Where I'll be....

Monday, March 22, 2010

...in less than two weeks.

I was completely honored when I was asked to photograph an event for the wonderful cause supporting children that suffer from child abuse.



And, I was also in saddened awe of the cases of child abuse that are cared for at Phoenix Children's Hospital. Actually, stories that literally brought me to my knees with tears flowing down my cheeks. Stories of abuse with not just children but babies...wee 2 week old babies.


One question...why? Why does such abuse happen to the innocent beauties that bring such happiness to our world.


Beauties that make us stop in a store from the sweet smile of a child in a stroller or a baby happily looking at their mommy with unprejudiced love. Why?


Why does this happen? How unfair it is to a sweet spirit that just wants to be loved?


I'll be honest, it makes me sick...


Please join me, and the others registered, to take a stand against child abuse.
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Phoenix Children's Hospital Children's March on Child Abuse


Here are the details of the walk:
Date: April 3, 2010
Where: The Phoenix Zoo
When: 6:30 am pre-walk activities & registration
7:30 am walk begins
Cost: $40 per walker
Teams with 5 or more may register at a discounted rate of $30 per person
{children ages 4-12 are $10 and children under 4 are free}
Benefit: Your supporting an amazing program through registering and having access
to the Phoenix Zoo for the entire day.

Now, put your best foot forward and join Phoenix Children's Child Abuse Prevention program as they walk to raise funds to support families and safeguard children.

And, enjoy one of our beautiful spring days.

If you join us, look for this crazy photographer running like a mad woman capturing each detail of this event...and be sure to say hi! Be warned...you might get hugged when I see you've joined a great cause.

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This cause is truly dear to my heart ... in my "pre-children" days I spent 8 years working with children that battled to overcome emotional and behavioral disabilities.

I couldn't even begin to share with you the depth of horrifying stories 80% of my students carried with them. Stories of the sickening things done to them that contributed to their daily battles. Stories of acts they witnessed, abuse they personally experienced and struggled learning to cope with.

The saddening story of children suffering from sexual, emotional and physical abuse at one point in their lives is ... it DOESN'T end there. It STAYS with them. It HAUNTS them. And they carry it with them each day. It's a part of their life that NEVER goes away. Abuse is abuse at any capacity...whether it's a one time act or repeated.

It's sick. It's wrong. It's maddening that it happens to our children. Our babies.

Yes...this is a topic I'm passionate about. It's the topic that can get me right to my heart.





3 comments:

Alaina Raetz said...

Tami - thank you so much for blogging about this event. As an organizer of the event and someone who works with these children affected by abuse daily it is refreshing to see your passion and enthusiasm. We look forward to having you and any of your readers there to help bring awareness. The event will being with registration at 6:30am and the event kick off at 7:30am (our original flyers had the wrong time printed). This is a family friendly event and those registered will enjoy admission to the zoo for the remainder of the day for free. If any of your readers have questions please feel free to email me at araetz@phoenixchildrens.com
Thank you again and we cannot wait to have you there to caputre the memories made!

Anonymous said...

This sounds great Tami . . . maybe I should be walking with C, C and E and we could hang out at the zoo after. Let me know if that sounds like a possibility. You could even all spend the night here if you wanted and we'd be that much closer. Something to think about. Thanks for bringing this to all of our attention ~ it IS a great cause. LYG, N

SloneFamily said...

Oh my gosh.... As a loyal Nancy Grace watcher I can tell you nothing in the world makes me MORE sick than child abuse. Never have I felt such hate towards anyone that could do harm to an innocent child. I wish I could drop kick some of those people all the way to next friday! Bleh. Totally want to come and be there..... BUT I will be up north! Boo. Let me know when there is another on eof these.