Serving For Grace

I love my job. Mainly because I get to tell stories that are important to me. But now I have another reason for my love affair with Montgomery County athletics. Since we shared our story about Grace’s battle with INAD, I have had dozens of people come up to me at games and tell me that they are praying for me or that our journey touched them.

The even crazier thing for me is that it’s not just individuals that have lent their support to our little girl, it’s teams. From Coach Matt Millburg and Lincolnwood boys basketball team giving Grace a signed ball from the alumni tournament to Coach Jason Burke and the Hillsboro boys soccer team making a donation for the research project at Washington University to Coach Bret Tuetken, Coach Bob Allen and the Hillsboro girls basketball team making Grace an honorary Lady Hiltopper, it’s been overwhelming the support that we have received.

The latest instance of this was tonight at the Lincolnwood Junior High volleyball game against Christ The King. I have a soft spot for the Lady Knights because my cousins, Kayley and Kensey Armour, play for the eighth grade team and have always loved Grace like she was a sister. The twins were some of the first ones to get the “Grace Filled Journey” bracelets and not long after they got their bracelets, they came back to get “Gracelets” for the rest of the team.

Mary, Grace and I with the Lady Knights of Lincolnwood Junior High. Just an awesome group.

All of those Gracelets were on display tonight as the team honored Grace with some new Lincolnwood gear, a Cinderella Barbie, some orange glow bracelets and an Disney read-along CD. As awesome as that was, Coach Kimberly Denney, like myself a Lincolnwood alum, and the Lady Knights one upped themselves with their support of the INAD research project.

All smiles with the Lady Knights

The team’s “Serving for Pizza” game is now called “Serving for Grace” and the money will go to help support the research project, which Mary says could start within the next few months. Tonight alone, the game raised $150 through donations from the Lincolnwood and Christ The King fans. Even if it doesn’t raise another dime, that is an awesome amount and will be put to good use at Washington University.

 

Grandma & Grandpa Herschelman, Grandma & Grandpa Galer, Aunt Mikaela, Great-Grandma Armour, Uncle Pat, Aunt Angie and Cousin Katelyn were all in attendance to watch Kayley and Kensey (and Grace) at tonight's game.

Like I said, I love my job and I have found out over the last few weeks that even though they may be wearing Lincolnwood, Hillsboro, Nokomis or Litchfield jerseys, just about everybody seems to be on Team Grace. 

KRH

After the game with the Armour girls and Herschelman girls.