Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Love In Shades Of Black, Purple & Bright Blue...........
9:00 PM | Posted by
Plochman
Love comes in all shades but today, I think I will put it in Shades of Black, Purple and Bright Blue. These are the colors of somebody I find to be very special, a person who knows no strangers, someone you can look at and peer into their soul and find no malice or strife. Such a beautiful creature that God has created who I really don’t even know except for the few races I have been too.
I met Ms. Keri Burns only a year or so ago at the 1st Annual Tampa Downtown Twilight Criterium and I will never forget the first time I saw her, she was wearing one of the event shirts I had printed and I noticed those huge eyes and bright smile as I walked up and the first thing she did was to give me a big hug. Throughout the day I watched her as she spoke to the riders while they were all hustling around the track calling nearly each one by name as if she had known them forever. You could see the look on their faces when she would finally shout out 5 laps to go signaling the end of the race, it was if those words were the sweetest sounds to the ears of those who struggled to breath with each passing lap. Her voice was like velvet to the ears tickling the legs to respond for one more lap and then the race would be over. It’s funny when you think of some of the sights and sounds you remember when at these bicycle races and Keri's voice is one I will not soon forget.Since this was the first time I had been to a bicycle race, I was amazed at all the sights and sounds all around me and soon after the last race was over they prepared for yet another one, this time for the Pro1/2 field and they announced that this was the time they would have the color guard out and the National Anthem was sung for all. One of the most touching moments for me that I will never forget was when they were playing the National Anthem, I snapped a picture of this wonderful person whom I had just met that was taking in the moment, truly touched by what was transpiring. I could tell that all her hard work and toil was paying off and she was feeling it while this was all going on.
Soon after the Tampa Crit was over, I was inspired to start racing myself and over time have gotten to know this gem of a person. We have had several conversations and recently learned that she was keeping a secret from all of us, a very important and personal secret one that I'm sure is quite painful to discuss and share and that is that Ms. Keri has a rare form of Cancer, one that only special treatment can be administered for it and the cost is let’s just say it’s out there, much more than any mere mortal can afford who may not have any health insurance.
When I first heard of the news, I thought is she going to be ok ? What can I do to help ? Oh my god how can this be true ? Keri ?
I sent her a photo on Facebook of my Livestrong band that I had written her name on in a way to say FIGHT KERI FIGHT ! She posted it as her profile picture in case you want to take a look at it. After speaking with her just the other day, she wants to FIGHT IT but we live in a day where if you don’t have health insurance and the money is not there then the treatment will not be there either.
With this condition watching and waiting just doesn’t cut it, we need to all rise up NOW TODAY and help her with this fight for all that are able and all that are willing I say we FIGHT ! We FIGHT ! with our mouths and tell everyone we know, we FIGHT ! with our wallets and we give until we cannot give any more, we FIGHT ! with our efforts to recruit more FIGHTERS ! who will stand in the gap for our friend, we will FIGHT ! until the battle to raise the funds for TEAM KERI are raised so she can then FIGHT BACK ! and kick cancer's butt !
But most of all I ask that you pray to whatever it is that you pray too and cry out for my friend to hold on and to FIGHT ! this thing with all her strength and all her might because we love her and we are a selfish people who will not quit fighting for her to be around for a while yet, so Ms. Keri, you have no choice but to work with us now, your secret is out and your army is rising, it’s time for you to share the love in shades of Black, Purple and Bright Blue with Hearts all around and take it to this disease and knock it out once and for all.
WE STAND WITH YOU !
Help us in our fight, we have a goal of $ 20,000.00 and with everyone helping out we can do our part to send Ms. Keri to Washington DC for her treatment. EVERY little bit helps, $ 5.00, $ 10.00 whatever you have to support the FIGHT is great. Just click on one of the paypal buttons on the right and make your contribution today. Thank you for your support,
Michael Ploch
Cat 5 Racer, Tampa, FL
Webmaster, http://www.flmasters.com/
You can send a direct e-mail to me here if you would like to organize a Team Keri event or get involved in some way.
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Saturday, January 1, 2011
Do You Have a Team Keri Story ?
Team Keri Needs YOU !
That's right, Team Keri needs you to submit your very own "Keri Story". Jill and I know that there must be hundreds of people out there who know her and have had a their very own "Keri" moment or moments to write about. The story doesnt have to be a book, just some thoughts you may want to share. If I have several that are very short, I may combine them into a well wishes page or something so everything counts, you just have to get them submited.
In order to help Team Keri meet our fundraising goals we need fresh content every week so we would like to ask that anyone who has connected with Keri that would like to be a part of this effort to please submit your Keri story in the form of an e-mail to me here. I would like to have a photo or two that would fit in with your story if you have one.
By submitting your Team Keri story you agree to have it posted on this blog site and shared with the world, you can at your discretion ask that it be submitted anonymously and we will not post any ones e-mail address or phone numbers etc.
Please join in the FIGHT ! and send in your story and then spread the word so we can do our part to raise the funds necessary to keep the treatments going. Together, we can do this !
Click here to return to the Team Keri home page.
Michael Ploch
Team Keri Webmaster
That's right, Team Keri needs you to submit your very own "Keri Story". Jill and I know that there must be hundreds of people out there who know her and have had a their very own "Keri" moment or moments to write about. The story doesnt have to be a book, just some thoughts you may want to share. If I have several that are very short, I may combine them into a well wishes page or something so everything counts, you just have to get them submited.
In order to help Team Keri meet our fundraising goals we need fresh content every week so we would like to ask that anyone who has connected with Keri that would like to be a part of this effort to please submit your Keri story in the form of an e-mail to me here. I would like to have a photo or two that would fit in with your story if you have one.
By submitting your Team Keri story you agree to have it posted on this blog site and shared with the world, you can at your discretion ask that it be submitted anonymously and we will not post any ones e-mail address or phone numbers etc.
Please join in the FIGHT ! and send in your story and then spread the word so we can do our part to raise the funds necessary to keep the treatments going. Together, we can do this !
Click here to return to the Team Keri home page.
Michael Ploch
Team Keri Webmaster
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TEAM KERI LOVE !
$ 13,200.00 + Raised So Far