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ITS A WACK ATTACK

By
Education & Training with J29 Project

Every once in a while you get the opportunity to spread the news about a touching event that can mean so much to so many.  I have come across one of those events and thought I would share it with all of you. 

My friend and fellow speaker, Denise Taylor is a brave mother who has endured trials with joy and triumph that she learned through the legacy left her by her 15 year old daughter Jonnae, who dies at 15 from Leukemia.  You can read all about their story or watch the video at www.weGETto.com, but suffice to say it will touch your heart.  My hope is that it will leave in you a burning desire to make a difference in the lives of all sick children.  You can begin with the support of The Wack Attack that is scheduled for June 8th and is not limited to any one location.

Wack Attack

 

Here is the story about how Wacky Wednesday and the Wack Attack came to be as told by Denise in her blog:

For those of you who may be visiting this blog for the first time or unaware of the Wacky Wednesday program Jonnae and I had envisioned creating, let me give you a brief recap. She was going through a bone marrow transplant, had been in the hospital for a couple of months, and received an email about spirit week back home at her school (we were in Cincinnati a couple hours away) During spirit week students were encouraged to dress Wacky on Wednesday.

It is said we are motivated by one of two things - desperation or inspiration. This was a case where I was motivated by the former; desperate to give Jonnae (us) something to smile about. I suggested we could get wacky wherever we are and asked if she'd like to create a wacky look for me. She lit up like a Christmas tree. Her spirit filled smile had a way of creating a contagious joy. As she grabbed the eyebrow pencil out of my makeup bag and drew a unibrow on my forehead and blacked out one of my teeth, we both shifted our focus from the seriousness and stress of her sickness to the silliness. Turns out laughter truly is the best medicine and the side effects are great.

She proceeded to give me ridiculous ponytails and pulled items out of my wardrobe that should never be worn together. I blacked out one of her teeth and put a tattoo smack in the middle of her forehead. Head to toe we looked ridiculous. So much so, my husband didn't want to exit the elevator with us to indicate we were 'together' lol.

I must admit, when the kids left the house in years prior, dressed abnormally for the spirit week's Wacky Wednesday, I never thought, "Wow! That looks like fun. I want to do that!" 3 years into getting Wacky on Wednesday, I still don't always embrace the fun that can be wrapped in getting wacky. It's not a great deal of fun, nor am I comfortable, having people look at me like I'm a 'wack job' instead of the visionary behind weekly healing doses of worldwide laughter through Wacky Wednesdays.

It's been a great experience for me. I used to talk myself into being 'brave' and just doing it. Then I'd walk into a child's hospital room and be reminded, bravery isn't leaving your ego and vanity at the house to go out into the world wacky, it's within these walls as our babies and young ones fight courageously to live. It's interesting to think, as a country, we embraced Casual Fridays to be comfortable and bless ourselves, but we'll opt out of being Wacky on Wednesday at the thought of being uncomfortable to bless others.

So with that thought in mind, will you risk being uncomfortable to bless others and have a "Wack Attack" with us on June 8? Any one of us has seriousness and stress in our lives that could be replaced with silliness for a day ... and bless us with healing as a result of having done it. We are celebrating Jonnae's 3rd "Heavenly Birthday" one day early with a special Wacky Wednesday where we're attacking whomever, wherever, with wackiness :D Here locally in the Kentuckiana area, we've got a gym, bank, orthodonist office, workshop facility and restaurants participating and sponsoring the Wack Attack. Staff, tellers, and servers will be dressed wacky and each establishment is doing something to raise funds for the furthering of Wacky Wednesday. These funds will be used to stock the cart we have for supplying the patients with wacky items, printing materials for promotion of the program and training under Patch Adams in November. In hearing about Wacky Wednesdays he's invited me to tour with his group to Russian orphanages, clinics and hospitals for two weeks. And he's promised to implement Wacky Wednesday in his hospital, Gesundheit Institute, when it opens. (they broke ground last September) I can't grow this program without your support.

If you live in the Kentuckiana area you can get a Wack Attack shirt from me for 12.00 (just reply to this blog or shoot me a message) while out of towners can order the white tshirt at http://www.cafepress.com/WackyWednesdays (the front of the tshirt is the design displayed at  the top of this blog with We GET To Celebrate Jonnae Taylor - Heavenly Birth June 9, 2008 on the back) Whether local or not, whether you go to www.weGETto.com to make a donation, wear a tshirt , dress wacky, come down to The Creative Workshop in Louisville for the telethon or go to the participating restaurants, there are so many ways for you to celebrate the life and spirit of Jonnae and support and spread the word about Wacky Wednesday. As so many of you did with Jonnae's Celebration of life, whether here in town or not, I hope you'll join us!

 

Well everyone - you see the call to action!  You all are some of the most compassionate folks I know.  Let's make this Wack Attack the best ever and spread the word and dare to GET Wacky!

Posted by

Sheila Kennedy

Owner of Staged SO Right

Creator of J29 Project, Draw the Line, Eye on the Prize and Hear My Voice Programs

www.j29project.com

Staging you AMAZING!

Comments (4)

Patrick White
Home Driven Realty, Inc - Baldwin, NY
Driven to bring New Yorkers home

Good Evening Sheila

Thanks for the post. Have a great day

Jun 01, 2011 04:11 PM
Debbie Atwood
Century 21 Real Estate Center Everett, WA - Everett, WA
Real Estate Broker

With a smile on my face and warm blessing sent I will be visiting the website.  Thank you!

Jun 01, 2011 04:21 PM
Don Sabinske
Don Sabinske, Sabinske & Associates Inc. - Zimmerman, MN
Sabinske & Associates Inc.

So, this is great.  But, my question is....why can't we reblog this to spread the word?

Jun 01, 2011 04:28 PM
Sheila Kennedy
J29 Project - Rochester, NY

Hey Don - I fixed it so you can reblog it.  It should work now!  Thanks for helping to spread the word!

Debbie - you won't be sorry - it will touch your heart!

Patrick - thank you and you too!

Jun 01, 2011 04:33 PM