movin' for max!

this past saturday Oct 2, 2010 was our first annual Down syndrome awareness walk for the fox cities! it was a huge success! we had over 1,000 people there and we raised over 60,000 dollars!

i would like to say a special thank you to our team Movin' for Max, we had a total of 70 people register to be on max's team:)
i wasn't able to thank everyone on the day for being there, or at least to share with them what it means to nick and me, i am hoping that they all know. it shouldn't amaze me that max has such an impact on so many peoples lives, to have that many people want to share this wonderful event with us,... but it truly does amaze me. i am so overwhelmed by how much love and support we get from our family and friends. i feel so blessed to have all of these wonderful people in our lives, especially the one that share this day with us:) i have to also thank those who have helped me raise over $2,500 in max's name. wow, that just blows me away!

i was not as organized as i wish was on this day and didn't get a group picture of our team:( but here is a list of all of our teammates that joined us!

val coenen
nicole coenen
lexi coenen
Cindy Dakin
Nathan Davis
Wilson Davis
jeff elrick
connie elrick
lynn elrick
Rachel Galloway
Kyle Galloway
Carter Galloway
Kathy Hank
Erica Hanson
Corey Hanson
Luke Hanson
Olivia Hanson
Adam Kilgas
Adam Kilgas
Noah Kilgas
Wyatt Kilgas
Evan Kilgas
Dana Kilgas
Tina Kloehn
emily kolasinski
CHAD kolasinski
Jessica Lesselyoung
Luke Lesselyoung
Ava Lesselyoung
Chloe Lesselyoung
Gwen Lesselyoung
Jacob Malm
Jacqui Malm
Melanie malm
nancy metcalf
bridget metcalf
glady minten
jenny minten
Bill Murphy
Diane Murphy
Gloria Nienhaus
Clark Pingel
Connie Pingel
Clair Reynebeau
Kristy Schreiber
Jessica Schultz
Ben Schultz
Riley Schultz
Aiden Schultz
Jack Schultz
todd van hammond
jennifer van hammond
olivia van hammond
emily van hammond
Debbie Van Handel
Dan Van Handel
Lauren Van Handel
Eric Van Handel
and
tim wendlandt

our family at the walk:) baby grey sleeping. max sitting at the picnic table like a big boy, munching on some chips:)
eating a hot dog:)they had prizes for the top ten teams that raised the largest amount.... we took 5th:)
the kids awaiting the walk:)
team movin' for max winning the largest team award. yes, that is me in the wheel chair. i remind you that i just had my 3rd c-section 5 days earlier:) that's max sleeping in the stroller. he fell asleep as soon as the walk started. so sweet:) it was kind of nice just sitting back and letting my mom push me:) max sleeping with his new sign, we decided that next year we are going to be team "movin' with max" since he is up and moving now:) lilly and daddy:)max and his 2nd cousin carter:)

lilly in my chair:)

at the end of the walk when the petting zoo was packing up we went to say goodbye to the animals:)

and our new friends asked us if max would like a ride! his first pony ride.... and he loved it! the second he sat on the pony he started to bounce up and down, like he was saying giddy up pony,... giddy up!

so sweet.

the family with the petting zoo has a granddaughter with DS, it was so neat how she had an instant connection with max... it was so sweet:)
lilly even got a ride:)

it was a great, great day:)

children's parade!

last week we attended the children's parade to promote our Down Syndrome Awareness Walk in oct. we had a really big group, since both of my sisters are on the walk committee with me,... jessie and her kids came along to walk in the parade:)

getting ready for the parade to start.
it was tough getting max ready while he was sleeping but with the kids help we got it done:)
the kids were very excited to walk in a parade:) especially because they knew grandma elrick, great grandma minten and aunt jenny were waiting at the end to wave to them:)

they had fire trucks for the kids to climb in (we will too at our walk!)

hi max:)

more fire truck fun!

we then pass out save the date cards for our walk (OCT. 2nd mark your calendars), and got a hamburger and hot dog. (make a note at our DS walk you can get a whole meal for $1.50)

alright enough plugging for the our walk, her is a cute picture of lilly in front of a new store on the ave.

TEAM MOVIN' For MAX!

Family and Friends,

This year, Team Movin’ for Max will be participating in the 1st Annual Fox Cities Down Syndrome Awareness Walk at Riverside Park in Neenah, WI. It will take place on Saturday, October 2nd 2010.

We are so excited for the 1st Annual Down Syndrome Awareness Walk this year! To be involved with creating such a wonderful event has been a big part of my life this past year. I can't wait to see it all come together. There is going to be a ton of fun carnival games, face painting, a petting zoo, live entertainment, food, and I can't forget a booth of educational information on Down syndrome!

Our first goal for the 1st Annual Down Syndrome Awareness Walk is to raise awareness. I want everyone one in this community to know that Max in so many, many ways is no different then any other toddler his age... he takes pride in the things he does, he is almost walking and looks around the room to make sure everyone is watching and clapping, he gets hurt feelings when his sister takes his toys, he loves to play, laugh... and right now loves, loves Mickey Mouse.
Our second goal is to raise donations. Whether you decide to walk with us in Neenah and/or make a donation to support Down syndrome awareness, you will be making a difference for Team Movin’ for Max and the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin – Fox Cities.

Your donations will be making an immediate impact on the lives of families in our area who receive a diagnosis of Down syndrome. Your pledges will go directly to DSAW-Fox Cities, a local volunteer-run organization that provides information, resources and opportunities for families of individuals with Down syndrome. DSAW-Fox Cities understands the value of those with Down syndrome in our lives and our communities. Our family is an active member of this group and we are greatly benefiting from their support.

Thank you so much for your support,
The Pingel Family


Donations/Pledges:

Please go to http://www.firstgiving.com/pingel to make a pledge to Team Movin’ for Max and DSAW-FC with a credit card. There is a sponsor me now purple button next to his picture at the top.

*To join Team Movin’ for Max on the right side of the page there is a spot that says join this team. Please join and walk with us on Oct. 2nd.

*To make a pledge by check, please write checks out to DSAW (with memo “Team Movin’ for Max”) and send them to:

DSAW-Fox Cities
P.O. Box 2232
Appleton, WI 54912

Down Syndrome Awareness Walk

today we attended the Down Syndrome Awareness Walk in milwaukee wisconsin ( our first), i wanted to say a special thanks to our team of 41 and to everyone who made donations on behalf of max, i told myself that i wouldn't cry when i was thanking everyone today for being at the walk... but sure enough i did... ha. so i wasn't able to say everything i wanted to so here goes, it means so much to me today to have our family and friends attend this walk with us, it shows the love and support we all have for max, and that means so, so very much to nick and i. you made this day for us special. so thank you again for being a part of it. we love you all:)

"Movin' for Max"