A Word from Log A Load Foundation Chair, Rich Palermo, Fall 2013
LOG A LOAD FOR KIDS® UPDATE 2013
A Word from National Log A Load® Foundation Chair, Rich Palermo
“What It’s All About”
I apologize, in advance, if this is too personal, but, here I go. The work we all do, to inspire others and achieve our Log A Load goals is sometimes a lonely, stress-filled, and personal journey. I want to prove that point wrong, even though it sometimes feels that way! I was proven wrong twice this past August!
The Ninth Annual Softball Tournament here, in Charlottesville, Virginia, was our best yet. We are now just a few thousand dollars short of our goal for sponsoring a Chemotherapy Room at the new University of Virginia Children’s Hospital. Our teams, their supporters, and our many sponsors made this our best Tournament yet. That is what continues to inspire me to keep Log a Load for Kids at the forefront of my energies.
The personal stress for me occurred when we had two inches of rain, after only seven of our twenty games had been completed, and the day was a rain-out, without a rain-out date. Most of the teams stayed put. We continued two hours later, and we completed the Tournament, raising almost $20K. My hats off to those sponsors and teams!!!! This was our most successful Tournament to date!
When it comes to support, let me tell you another story about a true group of supporters and another of the many miracles we all work for.
Just two weeks ago, the Virginia Loggers Association its Annual Meeting. The current VFA president had just been made aware that his daughter had been diagnosed with cancer. As the word of this personal health crisis spread at the annual dinner meeting, VFA Members decided to dedicate all the normal Dinner Meeting donations to that wonderful girl and her fight for life. The hat, as we traditionally call it, was passed, and a few thousand dollars were raised to help a “kid” in her effort to become a “miracle child.”
I can’t help but be even more inspired, in our efforts to help kids! Thank you to all who know the many personal journeys we take to help children. Many are right here in our back-door.
By the time this column appears, CMN’s annual Celebration in Orlando (October 9-11) will have occurred. Let me take this opportunity, as we travel to the end of Log A Load’s 25th Anniversary year, to give you the thanks you deserve for the efforts I know you will have made to make it a huge success.
Thank you for all you do for all those kids and their families!
Best wishes,
Rich Palermo, Chair
Log A Load For Kids Foundation
richpale@earthlink.net