Over The Pylon

If you’ve been reading the Pylon since its inception back in 2008, you probably have realized a few things. First and foremost, you’d have noticed that we are unhealthily obsessed with Ball State athletics. To that, I have no defense and I make no apologies. Chirp chirp till I die. You would have also noticed that I very rarely put my personal business out into the blogosphpere for a whole host of reasons. Today, we focus less on the former and more on the latter, as the curtain gets pulled back a little on your fearless leader here at OTP with an opportunity to make a difference in some amazing kids’ lives.

Those that know me best have heard me laud my brother John as perhaps the most amazing person that you’ll ever meet. Musical ability for days and a photographic memory are what people notice initially but the myriad personality traits my brother has that I could never hope for are unbelievable. He’s kind. He’s sincere. He’s affectionate. There’s a magnetism and a genuineness that I’ve not seen in anyone else.  John is also autistic, but that disability doesn’t define him. It’s because of my parents and the support they’ve provided and the numerous angels John has in his life that have allowed him to succeed.

The Mom’s occupation is development and fundraising, but her passion is children, all of whom (much like my brother) were dealt a hand in life that makes things you and I find easy and simple sometimes exceptionally difficult. She currently works with a population of those very kids at the Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies in Louisville. It’s not hyperbole when I say that the Kid’s Center is truly doing God’s work by providing these children physical, occupational, and speech therapies. More than that, they’re providing them hope and a chance to succeed. They help children find their ability and not focus on their disability. It’s powerful stuff, even for your neighborhood Ball State blogger. In a world that seems to grow more troubling and negative by the day, there are miracles occurring each and ever minute at a place like the Kids Center.

How you can help me help them is by opening your wallet for these kids. Unlike some charities and goodworks, money isn’t lost to overhead and no donation is too small. Remember above how I said that children aren’t turned away because of their families’ ability to pay? That happens because of generous donations from people just like you and me. $20 provides an hour of therapy for a child in need. Every $1,000 raised funds therapy for an entire year for a child in dire need of a break. To put that in perspective, to fund a child for an hour of therapy, you’d need to trade off:

• One good 6-pack and a Chipotle burrito… or…
• A large Papa John’s pizza delivered… or….
• 4 Starbucks runs… or…
• Three packs of cigarettes (that’s about what they cost these days, right?)… or…
• * insert something you don’t really need that costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 *

That doesn’t seem like much for an hour of therapy. Looking for a more Cardinal-riffic way to make your donation count? Might I suggest…

• $41.39 (The score of the last BSU win over Indiana)
• $30 (a dollar for every win at BSU that Pete Lembo has accrued)
• $92 (a dollar for every Keith Wenning BSU TD in his career)
• $1,000,000 (seems like a nice round number)

The main fundraising push for the Kids Center is the upcoming Walk and Roll, where Kids Center families and supporters will come to downtown Louisville for a two-mile downtown stroll or roll depending on their ability or accommodation. I’m asking you, Friends of the Pylon, or friends of mine, for your support in this endeavor. It is people like you that can give a child therapy, hope, and their own little miracle. The amounts above are only suggestions. Please give what you feel comfortable and no donation is too small. How you would do that…

• Click through to the Kids Center fundraising page here.
• Click on that big blue button that says (appropriately enough) “SUPPORT ME”
• Fill in your donation via their secure credit card form. In the “Message to Becki” section feel free to put something like “OTP sent me” or “Go Ball State” or something to make our Cardinal voice heard.
• Submit the info and pat yourself on the back for doing some good on a Thursday. Simple, really.

Scientists have actually proven that our brains’ pleasure receptors benefit from the act of generosity. So it feels good to donate money to worthy causes like helping kids in need. I know you can do it, friends. Thanks in advance for your support and I do hope you can join me in making sure these kids have the therapy and hope they need.

Filed under: OTPCares |