Tonight we are attending the Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities Early Childhood Education family picnic.
Thanks to the generous supporters of the MJB Foundation we will be making a donation of $5,000, our biggest contribution to date toward the Barn Structure to be built in the farm garden at the Early Childhood facility.
We’d love it if you would join us, or maybe help us wish this rain away.
I’m Meghan Joy’s daddy, Jim Brochowski.
I have the great honor and privilege of writing the speeches for these events, the words that go along with the contributions our friends allow us to make.
But this one is a little different.
You see, 15 years ago today we lost our Meghan Joy. We don’t make a habit of dwelling on the date. While we feel the loss of Meghan in some ways every day, we try to focus on the positive. Still the irony of today being that anniversary, and this being our biggest contribution, well… Wow!
I always do a few things when I’m writing a speech for the MJB Foundation.
I spend some time reflecting on my daughter and her legacy. I read through her story, and sometimes speeches and stories that have been written before. I try to think about her sisters K and D and her Mommy, Netter and how what I say will represent all of us and all of our supporters.
Today, this date, I’m adding something to that list.
Instead of focusing on the fact that we lost our daughter 15 years ago today, I’m going to focus on what we gained and her inspiration. An inspiration that has allowed us to do so many things for so many children with challenges.
I will be proud to present that check later this evening and I am proud to represent Meghan’s legacy, and my family and everyone who supports Meghan’s Foundation.
Thank you!
(Previous comments on this post can be found here: http://mjbfoundation.blogspot.com/2009/05/inspiration.html#comments)