A THANK YOU THANK YOU and an update
Feb 27, 2024 15:11:05 GMT -6
Post by filingjointly on Feb 27, 2024 15:11:05 GMT -6
Hello All! I know I've not been around much lately, life got BUSY. But this month marks four years since I lost my little sister/best friend really unexpectedly and I wanted to check in to first tell you all how I could never thank you enough for the support I received here during that time in my life.
MH, my 5yo, 3yo, 1yo, and I moved to SC in January 2020 just 17 days after MH was offered a new position. We'd only been here weeks when I lost my sister. When the dust settled, it was late February 2020 and shortly after that COVID hit. I was isolated and grieving, and in a new place with three little kids and three dogs. I knew no one, could go no where, and was entirely lost. During that time, I cannot even begin to tell you how much what you all did meant to me. You sent flowers to my sister's funeral. You sent me food, you reached out in PMs and texts and on social media to check on me. This didn't just happen in the days and weeks following my sister's passing, but months and even years into the future. You all saved me over and over. I will never stop reading the thread from the day my sister died and I'll never stop appreciating this place and the amazing people here.
As time and distance have worked on my grief, I found myself wanting to do something to honor my sister's legacy. She was a softball player (a catcher specifically) and scrappy as hell. I started coaching softball recreationally. I named my team after her team. I gave my daughter her number. I fell in love. Then I started noticing gaps in sports opportunities for girls here. The boys have middle school teams, Travel teams developed by our Parks and Rec Departments, and All Star Leagues. The girls had none of that. So with an AMAZING group of coaches and people at my side (including MH) we gave it to them. We hosted Home Run Derbies, All Star Leagues, and started a brand new travel organization. We had record turnouts at tryouts and are now coaching and leading two excellent teams of girls who possibly love the game more than we do.
I still wanted to do more though. So we started our own non-profit. We fund-raised and threw tons of fun events and now are able to do things life offer travel scholarship opportunities to girls who wouldn't be able to otherwise afford it (this is how my sisters and I were able to play) and hold clinics where older high school and college girls in our area mentor the younger girls. We've even now been reached out to by our local Parks and Rec department to develop a sanctioned girls league and give these passionate girls everything the boys have officially! Everything is done in the name of my sister. And everything is done by our amazing people in a fully volunteer manner. I am so proud of us and so happy with where we are.
NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THIS PLACE. So if you've gotten this far in my meandering monologue, THANK YOU A THOUSAND TIMES OVER.
MH, my 5yo, 3yo, 1yo, and I moved to SC in January 2020 just 17 days after MH was offered a new position. We'd only been here weeks when I lost my sister. When the dust settled, it was late February 2020 and shortly after that COVID hit. I was isolated and grieving, and in a new place with three little kids and three dogs. I knew no one, could go no where, and was entirely lost. During that time, I cannot even begin to tell you how much what you all did meant to me. You sent flowers to my sister's funeral. You sent me food, you reached out in PMs and texts and on social media to check on me. This didn't just happen in the days and weeks following my sister's passing, but months and even years into the future. You all saved me over and over. I will never stop reading the thread from the day my sister died and I'll never stop appreciating this place and the amazing people here.
As time and distance have worked on my grief, I found myself wanting to do something to honor my sister's legacy. She was a softball player (a catcher specifically) and scrappy as hell. I started coaching softball recreationally. I named my team after her team. I gave my daughter her number. I fell in love. Then I started noticing gaps in sports opportunities for girls here. The boys have middle school teams, Travel teams developed by our Parks and Rec Departments, and All Star Leagues. The girls had none of that. So with an AMAZING group of coaches and people at my side (including MH) we gave it to them. We hosted Home Run Derbies, All Star Leagues, and started a brand new travel organization. We had record turnouts at tryouts and are now coaching and leading two excellent teams of girls who possibly love the game more than we do.
I still wanted to do more though. So we started our own non-profit. We fund-raised and threw tons of fun events and now are able to do things life offer travel scholarship opportunities to girls who wouldn't be able to otherwise afford it (this is how my sisters and I were able to play) and hold clinics where older high school and college girls in our area mentor the younger girls. We've even now been reached out to by our local Parks and Rec department to develop a sanctioned girls league and give these passionate girls everything the boys have officially! Everything is done in the name of my sister. And everything is done by our amazing people in a fully volunteer manner. I am so proud of us and so happy with where we are.
NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THIS PLACE. So if you've gotten this far in my meandering monologue, THANK YOU A THOUSAND TIMES OVER.
