For the first time in history, the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend can't "happen" due to COVID. A Virtual Event has been planned instead. Do you know that the Memphis Marathon Weekend event is the SINGLE biggest fund raising event for St. Jude all year long? I cannot imagine how the folks at St. Jude will manage to care for all its kids WITHOUT this fundraiser! That is why I have decided to spend my next three months running or biking, at least, a mile followed by fundraising efforts. My goal? To raise awareness of the St. Jude mission and their current need. To accomplish that goal, I will concentrate on asking as many people as possible to donate $5 or more to St. Jude.
Why? Because I believe in the mission of St. Jude and it was my daughter, Mary, who opened my eyes to this place where families with sick children can go and be "healed". These families don't have to worry about medical bills or the cost of traveling to the hospital or how to afford to stay near their child during treatments. St. Jude covers all those worries and all those costs!
Our Mary attended Florida Gulf Coast University and joined the Tri Delta Sorority. The Tri Delta Sorority since their inception has supported St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as their one Philanthropy. If you visit St. Jude campus, you can't help but notice the Tri Delta Place which houses the families of children undergoing treatment. (A "bubble" plaque with the name of our Mary hangs in the hall of the main floor.) Mary's fundraising for St. Jude was instrumental in winning the "Greek Life" fundraising challenge for the Tri Deltas. In early November, 2014, Mary left us to do that fundraising for her. In that same month, the Tri Delta "St. Jude" event was renamed in Mary's honor and the event attendees included the President of the University and raised the most donations in the history of the event. December of the same year Emma Smith, Mary's sorority "Twin Sister", took "Team Mary Caitlin Albertson" to the Memphis Marathon Weekend for the first year of participation in this huge fundraising event for St. Jude. A contingent of Mary's friends and family have continued to participate every year. Team membership and support entourage has grown each year as has my running abilities and my husband's fundraising skill.
We would love to have you join us in 2021 in Memphis - join "Team Mary Caitlin Albertson".
For this year, donate today to help us reach our goal.
