The best part of today happened in a split second, the JDRF staff said some nice words about all of the people in the room, gave them credit for being part of the search for a cure and then they named the teams. This is when the moment happened. When our team was announced, “Walk for Arden”, Arden smiled but not just because she heard her name, it was more then that. Arden got to feel today as if she is an active part in helping herself... no helpless feeling today - today she got to feel in control.  So, if you are wondering where your donation goes, I think it goes to all of the things I listed above and then it warms Arden’s heart - which in turn warmed ours. 

If you made a donation, helped with a fundraiser, told someone about this site or just stop by to read what I write... you are supporting so much. So, “thank you!”.

One last quick thing. So many of you make amazing financial gifts to the JDRF through Arden’s walk. In fact we have raised north of 40k in the four years that we’ve been doing this. <applause for you>. This year we invited Alex and his parents, Steve and Maria to come with us to the awards lunch. We wish that you all could be there but this year we had extra tickets and we wanted to try and thank one of you a little extra. Hopefully we will continue to raise enough to be invited to this event and we can make this a tradition. I don’t want o share details as to not embarrass them but sufficed to say, they do way more then they should in support of Arden’s walk and we are grateful.  

Best to all of you in this new year, hope to see you next fall for our fifth walk! Let’s end this with a cool picture of Alex kicking a huge snow ball, shall we??