heaven is gentle." (Here's the video. The quote is very near the end at 9:47 but the entire episode, even though it's edited, is a good watch) That's kind of been working on many levels for me lately. Along with all the darkness this month brings us, there has also been plenty of light and doorways leading me, seemingly, to where I'm supposed to go.

For example, as I settled in to my coffee and bagel here at TaZa, I noticed some people messing with the art on the walls and after the initial "STOP THIEF!" impulse passed, I realized they were the actual artists. Wasting no time, I obnoxiously jumped up to talk to them and see if we could get some pieces for the Art Auction on Sept. 30. They didn't bat an eyelash and they all agreed to figure out something to donate!

But what about the heading of this blog post? The concept of "Sacred Places" has been haunting me in both bright and dark ways recently. I love historic sites and being in the same place Patrick Henry spoke or performing in the same place someone like Jon Hendricks or Tony Bennett have performed really gets me "geeking." Same thing for places where I feel a connection because of Charlotte.

So it really should be no surprise that there are places that are important to me on a spiritual level and I feel pulled to them for one reason or another. One of the oldest places I feel that pull is my Grandma's (Gramsies) old house in Denver. I remember spending a huge amount of time running around that couple acres or so of land. I often thought to myself how happy I was just being there.

It was inconceivable to me that I would ever see the time when I wouldn't be able to go back. So when she sold it to the neighboring college and they knocked down the houses, my concept of reality was shaken to the core. I remember going back for the first time afterward and being very disturbed by what I saw.

We all have our sacred places.

Another is the short stretch of Lee Davis Rd in Mechanicsville which runs in front of the house where Charlotte used to go to Hanover Montessori School. She really started to shine there and it's that crowd of her friends and their families that became a cornerstone of our support "Network" after she was diagnosed. I often drive that stretch of road on my way way home from Romp n' Roll. It helps me feel the connection to her.

It's actually very difficult for me to drive that little bit of road but I've always thought it was ridiculous to avoid places or take unnecessary detours because of memories so my rebellious side sticks my tongue out and goes that route anyway.

Of course, aren't I altering my path because of memories already? Silly boy.

Speaking of Romp n' Roll...One of the places I feel closest to Charlotte is where the Virginia Center Marketplace store was located. For me, her spirit permeates the entire area from Target ("There's ALWAYS something to buy at Target!") to Chick-fil-a and everywhere in between. The old Romp n' Roll location, which is now an Original Mattress Store, still has her energy imprinted there. She was our official greeter and many times, the first person some of our oldest customers met was Charlotte. I pop my head in there sometimes just to be there. I think I'm starting to freak out the employees a little.

So a mattress store is now one of my sacred places. Go figure.

Then there's COSTCO. Another oft quoted conversation is: Me: "Charlotte, what do we get at COSTCO?"

Charlotte: "Pizza and ice cream!"

Yep, it was one of "our places." Charlotte and I would shop there and sometimes she would push the cart from way down below. I can still vividly see that tiny little kid trying to push when the cart was full of stuff. We would usually get pizza or ice cream while we were there (sometimes both; sometimes a hot dog) and I always remember being so worried about her falling off the bench. It was my little bit of obsessive parenting.

I took her there several times after we had started the journey and she was always the absolute best kid at those times. I had more than one person make comments to me about how obvious it was that there was a strong bond between us. I live for those memories.

COSTCO definitely has "sacred place" status.

I go there these days as much to "commune" with Charlotte as to shop for stuff. Yesterday, the concept of that really hit me as Rachel and I were there together. It was really crowded and it seemed most of the people there had become partially unhinged for some reason. I might have felt very angry that people were acting as stupidly as they were but for the fact that I was thinking about Charlotte a lot which makes most situations better.

We did NOT get pizza or ice cream this time but that's ok. It still served its "sacred place" purpose.

Then, a little later, a chance encounter with a fellow Cubs fan at Martin's finished the job of renewing my piece of mind. At least for a little while. Martin's is not a sacred place but that old man who noticed my Cubs hat made it move a little higher on the list.

Last but not least, as I was singing at my choir job today, Pastor Donna's message was about "Sacred Places." I kid you not. My highest compliment to any priest, pastor, guru, therapist, imam, qoph, monk, or any other person who claims religious leadership is that they make me think. Ed did that at St. James The Less as did Kent at Trinity in Fredericksburg. So did that Buddhist monk on the airplane so many years ago. Donna sure did that to me this morning.

Those doors keep opening. I'm probably rationalizing on a massive level but I'm going to keep going with it.

Now for the "Bourbon" part:

Let me go back a few weeks to a link sent to me by one of our many amazing supporters (my brother, Vance, in fact) which announced a giveaway by bourbon maker, Buffalo Trace. They had produced 174 bottles of top-shelf straight Kentucky bourbon from what they called the "Millennium Barrel" and were allowing non-profit organizations the opportunity receive one bottle each for fundraising purposes. These gift boxes will probably be valued at over a hundred dollars if not many hundreds of dollars.

I was a little leery at first about using something alcoholic to fund raise for a children's based organization but given the unique nature of the bottle, I got over it pretty quickly, especially after tasting it at our board night out at Lemaire. (PS There are still two Mondays in July remaining to benefit CJSTUF if you need a great excuse for a fabulous meal.)

I went ahead an submitted our application with the thought that we might receive it in time for our Art Auction. It's not "art," per se, but it's a very high-quality item and our event will be a good venue for a special item like this; very adult (which is another reason we don't have a problem with it).

After a few days, I received an email from Buffalo Trace letting me know they were reviewing our application but in the meantime, I might be interested in another opportunity being offered by another brand under their umbrella, Eagle Rare. They also make and sell high quality bourbon but this time, the idea was to have people submit stories of friends, family, etc...who live "Rare Lives." The grand prize winners will win $20,000 to be donated to the non-profit of their choice and several runners up will have $2,000 donated. The qualities they listed as those exhibited by deserving nominees are courage, leadership, survival, devotion, character, and heroism.

So I nominated Rachel. I mean, duh!

The thing is, I'm not known for being the most thorough reader of things the first time through so I didn't catch the part about how winners will be decided by people voting at the Eagle Rare website. I thought there would be a panel of judges or something or I might not have done it. We had sort of sworn off voting contests after the Kindermusic Grant fiasco (Pepsi is sending me regular emails inviting me back to the new-and-improved Pepsi Refresh contest but I've been resisting) and even now, I'm a little gun shy about promoting the contest.

That was until I checked back on the Eagle Rare Life page a few days later and saw that Rachel had already received over 100 votes with very little promotion.

That convinced me that it was a good idea to continue. If Rachel (and in turn, CJSTUF) should win the $20,000, then CJ's Meal Fairies can really get off the ground, and even if she finishes as low as 7th, $2,000 is four (4) families helped.

As of 1:30 Sunday, we were already at 400 votes. Voting lasts until January 5, 2012 and people can vote once every day.

So in closing, I return to Kung Fu. Not with video of the deep quote of the day but of probably the worst sword fight ever choreographed for film. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PktNLnPEApw

July 9, 2011

2011-07-09T08:11:00.005-04:00

The roller coaster has been in high gear this week.

Can it really be Charlotte’s 6^th Birthday? Can it really be a year and a half since she flew away? Yesterday, I was talking with one of our friends about it and she asked “Doesn’t it just seem…so…” and couldn’t finish the question because it’s such an unfathomable thing to contemplate.

I still see her everywhere and think about her all the time. One weird thing is that I haven’t dreamed about her much lately. In fact, the last dream I had about Charlotte was where I was a Dr. looking through several charts and I realized one was hers. I never actually saw her but she was there somewhere.

A common fear that grieving parents have is that they will forget how their child smelled or what they looked like. I have all that but my biggest fear is not remembering her voice and laugh. For a while now, I could feel that slipping away from me and it was adding to the stress and down side of what has become a pretty violent roller coasted ride. Fortunately, not long ago, and for no reason that I can comprehend, it all came flooding back to me. Her laugh, her crying, that sweet little voice telling me about a book or movie…clear as a bell in my head. We have a good amount of recordings of her so her voice will always be around but I like remembering her actually saying these things.

I’ll be heading down to Ashland Coffee and Tea a little later to have what I had hoped would always be our traditional birthday chocolate shake. Susan Greenbaum is performing tonight. I hope you do something like that today to help you remember my amazing little baby girl. Rachel posted 6 things you can do if you need inspiration. I especially like the “Read A Book” idea.

Another wonderful event today is the celebration of my brother and sister-in-law, Vance and Lynne’s zillionth wedding anniversary (it’s actually on the 4^th). They are having a big blowout in Denver and we wish them the absolute best. I guess there will be about 100 people there including their two totally awesome kids, Joefish and C-Weed! Congrats Bro!

By the way, did we mention that my brother-in law, Mark, is going to have a kidney transplant in August and Vance is his donor?!? I have such an awesome family!

We have become day sponsors on Public Radio WCVE 88.9fm for today and have told them to plan on us continuing to do so on an annual basis. It comes with several announcements throughout the day so if you listen, either on-air or via the internet, you might hear it. I just did.

The bus is heavy on us today but we know we are loved and supported. Thank you all.

Happy Birthday, Monkey Butt. We love you and miss you very much

Six Ways to Honor Charlotte

2011-07-08T08:14:00.000-04:00

Hello friends! First of all, for those of us who follow this blog, we apologize for the relative lack of updates. We continue to update our Facebook page and if you have not yet subscribed to our monthly newsletter, I encourage you to sign up. It's probably the best way to stay "in the loop".

Now that the business stuff is out of the way, let's talk about the calendar. Tomorrow, July 9th, would have been Charlotte's 6th birthday. Understandably, it's been a difficult few weeks as we have anticipated the arrival of this day. Roger is going to post some of his thoughts here tomorrow and I will be sharing more on my personal blog in the days to come.

For now, I would like to say Thank You for the support that you continue to provide to Roger and myself. Many of you have asked how we plan to honor Charlotte's birthday and how you can help. To that end, I offer you Six Ways to Honor Charlotte. (special thanks to Chaplain Sallye at Noah's Children for the inspiration)

Read a book. Charlotte loved to read and look at books from an early age. While some children fall asleep with a bed full of stuffed animals, Charlotte would sleep in a bed full of books.
Wear pink or purple. Or both. Capture your inner princess, even if it's only for a day.
Drink a glass of chocolate milk. Charlotte liked to say "Chocolate makes everything better." We agree.
Watch one of Charlotte's favorite movies. The movies that never left the queue included Finding Nemo, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, and Frosty The Snowman. I can't think of a better thing to do in the heat of summer than think cool thoughts with Frosty.
Make a meal for a family in need. When Charlotte was sick, we were blessed with many friends and neighbors who cared for us by supplying an extra meal (or two). It's a special gesture that means so much to a family in crisis.
Help us honor Charlotte's memory with a donation to CJSTUF. Every little bit helps. If each of our 2800 (or so) Facebook fans donated only $6 in honor of CJ's birthday, we would be able to provide 33 $500 financial assistance grants to families in need.

Thank you, Charlotte, for blessing us with your time here on Earth.
We miss you. Every day.

Radiance from Julia Dollison on Vimeo.

Got Pets?

2011-06-13T21:25:00.000-04:00

CJSTUF is excited to announce our Business of the Month for June:

Dr. Bob Magnus, The Housecall Vet

Our pets are important members of our family. They need regular care to stay healthy. Sometimes, however, scheduling visits with the vet can be a challenge. Enter Dr. Bob Magnus: The Housecall Vet.

Dr. Magnus (or Dr. Woof as he likes to be called) makes caring for your pets simple and affordable. As a concierge vet, he will come to your home to administer exams and vaccinations for all your 4-legged family members.

Tigger enjoying his big backyard.

We recently made an appointment with Dr. Woof for our two cats, Tigger and Noah. In the past, we would have to make two separate appointments for the cats at the vet's office due to the struggles involved getting them into their crates, working around other 4-legged patients, and dealing with their individual cat neuroses. This time, Dr. Woof came to us. He examined the cats in the comfort of our living room and administered their vaccines. Less than thirty minutes later, Tigger and Noah were enjoying their big backyard.

You might imagine that a concierge service like this would be too expensive for most families but we found Dr. Woof's services to be very affordable. We may have even paid less for Dr. Woof's services than we did for our last vet visit.

Noah, our diva cat. Now he's going to demand housecalls.

Book your vet appointment with Dr. Woof during the month of June and 25% of your bill will directly benefit CJSTUF. As an added bonus, Dr. Woof is currently offering his services FREE of charge to families effected by chronic and life-threatening illnesses. If you know of a family that needs help caring for their 4-legged friends while also supporting a child with health challenges, contact us so we can put them in touch with Dr. Woof.

Thanks to The Housecall Vet for their support of CJSTUF. If your business would like to be featured as a CJSTUF business of the month, contact us so we can get you on the calendar.

Butterfly Social Recap

2011-06-12T11:08:00.000-04:00

The Richmond area was a-flutter for CJSTUF from May 23-June 5th with the First Annual Butterfly Social. Five hostesses held parties at their homes for friends and family to raise funds and awareness for our organization. In total, the events raised over $2500. Thanks to the generosity of the hostesses and their guests, we can help an additional five families in the Richmond area battling their challenges with chronic and life threatening illness. Look for information next spring about our next Butterfly Social. We hope to make it an annual event!

The Alford family Butterfly Social gives a big thumbs up!

Butterfly glasses were a huge hit at the Swanson family Butterfly Social!

Emily Starrett, Kathy Suydam, and Meg Helsley hosted a mom's brunch with lots of pink and purple!

What Day Is It Again?

2011-05-08T19:26:00.003-04:00

The concept of "celebrating holidays" has pretty much gone out the window, at least for the foreseeable future, but I felt the need to at least say SOMETHING today. The trouble is, I got nothin.' I wanted to say something deep and profound to try and ease the pain I know Rachel is feeling today (and feels every day) but it all either sounds trite or it's already been said.

Then I read something beautiful written by another grieving dad/husband.

And I stole it.

Because it's beautiful.

"Rituals......

We use rituals to allow us to keep contact with the past and provide us with familiar constructs. There are rituals that surround us on a daily basis, and then there are those that come to us once every year. Rituals allow us to maintain contact with those who have gone before us. On a daily basis, I maintain my own ritual. Right after we put Gabe to bed each night, I duck into Alexis' room right next door to Gabe's. I sit in there for a couple minutes. If you look around, it is still pink, still filled with all of Alexis' animals, and it also is filled with much of everything that existed between those four walls on January 14, 2011. There is no reason to change at this point and there is no interest to do so. I speak with Alexis. I talk to her. And then, I bend down and kiss the spot on her bed where she lay for several months and where she lay down to sleep each day. I kiss her pillow as well, and I inhale deeply. I then step from her bed, turn the light off, say a little more to her and shut the door. And then, just before I go to sleep myself, I repeat the entire scenario, except I spend a little more time in her room. This is a ritual that I maintain to ensure that I feel connected with Alexis. Certainly not the manner in which I want to maintain contact with my daughter, but, as everyone is supremely aware at this point, I have little other choice. Some wear bracelets, some have other trinkets that they ritually rely upon to connect themselves with their child. These small measures are repeated too many times by too many parents who have no physical presence in the form of their child.

And then there are holidays. Holidays are ritualistic in nature as well. Some more so than others. Tomorrow is Mother's Day. Of course everyone is aware of that. The rituals of this day include showering mothers with praise for all that they do. Reminding them how much we appreciate them for being mothers. And thus comes the problem. This ritual is and can be a painful one to those who will no doubt turn their thoughts to a child who no longer can give them a hug or kiss, who no longer exist on this plane to say thank you and I love you. And thus, the rituals that once were will be painful reminders of the fact that things have changed for the worse. So what do you do? I have no real answer frankly. I think for some it is a day that is better forgotten and let to pass. That may ultimately be difficult to comprehend in some fashion. Of course the loss doesn't change the fact of the love that was and is still there. And do we appreciate the efforts and dedication of the mother any less should they choose to allow the day to slip away? The answer is no, certainly not. It is a very personal decision ultimately, one that should never be questioned. I suppose I will let you know when the ritual of Father's Day rears its head down the road. I can say though with certainty that tomorrow will be spent as a very difficult day in many households. There will be many houses where a noticeable hole exists that prevents a day from being experienced with the happiness and thanks that should come to pass. I know that this is one of those houses. I for one am truly appreciative of the efforts that Neely has given as the mother of Alexis and Gabe. Herculean efforts in the face of extremely difficult times, with difficult decisions and ultimately an unimaginable loss. Yes, the ritual of tomorrow will be very difficult. To all mothers out there who will read this passage and simply know, I say have a palatable Mother's Day, one that brings you exactly what you want the day to bring you.

There were some signs of Alexis this past week. While playing on a playground with Gabe, we noticed acorns strewn across the ground. Acorns were always a favorite of Alexis. She collected them and in fact our house has them in various locations, including in glass jars on our dining room table from a project Alexis completed. And thus, we collected as many as we could stuff in our pockets so that we could bring them out to her. As we walked from the playground, we noticed three butterflies on the sidewalk. As we walked closer, all but one flew away. I bent down, and it still failed to fly away. It's wings yellow, its body black. And then, I gently stroked one of its wings. It did not move. And then Gabe, as curious as can be, gently bent over and gently stroked the butterfly as well. A simple moment, but a moment filled with other thoughts. It was a short moment, but one that provided some measure of comfort regardless of the reason for that single butterfly being present on that day.

Days move on, our ability to use our memories to recall various aspects of life as we used to know it seems to be more and more difficult. I suppose that is the nature of post tragedy recall in some respects. The time in some fashions moves quickly, and in others it seems to crawl. With every ticking second we move further away, yet closer to Alexis. Soon baby, soon.

Love,

Jon, Neely, Alexis and Gabe"

Not sure I could have said it better given a hundred years. He writes very well. Here is their Caringbridge site if you would like to read more.

Personally, I hope everyone who has a mother (or has had one at some time) takes a moment every day to appreciate them.

Oh, yeah, and go hug your babies like there's no tomorrow.

Rog

Go Team CJ!

2011-05-01T07:36:00.000-04:00

The race is on (or at least imminent).

It's 4:15 AM Pacific Time and Roger is off to the races. As mentioned previously, Big Sur is a little different from most marathons in that there are no general "spectators" along the course so my usual job of navigating from post to post during the race has been made obsolete.

That's ok. I'll post on the blog instead.

Roger and the rest of "Team CJ-West Coast Unit" are making their way to their respective starting lines as we speak. I will be joining them at the end.

Yesterday, we played tourist yet again. We met James, our college buddy from UM, and his beautiful family at the Monterey Aquarium and saw all the exciting wildlife. The evening was spent with a pasta party hosted by our local race chair, Shelley Wilkinson. We got to talk with and meet all the people who are running on our behalf as well as Devon Dabbs, the co-founder of the Children's Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition. CHPCC is our local beneficiary of some of the fundraising completed by TEAM CJ here in California. Based on our early fundraising returns, we were able to present the organization with a check for $500. We hope send more as additional donations trickle in!

More updates coming soon. Stay tuned.

Here In Monterey! (Seaside, Actually)

2011-04-29T20:45:00.018-04:00

Rachel and I arrived in San Francisco, CA very late last night (in the wee hours of the morning, truth be told) and were promptly picked up and carted away by Shelley Wilkinson, our most gracious host, chauffeur, cook, and tour guide (not to mention West Coast Chairperson for TEAM CJ). We wasted no time completely collapsing into bed when we got to her and husband David’s house in Seaside but my body wouldn’t let me sleep past 6:00am Pacific Time (which is 9:00am Eastern) so it was another short night.

I’ll be napping as soon as I get done with this post!

Rachel, Shelley, and I went down to Monterey to check out Cannery Row, scope out wineries in the area, and find lunch. If you find yourself out here, I strongly recommend you stop off at the Pacific Grove Chamber Of Commerce Visitor Center across the street from the Science Museum and have them tell you stuff. They love to do that kind of thing and will give you awesome coupons to use at area establishments; like free appetizers at local restaurants, discounts for whale watching (might use that Monday), and maps. (I LOVE MAPS!!!) They also have a statue of John Steinbeck and Rachel couldn't help flirting with one of her favorite authors!

We used said coupons at a place on the bay called Fish Hopper Seafood & Steaks and had a VERY yummy lunch that included clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl (almost can’t come out here and NOT get that at least once), calamari, and artichoke heart. Rachel had fish, the name of which I can’t remotely remember (I had never heard of it before but it was good!).

We ate outside on a deck overlooking the bay and watched the waves come in and out and various birds do the same.

Then we headed around the bay to get a look at the “beaches” and snap some pics of the water smashing against the rocks but we didn’t stay out long as it is unseasonably cool with a brisk wind that made it a bit uncomfortable to be out for too long. What was amazing was what looked like this pink creeping flox (although I think Shelley said it wasn’t flox) covering a good portion of the hills up from the water. The blanket of pink wrapped all around the southern point of the bay and was striking to say the least.

Rachel was strongly reminded of the day we were in Daytona Beach after Charlotte’s Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World and CJ was sitting in a chair on the balcony all day, just enjoying the peace of the water. We asked her if she wanted to come in several times but she was comfy and we let her sit.

I agreed with Rachel and that photo is my Facebook profile pic again for a while.

Next was the short trek to the Fitness Expo to pick up race packet, shirt, and bus pass for the marathon on Sunday. It’s a smaller race overall (if you can call 13,000 participants small!) which translated to a much faster check-in experience. Strange but I was actually wanting more of “The Gauntlet.”

On an aside, here's a video of some of what we're in for.

Tomorrow we will join up with James Staudte and family for a day of Aquarium exploring and carbo-loading later at Shelley’s house. Some of the staff of the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition will be coming over to the pasta-party and we’ll be presenting them with a check for 25% of the funds we’ve raised so far. Donations are still coming in and we’re so grateful to everyone who has helped.

Speaking of that, time for another bit of a family story:

“Yulisabel (Yuli) is a 3 year old with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). She routinely needs rides to treatment (a considerable distance) as her father works and is the main driver and supporter for the family. She has a 4 year old brother and they live with 3 other families in a house on the outskirts of town. They share one bedroom.

Yuli loves to listen to the radio. Her mother also has music on her phone and she puts it up to her ear and this young girl is mesmerized. Her mother has recordings of her son singing and Yuli making noises around the house which keeps Yuli happy during the long rides to treatment.”

Yuli’s is one of four local Monterey Bay area families who will benefit from TEAM CJ’s FUN-raising efforts this week. We always like to say that we aren’t finding a cure but we are helping to make an un-bearable situation more bearable. Please don’t forget that YOU are a big part of that “WE.” CJSTUF couldn’t do it without your help.

Wanna help some more? Demand for what we do has increased dramatically this year as word of our mission and success has gotten out. We are already on track to receive double the number of applications we received last year and we would like to fund them if possible. If you’ve donated to any of our events, that’s wonderful and we’re not asking you for more. We ARE asking that you tell your friends and families about us and see if they’ll send us just 4 bucks ($1 for every year of Charlotte’s life) or a multiple thereof: $8, $12, $16, etc… You’d be amazed how it adds up. Here's the link

As usual, Rachel and I can’t thank you enough for helping to keep Charlotte’s legacy alive so we can “take care of the living.”

Love on your little ones like there’s no tomorrow.

I’ll blog atchya later.

Love,
Rog

p.s. Finally: Good luck to all doing the ASK 5K tomorrow morning. Our thoughts are with the Parents of Lois and Abbie as they begin their own marathon

Family Stories

2011-04-26T23:14:00.005-04:00

Here is another one of the families we will be benefiting via the Big Sur International Marathon on Sunday. (SUNDAY!?!?!?)

"Maria is an almost 1 year old that has a gastro-tube and cleft palate. She is the baby of 4 children of a very hard working family. She has 2 sisters and one brother. Their family has just recently moved from a house to a small duplex. Living conditions sometimes can worsen as the toll of long term illness sets in. Not having enough to go around is the norm. This child was taken from the mother at birth and sent to LPCH for 6 months. The mother could only see her child occasionally as the hospital was far away and complicated with transportation difficulties. The mother worked until this child but had to forgo employment to meet the immediate family needs."

We leave for the West Coast tomorrow and I'm bolstered by the uptick in donations coming in this week. Here's my personal FUN-raising page but I don't really care how the donations come in. Don't forget that every $10 donated gets you entered into a drawing for one of 8 photography packages!

I'm convinced that this will be the most draining race I've done, both mentally and physically. Besides Charlotte, who is always with me, I will have a slew of beautiful children and their families on my mind as I gaze at some of the most breathtaking scenery on Earth. I hope the body holds out for one more round.

I've been getting some light physical therapy on my knee to help strengthen it and get me into good habits for recovery after the race. I would be very remiss if I didn't thank Jenn at Performance PT in Mechanicsville, VA for making a noticeable difference in a very short amount of time. She also has been willing to to wade into the murky waters of insurance weirdness to ensure that I get treatment no matter what. Of course, she was highly recommended by Dr. Anna so how else would she be but awesome?

Next post will hopefully be from Sunny California! Thanks again to everyone for helping me to make a difference.

Abbie Catherine Waters

2011-04-23T06:16:00.003-04:00

Supposedly, when you break a bone, the place where it heals becomes stronger than before. I'm trying to figure out if the heart works the same way.

Another of the families we've met along our journey has been burdened with the ultimate sorrow. Abbie Waters, the girl who captured Charlotte's eye in the A.S.K clinic with her flowing purple outfit and beautiful bald head, passed away last night at Children's Hospital of Richmond. Her 9th birthday was this week.

I'm not sure how much warning her parents had but we all learned there were no more options just yesterday. The look in Jeff's and Mary Ann's eyes when I visited was so horribly familiar. I was very thankful that Abbie's room was filled with people who love them. They will need that love and support as they move through their grief.

Please keep them, and the (too many) other families dealing with this awful, crappy, sucks to the "N"th degree disease in your hearts and love on your own families like there's no tomorrow.

As for me, I fell in love with Abbie pretty much the same day Charlotte did. It's very simple: At that one particular moment in the clinic, when Charlotte caught sight of Abbie and would have rather looked at her than whatever Dora or Diego video was cued, Abbie helped make my daughter happy. To me, that was a priceless gift for which I will be forever grateful.

And my heart is broken again.

Here Comes Big Sur!

2011-04-11T06:00:00.006-04:00

Now that the Monument Ave 10K is over and I finished in the mind numbing time of 1:03:58, it is time I focused on the ultimate challenge of the season and that’s the Big Sur International Marathon May 1 near Monterey, California.

As usual, I’m FUN-raising for CJSTUF.org and I have a personal FUN-raising page to gather pledges! Please click here to support me in my endeavors. My goal is to raise $10,000 overall which will make CJSTUF ready for the 2012 year.

The wonderful part is that I’m not alone in this. Some very special people are helping to make it a successful event including Shelley Wilkinson, my very good friend from my college days at the Univ. of Northern Colorado, and the amazing people at the Children’s Hospice & Palliative Care Coallition.

Because of them, we will be using some of the money raised to benefit families right there in the Monterey Peninsula so PLEASE tell any and all friends, family, acquaintances anywhere remotely near the west coast to pledge a few bucks to the cause.

The 26.2 mile course has been modified this year from a one-way, “point-to-point” race starting in Big Sur and finishing in Carmel to an “out-and-back” course beginning “just before the Carmel River Bridge and heading south on Highway One. The Marathoners will start first at 6:45 AM, followed by the 21-Milers. The turnaround is yet to be determined but will be in the vicinity of Rocky Creek Bridge. The 21-Milers will tentatively turn around at Rocky Point Restaurant. On the return trip the Marathoners will take an approximate 1.7 mile detour through Pt. Lobos State Park before returning to Highway One.”

This is due to a 40+ foot section of Highway 1 falling into the ocean making the traditional course impassable. There are many people griping about not being able to run the traditional course but as I’ve never run it, the scenery should still be breathtaking both ways for me.

It’s also convenient for me in that they have extended the maximum finish to 6-1/2 hours. I have the feeling I’ll need every second of that! I will finish triumphantly; in last place but triumphantly!

I expect this will be my last marathon for a while as my knee is still giving me fits but I plan on running smaller races after a little PT and sports rehab.

Thank you all very much for your support. Please remember that Every Day Is A Bonus.

Roger

Girl Scouts Give Back

2011-04-10T22:40:00.000-04:00

CJSTUF would like to give a huge shout-out to Girl Scout Troop 3454. These creative ladies are currently working on their Silver Service Award Project and dedicated the focus of their project to our organization.

Girl Scouts can earn a butterfly badge so they used our symbol as an opportunity to spread the word about CJSTUF. Troop 3454 invited the Brownie and Junior troops from the area to a Butterfly Day. The event included 6 stations. At each station, the girl scouts shared information they had prepared about monarch migration, endangered butterflies, the butterfly life cycle, and instructions on how to create a butterfly garden at home. They included butterfly crafts, planting seedlings, creating butterfly poems, and even butterfly-shaped snacks! The centerpiece of the event was a HUGE pink and purple papier mache butterfly created by the scouts that was decorated by everyone in attendance.

Learning about butterfly habitats

Planting Zinnia seeds

Learning about different butterflies

Monarch Migration Station

Re-enacting the Butterfly Life Cycle

The Papier Mache Butterfly

Looks cool, right? But wait....there's more! To build awareness about CJSTUF's programs, Troop 3454 distributed information about our foundation to the scouts in attendance and asked everyone to bring non-perishable, healthy snacks. The troop will now sew pink and purple lunch/snack bags that they will fill with the healthy snacks and then deliver to our friends on the 7t floor of Children's Hospital of Richmond (MCV) as part of the CJ's Meal Fairies program.

Kudos to these creative, motivated young ladies for their hard work and dedication!

First Annual CJSTUF Butterfly Social

2011-04-06T09:30:00.004-04:00

Wanted: Creative Hosts and Hostesses

Do you like to entertain? Welcome your friends & family to celebrate with dinner, drinks, or refreshments in exchange for a donation to CJ's Thumbs Up Foundation.

Plan to host an event in your home (or any place of your choosing) sometime between May 23 and June 5, 2011. You decide on a theme and your guest list. The options are limitless:

Pizza party
Family Movie night
Memorial Day Barbecue
Fancy Gourmet Dinner
Neighborhood Block Party
Elegant Tea Party

After you pick a date, contact us so that we can provide a host toolkit to help with all your party planning needs. The toolkit includes invitations and reply cards (that can be sent electronically or via paper), CJSTUF fact sheet to share with guests, party ideas, and a step-by-step guide to creating a fabulous Butterfly Social.

For more information, you can visit our website or contact our Event Coordinator.

Announcing Our April Biz of the Month

2011-04-03T09:30:00.001-04:00

Are you looking for an opportunity to work with a fabulous professional photographer for your family pictures?

Eight Richmond-area photographers have donated a 30-minute photo session and 10 digital pictures with unlimited printing rights. During the month of April, every $10 donation will be entered as a chance to win a photo session with a participating photographer.

Special thanks to our participating photographers:

Ashley Glasco Photography
Beth Harris Photography
Dacia Photography
Galhouse Photography
Kristie Bradley Photography
M. Chase Narrative Photography
Marvelous Things Photography
Reflections Photography

To enter the giveaway, make a donation to CJSTUF online between April 4th and April 30th. Cash or check donations will also be accepted at Romp n' Roll-Mechanicsville. Each $10 donation will equal one entry into the raffle. (i.e. a $100 donation = 10 entries)

For more information, check out our Biz of the Month page on our website.

A Donor Profile

2011-03-09T09:00:00.002-05:00

A Donor Profile: The Horn Family

When Charlotte Reynolds passed away in January of 2010, the Horn family knew that they wanted to find a way to give to CJSTUF in honor of her memory. They set an initial goal of giving $500 to the organization; however, they soon found this goal to be very challenging. Every month, they would try to save towards their $500 target but something would interfere: the dog needed to go the vet, the car needed new brakes, other unexpected expenses filled the budget.

The Horn Family: Fred, Lisa, and Abby

Finally, Fred and Lisa realized that the best way to give to the Foundation would be a little at a time. The family committed to $20 from each paycheck, drafted by their bank and sent automatically to CJSTUF after each payday. As Fred says, "In the end, we never missed the $20 out of each paycheck. As the months went by, the donations added up. We continue to give each month and we have now surpassed the original goal that we set for our family's contribution to the Foundation."

Thanks to their generous contributions, the Horn family has already helped to provide at least one Financial Assistance Grant for another family in need. They did this through small regular contributions that add up over time.

With our new online donation page, you can set up a recurring donation of any amount. Donations can be made automatically on a weekly, monthly, or annual basis.

Please consider an ongoing contribution to CJSTUF in your family budget. Help us continue to provide assistance to families in need.

Biz of the Month: 31 Gifts!

2011-03-06T12:31:00.000-05:00

During March, Thirty-One gifts representative Christi Williams is helping support CJSTUF as our Business of the Month.

Follow the link on our website to Christi's Thirty-One page. Place your order any time during March and 15% of the sale will be given to CJSTUF.

Thirty-One offers fun bags, gifts, and accessories for everyone. It's a great place to find the perfect shower gift, Mother's Day present, or even a fun spring bag for yourself!

70 Days and Counting

2011-02-20T18:03:00.004-05:00

The Big Sur International Marathon is 70 days away. Gonna be rough. My knee is still healing and my miles are not increasing like they should be. My "spring" cold-thing and covering for sick employees at Romp n' Roll didn't help either. Well, since I already plan to finish dead last, I have nothing to worry about!

The temps are warming up in the mornings, though, so I'll get out more this week. I also went to see Dr. Anna for an adjustment and some electro-stim on the knee which helped. One funny thing is that I turned the electro-stim up so high that it gave me a blister on my leg. Felt kinda good, though.

The main reason I'm writing is to post a link to a story about the organization with which we've teamed in the Monterey area. The more I learn about the Children's Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition, the more I think we've made a good choice. The article definitely gave me a "moment" while reading in the living room tonight.

This is a group making a difference in families' lives and it's actually saving money in the surreal world of California economics.

On another note, if you're in the Richmond, VA area on Saturday, Feb 26, and you've been longing to get more involved with the Foundation, please come by our house at 9 Slash Ct. in Ashland at 4pm for the big "Volunteer Recruitment Event." There will be refreshments, productive assignments, and a dozen trained monkeys knitting humorous cummerbunds for all.

Ok, one of those things isn't true.

Last but not least, I now have my own FUN-raising page for Monument Ave 10K and Big Sur!!! Please click on the link, laugh at me in a pink skirt, and donate if you'd like.

Enjoy the end of winter and don't forget to hug your babies.

It's a KidsDineFree.net Kind Of Day

2011-02-17T09:43:00.005-05:00

Hi all,
Just like the title says, KidsDineFree.net (our Business Of The Month) is having an online event for CJSTUF today. If you go to their website and buy a KDF card, 40% of the sale will be donated to the Foundation.

Please "Like" them on Facebook if you are able.

Very special thanks to Heather for her generous support.

The planning for the CreatAThon project is progressing. We had a meeting last night at Positive Vibe Cafe and hashed out a few more good ideas. From what I understand, we're the only video based project which is kind of cool!

Gotta get some music composed...

Don't forget to hug your babies.

Dream Repost From Facebook

2011-02-13T22:17:00.002-05:00

(This is for those of you who don't do Facebook. For those who do, this may be a repeat for you.)

Here is a very vivid dream I had last night:

I was in a house that was mine but not one I’ve ever seen in real life, as far as I can tell. I remember bookshelves lining the wall with one end of the room slanting in on both sides to a doorway leading, I guess, to a hallway or something.

I remember seeing, out of the corner of my eye, a girl (presumably Charlotte even though in the dream she had already died) of about two or three years old with blonde curly locks wearing a blindingly white sweater, kind of like a shawl with sleeves, and off-white pants (the things that stick with you).

At first it was just a glimpse I was getting and every time I turned to see if it actually WAS Charlotte, she would disappear. This went on intermittently for quite a while (Weeks? Months, maybe?) until slowly, over time, the image/ghost/whatever stayed longer and longer until I could actually look at her directly without her disappearing. It was kind of hard to keep looking at her for any length of time because that sweater was REALLY bright; glowing almost.

She was always standing with her back to me, facing the bookshelves, as if she were looking for something to read (typical Charlotte). Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to be finding what she wanted. I was finally able to sit down on the floor next to her and get a good look at her. Once I saw her face, I could tell it was definitely Charlotte’s ghost.

There was no trace of any sickness but she wasn’t happy. I tried to help her pick a book but nothing was right. I finally asked her what she wanted (up to this point I hadn’t actually tried to talk to her). I don’t remember her saying it but I knew she wanted a “beach bucket.” The typical-looking pink one I brought to her wasn’t the right one (don’t ask me where I got it, I have no idea).

“I want the little green half-bucket with the froggie on it.” She said, speaking out loud for the first time. Again, in reality, I don’t ever remember her having one like that but in the dream it had existed. I had to tell her it had been given away to another child like most of her toys.

She was a little bit sad about that although she seemed to accept it and it brought her away from the bookshelf where, I now realized, her toys used to be. She moved over to a table on the other side of the room and got under it, still looking unsatisfied with how things were working out.

Finally I asked her, “Why are you here?” She said she wanted to see us again, before...

And then, I’m not sure how, I knew that she had been reborn somewhere else in the world. It was in a third world or developing country (somewhere in Asia, I think) and the child was in a coma. The problem was that before she took her place as the new child, she had to finish whatever it was she needed to finish with us. Then the new baby would be able to go on with its journey.

As silly as it may sound, I think finding out what happened to that little green half-bucket with the froggie on it was the excuse she needed to come see us one last time.

I guess it was what she needed because she was suddenly gone and that was the end of the dream.

I don’t, for a minute, believe that this is true at all but it’s a good story and it made me think of her all day today; hence my “purple-y” mood on Facebook. I even wore purple all day.

So hug your babies, and think purple-y thoughts!

Supporting a family when a child dies

2011-02-12T18:43:00.000-05:00

Roger and I attended a beautiful memorial reception today for another brave cancer warrior. Little Lois lost the battle with Leukemia. She was a little over three years of age.

I realized that this was the first memorial that I attended for another child since Charlotte died last year. The event was positive, bright, filled with children, and filled with smiles. I hope that it was all Lois's family wanted it to be.

At times like this, I am reminded of how difficult it can be to support those who are grieving. When a child dies, there are many who are caught in the wake of loss. It is hard to know what to say, how to say it, or whether to say anything at all.

Are there rules? Well, yes and no. Since each person grieves in their own way, I am not sure if there is always a right or wrong answer to some questions. That being said, my experience has caused me to realize that there are some phrases that jar a grieving parent like fingernails on a chalkboard. If you are supporting someone who is grieving, here's some food for thought:

Ban the phrase "at least" from your vocabulary. In the midst of acute grief, there is no bright side to things. This is a time to allow the family their sadness. At least she didn't suffer or At least you have other children or At least you can still have children. NOT HELPFUL. At the moment, life sucks. in fact, it's going to suck for a while. It's ok to acknowledge it.

Be cautious in your use of religious metaphors or talk of heaven. This is probably very individual, but please remember that not everyone shares the same beliefs in life, death, heaven, or an afterlife. Some parents take serious offense to the idea of their child as "an angel in heaven" because that is not how they imagine them to be after death. Further, the phrase know that she is in a better place is particularly bothersome. In my mind, there is no better place for Charlotte to be than with me. Here on Earth. It is not necessarily comforting (even if I believe in heaven and the afterlife) to think that she is somewhere else. In fact, sometimes the use of that phrase is extremely painful to the person who is grieving.

Don't ask about their plans (or lack thereof) to have more children. If this information is not offered by the parent directly, it's not up for discussion. You may wonder how they feel but for most parents, it's a difficult and possibly painful topic. This is true whether the child's loss was one week ago or three years ago. Know that if you ask this question, you are treading on dangerous ground.

Sometimes there are no words. We struggle in these situations to find the right words but sometimes, there is nothing to say. There are no answers. We don't know the reasons why. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just sit with, cry with, laugh with, or hug the grieving person. It's ok if you don't have all the answers. You can be a friend just by letting them know that you are there.

Remember that grief has no timetable. Everyone grieves on their own schedule. There is no designated time when a person will be over it. Grief ebbs and flows. It tends to fade over time. Some people get stuck and may need some additional support to approach a sense of "normal" but be careful not to project your feelings or expectations on another person's process grieving a loss.

The last thing I will say is that the most important factor in the process a grieving family endures is the support the community can offer them. I think often of the phrase, "Our thoughts and prayers are with you." If I had a nickel for every time I heard that phrase or saw it written in a card or email, I could finance a new wing of the hospital. Individually, the phrase carried no weight. It was just something to fill the void when no other words seemed right. On the other hand, when I would read comments on our blog or Facebook pages or look at the piles and piles of cards that had been sent from all over the world, I felt the impact of that phrase. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Can you imagine? There were hundreds...no, thousands,...of individuals thinking of us, sending positive vibes, and praying for us. It created an energy force that was strong and comforting at the same time. It was like a huge, soft blanket on which we could break the freefall that had become our lives. And for that I continue to be grateful.

More information on our Biz of the Month for February

2011-02-07T19:06:00.000-05:00

During the month of February, KidsDineFree is helping support CJSTUF.

Buy a KidsDineFree card on their website on the following dates:

Wednesday, February 9th

Thursday, February 17th

Monday, February 28th
40% of the card sales will be given to CJSTUF

OR you can visit the Johnny Rockets in Chesterfield on Saturday, February 19th to buy your card in person.

When you have a KidsDineFree card, your child eats for FREE at hundreds of restaurants every time you dine (not just on special "kids eat free" days). Cards are available for Richmond, Williamsburg, Northern Virginia, and South Florida.

Stay tuned to our Facebook page and the Biz of the Month Page on our website for more information on special KidsDineFree events during February.

PS: Did you receive our February Newsletter? If not, go to our website and sign up for our email newsletter list! (or check your spam filters)

How We Help: A Family Profile

2011-02-06T16:39:00.001-05:00

Sickle cell disease is a life threatening genetic disorder that causes chronic pain, delayed growth, ulcers, jaundice, and other medical issues. Ongoing treatments are necessary and can range from dialysis, blood transfusions, medical management through steroids and pain medications, and (when possible) bone marrow transplants. While symptoms and treatment can vary across patients, it is a disease that requires lifelong management and frequent medical care.

The Price Family knows the reality of Sickle Cell disease only too well. Thirteen year old Nile (one of a set of triplets) has battled the disease since birth. Last year, Nile was fortunate to receive a bone marrow transplant that has cured his sickle cell disease and placed him in remission; however, he still faces chronic health challenges on a daily basis. His four-year-old sister Olivia also has the disease.

The Price family has struggled to balance their days between hospital visits and a "normal" life. They have faced the emotional, physical, and financial challenges that this disease brings to every family it impacts. Thanks to CJSTUF, the family was able to receive two Financial Assistance Grants in 2010: one for Nile and one for Olivia. The funds helped the family with their ongoing medical and household expenses.

The Price family helps us recognize that Every Day is a Bonus.

As we move into 2011, our focus as a charitable foundation is shifting from building the foundations of an organization to ongoing sustainability. To continue our mission, we need your help. CJSTUF has a goal to raise $50,000 in individual and corporate gifts during 2011. Every contribution is valuable. If you believe in the mission of CJSTUF, please visit our website and pledge your support through our NEW donation page. You can make a one-time donation or pledge an ongoing contribution in any amount.

PS: Did you receive our February Newsletter? If not, go to our website and sign up for our email newsletter list! (or check your spam filters)

So much for the quiet winter!

2011-02-02T17:16:00.004-05:00

So this will only be a very short post because we want to get some time sensitive info out there.

Mark your calendars because KidsDineFree.net will be partnering with CJ's Thumb's Up Foundation on February 5. Please visit River City Diner located at 803 East Parham Road on February 5 from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. Present you KDF card and you'll receive a FREE milkshake. Don't have a KDF card, no worries, you can buy one at River City Diner that day. Plus 40% of the proceeds from KDF will be given to CJSTUF!

There are also many other events in the pipeline now and things are a-heatin' up! Literally, it's like 90 degrees out there. Ok, maybe 68 but it's still really warm comparatively.

The Worst Day Of My Life, Parts 1 & 2

2011-01-16T17:11:00.009-05:00

Roger here...I apologize ahead of time for this dark post but it's where I am right now.

We've been using this blog mostly as a way to update everyone about CJSTUF activities and events and Rachel has started her personal blog which has been a great creative outlet for her. It's very well written and I highly recommend it.

Be that as it may, I will still be using this blog for my own occasional ramblings. And boy! do I need to ramble for a bit.

So about that title...What do YOU think would be the worst day of my life? The day Charlotte died? Believe it or not, no. Although it really does suck overall, we were already mourning her even before Nurse Cathy from Noah's Children let us know she had officially gone. Every day she held on at the end was almost torturous for us. We were ready for her to be free of the cocoon. So no, January 7th, 2010, while still being very bad, wasn't the worst.

Was it the day we found out there wasn't anything else we could do? That all treatment options had been exhausted? That day was horrible too but, again, we pretty much knew what Dr. Tye was going to tell us. We had seen the signs and just knew. What I can't believe was that I actually tried to teach at Romp n' Roll that day. Not one of my smarter decisions. I can only chalk it up to being in an altered state of consciousness due to stress and sleep deprivation. I don't even remember what that date was and I don't really care to remember. Rachel could tell you, I'm sure.

Well, (and I don't think this is brand new information to most) The Worst Day Of My Life, Part 1 was Tuesday, January 20, 2009; the day Charlotte was diagnosed. I remember almost everything about that day even to the hot dogs we had at the gas station convenience store by the pediatrician's office. (The counter we ate at is gone now, by the way. I was sad when I realized that.)

It was short lived, though, as two days later, we had to let go of our baby girl and give her away to the pediatric neurosurgery team at MCV Hospital so they could try to "take the headache out of [her] head." Another thing I've already said multiple times is that watching them wheel her down the hall away from us and into surgery was the absolute hardest thing I've ever done and just thinking about it makes me "leak" (as Rachel likes to call it).

THAT was The Worst Day Of My Life Part 2 and through the surgeries, the chemo, the radiation, the traveling, the sleeplessness, the uncertainty, the stress, the anger, the sheer terror, and even through having to deal with the realization that there was nothing else we could do for our Charlotte, Thursday, January 22, 2009 remains the worst day of my life. Which is coming up soon enough which is why it's on my mind.

Which makes January, my birth month no less, a month that could disappear any time. Maybe since they adjusted the Zodiac signs (even adding one, I guess), they might suddenly realize they didn't need January so much.

But who am I kidding? January ain't goin' anywhere and I guess I have to have a birthday sometime. Might as well be January. Stay tuned for more on that...

The past couple months have been pretty tough for both of us, I'll admit it. Everyone's rule-of-thumb is that the first year is the hardest. God, I hope so.

We've spoken before about the odd things that will blindside us and the latest thing for me has been how I won't be able to teach Charlotte how to search for her own answers to really big questions. Like, "Why is Huckleberry Finn banned?" and "Why are people mean to each other?" I won't be doing that now. It was one of the things I was most looking forward to doing with her.

Yet with all the moping and "leaking," there have been instances of "amazingness" (yes I said "amazingness").

Like how our lives seem to be re-coalescing into something similar to something called a "normal" life. It's not there yet but it's on its way.

Another very touching surprise was a note I received from a friend who had just attended the JEN (Jazz Education Network) National Conference in New Orleans. She described how Julia Dollison and several other vocalist friends performed in a project called Vertical Voices (Julia and her husband, Kerry Marsh, are the ones who arranged, wrote lyrics to, and recorded their version of Keith Jarrett's Radiance Part 8 which appears on CJSTUF.org.)

Well, here's a bit of the note we received:

"...the reason I wanted to write, besides letting you know you were missed, was to share with you that Julia's group Vertical Voices performed with Jen Shelton Barnes, Kerry and Greg Jasperse. Julia dedicated Sky Blue to You and Charlotte before they sang it and it was achingly beautiful. Totally transcendent and gorgeous. Just wanted you to know that you are thought of and loved, as is Ms. Charlotte remembered and cherished."

I read that as I was cleaning up Romp n' Roll To Go at a local daycare and I pretty much lost it right there. I'm glad the kids had left to go on a field trip. Another broken record message that keeps coming back is how many totally cool people we are privileged to know. Thank you Julia and Kerry (all at the JEN Conference this year).

What added to that effect was something that happened earlier during RnR2Go. one of the girls whose family knows our story interrupted my opening spiel to say, "My mommy told me that Charlotte died." I'm used to that and I love talking about Charlotte so I said, "Yes she did and that's why wear this pink bracelet to show how much I love her." Just then, a boy who is also an RnR regular said, with an intense sincerity that just floored me, "I love her too."

Talk about "amazingness."

So I was something of a mess for a while after getting that note.

More stuff going on:

We hired a real honest-to-goodness employee at CJSTUF! That's actually very exciting to us. You've already met her but I also want to welcome Michelle Alford. We're hoping for great things from her.

We've started the ball rolling for TEAM CJ in the Monument Ave 10K so if you want to run, walk, or cheer, come on down! The intent and pledge forms are here and we're going to try for the Hirschler Fleischer Spirit Award again this year. Please come be a part of it.

I've started training for the Big Sur International Marathon in May, It will be the first official out-of-state FUN-raiser for CJSTUF. If anyone is interested in participating out on the left-coast, let us know. Thanks to Shelley Wilkinson for helping to organize details out there. Besides a straight benefit to CJSTUF, we also hope to leave a portion of funds raised right in the Monterey area.

Wow! As usual, this is really long.

I leave you with the hope that many of you can come out to The Station Cafe in Ashland to help me celebrate my "splangle" (45th) birthday on Jan 29th. As with most of our life these days, what isn't dedicated to Romp n' Roll gets focused on CJSTUF.org so there will actually be an admission fee! I guess we have to call it a "suggested donation" or something to satisfy the lawyers or whoever. $5 will get you coffee/tea and there will be cake by Mo Cakes! YUM!

Last thought (my new mantra): "Conquer your fear and you're done."

Miss you, Monkey Butt

Two Thumbs Up

2011-01-13T18:46:00.000-05:00

First, a heartfelt thanks to our friends who supported us in honoring the anniversary of Charlotte's death. Our day of remembrance was full of friends and comfort. We had about a dozen (or so) who stopped by to help us release some balloons (and attached messages) to the sky. Noah's Children, an organization that continues to support us in so many ways, brought a chocolate cake. Hot chocolate was enjoyed by all.

And it snowed.

Some of you may remember that it snowed the night that Charlotte died as well. The snow on Friday was reminiscent of the light dusting we had received the previous year on the same day. It seemed a poetic ending to a bittersweet day.

The events that followed in the next 24 hours in Tucson have continued to rock our world this week. Our thoughts have been with the families of those who were injured or killed during the tragic shooting. Most especially, we have thought a great deal about Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her family. I have found myself leaking quite a bit this week. Maybe even more so than last week. It just hits very close to home.

It is hard to believe that almost two years ago, we faced our own encounter with neurosurgery. The brain is a delicate, complex, and amazing organ. I have thought many times this week about Charlotte's first surgery on 1/22/09. The doctors explained all of the risks as we learned about the dangers of inflammation and infection that followed any type of brain surgery. We were warned that while the neurosurgeon would do his very best to repair that which needed fixing while preserving that which needed to remain, it was a complicated process and there were a lot of unknowns. After all, it is brain surgery. We were warned to expect slow recovery, paralysis, permanent weaknes, blood loss, and, of course, the risk of death.

When Charlotte emerged from her surgery, one of the first things she did was give Dr. Tye the thumbs-up. After everything we had been told, we knew this was a good sign. This image became an enduring symbol of Charlotte's strength and courage. It led us to the inspiration that became CJ's Thumbs Up Foundation.

Needless to say, it warmed our hearts and gave us hope when we heard the promising news that came over the airwaves Monday that Rep. Giffords had also given her thumbs-up. We know that she has a long road ahead of her in terms of recovery. We also know the incredible strength that comes from surviving something of this magnitude.

Every day, there are families who fight these battles. Whether they face chronic illness, terminal disease, or a tragic accident, we know that the road for some is a long journey and an incredible battle. As Roger likes to say, go hug your babies a little tighter tonight. Never forget that Every Day is a Bonus.

Today We Remember

2011-01-06T22:17:00.000-05:00

Today we honor the memory of an amazing little girl. She loved books, chocolate milk, penguins, and Frosty the Snowman. Her favorite colors were pink and purple. She touched many lives with her amazing spirit.

Her legacy lives on through our foundation.

If you were privileged to know Charlotte, we encourage you to remember her in your own way on January 7th. Wear pink or purple (or both). Share a "Charlotte story" with a friend. Release a balloon, sing Frosty the Snowman, or drink some hot chocolate in her honor.

For those who are interested, her Memorial Service is still available for view on our website.

Here we share a beautiful song written and performed by our friends Kerry Marsh and Julia Dollison that was inspired by Charlotte.

She is gone but she will never be forgotten.

Charlotte Jennie Reynolds

7/9/2005-1/7/2010

Radiance from Julia Dollison on Vimeo.

January News

2011-01-05T15:11:00.000-05:00

January is off to a great start.

There are so many exciting things to report!

First, we are excited to announce the recent hire of Michelle Alford as our new Foundation Administrator and Event Coordinator.

Michelle will be working with us to plan fundraising events and campaigns as well as assist in recruitment and organization of volunteers. If you have signed up to help us as a volunteer, you may hear from her soon!

Next, our Business of the Month for January is The Station Cafe. Located at 113 Railroad Avenue in Downtown Ashland, The Station Cafe is donating 10% of sales in January to CJSTUF if you mention our organization when you place your order. The restaurant is open Monday-Friday 7 AM-3 PM and Saturday 9 AM-5 PM. Their menu features coffee drinks, gourmet hot dogs, ice cream, and other family-friendly fare.

PLUS we will be celebrating Roger's birthday at the Cafe on Saturday January 29th from 6-8 PM. Admission will be $5 and the event will feature cake, ice cream, and a music jam (bring your axe!).

Finally, we need your VOTE!

We are in the running for another grant that will help fund the CJ's Meal Fairies program. Please go to the Kindermusik website and search for our grant (CJ's Meal Fairies). Voting is active from January 5th-February 9th. Each individual can vote up to 10 times per day. Please spread the word to all your friends!

This is how we help

2011-01-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

A note we received from a recipient of one of our Financial Assistance Grants:

"As I sit by S.'s bed preparing for another round of MRIs at [the] hospital...the same knots appear and churn in my belly. I'll never get used to this even though we've done this countless times just to check the size and shapes of the tumors throughout her body. But then I think of you and your Charlotte and realize that "EVERY DAY TRULY IS A BONUS". Thank you for taking your pain and turning it into something positive. Thank you for giving out of your tremendous loss. Thank you for reminding me to never give up and to do all I can with [my daughter]. Thank you for CJ's Thumbs Up Foundation and your Gift of Love."

Thank YOU to our supporters who helps us carry out our mission as we move into year two!

Rest and Remembrance

2010-12-30T16:14:00.000-05:00

Roger and I have had some opportunity for rest and relaxation over the last few days. For those of you who don't know, we retreated to the VA foothills (Charlottesville area) for some time at a B&B. It was nice to have not much of an agenda and to truly rest and regroup. We got to visit a few wineries in the area and re-stocked for the year. I must say that I love living in Virginia!

As many of you know, the anniversary of Charlotte's death is January 7th. We have decided that we would like to mark the day with an informal moment of remembrance. This will not be anything fancy or super-structured. Sunset is at 5:07 PM and given that Roger and I both need to work earlier in the day, we will be holding "the moment" at 4:30 PM in front of the Butterfly Bush (at our house). The plan is to release a few pink and purple balloons, sing a song or two, and maybe share some memories.

Anyone who would like to attend is welcome. We have an official invitation on our Facebook site. Maybe we'll have some hot chocolate afterwards. Contact us if you have any questions.

If you do not live close by or cannot attend and want to hold your own Moment of Remembrance, we encourage you to do whatever you feel is right. If you release a balloon, please use natural twine if possible (it's more eco-friendly).

Onward to 2011

2010-12-19T09:14:00.000-05:00

Sorry that the blog has been kind of quiet lately. There have been a couple of reasons for this. Although we haven't had any official Foundation events to promote, I am happy to report that since our last post we have received some very generous year-end donations. Thank you for helping us keep our mission alive.

Another very exciting announcement is that CJSTUF is hiring its very first paid employee. In assessing our goals and needs, the board determined that the best way to accomplish our aims was to have a part-time Foundation Administrator and Event Coordinator who can help us accomplish this. In a perfect world, it would be great if Roger and I could fill this role but our other professional obligations are keeping us otherwise occupied at the moment. Anyway, we received a LARGE number of applications and have narrowed the field to a few select candidates. We hope to have a decision by the end of the year. We're very excited about this so stay tuned!

Finally, in case you haven't heard through the grapevine, Rachel has started her very own personal blog. She's aiming for it to be an equal mix of social commentary, personal musings, and cultural discoveries. If you want to follow some of her "non-foundation-related" writing, check it out.

We hope everyone is staying warm during what is definitely WINTER weather. If you have a chance to make a snowman, take a picture for us and email it or post it to our Facebook page. Here are some of our favorites from 2009:

Winding down the year

2010-11-28T15:14:00.001-05:00

So much has happened in the last two weeks! Roger ran the Richmond Marathon. Thanks to many of your last minute donations (as well as a wonderful anonymous matching gift), we reached the $10,000 fundraising goal. As promised, Roger ran the 26.2 miles in his hot pink running skirt. He finished the race in somewhere between 5 and 6 hours (depending on whether you go by the "chip time" or the "official time") and after a few days of recovery, he was fit as a fiddle (or at least no worse for wear).

Thanks again to Rachel Pustilnik of Stroller Strides and the Mother Runners fitness group for providing training and moral support during this last year. Special thanks to Dr. Anna of Atlee Chiropractic for the regular adjustments that keep Roger's joints limber!

Roger's next marathon will be the Big Sur race in California in May. If anyone is interested in running this race (or the many smaller races associated with the event), please contact Roger so we can build a Race Team.

One week after the marathon, Ashland was abuzz with Citations for CJ. This event helped us raise over $650 for the Foundation. Special thanks to everyone that helped make this event a success, including:

Kellan Morris tries to get bailed out!

Ashland Police Chief Doug Goodman
Celebrity Judges Faye Prichard and Mark Joy
Chick-Fil-A Virginia Center
Susan Greenbaum
Alpha Phi Omega chapter at Randolph-Macon College
Henry Clay Elementary School
Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter at Randolph-Macon College
Ashland resident Dan McCaffrey gets cited for "failure to trim beard"

Roger and Celebrity Judge Mark Joy give the "thumbs up"

Board Member Meredith Hayes gets a "sobriety check"

We finish off the year with another distribution of Financial Assistance Grants. We received over 17 applications for this round and we were able to award 12 grants for a total of $6000. The remaining applications will be held "in place" until our next distribution period in 2011. For more information about the good work we have been able to do thanks to your generous donations, please check out our Annual Report.

On the personal front, Roger and I have been inundated by all kinds of emotions over the last few weeks. Any of you who have experienced a personal loss know that the holidays can be a difficult time. We are flooded with memories of holidays of the past and sad that we cannot share this year's holidays with our dear Charlotte. In all honesty, it is difficult to have a Happy Holiday. Last year at this time, we were preparing for our amazing Make-A-Wish trip to Florida and I think often of those days. We are grateful for the support and space that our friends and family continue to provide for us at this time. Though the year is coming to a close, there is still much to do at work and that will keep us busy and (somewhat) distracted. In addition, we plan to take a few days after Christmas for some personal "retreat" time. I am definitely looking forward to that.

Thank you for joining us on this journey.

Thank you for helping CJSTUF become a reality.

Thank you for helping us give back to the community that gave us so much in 2009.

Chicago Part II

2010-11-18T20:46:00.014-05:00

Saturday was a day of rest and trying to make sure I got as much healing time in for my feet as possible. I was kind of nervous about how they were going to feel the next day and not running the race was most definitely NOT an option so I had to baby them.

Mike and Rebecca Connelly took us to a matinee of the revival/revamped version of the musical Candide in the Goodman Theater downtown. The music was written by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by a bunch of guys, “and re-envisioned” by Mary Zimmerman.

Supposedly it was made simpler to follow. It was quite odd as it was. Not sure if I want to see the harder-to-follow version.

But let me say one thing…It was phenomenal! Everything from the singing to the orchestra to the strangely perspective-skewed set was top notch and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. (High praise coming from a quartet of musical snobs!)

After the show, we dodged the two and a half trillion kids going to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live and headed off to an Italian restaurant for some serious carbo-loading. I had no trouble downing a basket of bread and a big ole plate of pasta.

Then it was back to the “flat” for an early night of tossing and turning. I get rather nervous before a race and sometimes I don’t sleep so well. I sure am thankful that we were staying so close to everything because, for a 7:30 start time, we didn’t have to leave our place until after 6:30.

Rachel and I walked up toward Grant Park and since we were getting there relatively close to the start time, we were greeted by quite the mass of humanity. We got a picture of ourselves taken, we stood around for a bit, and then Rachel headed off toward the first meeting point and to hook up with the Connellys.

Before I committed myself to the race by joining with the crowd, I got to talk to a running celebrity. It was the guy who juggles while running. I have forgotten his name and I can’t find it online but here’s a pic: The first time I ever saw him was in my first ever marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon up in DC. I actually got to talk to him this time and he seemed pretty cool.

The start line of the Chicago Marathon is in the north end of Grant Park and runners are herded north on Columbus through the tunnel. It took me almost a half hour to get to the start line but that’s ok. I got to talk to several people as we moseyed forward.

I also got another try at proving my theory of races: The farther back you start, the fewer people pass you.” (I came up with that. It’s copyrighted. Don’t steal it!)

As I waited in the crowd, I met a guy named Jaimie who was running his first marathon ever. He was pretty excited as were his relatives who were hanging with him until the throng started moving. One of his relatives had a big odd and ugly Mylar vampire balloon. He said his wife originally tried to get him to run with it so that they could find him in the crowd. Fortunately he was able to talk her out of that idea and the family members ended up taking it with them so that HE could see THEM and veer toward the balloon if he needed something.

Then there was the quartet of college boys all running the race for the first time together as a sort of defacto team. It was cool to witness that camaraderie.

I also ran into a couple of women, both of whom were running their first marathon. As we reassured each other, I told them, “Just think. After you finish this race, and you WILL finish, you’ll be a marathoner forever!”

We finally made it to the official start line and I remember thinking, “No turning back now!” which is kind of silly but I guess I needed the mental lockdown at the beginning.

Talking to other runners and being nosey about what they do and all that is probably my favorite part of running races. It all comes from a documentary I saw several years ago about a guy who ran the Boston Marathon and filmed his conversations with people as he went. I thought that was the coolest thing and decided to talk to people like that when I ran.

The next guy I met was Chris (I think). He was running his first race of any kind EVER! Crazy dude. He was a Physical Therapy student at a nearby college and really didn’t have a plan for the race. I tried to warn him about the “walls” and told him to wave when he passed me later on in the race. As slow as I went, I never saw him after he stopped for water and I kept going.

Susan was the next person I met and she was a marathon vet. She was trying to do all the high-profile marathons like Los Angeles, Chicago, NY and all that. Her husband was usually the support crew (her version of Rachel) but he decided to run this one (much slower than her) so she was on her own. Her next race was supposed to be London and then Berlin. Not a bad existence.

One of the nicest persons I met along the way (beside the “joggler”) was Bob Spielberger. He works downtown, has run the Chicago Marathon for 12 years, and was planning on going back to his office to do some paperwork after finishing the marathon. As I ran with him, he pointed out historic buildings and made sure I knew where Rod Blogojevitch’s office was located!

We separated at another water stop and I kept going.

I saw Rachel, Punkin’, and Mike here and there along the way but I guess they saw me a couple of times, including the halfway point, when I didn’t see them. They seemed to get around very well and in the end they calculated that they had walked over 7 miles following me around.

I was very amazed at how quickly the miles seemed to be melting away. Before I knew it, I was at 18 miles! I almost let myself believe that this would be the race I finish without walking very much. Famous last words…

Right around mile 18 there was an Accel Gel point where packets of the nutrient replenishing goo were being distributed. I went ahead and took one and by doing so violated the first rule of running. “Don’t do something new during a race that you’ve never done before.” I hadn’t ever had Accel Gel before but I was feeling the need to get something in my belly. Bad idea because within a mile I was getting a very nervous stomach and that was the beginning of the end for Mr. Roger.

I had to walk an awful lot after that but found myself surrounded by many, many others in the same boat. As it warmed up, and it ended up in the 80’s, there were more and more people dropping out and needing attention by the side of the road. Fortunately, the marathon officials learned their lesson from a few years ago and had plenty of medical personnel along the route to assist runners in need.

One very cool thing was the neighborhoods through which we ran/walked. We went through Chinatown, Little Italy, Little Mexico, there were little patches of Koreans and other ethnicities that were all out cheering on the runners. We passed Elvis, a fortune cookie factory…There was even a mariachi band that I’ll bet was out playing for most of the day. More power to ‘em.

As we came up to the last few miles, my brain started getting a little “altered.” I started thinking about Charlotte and why I was there and started getting pretty emotional as we turned north on Michigan Ave. for the last three or so miles.

What kept me from losing it was the annoyingly loud music that blasted from huge speakers located about every tenth of a mile along Michigan. I also saw the “joggler” guy and we moseyed together for a little bit until we turned the corner to head up the hill before turning into Grant Park and the last tenth or so. I guess The support crew was there cheering me on at the end but I never saw or heard them. I did finish running but it wasn’t very pretty.

The best part of the entire run was the free beer they gave out at the end. MAN! Was that tasty! And they gave everyone TWO of them! One at the finish line and one at a special booth at the “Runners’ Park.” I also got a quick massage there from two therapists and started looking for Rachel and the Connellys.

I actually had to walk back past the finish line to the forest-of-metal-guys piece of art to meet up with them. Mike actually had to leave to relieve grandma who was watching their son so it was just the girls waiting for me.

On the way back, I wanted to stop for ice cream and we popped into a shopcalled the Marble Slab Creamery that was right on the way. The owner saw me and a couple of other runners and gave us all free ice cream! What a great way to end the day.

The next day was Monday and after one last visit with Rebecca and the very verbal rug rat, we headed home with little fanfare. It was interesting to see the number of people wearing their metals as they walked through the airport.

Let me just say this about Chicago: For all the corruption that everyone keeps talking about, everything works. The marathon was very well organized and run and as we were walking back, they already had the streets pretty much cleaned. I was very impressed.

One of the street sweepers was painted up with White Sox logos and the one right behind it had Cubs colors.

Next post…Richmond!

My Turn To Post

2010-11-12T06:50:00.002-05:00

I haven’t posted on the blog in quite some time. Rachel’s been doing most of it lately and she has done a fine job of keeping everyone updated and all the announcements flowing.

My offering today will be more of the personal type. Much of it will be repeat information so I apologize for that.

Let’s start with Chicago. I know, it seems a little past its freshness date to talk about our trip to Chicago but I’ve been meaning to for a bit and I finally sat myself down to do it.

Traveling up to and back from Chicago was pretty much uneventful except for the silly things they make everyone do at the security checkpoints. Not sure if that will change any time soon. I personally don’t see how me taking my belt off will help thwart a would-be terrorist, especially when a nut with explosives in his underwear got through anyway.

When we got to the Windy City on Thursday, we had no trouble navigating the “L” from Midway Airport to downtown. We stopped at a great little restaurant called the 11 City Diner where I had a most amazing turkey burger.

After lunch, we went walking around the Grant Park area while we waited to meet our hostess, Susan. She met us near the Congress hotel and walked us down to her very cool condo, which was located just a couple blocks south of the park. It was less than a mile from the finish line of the Chicago Marathon, which was why we were there in the first place and which ended up being very convenient on Sunday.

One of the side bonuses of being in Chicago was the fact that our very good friends, the Connelly’s, live nearby. Rebecca (a.k.a. “Punkin”) is probably Rachel’s best friend from the University of Miami (and Sigma Alpha Iota) and they’ve stayed relatively close over the years. Her husband, Mike, is a fellow Sinfonian from UM and has probably one of the way coolest jobs on the planet: Composing music for gaming machines using actual elements of the original soundtracks of movies as well as much of his own creative effluvia.

They also have an amazing son who put me squarely back on my “read-to-your-children” soapbox. He’s smart, communicative, and can THINK and I give most of the credit to the fact that his parents have been reading to him since birth.

So read to your children no matter how old they are or whether or not they SEEM to be getting anything out of it. They are.

It was great, and very therapeutic, to spend so much quality time with them while we were there. We ate several meals with them, hung out at their house a good deal, and they accompanied Rachel as marathon support crew on Sunday.

On Friday morning, Rachel and I walked the mile or so down to the marathon expo to pick up my race packet and “run the gauntlet” of vendors who always set up between the front door and the packet pick-up area so that you have to get through all that before you can get your bib, t-shirt, etc…

I actually don’t mind it as there’s always interesting stuff to see and people to meet. We found several non-profit booths and talked to people from Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Open Heart Magic, and Running Skirts (who donated the pink skirt I wore when the Mother Runners raised $1000 for the Double Marathon Challenge)

You also always end up with a bag o’ accumulated crap that includes the official program, extra course maps, cowbells and kazoos, posters, food samples (some of which were quite good), fliers from every marathon on the planet, and a foot shaped refrigerator magnet from a local podiatrist (I sure needed him by the end of this day).

After the expo, we walked the mile back to Susan’s place to drop off the bag o’ accumulated crap and set off on the plan for the rest of the day, which was to walk up through Grant Park, see The Bean (the big shiny silver art piece on the north end), and we weren’t sure what else.

There was a ton of last minute setting up going on where the start and finish lines would be in the park and a large part of it was inaccessible but we did get up to The Bean, saw the “Spitting Fountains,” and found ourselves surrounded by lots of country music fans. Didn’t know that there were that many in Chicago but the Country Music Festival was going on up there and they had come out in droves! (Probably a lot of the “urban cowboy” types.)

I had worn my “Bald Chicks Rock” shirt (sent to me by the New Mexico contingent) with the picture of CJ on the back and I loved all the looks I got. One guy out in front of a store trying to get people excited about whatever they were selling saw my shirt and started whooping it up saying, “That’s right! Bald Chicks Rock! Yeah!” until we passed him and he saw Charlotte’s picture on the back. He realized what it meant and we could hear an, “oh…” It was like someone hit him with a shovel or something.

Actually we didn’t mind rocking his world a bit. Maybe it will stay in his mind a bit and next time he sees a commercial about one organization or another, he’ll consider it a bit more deeply.

I don’t go out to ruin people’s days but I love spreading the word. At another point, a woman walked by us as we ate a snack and noticed my shirt. She actually came back after passing us with her friend asking about what it means. She then proceeded to whip off her own wig and let her beautiful baldness shine. Literally! It was quite the moment.

We then made our way down to the Navy Pier where we walked by the tour boats and makeshift haunted houses. I actually wasn't all that impressed with it but I'm sure it's a rockin' place in the summer.

By the time we headed back, my feet were starting to hurt and I was thinking, "Uh-oh!" Just what I needed to do, injure myself two days before the race.

We ended the day by eating dinner at an Irish pub and restaurant nearly across the street from where we were staying. It was quite the full day.

There’s more to talk about and the Richmond Marathon is TOMORROW!!! (Yikes) But I don’t want to completely overwhelm everyone. There will be more, later. Fair warning.

Peace Train...Crazy Train...Love Train

2010-11-03T09:54:00.000-04:00

So we made it to November. Oh my goodness. There is SO much to share and talk about with CJSTUF I don't know where to begin. I think I will just direct you to the website. Your attention please to the following announcements:

First and foremost: VOTE! Yes, Election Day was yesterday but CJSTUF has applied for a Pespi Refresh grant. We are hoping for $50K to help us get the CJ's Meal Fairies program off and running. We need EVERYONE's help. Voting can happen through Facebook, the Pepsi Refresh website, or text 103934 to PEPSI (73774). Most importantly, you need to vote EVERY DAY. We are currently ranked 352 and we need to crack the top 10 to win. Tell all your friends. Links to the site are on our website.
Did you get an email from us recently? If not, sign up for your email newsletter here. If you don't follow us on Facebook or Twitter, it's another great way to know about all the things we are doing. We will try not to harass you with spammy emails but we hope this will be another way to keep everyone up to date and informed.
Start your holiday shopping with our jewelry auction. Twenty-one original pieces created by Sarah Blankenship of Crystal Paintbrush on ebay. Just search for CJSTUF to find the pieces. 100% of the proceeds will benefit our organization and eBay credits our listing and final fees so it's a great way to support our organization. Each piece was inspired by Charlotte and many feature pink and purple Swarovski crystal butterflies.
Wanna see a DUDE run the Richmond Marathon in a skirt? If we raise $3000 before November 12th Roger will don the pink skirt and wear it as he runs all 26.2 miles! The goal is $10,000 total. We can do it!
Citations for CJ is coming November 20th. This is an easy way to support our organization. The Alpha Phi Omega chapter at Randolph Macon is building our jail and our celebrity judges are getting ready to hand out their "verdicts". Come on out for a fun morning and donate from the comfort of your own car. Tell your friends!
Finally, our Biz of the Month is our corporate sponsor, Jade Enterprises. This family business specializes in web design, web hosting, data management, and many other business applications. Jade Enterprises is donating 25% of all contracts signed during the month of November to CJSTUF. If you run your own business and are looking for a great way to improve your web performance and visibility in the marketplace, please give them a call.

Now that the business is out of the way, let's talk. It's been a crazy year. As we approach the end of 2010, it seems that my emotions are ramped up as well. November 6th was the day last year when we learned that there was nothing else we could do. That was the day that we had to accept what we had seen coming down the pike for about 5 months: the treatment was not working. We prepared to say goodbye to our girl. I miss her so much. I know that many of you do too. I look at her pictures every day and I just think: DAMN.

I don't understand why she is gone and I don't think it's fair in any way. I am so grateful for the time I spent with her, especially the last 10 weeks of her life. We were so blessed with the generosity of friends, family, and strangers who moved mountains to bring us amazing experiences: pro football games and field trips to the aquarium; meetings with Giant Pandas; horseback rides in our cul de sac; spa days at the salon; the most amazing Disney World vacation that a kid could ever have (slight aside: have you seen the new Disney commercials where they show the home movies of the kids who get all excited when they hear they are going to Disney World? It makes me cry every time.); days sitting by the ocean; days spent reading and singing; days when her firsts were often also her lasts.

Some of you know that I took the opportunity this past weekend to go to the Rally to Restore Sanity (and/or Fear) in Washington, DC. It was a fun event with tons of people. My aunt and I were squarely in the middle of the craziness and we were fortunate to fix ourselves in front of a jumbotron so while we couldn't see the stage directly, we got a great view of the event. Great music, funny sketches, and a throng of people to watch. If you've seen the show on TV, you know that there was a bit where Jon Stewart brought out Yusuf Islam (AKA Cat Stevens) to sing Peace Train. Not to be outdone by "hippy music", Colbert brings out Ozzy Osbourne for a rendition of Crazy Train and a musical mashup ensues. Finally, the compromise is to bring out the O' Jays for a unifying version of Love Train. It was a creative skit. It also seems like a somehow apt metaphor for my life right now.

We feel so supported and comforted by our friends and family. That Love Train is pushing us down the road, allowing us to give back through CJSTUF and to support others in their individual journeys. At the same time, no matter how much love we feel, I'm still rockin' and rollin' on the Crazy Train. Each day the stress in my life continues and every stressor is like a freight car adding to the length of the train. It weighs down each aspect of my daily responsibilities and threatens to derail at the slightest hiccup. Sometimes it takes three engines just to make the train run on the track. There are times when I feel the Peace Train coming. I have moments when I sense its presence and I hope that someday it will be the guiding force in my life. Someday I hope to leave those freight cars at the depot or abandon them in the railyard. Then my engine will run smoother, faster....more peacefully. For now, the Crazy Train seems to rule the roost.

Anyway, thanks for all the love and support. The holiday season is going to be rough this year. We've already acknowledged it and sometimes that's half the battle. The more you do to support our cause, the more we are able to feel at peace with what is, in all honesty, a crappy situation for everyone involved.

Peace!

3 weeks till the Richmond Marathon!

2010-10-24T17:13:00.000-04:00

Can we raise $3319 in three weeks?

The Double Marathon Challenge continues. If our supporters can raise a total of $10,000 by November 13th, Roger will run the Richmond Marathon in his PINK running skirt. (ooh la la!). We know that our supportive network can help make this happen!

Two other major events are coming soon. Get ready to start your holiday shopping because we have some beautiful, original pieces of jewelry inspired by CJSTUF and created by Sarah Blankenship of Crystal Paintbrush. These pieces will be auctioned on eBay and 100% of the proceeds will go to CJSTUF. The auction is scheduled to run from November 1-15th. We will post more details on the website and the blog when the auction is LIVE. If you missed the announcement in our last blog post, you can view some of the necklaces here. Here's a preview of a few more pieces:

Finally, we are starting to plan for the 2nd annual Thumbs Up Ball! Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 12th. This event was our first official CJSTUF fundraiser and a tremendous success this year thanks to the Mechanicsville Moms (Cool Spring Chapter). This year, the baton has been passed to CJSTUF and Alyssa Johansen has stepped up as our Events Chair. She is currently seeking volunteers who are willing to help with gathering sponsors and planning the event. If you are interested in helping with this project, contact her directly at alyssajohansen@hotmail.com.

That's all the major news to report. Please continue to keep up with our Facebook and website updates.

A long overdue update

2010-10-17T21:39:00.002-04:00

So as many of you knew, Roger survived the Chicago Marathon. Official finish time was 5 hours and 55 minutes. Roger would like to thank our chiropractor (and CJSTUF board member) Dr. Anna Madland of Atlee Chiropractic for her diligent care before the race and Rachel Pustilnik of Stroller Strides for her exceptional training. It was a warm day with temperatures reaching above 80 degrees by the end of the race so all things considered, he did a fantastic job! His recovery has been exceptional as well. I don't think I've ever seen him in such great condition 24 hours after a long race.

Now on to Richmond....

The typical recommended recovery between one marathon and another is 6 weeks but Roger is going to run ANOTHER marathon in Richmond on November 13th. That's just a month away. His goal for the Double Marathon Challenge is to raise $10,000. Our current fundraising update is that we have collected about $6400. The University of Miami fans are still leading the charge in pledge donations; however, Roger has raised a new challenge. If Virginia Tech fans manage to raise more money than UM fans before November 13th, Roger will still run the Richmond Marathon in Hokie gear. If we reach our $10,000 goal, regardless of pledges, Roger will run in the PINK running skirt! Yes, folks. You heard it right here. If you want to see Roger run in a skirt, we have about a month to gain $3600 more in donations. You can send donations directly to PO Box 854, Ashland, VA 23005 or donate directly on our website via PayPal.

Speaking of PayPal, I am excited to report that we are now able to accept all forms of payment for orders of T-shirts and window clings. Just go to our CJSTUF store and place your order directly. What are you waiting for? Christmas and Hanukkah are right around the corner!

October is quickly waning but mark your calendars for some very important November events:

Local jewelry artist Sarah Blankenship of Crystal Paintbrush has created a limited edition set of jewelry exclusively for CJSTUF. We will be auctioning these pieces on eBay from November 1-November 15th. 100% of the proceeds will go to CJSTUF. There will be necklaces, earrings, pins, and bracelets. There will be about 20 pieces in total. All pieces will be one of a kind, hand crafted with semi-precious beads and stones, freshwater pearls, and swarovski crystal butterflies. Here's a preview:

Word has it that Richmond Magazine will be running a feature on Sarah's jewelry and the charity auction so we are excited for the publicity!

Our other major November event is set for Saturday November 20th. Come out to the parking lot at Henry Clay Elementary School from 9 AM-12 PM for Citations for CJ. Here's your chance to get a "moving violation" for a great cause. All you have to do is drive through the parking lot, select your "fine" (ranging from $5-25). Ashland's Chief of Police will cite you accordingly and then our celebrity judges (Ashland's Mayor Faye Pritchard and the Sheehy Ford judge "Mark Down" (AKA Mark Joy) will collect your fines. We will also have opportunities for you to get thrown in "jail", getting friends and family to bail you out. All for a good cause! Mark you calendars, tell your friends, and get ready to get Ex-Cited for CJ!

I think Roger will share his own post-marathon update so I will end it here. Thanks for the continued support. I can't believe 2010 is almost coming to a close. This has been a great inaugural year for CJSTUF.

Marathon Update-CHICAGO!

2010-10-09T09:19:00.000-04:00

Hello friends! We apologize for not updating earlier. Not only have we been busy but we haven’t been near a regular wi-fi connection so this blog post is a little late in coming. BUT HERE IT IS!

First of all, a fundraising update: the Double Marathon Challenge has raised over $300 in the last few days. Way to go and much thanks for the donations. We still have some donations coming in from Chicago folks and we will give you an update by Monday (hopefully) with totals.

Our trip to Chicago was very stress-free. Our good friend Carolyn offered us a ride to the airport even though we had to leave our house at 4:30 AM. It was so nice to have a chauffer that early in the morning (not to mention not having to leave one of our cars in the park n’ go lot). Both flights were smooth and easy. Once we got to Chicago, we hopped on the L train and made our way downtown to find our hostess.

Carolyn also hooked us up with a friend of hers who lives right down on Michigan Avenue. She is our hostess for the weekend. Her loft is just down the block from the 25 mile mark and Grant Park where the race begins and ends. Perfect!

The rest of Thursday was spent resting and settling in. Mid-afternoon, we journeyed out to the ‘burbs on commuter rail to see our college friends, Mike and Rebecca. We had a great dinner with them and were more than entertained by their almost 18-month old son who is chattering like a parrot these days.

Friday was a WALKING day. We walked to the Convention Center (probably about a mile or so from our place) to get the race packet and “walk the gauntlet” (as Roger likes to say) with all the vendors hocking their wares. We got lots of yummy food samples, pulled in lots of swag and met a few other charitable organizations that are fundraising through races. It was great to get in touch with these people and swap stories, business cards, and ideas. You never know where a contact like that may go.

Roger wore his new BALD CHICKS ROCK shirt that came from the New Mexico cancer walk earlier this month. His sister Becky designed the shirts and they look great! Roger got lots of interesting comments and inquiries about the shirt throughout the day. You can't tell in this picture, but the back of the shirt has one of Charlotte's pics in her 'bald chicks' shirt along with the CJSTUF logo on the back. We saw one woman in Grant Park that commented on his shirt. When she saw it, she pulled off her own wig and showed off her bald head! She is not a cancer survivor but has alopecia.

After our trip to the convention center, we played tourist for the afternoon, walking through Grant and Millennium Park and then down Michigan Avenue and out to Navy Pier. By the time dinner time rolled around, we had walked at least 6 miles (whew!) so we headed back towards our lodgings via bus and L train and ended up at an Irish Pub across the street from our loft for dinner.

I must have been exhausted because not long after returning to the loft and changing our clothes, I was ASLEEP!

So today we begin the final countdown for the Marathon. We have been invited to a matinee performance of Candide and then a carb-loading dinner for Roger with our friends. Tomorrow will begin bright and early. The race starts at 7:30 AM (Central Time); however, Roger’s corral will probably cross the start line at about 8 AM or so. If you text and want to receive text updates of Roger’s progress, you can go to http://www.chicagomarathon.com/ and click on runner tracking. Enter Roger’s bib number (26761) and updates on his progress will be sent to your cell phone. I will try to keep facebook updated as well.

He is hoping to finish in about 5 hours.

Change of seasons

2010-09-26T11:02:00.000-04:00

We woke this morning to the sound of raindrops against the window. I haven't heard a better sound in WEEKS. Here in Richmond, we have gone almost a month without any significant rainfall and with the regional water restrictions, we have had to water CJ's Butterfly Bush sparingly. This has been a great year for the butterfly garden. Our yard was visited by many butterflies and bumblebees. I have seen butterflies everywhere this summer. I know some of that is just the power of suggestion. It's like when you buy a new car and all of a sudden you see how many people on the road drive the same, exact car. They were always there. You just didn't notice.

Now I cherish those butterfly visits. A few weeks ago, I was working the front desk at Romp n' Roll and a small monarch flew right up to the front door, perched on the glass for a few minutes, and gently opened and closed her wings. She stayed there for what seemed like a long time and then flew away again. It's moments like those that are gentle reminders of CJ's presence in our lives.

How many butterflies have you seen this summer?

Now that fall is upon us, we are preparing for the change that is to come. Roger and I both spent some time in the yard yesterday, chopping wood for the winter wood pile and clearing out the window boxes and pots on the back deck. You can definitely feel the change that is coming in the air.

On that note, let me share some news and announcements to bring you up to speed on all the CJSTUF...stuff.

This week is your last opportunity to get a copy of childrens book Richmond Rocks at Romp n' Roll-Mechanicsville. The autographed hardback books are $15.70 (tax included) and 30% of the proceeds will go back to CJSTUF. We can accept cash, check, or credit cards for the books at Romp n' Roll.

With October right around the corner, we have another Business of the Month to feature:

Madison Fairburn of M. Chase Photography is hosting family photo sessions on October 16th at Pole Green Park to benefit CJSTUF. This is a perfect opportunity to schedule your family portraits for upcoming holiday pictures. If that date doesn't work for you or you want a different setting for your portraits, contact her and schedule CJ's Storybook Package any time between October and March. 25% of the proceeds will benefit our organization.

Doris Hassell of Arbonne skin care will also be a featured business for October. We will give you more details about opportunities to give back to CJSTUF through Arbonne soon.

The Double Marathon Challenge continues! Roger has been running quite a bit lately. His weekly totals are around 35-40 miles at this point. Two weeks from today, he will be running the Chicago Marathon. Six weeks from yesterday, he will be running the Richmond Marathon. For anyone curious about our pledge totals, you can visit our Double Marathon page. If anyone has been collecting pledges for the UM or VT teams, please begin to turn them in to us. The University of Miami fans (or non-Hokie fans?) have been leading the charge almost 2:1. We have received a little over $5000 in pledges and Roger's goal is $10,000 by the November 13th Richmond Marathon.

Coming Soon in November:
First, we will be holding an online auction for about 20 unique jewelry pieces that have been created exclusively for CJSTUF by Crystal Paintbrush artist Sarah Blankenship. The collection will include necklaces, earrings, pins, and bracelets that have been designed with pink, purple, and white semiprecious stones and beads. The butterfly is a prominent theme in many of the pieces. We are planning for the online auction to take place on eBay during the first two weeks in November. On that note, we are now registered through eBay Giving Works. If you are selling items on eBay and want to give a portion of your proceeds to our organization, it's easy through this program. Simply follow the links to set up your sale. A portion of the proceeds from the sale (whatever you decide) will automatically be donated to us and you will receive a listing credit for your item.

Mark your calendars for Saturday November 20th. From 9 AM-12 PM, the Henry Clay Elementary school parking lot in Ashland will be the site of Citations for CJ. This will be a fun, easy way to give back to our organization and we are hoping to attract some publicity for the Foundation with this unique event. More information to come soon.

There always seems to be more news to report. Thanks for continuing to follow our blog and website as well as our many musings on Facebook.

I don't feel old...or do I?

2010-09-12T17:47:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy week. I celebrated my 35th birthday yesterday. I'm not sure if I feel my age. I mean, what does 35 feel like? I guess it depends on the day. Most days I don't feel like that is an old number. Then I look at everything that's happened to me in the last year...5 years...10 years. Wow!

We just hired a few a new staff member at Romp n' Roll. She was born the year I went to college! It's only when I hear things along those lines that I feel old. Anyway, it was a good birthday. As low key as I would like with well-wishes from many friends and family. As with any holiday this year, though, something was missing. A pretty big something. I suppose that is the most difficult thing about life these days. No matter how good things get, you remember that something (or someone) isn't there to share the experience.

Earlier this week, Roger went down to the James Center where ASK launched the Kourageous Kids exhibit, showing all the courageous cancer warriors who are being served through the clinic this year. The theme this year was "Hats Off for Kourageous Kids" and we donated one of CJ's hats to the cause. Another reminder that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Also, it's not too late to register for the ReeseStrong 5K this Saturday, 9/18, in Mechanicsville. Roger will be running in his Team CJ pink and purple. Feel free to join him!

Richmond Rocks books are selling at Romp n' Roll-Mechanicsville all month to benefit CJSTUF. Books are $14.95+ tax and 30% of the proceeds will benefit our organization. This is an adorable children's book written and illustrated by local Richmonders. Not only does it support CJSTUF but it also supports local small businesses! You can pay for the books with checks, cash, or credit card so get your autographed copy today!

We received some more donations this week towards Roger's Double Marathon challenge. So far, the vast majority of the donations are going towards the University of Miami Hurricanes side of things. Are there any Hokies out there that want to see Roger run in a turkey suit? If they are, they've been vewy vewy quiet! The challenge continues till November 13th so let's see if we can meet the 10K fundraising goal!

Busy week ahead with Board meetings for the foundation. By the way, if you haven't noticed yet, you can now access this blog directly through our website. We've added a tab at the top of the page and the blog will feed there every time we update it. Thanks to all our supporters who continue to follow us on Facebook and through this blog.

September is Childhood Cancer Month...and we're busy!

2010-09-06T12:43:00.000-04:00

If you didn't know already, September is Childhood Cancer Month. A few facts:

Childhood cancers are the #1 disease killer of children.
The National Cancer Institute’s federal budget=$4.6 billion. Pediatric cancers received less than 3% of it.
Overall, one out of every five children diagnosed with cancer dies. In some forms of cancer, as few as one out of every five children will live..
The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented. In contrast, adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and other exposure to cancer-causing agents.
Nationally, childhood cancer is 20 times more prevalent than pediatric AIDS yet pediatric AIDS receives four times the funding that childhood cancer receives.
On the average, 12,500 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year.
In the U.S., about 46 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every single school day.

What can you do to help?

Wear a gold ribbon to support childhood cancer. Let's make Gold the new Pink!
Attend fundraising and awareness events in your area. There is a Cookies for Kids Cancer fundraiser in Carytown and one in Short Pump next Saturday (September 11th).
Contact your Senator or Congressperson and advocate in support of more research funding for pediatric cancer. Visit the Advocacy section of our website for more information.
Support our friends at ReeseStrong by registering for their 5K race (and one mile kids run) on September 18th. Proceeds will benefit Aileen Jones, a local girl fighting cancer.

CJSTUF is gearing up for its second distribution of Financial Assistance Grants. Our next deadline is November 1st. If you know of a family that has a child with a life-threatening, chronic illness that requires frequent hospitalizations, direct them to the application on our website. The application process is short and simple. We will give away another $5000 to 10 deserving families on December 1st. Help spread the word.

As usual, the calendar is full of CJSTUF events and opportunities so LISTEN UP! We don't want you to miss out on anything.

Business of the Month: As many of you head back to school, our September business of the month is Kate Hall and her children's book Richmond Rocks. This fun book designed for kids ages 4-8 years of age is full of photos and illustrations of some of the fabulous landmarks in the Richmond, VA area. Kate is donating 30% of sales to CJSTUF during the month of September and we will have autographed copies of the book at Romp n' Roll-Mechanicsville. The books sell for $15.70 (tax included).

For more information about our Business of the Month or to get a sneak peek at our October businesses, go to our website for more details.

Word on the street is that the Hokies are playing some football today.

Word on the street is that the 'Canes fans are TROUNCING the Hokies fans in the Double Marathon Challenge.

Roger is almost halfway to his $10K goal and the 'Canes fans (or non-Hokies fans) are leading the Hokies almost 2:1. How can you help? Download a PLEDGE FORM and take it to your next Game Watch party. Make sure your pledges indicate VT or UM and submit pledges back to us as soon as possible so we can keep a running tally of the results.

Speaking of which: does anybody have access to a turkey costume? It would need to be something Roger could run in (we're thinking a headdress, fantail feathers for the "tail" and maybe something for the arms?). Roger certainly doesn't want to run in VT colors but we want to be prepared all the same!

Finally: This may be last minute notice for some but we are having a small work party at our house tomorrow (Tuesday, 9/6) at 7 PM. We will be assembling CJSTUF Swag Bags and making cards for families staying at the Houston Ronald McDonald House. Bring your crafty creativity, come one, come all. Email Rachel or Roger if you have questions or need directions.

CJ's Thumbs Up Foundation

The Thumbs Up Ball

Share your memories with us

How Cool is That?

My Big Year-End

Remembering CJ

It's been a good day

Time for the annual posting of the "Disney Letter."

The Challenge is On!

"One G*# D*&#ed Chocolate Chip Cookie"

As the year winds down

November Events

On Sale Now!

California Pizza Kitchen: This Thursday!

The Amazing Raise Starts Today!

My Favorite Part of the CJSTUF Art Auction

Early results are in!

September Biz of the Month: An easy way to help CJSTUF

Carnival Cancelled due to Irene

Carnival Update!

September Biz of the Month: Mark Your Calendars

Remodeling and Renovation

CJs Thumbs Up Foundation (CJSTUF)

August Business of the Month

Check out our new look!

Sacred Places and Bourbon

July 9, 2011

Six Ways to Honor Charlotte

Got Pets?

Butterfly Social Recap

What Day Is It Again?

Go Team CJ!

Here In Monterey! (Seaside, Actually)

Family Stories

Abbie Catherine Waters

Here Comes Big Sur!

Girl Scouts Give Back

First Annual CJSTUF Butterfly Social

Announcing Our April Biz of the Month

A Donor Profile

Biz of the Month: 31 Gifts!

70 Days and Counting

It's a KidsDineFree.net Kind Of Day

Dream Repost From Facebook

Supporting a family when a child dies

More information on our Biz of the Month for February

How We Help: A Family Profile

So much for the quiet winter!

The Worst Day Of My Life, Parts 1 & 2

Two Thumbs Up

Today We Remember

January News

This is how we help

Rest and Remembrance

Onward to 2011

Winding down the year

Chicago Part II

My Turn To Post

Peace Train...Crazy Train...Love Train

3 weeks till the Richmond Marathon!

A long overdue update

Marathon Update-CHICAGO!

Change of seasons

I don't feel old...or do I?

September is Childhood Cancer Month...and we're busy!

"One G# D&#ed Chocolate Chip Cookie"