Well, we want to start out with a HUGE thank you to everyone who helped with the benefit, attended the benefit, and contributed in any way!  The day turned out really nice.  We had a great turnout and no glitches!  Dad was able to attend for a few hours and he really enjoyed it. 

Listed below are a few specific thank-you’s that Kim mentioned at the benefit:

• Norma, Jeremiah, Paul and Uncle Brian – Thank you so much for initiating the benefit and all the hard work you put into organizing this event. 
• Uncle Alan – Thank you so much for putting together the website for the benefit and continuing to maintain it.  It’s been a wonderful tool for communicating updates and information to everyone.
• Dwain and Ruth – We can’t thank you enough for opening your home to our rowdy crew.  It’s been such a blessing to have a place to stay, to relax and unwind for a bit.
• Paul and Mike – Thank you for all the time and hard work you’ve put into renovating the house in order to make it handicap accessible.
• Home Makeover Crew – Thank you to all who came and helped build the deck and ramp, meals for the deck help, and odds and ins inside you helped us complete to get everything done for dads homecoming. 

And most of all, we’d like to thank all of you for your…

• Cards – Dad’s face lights up each time the mail man stops in his room.  He has them hung up all over his room and points out the new ones each time we visit.
• Emails and Website posts – Dad has become quite the tech junkie.  We check his email and the benefit website multiple times each day J  He loves to read the messages that you’ve left.
• Visits – If you’ve visited, then you know you can’t get away without having your picture taken with him.  He doesn’t want to forget a single visit and so insists on capturing the moment.
• Donations – Your generous gifts are making it possible to continue dad’s care at Madonna Rehabilitation Center.
• Thoughts, prayers and kind words – Just when we get down, one of you appear and offer a shoulder to lean on for a moment or encouraging words that improve our spirits.  We already knew we had wonderful friends and family…you just keep proving us right!

When Kim prepared her speech for the benefit, she asked dad if he had any particular message he would like passed along:

He wrote “Thank You” and gave her his “duh” look.  When she asked if there was anything specific he wanted to say thank you for, he looked at her for a moment, then wrote “everything”.  And so, the family would like to emphasize dad’s request by saying “Thank You…for everything.”

Love,

Ken Nollette & Family

Click an image below for full-screen slideshow. 

 

Additional photos of the benefit are available at http://www.shadduckphotography.com/kenbenefit