Strides For Sylvie 2010 thanks

Michael and I can't even begin to thank everyone for making Strides For Sylvie 2010 a tremendous success. Last year, we had spent 75 percent of our time with Sylvie in HUMC while our friends rallied to launch the inaugural event. Michael and I would take breaks from the hospital to do our training runs at the Duck Pond and would make it back in time to shower in Sylvie's hospital room bathroom before dinner. We were so overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and so thrilled that Sylvie made a guest appearance at Strides For Sylvie 2009.

This year, we were much more involved ourselves but in light of circumstances, it was also very hard for us personally to do a lot of the outreach. You can't imagine how hard it is, six months later, walking into Sylvie's favorite stores downtown. For the concert last winter, I did all the flyering myself and just couldn't handle the constant breaking down and sobbing whether it was at Rita's Snips for Pips, Learning Express, Town & Country or the Bagel Store. I had our au pair go into Greenwich Nails last time because I couldn't bear to tell the sweet women who work there and had been carrying our family's photographs with them and lighting candles in church. My friend Michelle went into Morning Glory (aka the Hello Kitty store) and told Chris, the owner, who began sobbing so loudly that all the customers left.

Which brings me to Strides For Sylvie 2010. Whereas 2009 celebrated our friends and family rallying to support our precious little daughter, 2010 really extended to the community and beyond in Sylvie's memory. We're proud to live here so creating an exciting tricky tray raffle featuring local businesses was very important to us. Knowing that so many folks who Sylvie directly loved and cared about were running in the race, raising money for TCF, making generous contributions of their own and donating items is heart warming to Michael & me. We had over 100 runners wearing Strides For Sylvie shirts (and a few Have Our Backs For Cancer folks writing her name directly on their backs) and are still tallying the monies raised but it well exceeds last year's $15,000. Michael ran the 10K and looked like he was going to have a heat stroke. My dad ran the 5K and looked like he could have run the course twice! I was so touched by our friends who cut their long weekends short to support us and friends who drove near and far. I regret not being able to meet the family who had a lemonade stand that benefited SFS but I hope they know how much their efforts mean to us. New Jersey Masters has been so generous and supportive in allowing us to be present at the event and I hope that we help create a new energy and generation of runners for years to come.

Without the help of our friends Sara Beinstein, Ann Chase, Catherine Roberto Karas and Caroline Oddy, you would not have seen flyers downtown or the abundance of gift baskets.

Sponsors who underwrote the cost of the t-shirts and also made generous donations to TCF include UNFI, Angello's, Bee-Ceuticals, Bionature, Commodities Natural Market, Galaxy Foods, Ecobags, Misra & Associates, Nature's Path, Whole Child Center, Louise Phillips Forbes/ the Halstead Group. Ed Linder at Ed LInder & Associates had to deal with crazy me on printing the t-shirts and I have to say, he did a great job and they're awesome! I hope you will support their businesses and healthy living values. We wouldn't have t-shirts if my friend Gail had not designed the logo in the first place.

We were overwhelmed by contributions of tricky tray raffle items from The Dance Bag, Elite Gymnastics, Ethos Spa, It's Greek to Me, Maggie Moo's, Learning Express, Natalie's, Parisi's Fitness, Pizza Fusion, Super Cellars, Rita's Snips for Pips, Tons of Toys, Town & Country, Winberie's and Tomorrows Children's Fund. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Without the generosity of Tina at the UPS Store, we would have actually had to pay for our printing services.

Shree Yoga, where Michael and I practice, held a concurrent event, Asanas For Sylvie where they too raised money for TCF. My friend Stacie brought photographs of Sylvie to the tranquil studio although I wish they could have seen Sylvie do her own downward dog or tree pose.

If you were at the tent or if you have kids who attend Montessori Learning Center, then you know that nearly all of Sylvie's preschool teachers ran in the race. Miss Amanda raised a lot of money on behalf of the school and completed the 10K. They are creating with Tomorrows Children's Fund a super hero and princess treasure chest filled with brand new costumes for the ped onc kids. They also made a gigantic poster featuring pictures of Sylvie at school with her friends which you may have seen at the race. Ironically, when I used to look at the pictures and see Sylvie cavorting with Sophia, Alexandra, Viraj, Hannah & Nazla, naturally I imagined them all growing up together. I would save every one of her friends holiday & Valentine's Day cards, too, because I imagined doing something silly, nostalgic and potentially embarrassing with them for their high school graduation. So looking at the poster or just thinking about it right now makes me weep. It's only been six months but I'm sure at some point our friends may think we are officially mad when we are still talking about our three and half year old and their kids have are all turning... four, six, ten, fifteen years old but I just can't imagine every feeling any different. Our lives stopped at three and a half. If you've ever heard that time heals all wounds, well it doesn't.

For now, our hearts go out to all the other parents and children who are fighting pediatric cancers. They are extraordinary. Super heros and princesses every single day. If our efforts in Strides For Sylvie and as Sylvie's parents raise awareness & funds, contribute to some joyful moments, help families cope and save lives, then we have all done our jobs.

Thank you again.

Love, Audra & Michael