here’s a guest post from brooke about the liz logelin foundation…
two years ago, i was just a stranger friend taking part in a 5K because a man, his daughter and their story touched me. i wanted to do whatever i could to help out.
two years later, we’re all at much different places in our lives, but my heart for the cause of the liz logelin foundation remains exactly where it’s always been.
the thought of losing a partner and becoming a single parent in the same instant seems unimaginable to me.
i have been and continue to be insanely proud of matt for recognizing the need for that kind of support and for turning his tragedy into a source of strength and solace for others in their time of tragedy.
as a volunteer for the applicant committee of the liz logelin foundation, i reached out to emily morgan late last year after she submitted an application.
after my first conversation with her, i hung up the phone in complete awe. i was the one reaching out to help her, but she ended up helping me much more.
a young woman with a little daughter, less than a year out from her husband’s untimely death and she seemed to have the type of strength that i only wish to have. her goals for her future and her daughter’s future amazed me- she was determined to move through. i wanted to do whatever i could to help that process.
and when she hugged me in san diego in august and told me her experience with camp widow and the grant from the liz logelin foundation would be life-changing, i was humbled to have had a tiny part in it all.
it’s all of the strangers friends like us, all of the tiny pieces we contribute, that make the world of difference to matt and maddy, to emily and her daughter grace, and to the countless other families out there in similar positions.
i encourage you to sign up for or donate to the upcoming events (information below), so we can make the lives of grieving families just a little easier.
- brooke
Friday, September 17, 2010
At Solera, Minneapolis
A casual fun evening of food, drink, silent and live auctions and the music of Tim Mahoney.
Some of the great items up for bid include Delta gift certificates, vacation packages, Photography packages by local photographers like Kalynn Kay Photograpy and Michelle Tanner Photography, Restaurant gift cards from favorites such as Joe Senser’s Bar & Grill ~ Kincaids~ Axel’s Bonfire and so many more! Beautiful gift baskets from Thymes ~ Tastefully Simple ~ 3M ~ Borders ~ Colgate ~ Nestle just to name a few. Handmade purses, jewelry, children’s clothes and accessories. Hotel stays at The Depot and The Marquette Hotel and many, many more items…too many to list here. Get ready to bid and be prepared for a few special surprises that you won’t want to miss out on!!!
Tickets are priced as follows:
1. Tickets purchased between August 16-Sept 16: $45*
2. Tickets purchased at the Door: $50*
*service charge not included
To purchase tickets online with check or credit card please click the gala logo above or here.
To purchase tickets by mail please print, fill out and mail in the Celebration of Hope Ticket Form along with your check to the foundation (the address is at the bottom of the form).
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can’t make it to the celebration of hope gala event because of yom kippur or because you’re out of town on the 17th? well, we’ve scheduled an alternate event on thursday september 16th, just for you. please e-mail matt at mattandmaddy (at) gmail (dot) com and enter “gala alternative” in the subject line and he’ll send you more information.
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Saturday, September 18, 2010, 6pm
Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis
The race entry fee is $25 for pre-registered runners/walkers (postmarked by 9/10/10 or registered online by 9/12/10) and $30 for race day registrants. Race t-shirts can also be purchased through the online registration site for $18 (which includes shipping). Race t-shirts and race packets are guaranteed for the first 300 pre-registered participants.
This year, there are two ways to register: (1) Sign up using your credit card using our online registration form by clicking the 5k logo above or click here. (A service charge will apply.) You can also order an official race t-shirt without actually registering for the race using the online registration form. (2) Print, complete, and send our registration form in to the Foundation with a check for your entry fee. And if you’d like to raise money through pledges in support of your participation in the 5k, please check out our pledge form; the top individual fundraiser will win a prize!
Thanks to our 5k sponsors!
Visit The Columns Resource Group.
Contact David Laurion, CFP® at Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.
Contact Tom Holland at State Farm Insurance Companies, Holland Agency.
Steve Kalin and Joel Seleskie at Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.
Grandpa Rod & Grandma Broccoli
Joe Sensers Sports Grill & Bar
Awesome Auntie Debbie
The Creeps
Adam, Rachel, and Susanna Engebretson
Madeline Logelin
The Robot
24 Comments
i can’t believe you have that photo! that’s freaking awesome!! (darcie looks a little pissy in the background
, sorry Darcie!!)
great job Brooke!
I am so PISSED that I can’t come this year!!! Damn this unemployment crap!!! I had such a good time last year….I am one of the out of state creeps, so I was a little nervous to come. I mean, I had never actually “met” anyone that I was coming to spend time with…But from the second I met everyone at the baseball game, it was like we had known each other forever. Such great people, and I remember thinking that, from what I had learned about Liz through the blog, she would have been so happy to see not only the events and the foundation’s work,but also that so many women could come together and make it happen! I was so proud to be a part of things (and dammit, I REALLY wanted to get the ipod, but was eventually outbid!) I hope that you and the Creeps know that I would be there if I could,and it kills me that I can’t
I hope that the events go well and everybody still has that spirit of generosity and giving that was so present last year. You all are doing such amazing things. I had a friend who lost her husband last year from a brain tumor,and she said that young widows/widowers are an “invisible group” because people don’t realize how many are out there, and so little is done to recognize them and validate their situations. SHe said that it sometimes felt like people were avoiding her because they didnt know what to say or how to act.
So,anyway, wish I could be there to see it this year,but since I can’t (booo..) I hope that you all have a great time….
Wow! Thanks for sharing the photo of the 3 of you. Two years later it’s nice to see where the 3 of you are. I’m so happy for Matt, Maddy and yourself Brooke. Wishing the 3 of you much love, health and happiness!
thanks for cropping me out of the picture you asshats! I don’t know WHAT I was so crabby about…I just hope I wasn’t that crabby all day -sheesh!
Anyway – I am soo looking forward to the events coming up in less than two weeks – not only is it going to be a great time – getting out and meeting more stranger friends…but we are all coming together to help such a GREAT cause!
That picture is SO cool! What a great post, Brooke!
ralph waldo emerson said “you cannot do a kindness too soon” and this quote makes me think of you, brooke and matt. neither of you seem to miss the chance to be kind to others (even when no one is looking!). you are both such an inspiration to me. xoxo
Can’t wait to see you guys in a few weeks!
Great post Brooke!!
Brooke – What a wonderful, selfless and strong woman you are. Wishing the three of you continued happiness, health and love!
Brooke,
I have never posted here before but have read every single entry. Many tears have been shed through alot of them. I admire Matt for his strength, thoughtfulness, charity and compassion (just to name a few). Oh, and for the love of Liz and Maddy.
But, Brooke, I admire you the most. It is just so unbelievable how mature and understanding you are for someone so young. (young to me, anyway). Just reading this post solidifies it even more. You are a wonderful, loving person.
I so want the fairytale ending……the ending that brings the 3 of you together forever. Matt will never stop loving Liz but he has room for another love. Okay, sappy, but my feelings….wishing you all the best in the time ahead……
Well, I figured out who Darcie is (or who the pissy woman in the photo is.. haha, I’m kidding about the pissy!).
Thank you for this. I wish I could help or participate or something. But like someone else, and probably many others, unemployment stops me from doing a lot of what I’d love to do right now!
Good luck. I cannot wait for updates.
Brooke, you seem like an amazing woman!!! I am so glad Matt and Maddy found you!!
Nice to hear from Brooke. She should guest post more often.
I wish that I could go to the events for the Liz L. Foundation, but I do not live near and money is tight. But, my way of connecting to this wonderful group, I have made a small contribution. (By the way, I see that Tim Mahoney is going to be there and I thought Matt was not a 311 fan.)
Anyway, that sounds like a great weekend with a great line up of wonderful events.
Take care.
Ooops, wrong Tim Mahoney. Sorry Matt!
Scratch my previous comment.
Brooke, You are awesome & I am so happy that Matt & Maddie have you in their lives. Wished I lived in the area so I could come to the 5K. I wish you 3 the best. You all are amazing people with great hearts. <3
What a great post, Brooke! I can’t wait to see the great things we can accomplish through the LLF.
That photo is such a treasure – you still look at Maddy with that same beautiful smile – I love it!!
Stay awesome, Brooke!
Brooke,
You rock! We are going to try to make it, but with 3 kids 3 & under, you never know where things are at by 6pm,
Really, you are amazing.
Brooke,
my daughter (Maddie’s age) recently got a book from the library (“Mama” by Jeannette Winter). It has only 2 words in the whole book but it makes me cry every time. Tonight when I read it, I couldn’t help but think of the famous Maddie. It gets me to thinking which is the better feeling: To have a child and love that child? Or to be a child and be loved?
Here is a link to the book, check it out!!
http://www.amazon.com/MAMA-story-which-during-TSUNAMI/dp/0152054952/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283999030&sr=1-3
Brooke, I’ve been reading this site for quite some time and it’s so nice to know that you, Matt, and Maddy all have each other. I want to commend you for being such a strong, mature woman. Not every person could do what you do. You all seem so happy and you have such a graceful aura about you. Best wishes for you 3 today and in the future. xoxo.
I would love for Brooke to post more often!
I’m looking forward to the online auction. As always, wishing you much success with the foundation.
and wishing the three of you the very best!
lori
I too would like to hear more from Brooke. That photo of her right when Maddy was tiny is so so sweet. I love that she’s been kind of in her life for a while, it warms my heart.
Matt’s strength also, is so unbelievably inspiring to me as well. I can’t wait to read his book.
Thanks for sharing. Wish I could go to one of these events.
I feel so sad…is your blog dying? Lately you have been averaging 1-2 blog updates a month (if we are lucky), down from 5-6 a week!!! New love, new life it seems. Or will that increase when your book is due to be published? Feels like the end of an era…nothing wrong with that, but I feel it is important to set expectations, especially with a following like yours.
I am truly curious to find out what vision you have for the future of mattlogelin.com.
hola:deseo felicitar a matt por su testimonio de vida,con sus esfuerzos con la fundacion para ayudar a los desorientados viudos y viudas como yo! Animo sigue adelante que DIOS te bendiga! besos a MADELINE.su nueva amiga:Guiller.