A MESSAGE FROM Annie's Fundraising Page
Thank you for your interest in supporting Steel Magnolia Moms. I am running the Chevron Houston Marathon on January 14th in support of this wonderful non-profit that was founded by my younger sister, Elizabeth Elder, to help moms of kids with special needs celebrate the joys and overcome the additional challenges in their journeys.
Two out of three of Elizabeth and James's children were diagnosed with Leigh Syndrome, a rare mitochondrial disease that our families knew nothing about. I can tell you it has been a heartbreaking but beautiful journey. All of us who have been lucky enough to share in the lives of these amazing kids can tell you they are bringing light to a new way of living and loving through Annabelle's spark that ignited Steel Magnolia Moms. I am so very proud of my sister and my nephew and thankful for my niece who taught me during my first SMM marathon training/fundraising...
It's not about distance.
It's not about pace.
It's about living a life,
A life full of grace.
We lost beautiful Anne Bradley "Annabelle" in October of 2021. We continue to share in Blair's infectious joy for all things fun.....music, dancing, joy rides and time with family and friends! Elizabeth and James are adapting to this past year's news that their youngest, Clark, has Type 1 Diabetes. Of course they have a great attitude about it and are especially thankful that, with the advancements of medicine and technology, he WILL live a full and wonderful life! Wouldn't it be amazing if we could say that about all the diagnosis that Steel Magnolia families face? That is one of my brightest dreams!
Funds from this fundraiser will help support Steel Magnolia Moms Happy Campers and Head to Heart programs. They will also help with admin costs, so that they can hopefully build and expand their foundation. They currently have about 2,000 members in Houston and would love to support moms in other communities some day.
This summer, I had the incredible experience of witnessing the indescribable but pure and abundantly radiant joy that special needs campers experience at summer camp. My heart completely melted when Elizabeth told me that some of the kids were sent through the funds this amazing community helped me to raise!! THANK YOU!!
LET'S PLEASE DO IT AGAIN!!!! Donations of $250+ receive 2 tickets to the post-marathon celebratory party on January 21, 2024. There are also great sponsorship opportunities. Please contact me for info. Steel Magnolia Moms is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, so your donation is tax deductible.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
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