WOW!! What an experience this Miracle Treat Day was! It started off slow, but ended better than I could have ever imagined.
After I got off work, I headed home to quick change and make it over the the Eagan Dairy Queen by 5pm. As I entered the Dairy Queen there only a few people and one family caught my eye. I noticed a young woman wearing a red Miracle Treat Day shirt (meaning she was a Gillette patient) so I went over to their table. To my surprise the woman worked in Corporate Sales for Dairy Queen and her daughter was a patient at Gillette. I spent a lot of time talking with their family about Children's Miracle Network and the Miss America Organization. While talking to this family a familiar face from Gillette popped in to have a Blizzard. Nancy was making her rounds to Dairy Queens around the Metro and Eagan was her last stop.
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| Shannon and I |
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| Madison and Tyson came with their neighbor for Blizzards |
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| Miracle Treat Day in Eagan, MN |
After catching up with Nancy she invited me to join her for some sort of Blizzard party in Highland Park. I had nothing else to do so I tagged along. Walking up to this house I had no idea what to expect, but as I got around to the back yard it was filled. Kids were playing and adults were talking, there was hardly room to walk. It didn't take long for the me to realize what this party was; it was a support system. Barb, whose house I was at, had a son, Julius, who was born with a cleft foot. At the age of seven Julius underwent surgery and now being nine, he is a happy boy who can run and play. Nancy filled me in that Barb and her family have been throwing this party for the last 7 years. They started by just having the community gather in their back yard with a silent auction, food and Blizzard Treats. But it has grown to SO much more, with over 100 people stopping by this evening. The party had expanded this year to their neighbors back yard, there was a silent auction in the house and they even surprised everyone with a flash mob before the Blizzards were brought out. This was the second year they held a kids triathlon, Miracle Treats for Miracle Feet. Both the triathlon and party raise money for Gillette. This year alone, the triathlon raised $4,000 and the proceeds of the party have yet to be tallied. To date they have raised over $17,000! I was so honored to be a guest in their home and told them that I would definitely be back next year!
I have to say I was in the right place at the right time tonight! The connections I made and the stories I heard will stay with on my journey as your Miss North Metro 2011 and after.
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| Flash Mob! |
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| Flash Mob! |
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| Barb told Julius's story and read her poem 'Mama Bear' |
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| Julius and his family at their party |
