Plantation Key School Steps Up for Charlie!!!!!!

Plantation Key School has picked up the chant for Charlie! The third grade class from last year began collecting pop tops in an effort to see what 1 million was like. However, upon hearing that they could help Charlie's dad, Matt and the Ronald McDonald House in the fight against cancer, they decided to donate all their collected tops to Charlie! I can't imagine a more powerful message - kids helping kids! What a great lesson to learn so young and to carry forward as they grow and experience life. As the presentation was being made, one child initiated a chant for "Charlie" and soon the whole crowd was holding up their bags and chanting for Charlie! As the students help load the tabs in Ms. Gibson’s car that day, one student was overheard saying “this makes me feel so good to help Charlie”. The students were so excited about their community service and that it went to help a real child with a face. These children took the opportunity to take something of throwaway value, a pop top, and recycled it into a tool of giving! Thank you PKS! You have done more than help out a family fighting cancer with this act...you have enabled these children to realize the act of helping others! What a fantastic lesson for us all!

Stormin for Charlie!

What a great time we had last night! Randy Johnson, of the band Stormin, put together a charity concert at the Park Theatre in Holland, MI last night. The proceeds from the show were being donated to three great causes - Harbor Humane Society, Salvation Army Heat and Food Fund, and www.charityforcharlie.com! It was an awesome experience to be a part of and I want to personally thank everyone who came to the show. The band put on a great show and the crowd was really having a super time! The dance floor was packed with people from teenagers to septuagenarians, all enjoying two tight musical sets. Matt had an opportunity to get onstage and express his gratitude to all and you could see how much the event affected him. Seeing all those people coming together for a great time and a great cause was a highlight for the Gibson family!

Charlie goes to the Firehouse

Among Charlie's favorite things in the world are big trucks, and what is bigger than a big red Fire Engine!?! On a day when Charlie was deemed healthy enuogh to get out for a bit, Matt took him down to the Station No. 5 in Lafayette, IN where he was embraced by the whole fire house! He was treated like a Fire Chief and he was loving every minute of it! Matt took some video that we want to share! Enjoy! For an update of further efforts by the station, please link here: http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200812170300/NEWS/812170323

Fundraising!

We had a very productive fall season as far as fundraising goes! The bracelet sales were brisk with young Luke Hanneken spearheading an effort to sell about 50 bracelets at Holland High School! Gareth Collins, a member of the extended family in Chicago took up the gauntlet, selling bracelets for $20 a piece - raising $200 in 2 days! Inspired, he went on to organize a football square fundraiser for the Lions Thanksgiving Day game. He raised $1400 nearly singlehandedly! This kind of support has really eased a load off of Matt's shoulders, giving him some freedom to focus on what's important - his son!

Christmas with Charlie

We had the opportunity to see Charlie 2 days after christmas and celebrate the holiday with him and his father Matt. The kids were super hyped as they had not been able to hang with Charlie since just before his diagnosis. It was pretty hard on his cousins Joseph and Oliver, who spent most of the summer competing to be Charlie's "favorite"! The girls were just happy to have their "little buddy" back.

Charlie was just cute as a button and, though his blood counts were low, he was really just our normal happy nephew! Because of his counts we had bottles of Purel within reach at all times and we had the very real fear of having to abort the whole trip should any of the family come down with anything so much as a sniffle. Fortunately, those fears came to nought and it was a highlight of our holiday season! Charlie has been responding well to chemo and looks to be right on schedule as far as treatment goes. We continue to be blessed with an outpouring of support from so many in the community as we journey on this long arduous road. Thank you to all and I hope to get back up to speed with these updates! :)