My Speech from the May 10, 2014 Golf tournament:
If you follow our website or have attended any of our functions in the past then you know our foundation has 3 goals. All of which are to help families with children battling cancer or a life threatening illness.
Our first goal is to provide gifts that will help make memories, our 2nd goal is to provide monetary donations or financial assistance to families in need. And our 3rd goal has always been to build a room in Gracie’s name at the Ronald McDonald House of Albany.
The 1st 2 are easy to do. We can give money to those requesting and in need and as a board we are able to run our making memories program, but the 3rd one is a bit more challenging. Challenging because we needed to raise money for a room, we needed people to understand why there was a need for more space at Ronald McDonald House and quite honestly we needed the Ronald McDonald House to begin building a new house. We can’t just go around building and adding on rooms at the current RMH!
Luckily for us the RMH also had a plan to expand. They were turning away hundreds of families a year because there were no rooms available. Shortly after Gracie passed the RMH began a campaign to expand the house called “more room for love”, as the RMH is often referred to as “the house that love built” So RMH acquired and began plans to renovate a 3rd house next door to them. This house will hold 10 additional bedrooms and many other features! So when this happened we were thrilled and we immediately let them know we wanted to sponsor or create a room in this expansion in Gracie’s name. They accepted and we needed to raise $25,000 to do this. Because of you- we did!
Today I am happy to announce that this goal, our dream is about to come true! The more room for love campaign is almost completed. And in this completed project will be a bedroom that Amazing Gracie’s Gift sponsored and helped create. This is very special to us in that the RMH was a home away from home for us when Gracie was sick and we will always have a connection with them in our hearts, and now Gracie’s name will live on forever in the house that love built. We know this room, this space will bring many, many families a place to sleep, a place to talk to their loved ones, a place outside of the hospital, but close enough if needed, a place to try and relax, a place that feels like home. This is a place that will provide comfort, hope, love and support for many families with ill children.
We are very happy to announce that because of you, on June 30, 2014 the RMH “more room for love” house will open its doors and our space will be available for families to stay in and we have all of you to thank for it.
We have pictures of construction that has been going on at the house, as well as pictures of our room (thanks to my dad). The room will be decorated in an Adirondack theme and we will provide updated photos when the room is totally completed. I hope you’ll take some time to look at these pictures today. It has been an amazing experience to watch this house come together. In the slideshow you will see lots of construction workers who donate their time whenever they can- they’re amazing. And the staff at the current RMH keeps the house running and families comforted while also responsible for overseeing construction of this new addition. This is a huge responsibility and task and they are doing an amazing job with this.
This is really happening and it really is a dream for Geoff and I to share this with all of you. Because of you this is happening. You all support us, motivate us and give us the drive to keep going and keep helping – Thank you!