Buck Family Great Strides Thank You Letter 2008

It is our hope that this spring / summer finds you well. We just wanted to thank you for your contribution to our Great Strides Walk held in May. At right is a current picture of Hannah, and below is her personal "thank you" poem written just for you. We apologize for the lateness of this correspondence, but wanted to have some tangible numbers to share with you in terms of our success in 2008. The weather for the walk was cool but comfortable, and spirits were high among those in attendance. It was a fun-filled, enriching day that allowed for some excellent fellowship for friends, family and supporters of the fight against cystic fibrosis.

Now we have some exciting numbers to share with you:

• Our team, Hannah's Hikers, raised over $16,000, which was 80% of the St. Joseph walk total of $20,000!
• This $20,000+ allowed us to slightly exceed the very ambitious goal set for the St. Joseph Walk by the Grand Rapids chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
• Hannah's Hikers 2008 team total was over double our 2007 total of $7,495 and our team total was almost $9,000 more than last year.
• Contributions from our friends in the officiating community totaled over $6,500.
• The St. Joseph walk totals for 2007 stand at over $20,000, which brings the seven-year total since we began chairing the event to over $150,000.

When Hannah was diagnosed in 2001, median life expectancy for those with CF was 31 years. This number was at 35.1 years when we wrote asking for your help in early 2006. Since that time, the number has jumped again, this time to 36.8 years! These numbers are directly reflective of the work the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is doing through your involvement. Our family thanks you sincerely for both your financial and emotional support.

Thanks again,