"For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations" (Psalm 100:5)
Creating a "Top 10 for 2010" praise list was suggested by one of our dedicated fans and supporters. To be honest, I had a very difficult time narrowing it down to only ten! This is just a snippet of what God has accomplished!
Top 10 Praises of 2010
1) Jay's HOPE received a "Tribute to Partnership" Award from the Be the Match(National Marrow Donor Program) for our "life saving excellence and dedication." Jay's HOPE was recognized alongside Dan Moore of the APEX Museum in Atlanta, Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Winship Cancer Institute at Emory, Aflac Cancer Center at CHOA and The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. To date, we have registered close to 5,000 new donors to the registry!
Stacy Toney(NMDP) and Cindy
2) In partnership with the WT Anderson Foundation, Jay's HOPE brought Beads of Courage to our local Children's Hospital in Macon!
Maiya and her Beads!
3) Even in a tough economy, our annual fundraising events were bigger than ever!
Celebrate HOPE Albany(Cindy and Jamari's family)
Celebrate HOPE Macon
Hats for HOPE
(Sweet Savannah from Valdosta!)
Trek or Treat 5K and Fall Festival
4) September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and 2010 brought our most successful campaign! From city-wide and State proclamations across the areas we serve, to events like Royal Celebration of HOPE in Forsyth, Joshua's Walk at Mercer Law School, Fighting for Jay's HOPE (hosted by our beloved Ignite Martial Arts), and our Jay's HOPE night Giuseppi's in Macon and Gray--Childhood Cancer Education and Awareness was in full force!
State Proclamation
Joshua's Walk
(Cindy and Labrina Solomon)
Royal Celebration of HOPE
(Princess Lexi and Snow White)
(Princess Lexi and Snow White)
Fighting for Jay's HOPE
(Love the Arnolds!)
Giuseppi's
5) BB and T Insurance employees' Lighthouse Project blessed us with a Play Therapy Room makeover at our Jay's HOPE office! We now have an amazing "Tree House" for our JH kiddos to enjoy, flat screen TV with a Wii and beautiful shelves and storage cabinets for art supplies and toys! Our office/resource center is in downtown Macon near the Children's Hospital and our local Ronald McDonald House--convenient for the numerous families who's children receive treatment locally.
6) Speaking of our offices and resource center, Jay's HOPE has been blessed with the addition of two new staff members. Welcome Leigh McElroy and Tarver Perry!
Leigh and hubby Joe
Tarver and hubby Mitchell
7) Thanks to over 100 Wish List sponsors and numerous volunteers, this year's Christmas of HOPE Party was a HUGE success! Gifts were purchased for close to 200 children(including patients and siblings) dinner, entertainment and Christmas cheer was provided to over 300 guest!
A few of our Elves!
Santa arrives!
8) After several years of planning, we are very proud of our 2011 Jay's HOPE Calendar! It is filled with pictures of some of the children Jay's HOPE serves across the state! A HUGE thank you to Whitney Misch of Oh Snap Photography and Imedia for helping us pull it off! Calendars are $15 each and can be purchased at our office.
Abby, Holly and Hannah
9) Our mission is to extend HOPE through emotional, spiritual, social, educational and financial support. From being a face of experience, to praying with our families, to planning a family event, to providing a laptop for school work, to helping with living and travel expenses--Jay's HOPE strives to relieve some of the burdens that the cancer battle causes. Sometimes, it is the small things that seem to matter most....like when one of our moms, who has her own health issues, needed comfortable supportive shoes for their many trips to the hospital. I can't help but to smile every time I see her wearing them!
10) For the families of Jay's HOPE, 2010 was filled with many victories and way too many heartaches. From hearing "clean scans" to "there is no cure", this childhood cancer journey is just one big roller coaster with no end in sight. Even for those who receive their earthly healing, they will be part of this "club" forever.
From the beginning, one of my visions for Jay's HOPE was to create a "safe" community for our families. I wanted us to be more than just paying a bill or passing out Christmas presents. I wanted to be a constant friend and create environments outside of the hospital where they could meet and fellowship with other families. There is nothing more therapeutic for a cancer parent then being in a room full of other battle-worn mommas and daddys who understand your fears, can speak the medical lingo and who will stand by your side through the good stuff and the down right ugly. Over this past year especially, I have witnessed this community grow, the relationships flourish and God using this roller coaster ride for our good and for His glory!
"If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us. As it is, there's not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we're not much to look at. We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus' sake, which makes Jesus' life all the more evident in us. While we're going through the worst, you're getting in on the best!"
-2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (The Message)
Looking forward to seeing what God has in store for 2011!
In HOPE,
Cindy
