why do you do what you do?

(Note: I try to make sure my spelling is on point, but grammatically... lets just say I type to fast to focus on that! sorry if it bugs you, friends!!)


Hey friends!!

So, I haven't mentioned this on here, but I am part of Dance Marathon at BGSU and it is only 10 days away! I have been working with 17 other morale captains this whole year to be a small part of creating miracles in children's lives. It is such a wonderful experience and I have meet some amazing people through it. There is absolutely no way I would have meet these people and built a deep relationship like I have with them if it wasn't for this experience. But, I am so very grateful for those relationships and also for the opportunity to make a small impact. (alright, hold up... what is this Dance Marathon... well check it out real quick.... www.helpmakemiracles.org/participant/maddisonlsbrown

This past Sunday a few of us morale captains went to visit St. Vincent's Mercy Children's Hospital in Toledo. This is where the money that we raise goes to. The visit was absolutely life changing. I knew why I was doing this, and why I have put every single thing I have into this cause this past year, but it clicked even deeper. Our group had the wonderful opportunity to go to the NICU where the babies were. oh. my. gosh. They were just adorable. These babies were all prematurely born, so they were the tiniest babies I had EVER seen. There was talk about babies who had come through and were addicts. This could be to drugs or alcohol. That hit me... hard. It was so incredibly sad to think about these babies who are already having problems because they don;t have enough fat to keep them warm, or they have another problem from being born so early. But, there was hope. The hope was found in the nurses eyes. The same nurses who thanked us, over and over again. They kept telling us how much of an impact we make. I believed it. I am so incredibly thankful to be apart of it.

Last night was our dmx (morale captain meeting) and we got to do some work that we really aren't used to, and it was nice. We got to help out Dancer Relations and just hangout sing, dance and have some fun together. Yet, I felt empty when I left. exhausted. Even being among these awesome people and having a good time, I left sad, angry.

alright Maddy... that's enough. You don't have the right to be angry, sad. That's what I kept thinking all night. And you know what, I don't, because this organization and the commitment I have made is not about me. It is about these kids that I saw in the hospital and those I didn't. It is about the kids who fight every single day for their lives. It is for the kids how wake up in the hospital, praying that they don't have a fever so they get to play in the toy room for hours upon end. I do this because these kids need hope!

When you look at it that way, who cares what I have done, it doesn't matter. Hard work builds character, and so does getting let down. So, I picked myself up by the boot straps and I am ready to continue my hard work FOR THE KIDS! Will you join me in thinking and praying for these kids, the Dance Marathon steering, executive members, core committees who only have 10 short days before the event? I appreciate your support friends and I appreciate YOU in my life!

In Love,
Maddy

P.S. if you want to get involved with dance marathon visit www.helpmakemiracles.org and sign up... if you would like to financially support me visit my page! http://www.helpmakemiracles.org/participant/maddisonbrown