This is an open letter to all our supporters out there all over the world..
It is coming to the end of the year and what a crazy one it has been. I fell like I should start this letter with a few apologies. This fundraising malarkey has well and truly snow balled this year as every event gets bigger and we add more and more events. Due to that, my time has become more and more swallowed up, it has meant that I have had less time for everyone, and for that I sincerely apologize. I know that I have run short of time for my friends, my work and even my family. I have said I’d do things and either forgotten or simply run out of time. I have missed things or not given things the attention they deserve with everything going on, and that is really weighing on my mind. I even find I have less time to spend with the boys of late and I struggle with that endlessly.
I know that what we are doing has to be done and the support around us has been incredible, but I really just wanted to say to everyone, Sorry if I have fobbed you off, forgotten anything, been short with you or simply not shown you the attention you deserve. For any and all of you, please do not be afraid to chase me or remind me of things if I have missed them. I won’t take offense, and I can honestly say my memory is not what it used to be and if we organise to do something in among a lot of other things going on it may just be one of those conversations my mind completely forgets to take note of. So chase me, remind me and don’t be afraid to make suggestions.
On from that, what an INCREDIBLE year it has been. We have fundraised around $95,000 this year, we’ve met so many people and truly seen the entire Wairarapa community rally behind us. I have been in a LOT of people faces trying to get things donated or get help with different things and everyone has surprised me by coming through with things, I have had almost no one say no to helping without very good reason. I can honestly say I am a very different person than I was a year ago and I feel like a part of the community more than I ever did before.
We are so lucky in this small ‘rural’ part of New Zealand to have such an incredible bunch of people living here always happy to help and I will honestly never forget it. You are all amazing and no matter how many times I say thank you to you all it doesn’t seem like enough.
We have had auctions, quizzes, fair stalls, movies, cut-a-thons, cryptic dinners, motor bikes, clothing sales, Halloween parties, cake stalls, shirts, Adele tickets, Santa photos and SO much more that is all so blurred together I can’t even remember (Did I mention my memory) and while organizing events is stressful at the best of times, the events themselves have been amazing and great fun. We have had incredible feedback on all of them and it really helps us to keep moving forward knowing that you guys are enjoying what we are doing.
We have less than 4 months to go now, and still a hell of a long way to go, the pressure and the stress is on, so over the Xmas, New Year break me and the family are taking a break from the fundraising mindset and I am giving my time back to my family for a couple of weeks, they deserve it and I need it.
We will be back getting organized early January and we will be chasing you all HARD for help and donations for our events, please be patient with us and anything you can do please do as we desperately need all the help we can get now, we are only going to be in your faces for another 4 months and then it all comes to a head and we’ll stop hassling you. I have sent in my final application tonight to become a registered charity which will hopefully help businesses to be able to help us out.
4 MONTHS – $110,000 – We can do this!
I’ll be seeing out these last couple of December events, taking a break then lets all band together and get this done. Thank you ALL again for your incredible generosity and support, Danielle and I will never forget it and I plan to dedicate myself to helping out the community in any way I can when I am back and recovered as well as helping others out who are taking the same journey. I can’t wait, bring on this time next year when it is all over and I am back to the safe zone with my health, back to normality, back to a life without this insidious disease holding me back..
Love and Pancakes!
Nick