My friends Jenn and Bill have some friends named Jessica and Charley and J&C have a beautiful and precious not-quite-two-year-old daughter named Tuesday. Tuesday was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in July and has been in treatment ever since (blogged over here). Now, when this happens to someone you care about, and you're thinking that you just want to do something, and a cassarole is nice but surely you could do more than that, and also that there but for the grace of god...well, sometimes it just takes a little creative thinking. And a couple of people who will take action.
So Jenn and Bill hosted a poker tournament. Sixty dollars a head with the money going equally to the family and to cancer research (with a bit put aside for a prize).
Here's what they did: they invited friends, family, and friends of family. They rented tables and chairs, established some house rules, and borrowed poker chips from all over. They made a lot of delicious food and bought a lot of alcohol. And then they cleaned up the house, sent the kids off with a grandmother and opened their doors. I know it was a lot of work because Jenn disappeared all last week (and I'm sure there's more stuff that I'm missing).
Oh, and did you know that if you explain what you are up to and why, lovely companies like Starbucks and local restaurants and so on will donate door prizes to your event? They will and they did. And Mark and I each won a bag of coffee (especially nice because we were all out).
Jenn has mentioned to me a few times how blessed she feels to be a part of this family's life, which is facing such difficulties with such grace. But I also feel very blessed to have friends who see a need and move to help in a big way. Because it's the showing of some love that helps the most (I think) and that's what they did. (Although money is nice too, I'm sure.)
Oh, and about the poker part? I totally recommend Texas Hold'em for Dummies (well, just the first 32 pages, because that's as far as I got); here I am at the final table. I ended up placing fifth, and it's probably fair to say everyone was pretty surprised (especially me). I found that my accidental unpredictability helped a lot, if that makes sense.
But I wish I read the whole damn book.
What a great idea! It's one of those things I hope I never have to do/be a part of myself, though.
Congrats on the fifth place, btw. Very impressive. ;)
Posted by: Jody | October 07, 2008 at 10:52 AM
That is a fabulous idea. And if you had come into my Starbucks back in the day, I totally would have given a ton of coffee :)
Tuesday, I love that name.
Fifth place is impressive! I know nothing about poker...
Posted by: Stacey | October 07, 2008 at 01:42 PM
Dear Kath, Doesn't surprise me a bit- your 5th place finish first time out. Wait until next time.
I read the blog entries about Tuesday. Com-passion. What an important gesture of support. Sue
Posted by: sue | October 07, 2008 at 04:00 PM