2018 Kidney Walk!

You may or may not remember that a few weeks ago, I told you the Shaffers were preparing to try a new adventure: a fundraiser walk! We've never done anything like this before and are generally terrible at asking people for money, so it made us appropriately nervous. A huge thank you to our friends and family who helped us reach our personal fundraising goals going into this past Saturday's walk! Not only that, but together, our entire team raised just under $2,200.00! So exciting!

We decided to do this walk in support of our friend Pat, who is a two-time kidney transplant recipient. (You can read more about that in the link above.) But the fundraiser was this past Saturday, and I wondered if I could appropriately overload you with photos! (I was the designated photographer for our team. Rough job.)

First of all, a look at our team shirt. Isn't it the best?

We had to get up super early to meet Pat and his mom to head to Indianapolis, so we decided that would be a good day to cash in our Starbucks reward drinks. We don't look so great before coffee. We apologize.

When we got close to Indy, we met up with more of our team members and Pat and another of our friends (also from our high school) joined our car.

There were parking vouchers for the first 150 (I think) cars that arrived. The car in front of us (also part of our team) got the last voucher, and don't you know, they gave it right back and said to give it to us. What a blessing!

We arrived at the walk just in time to get our wristbands, free t-shirts, and do a few photo opps!

Pat and his sister's father-in-law (Hi Larry!!!) who made Pat's most recent transplant possible!

All alums of the same high school!

Gearing up to start the walk!

 Game night crew!

 And we're off!

(Ryan paused for a picture with Billy the Kidney.)

The Shaffers have officially begun the walk!

Feats that are not easy: taking an in-motion photo of eight people.

The class of 96ers:

(Well, not the two in the back.)

Oh, Indy, you are awfully pretty:

Photo opp with the city:

Team photo:

There were big jokes about who was going to cross the finish line first. (It wasn't a race, but some of the competitive ones in the crowd wanted to make it a race!)

Hee hee hee.

A little post-walk celebration. It was such a fun day, and we were SO thankful the rain held, after falling for almost a solid week. It was overcast, but a most pleasant day to be out walking!

Again, thank you, thank you, thank you for the donations that helped us help those battling kidney disease! Proper thank-you notes are coming your way! (Hey Katie, can you message me your email or address? I saw your name on the list and wanted to thank you properly!)

We are so glad we did this!