I am trying to take all of the moments and emotions and put them into text/e-mail format and am having an awfully difficult time. Here are some things I do know:
Your love and support all weekend long are something that make it so inspiring and motivating to be on the floor representing such a staple THON organization like ours.Your spirit in the last 10-12 hours was something out of an Energizer Bunny ad. Of course we were all tired, but please don't underestimate how looking up to all of you so energetically dancing and signing was an amazing way to keep us going.
You all should be so proud of what you've done during this weekend and all of the hard work from all year long. $177,000 of Springfield love For The Kids – Wow, I can't get over how amazing that total is! I can't thank you all enough.
Your laughs, your tears, your shouts, your emotion, and your seemingly never-ending tireless effort kept all of the dancers going and it is to you all that I am grateful to beyond description in an e-mail.
You guys did an incredible job and you have NO idea just how proud I am to be a leader to you all this year, and how wonderful it was for you guys to return the favor this weekend leading us for 46.
You guys inspired me, and yes made me cry with such incredible THON and Springfield pride. THIS is why we THON. For those who are unable to, and for those lives we honor.
I just hope none of you underestimate your own strength to make a difference. Strength to make a difference in the life of a child, in a dancer who needs a lift, and the strength to keep your Springfielder on either side of you going in the stands. You all have that strength, and it was so extremely evident all weekend.
I love you all, and I can't thank you enough for helping us get through all 46 hours, it is you guys that deserve that credit. I'm gushing with Springfield pride right now (I can't even stop crying while typing this e-mail).
You all mean the world to me, thanks for the extra strength you offered to me and the other dancers this weekend, and thank you for celebrating with us the most un-toppable experience of my life.
For the kids, for the fight
Jeff
Mighty Springfield,
I’d like to add that the solidarity we showed with Atlas and the rest of THON during the final four hours was inspiring, as was the ridiculous showing in the stands ALL WEEKEND LONG. The Springfield section was never empty, and that is a testament to the Spartan Will of you all. You all did a fantastic job – not just this weekend, but all year.
I also want to thank our alumni for an equally amazing showing at THON. I especially want to thank Jackie, Beth, Jon, and Erin for helping our dancers, keeping us fed, and helping us get our dancer families on the floor!
And I want to send out a final few thank-yous to people who helped with the pass list and kept me from going completely insane – Alice Lee, Laura Karp, Hannah Woytowicz, Greg Plumb, and Brad Rothseid. Also to those of you who gave up time on the floor for families – THANK YOU! And last but not least, Meg Barnett and Graham Spanier (!) for the VIP passes!
THANK YOU to everybody for this weekend and this year. It was an honor to have served by your side! (300 references never get old.) And, in Britt Kern’s words: $177,000? INCREDIBLE!!! $7.8 MILLION?!?! During a freaking recession?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!
FTK Forever,
Rob
