Thing #60 I Like About Living Where I Do

[Part of a continuing series, which started here]

60. The Great Strides 5K Walk. Last year, my family and friends (above) participated in the annual GREAT STRIDES walk to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (I foolishly chose to fulfill a work-related responsibility, dagnabit!). I love the way our community in Hamilton and the Cincinnati area support GREAT STRIDES, the CF Foundation's largest and most successful national fundraising event. The Hamilton GREAT STRIDES walk will take place June 4 this year at Joyce Park in Hamilton.

As many of you know, my grand-daughter Calleigh was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis within a few weeks of her birth, launching our family into a whirlwind of discovery about this genetic disease. Because CF hampers her digestion, she has to take synthetic enzymes with every meal or snack. Because CF makes her prone to lung disease, her parents (and sometimes grandparents) do breathing and vest treatments twice a day with her in order to keep her lungs working fully. With the help of many, she is today as beautiful, charming, and healthy a little girl as you will ever meet. And we have every prayerful hope that the CF Foundation's efforts will someday soon result in even more promise of health and life for many years to come for her.

Please help me meet my fundraising goal of $1,000.00 by donating, sponsoring me, or joining the team and walking your own self! (I can send you detailed instructions that will make absolutely pain-free).

Making a donation is easy and secure, and your generous gift will be used efficiently and effectively, as nearly 90 cents of every dollar of revenue raised is available for investment in vital CF programs to support research, care and education! Just click the "Click to Donate" button on this page to go to make a donation that will be credited to my team (you can also click here to go to my GREAT STRIDES page, where you can learn more, join my team, make a donation, and leave a prayer or comment with your donation to express your support). ANY support you can give will be deeply appreciated.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a devastating genetic disease that affects tens of thousands of children and young adults in the United States. Research and care supported by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is making a huge difference in extending the quality of life for those with CF. However, we continue to lose precious lives to CF every day. That's why your help is needed now more than ever to ensure that a cure is found sooner - rather than later. To learn more about CF and the CF Foundation, visit www.cff.org.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those with CF! Thank you for supporting the mission of the CF Foundation and GREAT STRIDES!