When it comes to fundraising, or sales, or anything financial really, you always want to see an increase from year to year.  Last year, our Hockey and Hope event with the Milwaukee Admirals yielded approximately $700 for the International WAGR Syndrome Association.  So, what more could we hope for than an increase?

       Unfortunately, it was even more difficult to find attendees for the game than it was last year!  People were going to be out of town, which I hadn't planned on.  I thought spring break would be the perfect time when I picked a date.  I was very disappointed to have to inform Aaron, our Admiral's representative and initiator of this event, that we only had about eight people attending the game, including Jeff, Evie and myself.

       As I should come to expect, however, WAGR/11p Deletion Syndrome never fails to surprise me.  The silent auction donations were incredible!  We had items from the Texas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, and Nashville Predators.   The Wisconsin Badgers Hockey Coach signed and donated 4 items as well.  The silent auction yielded about $1200 this year.  Amazing!

Evie, drops the first puck

       What was even more exciting, however, was to consider the fact that many of the parents who are part of the IWSA were told years ago that they would never meet another person with WAGR/11p Deletion Syndrome.  As we drove home from Milwaukee that night, I teared-up several times with the thought that we had just been on the radio during intermission and on the big screen there in the Bradley Center having a conversation about WAGR/11p Deletion Syndrome.  Wow!  The IWSA started with a few moms who said, "We have to find other people out there!  We know there are more!"  They wanted to reach out to others and say, "Our lives can be filled with joy!  Let's share this joy with one another!"

       And today, our lives ARE filled with joy.  When I read a WINGS newsletter I cry tears of joy over the beauty of our kids, their courage, and our courage as parents that we develop along this journey together.  Jeff and I may feel exhausted after our Hockey and Hope events; but it's an exhilarating and rewarding exhaustion which means we have helped our families around the world by raising funds that will help keep our newsletter going to print, help keep our website up and running, and help other families get to WAGR Weekend so we can all keep that joy moving around the world and through our lives. 

       So, while my mind was fixated on getting bigger results and better numbers as we led up to the event; in the end, it was just the "having" the event that made the most impact.  Any step I take out there to ask others for support can never "fail" the IWSA.  EVERY step we take benefits the IWSA by generating awareness and stirring up enthusiasm.  Keep taking those steps out there, and we will find ourselves on a leisurely walk toward the future; and that future looks brighter every day.

Tammie Hefty