We had only one special birthday with our little girl. It was magical. June was her healthiest month of her 18 month life. We celebrated with our entire family…and she daintily indulged in her own little cake.
Today…we celebrate Kate’s Kart 18th birthday…Eighteen years of an amazing legacy grown in love, sweat and tears, so that our little girl would always be remembered and celebrated.
It started with a simple idea. We had received some books over the holidays while at Mott’s Children’s Hospital at University of Michigan. They were so healing to us!
After her passing, we thought: “Let’s use the $4,000 we had in memorial money to give away books.”
Fun fact: Interestingly, our first call wasn’t to a Fort Wayne hospital. We reached out to the Indianapolis hospital where we had spent much of Kate’s life. They weren’t interested in the idea. At the time, we were disappointed.
We then reached out to Lutheran, our local hospital where Kate had spent a few days, when she was “well” enough to stay here in Ft. Wayne. They enthusiastically said “YES!”
So the planning began. Friends rallied behind us.
Laura made a website!
Gina came up with the so appropriate tagline: “Books from the Heart”.
Anita helped our 3 year old design our logo (check out the erratic placement of all the blue hearts).
Jenny and Shannon organized our first fundraiser, a “FILL THE UHAUL” at Bisque It.
That first fundraiser was a huge success…we did fill the UHAUL. Canterbury School donated a Kart and before we knew it, we pushed the very 1st Kart down the halls at Lutheran Hospital on June 4, 2008…less than 5 months after Kate had passed.
And we haven’t stopped rolling since.
That 1 Kart is now 1 of 48!
That 1 hospital is now 1 of 26
That 1st book is now 1 of 550,000
To grow Kate’s Kart in our own local community has been nothing but a blessing. Thank goodness Indianapolis said no. To meet thousands of local people who have supported us with their time, talent and treasure is humbling. To walk alongside other families on some of their toughest days is truly a blessing.
So what will year 18 bring? New Karts? New Hospitals? Increased Impact? Deepened Partnerships? Definitely it will bring New Friends…New Donors…and, New Families who experience a little bit of comfort, joy and normalcy because of the gift of a new book.
And that’s the best birthday present we could ask for!
Happy Birthday Kate’s Kart!
