My weekend started early. I left school after lunch to race down to the cities for the Alzheimer's Champion of the Year award ceremony. They call it the Annual Meeting. The meeting started at 6pm, and it was great to see people that I don't get to see alot! It felt great to get all dressed up, wear my crown and sash, and accept an award that is such a HUGE honor to recieve.
At this meeting the Alzheimer's Associaton talked about their annual finances. It is truly amazing to see how much money they raised in one year. To think that I helped raise some of that money is incredible! Then they awarded the Angel Award. Next up was me :) I was so excited (and nervous!) to stand up on that stage and recieve this award. I gave a speech as well! You would not believe how hard my heart was pounding. I tried my very hardest to hold it together and not cry, but I eneded up crying by the end of my speech. I was told there was not a dry eye in the audience. After my speech, Zaven Khachaturian, PhD, talked. It was great to hear him talk! He is an incredible speaker, and it was such an honor to listen to him.
After the meeting there was a reception. It was great to chat with the people who had been there and meet new people. After the reception, I was invited to dinner at Crave in Edina. This was probably the most memorable thing that I have ever done. Sitting at the end of the table was Hilda Pridgeon, the co-founder of the Alzheimer's Associaion!! Amazing! It was 30 years ago that she created this (right in Minnesota!) at her kitchen table. I was speechless meeting her. I cannot stress how honored I was to meet her and talk to her. She said she was impressed with me! For her to say that was remarkable. The Alzheimer's Association is a nation wide organization and I was having dinner with her!
Here is a video played at the Annual Meeting! Make sure to listen for me! Just copy and paste this.
http://www.youtube.com/alzmnnd#p/a/u/0/wEv4HKtDo-s
The next day, I was still on Cloud 9. I am still in shock that that day acually happened! I woke up really early to drive to the Alzheimer's Association Edina Office to meet with Stephanie Dix about a new group that is emerging. CAERUS (ky-rus) is a brand new group for young people wanting to do more about raising awarness and funds for the Alzheimer's cause. It is still in the brainstorming process, so when I know more, I will update :)
After the CAERUS meeting, I headed over to Roseville to present at Brimhall Elementary School about Alzheimer's. I spoke to Ms. Zbacnik's 5th graders (my first time speaking to 5th graders) and it could not have gone more smoothly! They were a great class and had some really great questions. We had some pretty intense conversations! I might be on a news station, so I will update you on that as well :)
I then visited the Mall of America for some shopping. That was fun as well! After spending the rest of the day at the Mall, I raced over to Maple Grove High School to watch my high school football team play. If we won this game, that would mean we would go to State, so this was a huge game. We were playing Eden Prairie, one of the best teams in the state. WE WON! 13-10, which means we are going to the Metrodome! Exciting! :)
Hope everyone is having a great weekend watching all the snow fall.
Bailey
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