8th Annual TRYING FOR a CURE

WHY FORT LOVED RUGBY...AND the KELTS...in pictures ~

If you knew Fort, the pictures say it all (although I did put captions on them,
I really didn't have to!) This is why she LOVED rugby and the Kelts. Her second family for sure. And now, OURS.

In 2003, the year Melissa was diagnosed, the Cincinnati Kelts Club (men's AND women's teams!) decided to sponsor a fundraiser. I was online yesterday and found this article by Pauly from the FIRST fundraiser:

On September 27th, after the Men's game with Michiana (South Bend) and the Women's game with Louisville, we will be having our first raffle and fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

This event is presented on behalf of Melissa ‘Fort’ Fortener, a member of the Cincy-Dayton Women’s Side Rugby Club and the Cincinnati Kelts Rugby Football Club who is currently ‘fighting the good fight’ against breast cancer.

We will be holding this in conjunction with the Rugby Prom (more info later). This will take place on the back deck of Hap's Irish Pub, located at 3510 Erie Avenue in Hyde Park, OH and the raffle and fundraiser will start at 9:00 PM that night, after the regular rugby social.

Raffle tickets should be available around the 10th of September and we will be selling these right up to the drawing. Winners will be announced at 10:00 PM. Current raffle prizes include a framed Guinness poster, various restaurant gift certificates, a selection of Irish whiskey, a 1 hour massage and other miscelleneous items. The full list will appear here once we begin to sell tickets. Cost of the tickets will be 1 for $5 or 3 for $10. You will not need to be present to win.

We are currently taking orders for and will sell a special event T-shirt. On the front will be the Kelts Crest and event information and on the back will be the new Irish proverb, "Ta na Daoine as Eire in a Ghra Leis an Cioch" which is Gaelic for, "The Irish love breasts". We are still in the process of finalizing color and cost of these but will post it here as soon as we are able.

On the night of the event, we will offer a "Bottomless Mug 'o Beer" from 9:00 PM until 11:00 PM. Cost will be $10 and includes an official Kelts logo mug or cup from one of our recent tours.

Also, all day and all night we will be selling tickets for a "Split the Pot" at $1 each or 6 for $5. We will draw a winner at 11:00 PM who will get half of all the money we collect. You will not need to be present to win this either.

We welcome you to come out to watch the rugby during the day and enjoy the show at the Rugby Prom afterwards. For the uninitiated, Rugby Prom is a party theme where the players dress up in their finest prom outfits. However, no one is allowed to clean up after the days games and must change into their outfits at the field or at the bar. This is especially interesting if it is a muddy day!!! The Rugby Prom King and Queen will be selected and announced prior to the raffle.

I will update this periodically with additional information and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at pauly@kelts.com. I want to thank you in advance for your support of this fundraiser!!! Cheers!!

and just a note...he mentioned that it was the Rugby Prom? Fort & Johnny Mac were the Prom KING & QUEEN that year. We had SO much fun.

So, from 2003 to 2011, the Cincinnati Kelts have sponsored this fundraiser.
It has been a HUGE success. It was always in honor of Fort, now it is in her MEMORY.
And now, half of the proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and half to her scholarship fund.

It seemed to me to be the biggest crowd ever last night. It was amazing. The Kelts have raised over $30,000 in the last eight years for this cause.
Last year, they agreed to sponsor me in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk (which I am doing in two weeks!)...THANK YOU KELTS! For all you do for this cause that is so close to our hearts.

Some day, I hope in MY lifetime, a cure will be found or it will be a disease that can be treated ... (like diabetes!)

Enjoy the party (in pictures!).....
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Pauly - the FIRST person I try to find when we get to the FUNdraiser. He is the reason this continues. LOVE YOU PAULY & ELIZABETH and thanks for all your work on this!!!)


Pauly & Kat (Kat and her dad make, oh, probably a couple hundred pink ribbons to sell at the fundraiser - ALWAYS a big hit!!! Thanks Kat!)


Rugby friend (Kyra!)


Rugby Dads...Fort's dad and Kyra's dad


Having fun with Jen & Edie


Rugby Moms...Kyra's mom, Netti's mom, Fort's mom


Pauly, on the bar, begins his introduction by pointing out WHY we are here.


Lots of happy faces here...Pauly must have been exposing...whoops! I mean entertaining everyone!


I put LOTS of tickets in for this one...darn....


one happy winner...



and another....


checking tickets for winners...


One of Pauly's teammates on the Wolfhounds won the 50/50...Pauly made him work for his winnings....


Netti assisted Pauly in the emcee duties this year...she did a GREAT job!!!!



At the end of every rugby game, AND after all the tickets are drawn at this fundraiser, they do THREE CHEERS (at the fundraiser, it's THREE CHEERS for FORT!) HIP HIP HOORAY! HIP HIP HOORAY! HIP HIP HOORAY! it is LOUD and very emotional for us...but we LOVE this!!!!!!!!!!!



Donny and Hula (one of the $100 winners!)



Pam and Crazy Legs (Kelly)...she said "the first time Fort saw me play, she said "man, you have CRAZY LEGS"...and it STUCK!" She said some people don't even know her real name... um...like....FORT? (a lot of people didn't know HER name was Melissa either!)


Pam, Netti, Donny (THANKS Netti for all your work on this FUNdraiser!)




**********~**************~*************~***********~************~
HOMECOMING

Went to Donny's Homecoming at Wilmington College.
Interesting (however sad) connection we have to one of his fraternity brothers.
Curt (Mange)(who happens to be the head football coach/Athletic director at Portsmouth High School) and his wife Mary lost there 27 year old daughter to ovarian cancer last February. Courtney was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer when she was 14 and in high school. She went on to excel in THREE sports in high school and was the class Valedictorian. She went on to college, graduated, got a job, THEN was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer. Needless to say, her mom and I talked for a couple of hours and we found out our daughters had a LOT in common. And now, so do we.
Friends for life, I'm sure. Thanks Mary.
*** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Former Wilmington College football players (most from the class of 1971 who were honored at halftime of the Homecoming game). In this group - most are (or were)head football coaches/Athletic Directors at high schools in Ohio (some of the schools...Portsmouth, Indian Hills, Valley View, Avon Lake, Versailles, Uniota, Waynesville...just to name a few)
If Miami University is the cradle of coaches for COLLEGE coaches, Wilmington is the cradle of coaches for HIGH SCHOOL coaches! Oh...and there are THREE School Superintendents in this mix too! AND Fort knew most of these guys! (at least she met them when we took them to Wilmington football games when they were little!)


Donny with a couple of his football buddies (and fraternity brothers) from Wilmington...and yes that's the Quaker mascot!


*********************************************************************************
VOLLEY FOR THE CURE ~ Fairmont High School
Ang & I arrived at the Volley for the Cure to find a table set up and some great posters for Fort. Great crowd (although Fairmont lost the match) and very supportive of our cause - we raised about $150 in random donations for our 3day walk!
The speaker at this event was ANOTHER Fairmont student who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 21. GET YOUR MAMMOGRAMS. (if you have a history of breast cancer in your family - REQUEST a mammogram before the age of 40. Better safe than sorry!




~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~
Here's to YOU Jackie....

I couldn't wait...just a little sneak peak at the memorial for Jackie's tree (which sits behind Fort's bench at Fairmont High School) ~ it should be set in the next week or so...


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*

just a note on the fundraiser...

When we first arrived at the fundraiser, I went to talk to Pauly. He directed me to
Elizabeth and new baby Luke (adorable, by the way!), who was sitting with a HAP'S friend of Melissa's. Her name is Marianne. She and Melissa became friends when they realized they shared a common bond...they both had breast cancer. I know Marianne was very helpful to Melissa, encouraging her to join her friends at Haps - a very supportive group....was she RIGHT!
Recently Marianne lost her daughter in law to a rare form of cancer. We talked for quite awhile. We shared stories of Melissa and her daughter in law Jen. We both cried...but it was good for both of us, I KNOW.
The really nice thing about the fundraiser? As difficult as this time of year is,
I love to go, and will NEVER miss this because they all continue to remember and talk about Melissa. It is almost like she is there...just no booming voice or the sound of her laughter. So while there is definitely something missing, her laughter resounds in the laughter of her friends. It makes me laugh AND cry. We miss her EVERY SINGLE day, but are thankful for her wonderful friends who remember her to us on a regular basis.

THANK YOU FORT FRIENDS for loving her and remembering her.
Enjoy this beautiful fall weather...she did!

3 Day UPDATE

Got an email this week from Susan G. Komen...inviting me to be a flag bearer (AGAIN!) in the Opening and Closing ceremonies. I get to carry the flag that says
MY DAUGHTER. I am HONORED. The really AWESOME part of this? The Opening ceremonies are at Stone Mountain. That was one of Melissa's favorite vacations growing up. We stopped there on the way home from spring break one year. Donny's cousin John and his wife took us there. She LOVED climbing that mountain. Can you tell?


**** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
TEAM B POSITIVE holds ANOTHER successful fundraiser!
Raised close to $1800 at this event...we are ALMOST there!




COMING SOON.............the EIGHTH ANNUAL "TRYING FOR A CURE"...Cincinnati Kelts Men's Rugby Club has been sponsoring this event in Fort's honor since the year she was diagnosed, 2003. October 8 @ HAPS in Cincinnati. If you are interested in purchasing raffle tickets ($5/ea or 3/$10 - give me call or send me an email. First prize $300. Second prize $200 Third prizes (3) $100
*************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fairmont is holding the VOLLEY for the CURE this Tuesday, September 27. We were invited to set up a table. We will have BREAST CANCER information (thanks to Sharon Kershner), and accepting donations for our 3 Day Walk AND Kelts raffle tickets.
THANKS FAIRMONT!

Fort's JV Volleyball team honored her at Finneytowns FIRST Volley for the Cure in 2007.
*****************************************************************************
In honor of my friend Jackie, who passed away last March, I had a tree planted behind Melissa's bench at Fairmont (since Moraine Meadows closed, I thought Fairmont would be a good place since Jackie's students will be passing through Fairmont for the next 10 years!) The placque for under the tree will be ready in 6 to 8 weeks...it is beautiful. Will post a picture when it's in! Love you Jackie!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max & Drew in their Fairmont digs (Drew has his "FIREBIRDS for Fort" shirt on! I love it!



Two Drew's (Drew B...one of my former student from Moraine Meadows...he was THE cutest little boy...when Nick and Mere decided on Andrew for a name - I KNEW I would call him Drew!)


I can't think of a better way of ending this post than to share some "old" photos of Fort...she would love it, I'm sure!

WHEW! Exhausted after eating that apple!!!



BIG shoes to fill...(what is it about babies and their dad's (or grandma's) shoes? Just today Max was wearing MY shoes - trying to walk around with them on!)


BUSTED! (she snuck into the cabinet to get some cookies....I ALWAYS had a camera ready!)


Sorry for the long post...Donny tells me I should post more often (I used to tell Melssa the SAME thing)...but just like FORT, I have to be motivated AND have the energy. That happened to be today.

Don't forget (HOW COULD YOU)...OCTOBER is BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
GET YOUR MAMMOGRAM (or schedule it anyway!)

Enjoy the fall!

Ten years ago today...

I had a group of students in orientation for Literacy Lab when the phone rang in the library at Moraine Meadows. It was Melissa. "MOM. Turn on your tv. A plane just hit the World Trade Center!" That was how I first found out about the events of that day...my students were second graders, so I didn't leave it on but for a couple of minutes. I took them back to their classroom, and went to the office to tell them. We were told to leave the tv's off and not talk about it. Parents came to school to pick up their kids and take them home...Nick called and said "WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON???" He was at Akron at the time - the Saturday before Akron had played Ohio State. I remember going home and looking up and how odd it seemed that there were no planes in the sky. For several days.
When Melissa came home from work that night, we went to St. Mary's (church) on Xenia Avenue. They had a service that night - there were a lot of people there...like, there was nothing you could do but pray.

Ten years ago...she was HERE.
It's all STILL so unbelievable.

It amazes me how we can go through such traumatic events in our lives and
go on. 9-11...Cancer...but somehow we do. One day at a time....
and with the help of friends, family and for me - my grandsons...and memories
of better times - like the HOLIDAY at HOME Labor Day celebration every year...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another event Fort LOVED...the Holiday at Home parade. Her last one was 3 years ago...she posted all about it - even posted information about the Clydesdales - they were in the parade that year. She loved the craft show at Lincoln Park after the parade too...another holiday...not the same without her. But we go because SHE loved it...now the boys love it too!

Nick, Mere and the boys at the parade


Pam-ma with Drew & Max...having fun at the parade!


Saw two of my former students (from Moraine Meadows) in the parade...and yes...they are GIRLS...playing football! I love it!


Drew's first friend...


Drew gettin' a feel for driving a firetruck...


** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
These are some our friends from Compassionate Friends. The 5K was in honor of Cameron, the son of Chad & Tonya. He was having a routine surgery and there were complications and he died in surgery. He was only 18. The proceeds of the 5K go to A Special Wish Foundation. BEAUTIFUL day, great friends...


Sharon & Pam (training in a 5K for the BIG walk in October!)


* * * * * * * * * ** ** ** ** ** ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** *
Funny story...(Fort would post this, she LOVED stories like this about her dad...)
We've had a pretty large branch hanging by a thread from our tree in the front yard -
ever since the wind storm back in August. It's probably 10-15 long, hanging right in front of the bay window. Leaves are dead and it looks terrible - so he decided the other day to try to get it down. He had this rope with a heavy metal hook tied to one end...kept throwing it up into the tree to try to wrap the rope around the branch to pull it down. He must have done it 3 or 4 times with no success. (I was in the house all this time). On the last try - he heard a cracking sound, looked over, and the window on the driver side of his car was shattered. He came in the house and said "come here....I don't know WHAT happened, but my car window just broke." He finally figured out that there was a bolt tied to the same rope he was throwing up in the tree, and somehow the bolt came unattached and went flying...right into his car window.
So the next day, Nick stops by with the kids. I am telling Nick the story (and finally seeing the humor in it)and we are both laughing about it. We get in the house, and Drew says "tell me a story Pam-ma" (He loves stories...anything I make up..usually about firetrucks, firemen, dumptrucks) So I ask him, "what story do you want to hear?" His answer? "The one about pop-pop and the tree!"
(It's not the first time Donny has broken something that he WASN'T working on. One time, he was fixing the sink in the kitchen and broke the water softener in the basement.) Fortunately for me, he doesn't know how to post on this blog...otherwise you would probably here some stories about the many stupid things I've done in the past. I'm sure if you read anything Fort wrote - you'd find some of my faux pas there...you should go back and read HER writing anyway...she ALWAYS had something funny to write about!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Coming up soon...
Saturday, September 17 - 6 p.m.- TEAM B POSITIVE Fundraiser...Tailgate party for the Ohio State Game at Talegator's on Far Hills in Kettering.
Door prizes, 50/50, baskets to bid on, $10 buffet (through halftime), $2 beers!
Join the fun and help raise funds for our 3 Day Walk next month!

VOLLEY FOR THE CURE Tuesday, September 27 @ Fairmont - vs. Beavercreek. Will be selling FORT bracelets, tickets for the Kelts Breast Cancer Fundraiser and hopefully getting donations for the 3 Day Walk!

Saturday, October 8 - 9th Annual Kelts Breast Cancer Fundraiser - HAPS IRISH PUB in Cinncinati. Raffles and lots of fun -
half the proceeds go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, half to Melissa's Scholarship fund at Fairmont. THANKS PAULY & ELIZABETH and KELTS!!!!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~*
Like Fort, I love, love, love the fall...or I used to anyway. Love the weather,
football, watching her play rugby...missing her in the fall...and getting closer to the holidays...wishing I could just jump from October to February. Thankful for a wonderful husband, son, grandsons and daughter in law...and compassionate friends, and my sister...and remembering ALL the things I am thankful for.

Miss you every single day Melissa...love you pretty girl...

Enjoy the fall!

Welcome MIA MARIE!!!!!

Mia Marie is here!!!!!!
(after Fort...Melissa Marie)


She is absolutely adorable...and I had the HONOR of being her FIRST friend. When Emma was born, Melissa was the first visitor and Emma's first friend. When Luke was born, Fort was the first visitor, and LUKE'S first friend. So this summer, I visited Stacy & Casey, and they asked if I would be THIS baby's first friend...
I know Fort was there today too...


One HAPPY family! (baby Mia is in her bassinette, keeping warm!)


This picture is in honor of FORT...if you've ever seen a collection of pictures of her, you will notice that in MORE THAN HALF of the pictures, she is sticking out her tongue!


First friend....


Proud papa & baby Mia


Big brother Luke & Mia


Big sis Emma & Mia




Mommy (Stacy), Mia & Pam


Nick & Mia


Congratulations Stacy & Casey! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Back to School

One good thing about going back to school? Never a dull moment...and PLENTY of stuff for the blog...

Our "theme" this year is "DREAM BIG". Pretty much about raising test scores. At any rate, I pulled some books that tie in to our theme - and talk to the students about "what is YOUR dream?". I told them one of my dreams was to see all 50 states.
So this little girl (third grader) says "I want to be a vegetarian when I grow up." And I'm thinking, that's interesting...so I say "you can do that NOW, all you have to do is stop eating meat...". She looks at me funny, and the little girl next to her says "No, she wants to take care of animals..." OH. A VETERINARIAN.....we cleared THAT up pretty quickly. Good thing I've decided to focus on "BUILDING VOCABULARY" this year!

I was telling Nick the vegetarian story on the way to see the baby tonight. It reminded me of ANOTHER school story, only this one involved my school Principal.
GREAT guy. EVERYONE should be fortunate enough to work with someone like this...
I was having a VERY stressful day. This guy was a great Principal, but he was overwhelmed (the district basically gave him TWO full time jobs), and he didn't hesitate to delegate. And I couldn't say "no". So I was overwhelmed, and pulled my rocking chair to a corner, sat down and started crying. Then HE walked in the door.
Not knowing HOW to handle this crying librarian, he comes up to me, hands me a $10 and says "go buy yourself a pitcher of beer"....He was ONE OF A KIND.

~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~*~*~*~ ~*~*~*~*~ ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*

Hope you have a relaxing Labor Day Weekend...I plan on it!