BBBS | Dick Foster - My Journey

Feb

You Can Do Something to Save Kids and Our Communities

By Dick Foster · Comments (0)

Let me get right to the point… Lots of kids need your help, and here’s an opportunity for you to help financially.

Please consider supporting my fund raising effort to support Big Brothers Big Sisters via Team Rio. As an extra incentive, I will match every dollar donated by February 29, 2012, up to a total of $2,000! That’s how much I believe in the impact of BBBS!

I’m a Big Brother and I’ve seen how BBBS benefits kids. And today the need is greater the resources available. Thanks for caring.

If you’re not yet convinced, please read on..

During the past 23 months much has changed in my life..

March 25, 2010 – diagnosed with cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) – tumor a base of my tongue and lymph node in my neck
August 12, 2010 – completed 4 months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments
November 17, 2010 – Great News… CT Scan shows no sign of cancer!
December 13, 2010 – my oncologist says it’s time to start exercising to get back “in shape”
January 2011 – I set goal to walk 10,000 steps a day, which is average for an active person
February 2011 – signed up with Team Rio to train for Country Music Half Marathon and support Big Brothers Big Sisters
April 25, 2011 – met my “Little Brother” Emmanuel thanks to Big Brothers Big Sisters
April 30, 2011 – completed the Country Music Half Marathon faster than my goal
Feb – May, 2011 – raised over $2,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters through Team Rio, which raised over $110,000
2011 – I continue to gain strength and recover. Quarterly CT scans are all clear! I am very grateful.
January 2012 – I’m training with Team Rio to again walk in the Music City Half Marathon on April 28 to support Big Brothers Big Sisters

By Little Brother Emmanuel

You too can do something to save kids and our communities by supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Volunteer – Become a “Big” (Big Brother or Big Sister) and mentor a kid
Donate money to support Big Brothers and Big Sisters
Enroll your child

It’s not just a donation. It’s an investment in a child’s future.

When you donate online to Big Brothers Big Sisters, you join our cause and directly support children in your community. No matter how little or big the amount, donating can start making a difference in the lives of young people around you.

Donating pays dividends.

Research shows that our mentoring works. Children with a Big Brother or Big Sister show real differences in their personal and academic lives. They are more confident in their schoolwork performance, they get along better with their families and they’re 52% less likely to skip school.

Team Rio is ready to run the Country Music Marathon / Half Marathon on 30 April 2011

Team Rio 2011 at Country Music Marathon

Thank you for reading this far! I hope you will donate to this great cause and Start Something Big.

Remember, I will match every dollar donated by February 29, 2012, up to a total of $2,000.

Please click here to give now.

Thank you very much for your generosity.

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Dec

Fun Time at “Dickens of a Christmas”

By Dick Foster · Comments (0)

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My Little Brother, Emmanuel, and I spent a few hours this afternoon wandering around the streets of Franklin, TN enjoying the annual “Dickens of a Christmas” street festival! Music, horse drawn carriage ride, window shopping, and some food, of course! One of the first things on Emmanuel’s radar search was nachos – one of his favorite foods.

As you see in the photo we took a ride on a 12-passenger carriage drawn by 2 very large horses. It was a short ride, but fun. A first for Emmanuel.
The main street in downtown Franklin and a few side streets were blocked off for 2 days and hundreds of vendors set up shop for the street festival.

Click to Enlarge

A large band stand at the square hosted several musical acts throughout the weekend. We actually sat down for 10 minutes to enjoy some music. I point this out because Emmanuel is constantly on the go, except when we’re watching a 3D movie. Today he was also occupied with eating his nachos while we were listening to the music.

We even found Santa wandering down Main Street to the delight of kids and their parents — and Emmanuel.

In keeping with the Christmas theme, one vendor was selling sugar plums, which we just had to try. They were tasty, but one was enough for me.

Did you have the opportunity to enjoy a similar street festival to take a break from your holiday shopping at the malls?

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Nov

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee Honored at Tennessee Titans Football Game

By Dick Foster · Comments (0)

Blaine Bishop and Tennessee Titans present Game Ball to BBBS Nov-2011

Big Brother Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee was honored by the Tennessee Titans during the game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Emmanuel, my Little Brother, and several other Littles were on the field when Blaine Bishop presented an honorary game ball to Chris Suitter of BBBS of Middle Tennessee. Blaine is a former Titan and was a Little Brother in his youth.

The weather was not ideal – wet and cool – but Emmanuel, his grandmother, and I enjoyed watching the Titans defeat the Buccaneers 23-17. This is the second Titans football game that Emmanuel and I have attended this year thanks to the generosity of BBBS supporters.

The Game Football Given to BBBS

Emmanuel is pretty savvy about the football players and the game itself so he was elated when I told him that we had tickets for the game. As a matter of fact, Emmanuel started asking me during the summer months if we could go to a Titans game this fall.

BBBS is a great organization that helps kids reach their potential through one-to-one relationships with mentors. I’ve been a Big Brother since April of this year and it has been a great experience. Consider getting involved.

I’m training with Team Rio, which has been supporting BBBS of Middle TN for 8 years, to walk in the Music City half-marathon in April 2012. Join me in supporting this great cause for kids. Every $8 helps.

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