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:)