Thursday, May 9, 2019

Newtown's Paint with a Purpose May 8, 2019

Tonight, Hearts of Hope Newtown came together to paint hearts for Organ Donors and Recipients.


 Did you know that another person is added to the waiting list every 10 minutes?   Did you know that 22 people die each day because the organ they need is not donated in time? Did you know that one organ, eye and tissue donor can save and heal more than 75 lives? Did you know that you can be a live tissue donor? 


Living donation offers another choice for transplant candidates, and it saves two lives: the recipient and the next one on the deceased organ waiting list. Even better, kidney and liver patients who are able to receive a living donor transplant can receive the best quality organ much sooner, often in less than a year.
Deceased organ, eye or tissue donation is the process of giving an organ (or a part of an organ), eye, or tissue at the time of the donor’s death, for the purpose of transplantation to another person. At the end of your life, you can give life to others. 





 Janet and Pattie, a big part of the Newtown team.



... and let's not forget Diane ... a powerhouse in her own right!

 Hearts of Hope Newtown has suffered a lot of loss in the past few months, and this first event without Terry and Yoda was a difficult one. Terry's absence has left a palpable hole in the fabric of the Hearts of Hope Newtown's paint with a purpose nights. Terry and Yoda's best friends, Dee and Sprout, came in her memory and have decided to continue to come to honor her and to continue the tradition of having a therapy dog at the event.

Hello Sprout!

Sometimes it can be a difficult decision picking out your colors.

 Some people come in knowing just what they are going to paint. 

 And some people make coloring book hearts look like works of art!


They also had a visit from five of the local members of Newtown 26, the riding team who had just returned from a 625+ mile ride from Newtown to Pittsburgh to visit the Tree of Life Synagogue and Squirrel Hill community.



 We took a little break from painting to listen to Diane introduce Team 26 and hear about their incredible ride from Newtown to Pittsburgh. 



 Monte Frank is a native of Sandy Hook. He started Team 26 after the Sandy Hook Tragedy "as a way to deliver a message to Congress demanding common sense gun legislation."  He, as well as so many of us, believes we should be able to live in a country where parents don't have to worry about putting their kids on the bus in the morning and praying that they come home alive each night; that schools should be safe places, and that the only thing teachers and students should have to worry about is teaching and learning. 

 Monte talked the team and about this year's ride to Pittsburgh. Team members come from all across the United States and Canada and are comprised of all ages. This year they had two teenagers riding with them that Monte referred to as "Beasts" when it came to riding, as well as the wife of a teammate they recently lost.   

Team 26 left Newtown on April 26th.  They rode over 625 miles, hitting 6 states.  They rode for 3 days, rested for 1, and then rode for 3 more before arriving in Pittsburgh. They would average 100 miles a day and 17 mph. Along the way there would be Send Offs in the mornings and Pep Rallies during the day. They would ride through terrible rain and wind storms and they crossed the Allegheny Mountains. They were followed by a van with a mechanic and support staff with enough supplies to keep them going. At times they would have Police escorts, sometimes townspeople biked with them, and other times it was just the camaraderie of themselves and the open road. When they arrived in Pittsburgh, they biked to the Tree of Life Synagogue for a pep rally.    I am humbled in their presence.




 They are already thinking about next year's ride. Monte is hoping a ride from Newtown to Chicago is in their future. It would require more of a Relay type of ride, changing riders part way through, as the distance is greater than anything they have ever done, but image the impact and Hope it would bring to those affected by  the daily senseless gun violence that Chicago has had to endure for years. And perhaps they could bring some hearts with them.  Hope...Peace...Love

 The members of Team 26 were presented with Hearts that were painted by Hearts of Hope officers and board members. Those not in attendance tonight will also receive them. 







 Team 26 and Hearts of Hope Newtown


 It was hard for them to say goodbye to each other and leave, unless someone says ice cream (inside joke). 

 So many beautiful hearts were made for tonight's cause of Organ Donors and Recipients. 





 Sprout just loves being photographed!



 My friend here always knows just the right amount of bling to put on her hearts!






The right message is so important. 


 Can you believe this beautiful heart was made from a napkin?


 See, a napkin! How brilliant! And talented!





 Last month this talented artist painted a fabulous fox, this month being they are painting for Organ Donors, she painted an amazing heart from her amazing heart!



I can't wait to see what she comes up with next month!



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