"Ride for Life" Poker Run - January 17th, 2009

Announcing the First Annual "Ride for Life" Poker Run!

Please join us on Saturday, January 17th to help raise money for
Families of Organ Donors.

Organ Donors give the greatest gift of all, The Gift of Life. Your participation in this "Ride for Life " will help us show gratitude to the altruistic families who, in their own time of tragedy and grief, think of others and give the most priceless gift of all, the Gift of Life.

Our ride will have a north and south start/registration point. The north start begins at Treasure Coast Harley-Davidson and our south start will begin at Harley-Davidson of Palm Beach. The ride begins with registration at your choice of Harley-Davidson location, then you will pick your cards at Island Jack's, Blondie's, Ralph's Stand Up Bar, Horsefeather's Sports and Spokes and finishes at the Tiki Waterfront Sea Grill, Riviera Beach. All Bikes and Cars Welcome

We will have Cash Prizes for Best and Worst Hands, a 50/50 Raffle, Live Music and an exciting Live Auction! Suzanne Boyd, Anchor for CBS and FOX News (Donor Family-her brother died at age 9) will be our Celebrity MC and Glenn Steurerman (Double Lung Recipient) of Strathmore Bagels will be our Celebrity Auctioneer.

We have invited each stop on our Poker Run to participate in a Battle of the Bars! Look for Free Food, Awesome Specials, Live Music and Lots of Surprises! Voting for The Best Bar Award will be held at the end of the ride.

For more information; fliers or post cards for your club or location, or to donate raffle or auction gifts, please email me @ wendy@thegiftofcandi.com or call 561-747-7542

Looking forward to seeing you as we Celebrate the Gift of Life on January 17th!

In Grateful Appreciation for your support,

Wendy Vaniglia, Donor Mom & Founder
The Gift of Candi Foundation

A Precious Gift

Jungle George from Texas notices I am stopping at every airbrush stand. “Are you going to get your body painted he asks?” Oh No, I exclaim! I've looked at hundreds of samples during Daytona Beach Bike Week, but I’m unable find the perfect butterfly for the back of my leather vest. I can't quite describe what I would like, but my heart is searching for a very special one. Jungle George knows the perfect man for the job and introduces me to Todd. I want this butterfly to cover the back of my vest, my favorite color is purple; the rest I'll leave up to Todd. I don't mention why I want this butterfly.

As I turn away, I noticed the helmets and bikes Todd has at his stand; skulls and crossbones, demons and scary images and I wonder “What have I done?” Oh well, I can always purchase another vest. We head off to listen to a band and await my butterfly. Half an hour later, we return to see what Todd has created. As soon as I see my vest I burst into tears. All the tough bikers around me disappear, and Todd stammers, "I'm sorry…. I didn't bring the right paints for something like this."

“Oh no, these are happy tears!” I felt as though Todd had looked into my soul and painted an artist's rendering of my heart. The reason for my tears was that Todd had added tiny pink hearts and shining stars on the soft purple butterfly he had created. The instant I saw the hearts I thought of the sweet Irish man I met who had received the gift of my daughter Candi's heart when she died at age 13. Todd did not know that pink was Candi's favorite color. The sparkling stars reminded me of a saying I carry in my heart, "Perhaps they are not stars in the sky but rather openings where our loved ones shine down on us."

Todd won't accept any money for painting this beautiful, perfect butterfly. Later in the week he tells me that he and his family of 6 were homeless when they arrived in Daytona, but yesterday someone had come along and given him a place to live. Todd tells me, “It’s because of the butterfly.”

The butterfly symbolizes to me new life for the four people who received Candi’s heart, liver and kidneys and the comfort and healing I feel knowing her short life is still helping others.