Liz Logelin Foundation - A Celebration

On March 24, 2008, little Madeline Elizabeth Logelin came into this world.

The next day, her mother left it.

From this impossibly tragic event, a community was born. A community of individuals, united in their desire to help and support Madeline and her father, Matt. This community formed the basis for what would become a worldwide charitable foundation:

The Liz Logelin Foundation – For the Love of Liz.

After the catastrophic loss of his wife, Matt Logelin coped by turning not only to his wonderfully supportive family and friends, but to the internet. He had already begun a casual blog to keep friends and family abreast of Liz’s pregnancy; within 2 weeks of her passing, that blog became what it is today: a place where Matt can share his joys and frustrations, challenges and heartbreaks; where concerned friends, new and old, can meet, talk, laugh, and cry with Matt; and most importantly, where other widows and widowers can offer – and be offered – support and friendship.

So strong and large was the community that spontaneously formed around Matt and Madeline, it seemed not only natural, but necessary to harness the strength of that network and turn it into something – something that could help ease the pain and lighten the load felt by widows and widowers everywhere.

And it all sprang from the Love of Liz.

Last Friday, September 17th, would have been Liz Logelin's 33rd birthday.
To celebrate, we joined our friends of the Liz Logelin Foundation at what is now an annual fundraiser...this year, aptly titled - Celebration of Hope -
And what a Celebration it was.


While much like last year - it was also very different...


Another gorgeous painting by Mark Rose - Have you EVER seen a more talented artist?
The Robot ~ In full working order...made a guest appearance...

And there were some pretty awesome items up for bid this year again...
Including - an electric scooter...

Poor Trish...She did not want to go home without that scooter...She got a little too excited for her own good however, and broke the cardinal rule of silent auctioning. She needs to practice up on her poker face!

She had dozens of blog posts written in her head about that scooter already - I know she did!

Such a bummer...Next year Trish! Next year!

There were so many other fabulous items - in the ballpark of 200 items...
And they were so so popular with everyone there!


And it was so fun to have my worlds collide at one, awesomesauce event...
My 'Minnesota Blogger Group' was meeting my 'Creepy Friends' Group -
And it couldn't have been more spectacular!

Trish, Me, Missy & Gina
(photo courtesy of Missy!)

Me, Cindy & Missy....

Trish, Missy, Molly & Laura

Last year, Jackie came...and this year -

We met Mark and baby Matthew.


And so many friends & supporters of the Liz Logelin Foundation came out...

The brainchildren behind the entire organization -

Matt ~

and Rachel ~

Rachel & I 'met' via cribsheet way back in the day...When Matt first dropped us a note over there...

Rachel emailed me offline saying 'What can we do?' - and I wondered...Will this guy think we are a complete bunch of quacks? Contacting him like this? Sending him our unused formula checks and all the unsolicited advice we could muster up?

Well, Rachel didn't care. She met this total random dude & his baby for lunch...

And now look...with the help of so many fantastic volunteers (Kris & Laurie & Nancy & Katie J. and Chris T. & Jen G. & Gina & Brooke & Danielle & Kate & Kelly Mc & so so many others...many who's names you'll see here...the countless hours they put in, making an event like this happen...

The donations: silent auction, live auction, online auction, straight up cash.

This foundation is really really making a difference...over 40 grants given out since it's inception.

That means 40 families receiving a little bit of sunshine in an otherwise cloudy time...

This year, something a little different - was live music - by local fav Tim Mahoney -

He played...and people swooned...

Especially when he sang, lullabye style, to one of the newest of the creeplets...5 week old T...

"Don't stop believin', Hold on to that feeeeeelin"

and when people weren't swooning...they Rocked Out with the Robot!

And some of us...some of us just enjoyed an evening with people who make us so very very happy...while coming together for a great cause.

Matt & Tim Mahoney after the show -

It's gonna be hard to top this one...but I hope you'll join us next year to see us try! Huge kudos to the events team for an extremely fun, extremely well run and well put together event. You ladies did such an awesome job, and you should be very very proud.

I have been spread much too thin this year, and wasn't able to give of myself as I have in the past. But you know how I can continue to help, even if I am not cataloging dozens of auction items or stuffing 5k envelopes?

By skipping eating out one day a month...and offering up a few bucks to a very worthwhile charity...

Together - We CAN make a difference.