ANOTHER ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS

Wow, what another incredible event in the record books. This blog is very much long-awaited on my part but never too late to give thanks and express gratitude. I have such an unbelievable support structure around me along with an incredible community whose support gives me goosebumps a lot of times. Nevertheless, I am beyond grateful for my community, my family, and most definitely my friends who were there at the fifth annual fundraiser, or even others who were even able to make it and are there for me every step of the way. It’s crazy to think that it’s already been six years since my accident and we have already had the fifth annual event that we have been able to share with thousands of people over the years to express and share, our stories of success and how our mission of helping others is being more than exceeded day in and day out. I must start by saying that my group of volunteers that ponies up every year and jumps in to make everything about the night perfect and just the night happen in general is one of the most overwhelming displays of hard work and support that I’ve ever surrounded by my life. The group of 20+ committee members and countless other volunteers from community groups and other groups alike came together and made yet another historical night in BP event history. With over 1200 people in attendance yet again the beautiful Hafif estate brought such a vibrant and emotional feel to the night that I’m hoping it will be remembered by all as one of the best events attended in BP history. Our outstanding silent auction with yet again close to 300 items all donated 100% by community partners in both Claremont and the surrounding cities, brought another dynamic part to our night that only contributed to our success. And during the program with so many great stories that were told by some of our clients that the foundation helps, the wheelchair dance team and so many other exceptional pieces implemented into the program, I’m hoping that we got across to all of our donors and all of you that we truly are making a difference day in and day out in so many people’s lives in the spinal or injury world and even outside of it through inspiration. People oftentimes wonder when they donate to certain foundations whether money is truly going and they want to hear all the success stories because it makes them feel that, let me just tell you 99% of your dollars are going directly back to help SCI patients in the success stories, even beyond the physical part of this injury but merely just living life every day can’t even be described or put in the words on the amount of difference that we are making in all of these families lives. Whether you want to talk about supporting people in exercise therapy programs, adapting cars or homes, buying medical supplies or just being a resource for both knowledge and hope we all are making such an incredible difference that I can see this being a foundation that lasts a lifetime. Now as many of you are probably wondering how well and how successful we wore that night in terms of monetary dollars, it’s safe to say after all that has been accounted for now that yet again we raised over $300,000 that will be helping other people, and that’s all because of each of you who were in attendance or even those who couldn’t make it but were still supportive along the way. I attribute all the success to all of you guys and at times when I am put in the spotlight way too much and recognized for some of these great achievements it is so easy for me to say that this isn’t about me and I did not do this, but merely it’s about all of you and we did this. From the bottom of my heart, I can thank every one of you 1000 times over for making all of my dreams become a reality and eclipsing the $2 million mark that we have raised in just five short years as something astronomical, but I will also tell every one of you that it doesn’t stop there and all my thanks I could ever give you is not enough. We won’t stop and we will all keep pushing forward through all of this and we will continue to change more lives for many years to come. I can’t wait to ride the ride with all of you who are willing to hop in the seat right next to me, but I must warn you, “Hold on, because we are going to go fast”. A quick update for all of you on our new franchise facility of Project Walk in Claremont, I must tell all of you how successful the facility has been over just four short months and how our dollars raised at the event will be helping so many of our clients be able to stay in our program there locally for all of you community members to see with your own eyes. You are more than welcome to come by anytime and see some of the great things that so many of the great things that our SCI friends are doing in their recovery, with the help of you keeping them in therapy. We are just at the end of month number four and already have 35 full-time clients implemented into our program and have five currently on a waiting list ready to go. We have such a great rate of expansion and growth that we are already looking to hire more trainers, and assistants and to possibly expand our facility by the end of the year to potentially offer more services from more trainers, more equipment, and more expertise. This is just another great thing that all of you have contributed to, not necessarily in the sense of bricks and mortar and equipment because that’s not what we’ve raised money for, but merely to help keep people in recovery and at facilities like Project Walk. We had our grand opening the week after the fifth annual fundraiser, where over 300 people attended our open house at Project Walk Claremont, located at the Claremont Club. Where people were able to view the facility and even the entire club’s campus to see all of the great things that the Claremont Club has to offer under its model of care and exercise. My family and I, have felt more than overwhelmed with all of your love and support and well wishes as of late and even over the past six years, and not a bad feeling to be overwhelmed but merely a grateful feeling. I cannot wait to see what the next five events in 6+ years have in store for all of us and I can’t even imagine what both Project Walk and the foundation will grow to in that amount of time, but I can only imagine that if it’s with all of you who have been there for the first six years of my injury then it will be far greater than I will ever expect. Thank you thank you thank you, I cannot say it enough you have all made my dreams come true.. be perfect