Though they live in Texas, Shelly was part of the MOMS study at UCSF in 2009, and she and her family stayed at Family House for 3 months while Kaitlyn received in-utero treatment for Spina Bifida. The groundbreaking surgery was successful, and Kaitlyn is now 7 years old and exceeding all expectations.
The Burr family are all very active, and they decided to fundraise for Family House in this year’s Woodlands Marathon. In years past, the family fundraisers have been called We Run for Kaitlyn, but this year, Kaitlyn was running with the team!
We raised a total of $29,297 from 137 donors! We were also sponsored by several local businesses: Whitfield Design (a graphic designer who created our logo and hosted the website that sold all of the shirts), Edison McDowell & Hetherington, LLP (Kendall's law firm), Gustafson Dental, New Balance Houston, Hector's Mexican Restaurant, Global Academic Coaching, Tutti Frutti Park Lakes, Simply Baked Sweets, Kumon Fall Creek, and Smiles by Woehst.
Please share with us some of the events that contributed to the big goal:
* We had “Run with Kaitlyn” days at Persona Pizza, our local Tutti Frutti, and our local Chick-Fil-A, all making donations.
* We had several bake sales - my sister in Utah raised $510; my sister-in-law, niece, and nephews made cookies that sold at her mom's Soup Shoppe in Riverside, CA and raised $512; and my friend Dani sold customized Valentines cookies and raised a few hundred dollars.
* Jones Day, LLP - Dallas, TX office hosted a jeans day and raised around $750.
* Sales of our We Run With Kaitlyn shirts raised $1,551.
* Italiano's Restaurant donated around $1,000 worth of food
* One Block Over - a local band played free of charge
* Dynamic Events - Hosted a picture booth
* Golf Club of Houston - Donated a foursome of golf (worth $700)
* Fall Creek Showbiz Cinemas - Donated a gift basket and a one year unlimited movie pass to their theater
* Rising Sun Sushi - Donated two $25 gift certificates
* Nothing Bundt Cakes - Donated one 10" decorated cake certificate
* Friends also donated beautiful gifts and gift baskets, including Houston Rodeo tickets, handmade wooden cutting boards, a beach gift basket, Italy gift basket, handbag, and more! We also raised $550 at a bake sale from homemade desserts!
We had such a personal connection to Family House, and having first-hand experience with the amazing things they are doing every day for families - it was so easy to talk about the "why" of the fundraising. Then, being able to promote it as We Run WITH Kaitlyn, and knowing she had come so far since we had done the prenatal surgery for her in San Francisco all those years ago, it was incredible. Crossing that finish line with her, surrounded by friends and family was one of the best moments of my life.
We were lucky enough to have so many donated items by the community that we were sort of forced into hosting a fundraiser in order to auction them all off. I had many friends step up to help with the planning, and the more help I received, the bigger and more awesome the fundraiser became. We coordinated a local band to play, donated pasta dinner, tables and chairs, a bake sale, an auction, a face painter, a balloon artist, a photo booth, and the New Balance mascot come along for all the fun. It was amazing, but also very stressful, because there were just so many details to coordinate. We also had two races this time (the 2K Friday night, and the marathon/half marathon/5Ks the next morning) instead of just the one day of races. So, making sure everyone had directions/parking/and all the rest of the information was kind of insane. But, we made it, and it was all worth it because we had made some incredible memories and raised money for our favorite charity!
Do you have any advice for someone that might want to undertake a fundraiser like this?
Go for it! My favorite part about fundraising is that you get to see the best in people. We reached out to so many businesses and friends, and the response was amazing. People we didn't know very well donated thousands of dollars. Companies who just heard our story and had no connection to us donated huge prizes for our auction. Friends and family took on their own fundraising just because they love us and they find what Family House does so inspiring. So many people offer to donate their time and services and want to be part of what you are doing. I was incredibly moved so many in my community who got involved.
If you really believe in what you are raising money for, and tell your story - give the "why" behind what you are doing, people will respond to it. You can do it!
Do you have any advice for a parent who is just starting a journey of having a seriously ill child?
When we stayed at Family House after the prenatal surgery, there were so many unknowns. There were times we were crippled with fear about the future. I think the best advice I would have is just to take these moments one at a time. If you can make it through this period of time, you will be ready to take on the next. Just like with any of your children, you wouldn't be ready to parent a teenager when you are still in the baby-stage - thinking too far down the road with illnesses or disabilities can just compound fears and worries without being able to do anything productive. Cautiously optimistic is the phrase I tend to come back to. And, these moments that you probably took for granted in your life - they become incredible memories that you would never trade for anything. Because watching your child do things you were told they might not do - it's a gift I will always be grateful for.
Visit https://www.werunwithkaitlyn.com to watch the inspiring video featuring the Burr family!
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