A Flood of Generosity

A Flood of Generosity

We have always known that we are blessed with an amazing support system. We have a wonderful support system with our families, and we work with amazing people at Karns City.  We have a circle of friends who have offered their support time and time again, and our church family is perpetually praying for our Elizabeth.  We are part of a community that takes care of it's own.  There is no way to deny that we are simply blessed, and we have recently been deeply blessed by a great flood of generosity. 

Since this fall, when things started to get a bit crazy with our journey with Elizabeth, we have had a team of followers.  Maybe you're reading.  Maybe you're praying for us and Elizabeth.  Maybe you've sent us a card, or a gift, or offered to help us with Celtan, or cooked us a meal.  Maybe you have done all of these things or some combination of these things.  We have an anonymous and very generous angel who sends us a card with kind and encouraging words every month with a very generous gift card to Wal Mart inside.  I cannot thank them enough, because it has been tremendously helpful to us to buy groceries, diapers, and other things that we need for Elizabeth. Every time I receive a card in the mail from the anonymous angel or from anyone, I still can't believe it. We have continued to be overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity that has been shown to us by all of you. 

Last weekend, a friend contacted me and offered to pay for our plane tickets to San Francisco.  The friend asked me why I keep saying "if" we take her to Boston, or "if" we take her to San Francisco, and why we don't say that we "are" going to take her to the doctors in those places. I explained that even though we wanted to take her there to see those specialists that it was a financial issue for us.  Aside from impacting us emotionally, this journey with Elizabeth has impacted us financially in a big way.  We have bills piling up.  We wonder sometimes if we are going to have enough gas between paydays.  We round up change to make a run to the store for milk.  It could be worse, and I'm not complaining, because I'd rather be broke and live in a tent knowing that I have done everything I could to give her and Celtan everything they need.  However, it has impacted us financially. The friend then said that they would like to help us out, and that they would like to help by paying for our flights to San Francisco.  Seriously, anyone nearby probably thought that I had won the lottery.  I was crying and shaking and smiling and saying, "Oh My! Really?  Is this for real?"  I simply could not believe it.  It was a colossal act of kindness that we had desperately needed after a rough week of appointments and news.  I have thanked them several times, but I still will never be able to thank them enough.  They are the first reason that our "if" we take her has now become a "when" we take her to both Boston and San Francisco.

All weekend long, I could not stop feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.  It was a relief to know that it was now a possibility to take Elizabeth to see some of the world's leading specialists in many of the medical and special needs that she has been diagnosed with by her doctor's at CHP. I was making lists of providers that had been recommended to us so that I could start getting appointments set up with them.  This way, we could maximize our time out there and pick as many brains as possible to try to put the pieces of Elizabeth's puzzle together.  I always feel guilty when anyone offers to help us, and it is just the way that Jason and I are as people.  We are the ones who are usually on the helping end and not the ones being helped, or at least we like to think that we are those people.  We have made it a point to teach our kids the importance of kindness and helping others, because those are things that are important to us.  However, I was very grateful to our friend who so graciously offered to help us in such a big way. 

On Monday, we had an in-service day at school. I was at my desk and received a message from my cousins that "Team Elizabeth Jeanne," which includes my cousins, sisters and other members from my "Kepple" side of the family, will be hosting a benefit for our Elizabeth to help raise money for our expenses to Boston.  I, of course, started crying, because I just could not believe they were doing this. They all have jobs, kids, are married, have a thousand other things to do in their lives but to plan a benefit for Elizabeth.  However, they got together and decided that they wanted to help us out and help us to get her to see these specialists. I love this group of girls and  all of my family more than they will ever be able to imagine, and I'm so proud and honored to have them by our side at all times.  I told Jason and he was again overwhelmed and very humbled that they wanted to do this to help Elizabeth. He just shook his head and smiled, which for him speaks volumes. 

The "Team Elizabeth Jeanne" committee created a flyer with some important info about the benefit, and they posted the information on Facebook and Twitter.  The response was nothing short of overwhelming and amazing.  I still am trying to wrap my head around all of the people who said they would come, offered to help, offered to donate, offered to donate a basket or item.  It was simply amazing.  They are planning a Spaghetti Dinner and a raffle with baskets and other donated items. My sister Becca and her boyfriend, Matt, attend Westminster College, and they both have their fraternity and sorority getting involved to help with the benefit.  It is just amazing the amount of people who have offered to help, and it is so greatly appreciated by Jason and I and "Team Elizabeth Jeanne."  So, please feel free to come and join us that day, if you'd like to! We are looking forward to being there so that people can meet Elizabeth, and so that we can thank everyone for their support. Here is the flyer for the event:  

The "Team Elizabeth Jeanne" committee has created a Volunteer Spot page for Elizabeth's benefit.  If you would like to sign up to donate a food item, raffle items or gift baskets, or if you would like to donate your time to serve that day, you can go to the website and sign up for anything that you would like to help with that day.  The site is very easy to use, and it does not take long.  However, if you are having trouble with the site, or just simply would rather have one of the girls sign you up, just ask one of them and we can get you on the list.  We are all so overwhelmed with the outpouring of support that the girls decided to start the Volunteer Spot page to keep track of who was offering to donate or help in specific ways.  The website for the Volunteer Spot sign ups for the benefit can be found at:  http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/9978464280103.  You can click on the link or copy and paste it into your browser. 

If you would like to help or get into contact with one of the "Team Elizabeth Jeanne" committee members, here are their names/ email addresses:

1.  Holly (Bly) Wilson: hollyjbly@gmail.com

2. Emily (Bly) Rekich:  emrekich516@yahoo.com

3.  Kellie (Kepple) Johnston:  kckel134@aol.com

4. Katie (Kepple) Callihan:  KT.Callihan@aol.com

5.  Ashley (Kepple) Ciafre: ashleyciafre@gmail.com

6.  Laura Kepple:  laurakepple@yahoo.com

You can also let my parents (Jeff and Amy Bly) or any family member know if you're interested in helping, and they can fill you in on details.  We appreciate your support more than you know.  

The next wave of generosity came as a surprise when Jason's cousin, Quinn, contacted me and said that her friend, Terri Boehmig Kriberney, contacted her and was interested in running a fundraiser for Elizabeth to help the benefit through her Premier Jewelry business.  I also could not believe this, because we did not know Terri, and yet she still wanted to help us.  We graciously accepted her offer, and she created a flyer to be linked with the event.  Terri is offering 50% of sales, donating baskets to the raffle at the benefit, and she is also offering $50 to everyone who books a party with her towards Elizabeth. You can place an order at any time by contacting her.  I'm still amazed that Terri would want to offer such a generous portion of her revenue to our Elizabeth, and Jason and I are very grateful for her willingness to help out.  Here is the flyer that Terri created, and if you are interested then you can contact her for details!

As if all of this was not enough, we were surprised again last week with another generous offer to help us raise money for Elizabeth.  Megan Slaugenhoup contacted me and offered to set up a Go Fund Me account for Elizabeth.  Megan had talked to the "Team Elizabeth Jeanne" committee about the idea, and they all felt that the Go Fund Me site may be an excellent way to allow people who want to help by donating money for Elizabeth's traveling expenses who can't come to the benefit due to distance or other circumstances.  Jason and I were shocked again by yet another offer of generosity and kindness, and we thanked Megan for thinking of us.  Megan agreed to set up the site and did so the next day.  You may have seen it on Facebook or Twitter, but I also am going to post the link below for anyone who does not use social media who is interested in checking it out.  The link for Elizabeth's Go Fund Me site is: http://gofundme.com/kkrlog. You can also click on this link or copy and paste it into your browser. 

The generosity still continues to flood in, and it is truly amazing.  We received a very generous donation from a local family who we have known for years.  It blew me away.

In a world full of bad and depressing news, on a journey with our daughter that is sometimes flooded with gray skies, you all are our bright stars in our sky.  Kindness brings about kindness, and you all have proven this to be true.  What started out as an anonymous card, then became a friend offering to pay for plane tickets, and then turned into a Team Elizabeth Jeanne Committee and a benefit, and has in turn spiraled into an overwhelming number of offers to help out our dear Elizabeth.  All of these offers are unrelated and are all offered by different people, but each act of kindness has followed another act of kindness and generosity.  This flood of generosity is proof that there is still so much kindness, goodness, and so many truly wonderful things in the world.  It is true that there is no act of kindness too big or too small.  It is all kindness, and it all matters.  From following the blog, to praying for Elizabeth, to helping to support her in other ways by your generous donations, it is so kind and it matters to us in a big way.  You have helped to keep us going.  You have helped to keep us strong.  You have helped to brighten up our dim days and to make our bright days brighter.  You give us hope, not only because now we can now take our Elizabeth to these specialists who will be able to give us very important insight, but you give us hope in the goodness of the world and the kindness of others. We are so blessed to have you all in our lives and on this journey, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. 

Oh, and one more thing...

WE ARE GOING TO BOSTON FROM JUNE 16-18 AND SAN FRANCISCO FROM JUNE 21-24TH!!! THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE AND FROM TURNING AN "IF" INTO AN AFFIRMATIVE.  THANK YOU TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!