You see this one time, We were on American Chopper; Sr. vs. Jr.
A pretty major construction company in the state I live in, had commissioned a bike and worked out a deal with Pauly to have Paul Jr Designs build the bike and air it all on television. Buyers could then purchase raffle tickets for $20 to purchase a chance to win the bike, tax free (as the taxes were to be paid by the owner of the construction company).
The owner of that constrcution company, has triplet daughters, one with a pretty serious illness. I don't want to say too much about his family, but the charity he chose to support, was the March of Dimes.
For those of you new here, I had my son 16 weeks early in 2009, and he weighed roughly about the size of a sack of sugar. You can read all about that here. My family was chosen to represent the local division of the March of Dimes for the year 2012. What that means is we are the local face of the cause for a whole year, going to events, making speeches, really trying to get the word out there and champion for babies.
So when Paul Jr. came to town, and decided to check out the hospital in the area and really get a feel for the cause and what it means to be affected by premature birth, they wanted to get a family on air to chat with the team and really get the word on camera. Well what better than the March of Dimes Ambassador Family!
Thats where we come in!
We received a call about 10 O'clock in the morning, and were presented with this amazing opportunity to meet the cast of American Chopper and be featured in an episode. I think my husband wanted to pee his pants he was so excited. We had 4 hours to get dressed, ready and to the hospital...to wait.
In all honesty, the recording process is borrrr-ring. There is a lot of standing around. waiting. planning. moving things around. waiting. directing and waiting. then you film for 5 minutes. wait and boom. go home.
Meeting the cast was something I do not think I will ever forget. We are fans of the show (even before we met them) and to see what they do and meet them up front is just phenominal. There is a lot of pieces that make up the puzzle of being on television and an insane amount of pressure.
The guys (and Rachel) and their entire crew was fantastic. They were friendly, personable and incredibly down to earth. They met fans, signed autographs and were very laid back, all while listening, getting ideas and taking direction for about 15 different people in 5 minutes. I was awe-struck! Someone even stopped my husband, and asked him for his autograph just because we were standing with them, its crazy!
Dawson was of course in a pistol of a mood. Running, climbing and screaming like a banchee. I know for me, walking into the hospital, everything is familiar. It has this smell, that is unlike anything I have ever encountered again, specific to the floor even. It is the smell of santizer and people. It just all is so sterile, while also being tranquil? I dont really know how to describe it. Dawson has never mentioned anything about that hospital, but I wonder if it is familiar to him? I wonder if he knows that smell, those sounds, that environment?
I have to assume so, because within minutes of walking onto that floor, dawson just flipped. Into crazy flea-like insanity. You can hear and see him running around like crazy in our segment and it just is hilarious. I don't know whether to shake my head and laugh, or cry. because thats my boy!
So anyway, we received the news that the bike was ready about 5 months later. They had planned a huge launch party and the construction companies headquarters and we were invited to go. The party was open to both their local March of Dimes offices, our division and all of the associates and their guests with the construction company.
Families all across the area came and shared their stories, and some great businesses donated their time and energy, as well as some great food and drinks for all of the attendees. Jr. and the crew came and there was a presentation about the construction process and the raffle details, and then Jr. rode on in on our chariot.
The owner of that constrcution company, has triplet daughters, one with a pretty serious illness. I don't want to say too much about his family, but the charity he chose to support, was the March of Dimes.
For those of you new here, I had my son 16 weeks early in 2009, and he weighed roughly about the size of a sack of sugar. You can read all about that here. My family was chosen to represent the local division of the March of Dimes for the year 2012. What that means is we are the local face of the cause for a whole year, going to events, making speeches, really trying to get the word out there and champion for babies.
Thats where we come in!
We received a call about 10 O'clock in the morning, and were presented with this amazing opportunity to meet the cast of American Chopper and be featured in an episode. I think my husband wanted to pee his pants he was so excited. We had 4 hours to get dressed, ready and to the hospital...to wait.
Meeting the cast was something I do not think I will ever forget. We are fans of the show (even before we met them) and to see what they do and meet them up front is just phenominal. There is a lot of pieces that make up the puzzle of being on television and an insane amount of pressure.
The guys (and Rachel) and their entire crew was fantastic. They were friendly, personable and incredibly down to earth. They met fans, signed autographs and were very laid back, all while listening, getting ideas and taking direction for about 15 different people in 5 minutes. I was awe-struck! Someone even stopped my husband, and asked him for his autograph just because we were standing with them, its crazy!
I have to assume so, because within minutes of walking onto that floor, dawson just flipped. Into crazy flea-like insanity. You can hear and see him running around like crazy in our segment and it just is hilarious. I don't know whether to shake my head and laugh, or cry. because thats my boy!
So anyway, we received the news that the bike was ready about 5 months later. They had planned a huge launch party and the construction companies headquarters and we were invited to go. The party was open to both their local March of Dimes offices, our division and all of the associates and their guests with the construction company.
Families all across the area came and shared their stories, and some great businesses donated their time and energy, as well as some great food and drinks for all of the attendees. Jr. and the crew came and there was a presentation about the construction process and the raffle details, and then Jr. rode on in on our chariot.
The bike they created was fantastic. They worked the MOD symbol into every aspect of the bike. I would love to name all of the parts, but I am not that bike-savy, so let me just say that the mother-baby symbol was everywhere. I loved it, and they really do an amazing job with their creations. So Impressive!!
Michigan had raffle tickets go-out state wide to sell and the bike helped raise over $220,000 for the March of Dimes and their research programs helping moms have healthy, full term pregnancies, and babies born to soon have a change.
It was an opportunity we will never forget, and an experience that changed us.
1 comment:
Hey love! I've nominated you for a Liebster Award over on my blog. :) http://www.therealnancyclue.com/2012/12/liebster-id-like-to-thank-little-people.html
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