I was honored to attend The ALS Evening of Hope Saturday night and it was nothing short of inspiring so I chose the event as my Make It Through Monday moment powered by Winkie's Hallmark & Gifts. As you know I'm a big supporter of the ALS Association Wisconsin Chapter and I'm grateful to be part of the amazing things this organization does. If you're not familiar with ALS, it's a horrible disease. There is no cure as of now so the moment you are diagnosed it's just a matter of time. I've seen what this horrible disease does to patients, families, friends and care givers so anything I can do to provide and show support, I'm in.
My Make It Through Monday moment is supposed to be a pick-me-up though so I'm not going to focus on the disease but rather tell you about all the amazing things that happened this Saturday night when so many wonderful people come together in support of the fight against ALS. First I need to shout out our very own Meg McKenzie who was the emcee for the event. As always she was stunning and did a fantastic job. I also need to highlight the amazing women who are my contacts at the ALS Association Wisconsin Chapter. Melanie, Susie and Addie are phenomenal women and always do an incredible job with any task they are given.
The name of the event, The ALS Evening of Hope, is perfectly fitting as you leave feeling completely inspired at the amount of generous people who are willing to give their time and money in the fight against ALS. 100% of the proceeds goes to researching the cause and cure for ALS. Let that sink in for just a bit.
Some of the highlights from the night were the guest speaker, Tony and Emmy award winning actor, Courtney B. Vance and the Live Auction. Courtney B. Vance shared the story of losing his mother to ALS in 2017. I was truly inspired by this story and how he referenced that his Mom "continued". He used that reference many times in his speech and that really stuck with me. Through all these difficult situations we need to continue.
Another highlight was the Live Auction. The final item up for bit was a pure-bred golden retriever! Those are my absolute favorite dogs and I actually had one growing up named Diesel. The people in charge really know what they're doing and how to get people to bid as a girl literally walked the adorable puppy around the room so you could see her! The real surprise came when the auctioneer said if both parties that were going back and forth are willing to give $3,700 (it was stopped at $3,600) each, we'll bring out another puppy and you each can have one! It was so cool! Both parties of course agreed so two puppies went to great homes in support of a wonderful cause!
Although I wish I didn't have a personal reason to support ALS so much, I am grateful for the experiences it has brought me and all that I have learned. It is truly an incredible experience watching everyone come together to continue moving forward in the fight against ALS.
Here are some pictures from the night.
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I'm also grateful Winkie's Hallmark & Gifts is part of my Make It Through Monday moment. It is a family run business who really cares about their customers. Every time I go in I always have such a great experience and always look forward to coming back. It's definitely a place I recommend so make a day of it and head to Winkie's Hallmark & Gifts located in Whitefish Bay on the corner of Silver Spring and Lake Drive.