Good game Tammy

She loves her God and she loves her family.  She really likes purple and a lot of people like her.  Her house is filled with pictures of family and friends.  She is “real,” the type of person who isn’t afraid to be who she is, there are no “smoke and mirrors,” what you see is what you get.  She likes to read.  She said television wasn’t a priority in her household when she was growing up.  She also really, really admires Michael Jordan.  If I heard it right, she said she wore a different Chicago Bulls outfit each day one entire school year.  Oh and how could I forget? While many stew about turning 30, she’s been working on giving the most amazing gift to others for her milestone birthday.  If you haven’t heard, Tammy Boston has challenged herself and all of us.  For the past month, Boston along with the volunteers and family members she was able to recruit, have been striving to collect 30,000 items and $30,000 in 30 days for Epworth Village. 
When Tammy called my office a month or so ago, she asked what Epworth needed.  I gave her my typical answer; “I’ll send or email Epworth’s current needs list brochure to you.”  She said, “Okay.” 
So, I did that.  Then she called again and that’s when I realized there was nothing typical about this woman’s request.  “I got the list and I think we can do just about everything on there,” she said matter-of-factly and then went on to ask, “But what are your real dreams?”  Now that’s not something Epworth gets asked everyday.  But Tammy was asking and when I realized she was legit, we began talking and we talked and talked and talked about dreams for Epworth.  She wrote them all down too.  Then she told me her goal.  I smiled and thought, “Okay, how is this going to happen?”
Unlike me, Tammy doesn’t seem to take time to think about “how things are going to happen” she just holds her breath and jumps in.  With spreadsheets, calculator, note cards, emails, phone calls, newspaper articles, television news stories, radio interviews, letters, envelopes and every way to communicate with someone else she can possibly think of, she has been working like a military general to reach her final goal and she takes everyone else she comes across along for the ride. 
Since meeting Tammy, I have felt like I’ve been strapped into a rocket with no brakes.  It has been one of the most humbling and inspirational rides of my life.  “What have I been doing with all my time?” I keep thinking to myself as I watch this mother of two fit in donation solicitations with diaper changes.  There are many “I’ll never forget” moments from this journey, but one I will remember the most is knocking at her door to deliver some items as she called out to me to come on into the bathroom.  There we were, discussing her fundraising efforts while she bathed her baby girl. 
Tammy, I just can’t put into words like you are able to speak through your actions, but let me just say, you’re amazing.  Your will and courage is something we all should strive for because we all have gifts to share with our neighbors.  We just need to tap into them and be willing to face a thousand “no’s” for that one, super duper “yes” that makes it all worth it.  Tammy, you’ve faced your share of “no’s” in the past 30 days, but you’ve come out on top with a big, celebratory “yes!”  You may really never realize the impact you’ve had on your community and our boys at Epworth Village for years to come. 
As one of your heroes Michael Jordan said, “Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you.  If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you.  If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you. That’s true about the game and in some ways that’s about life too.”
Good game Tammy.  Darn good game.