Feel Good Friday – Moms! ~ edited by Lisa J.
The Run Like a Mother 5K/2K is just a few days away. Featuring mimosas, a hot breakfast buffet & gifts for the Moms, it’s a wonderful way to make Mother’s Day even more special. As part of the event, Hometown Happenings will be honoring a “Strong & Beautiful Mom” with the “Jean Mayer Award”. Honored at last year’s Run Like a Mother 5K/2K, this is who Jean was… as described by Van Huffine‘s son, Donovan.
“Jean Mayer was a fun and loving mother. I met her thru her son Justin. I’ve known Justin every since I could remember because we always ended up on the same team in baseball, and so I got to know Jean really well. When she was diagnosed with cancer, everyone who knew her was heartbroken. But she fought it hard. She kept battling. And, she never quit or felt sorry for herself. Instead, she made the most of her life and took advantage of the days she still had. Cancer is hard for any family. And due to my close relationship with their family, I felt like it was right to do something. With the help of others, I raised around $2000 for her and her family and encouraged her to run in this race the same time last year. Even with cancer, she powered through the race and finished. I learned that even when times are tough, you can still fight hard and have fun. And I also learned just how strong Jean was. When the time came when cancer got the best of her, she left a lifetime or memories and happiness for everyone that knew her.”
The winner of this year’s Jean Mayer award will receive over $300 in prizes, including: fashion from Dani Bryant-Nelson’s “dear dani”, hair cut & spray from Aubree Kemp-Thorsen of Salon Sorella, classes from Michelle Harin at YOUnique Hot Yoga of NWI & a photo session with Marcy Jamrock Photography. Nominees for this year include:
Kathy Hooper Labus
“Today her son Will ran his first half marathon. Kathy’s son Andrew finished 2.1 miles of the same half marathon under the power of his own 2 feet. Some may think that this is nothing since so many people are able to finish this distance easily. But, her two children were both born with hurdles to leap over, and they clear those hurdles with ease.
Kathy has pushed her boys to be more and to never give up. Kathy and her two sons inspired me to go one mile further today, but what she has inspired in those two children can never be measured”
Nicole Dvorscak
“For anyone that knows Nicole, she is the most beautiful mother, sister, wife, aunt, cousin, daughter and grand daughter. I am honestly the luckiest man on Earth to spend my life with her. Nicole is a very supportive wife and a strong willed mother of our two beautiful children. She works harder than anyone I know with taking care of all our crazy 6 and 1 year olds needs. There isn’t any task too big or difficult that she will not attempt on her own due to her awesome independence. Nicole is truly a blessing to everyone that knows her. Her family loves her with all their hearts and we can never say thank you enough for all that she does.”
Stephanie Fuchs-McKee
“She was always strong. Always a bad a$$. Her kids knew it & so did we. After experiencing an unimaginable, tragic loss, she musters the strength every day to be the best mom she can to her three kids, Drew, Sylvia & Shelbee. Balancing the sports, the homework, and managing a household is no easy task. But this mama faces every day with courage & dignity. I feel that she works so hard to make ends meet & ensuring that everyone’s needs are met. At the end of the day. She needs the yoga to clear her mind & provide clarity to get through another day. Stephanie McKee, you are my nomination for this years “Strong & Beautiful Mom”
Wendy Sue Frump
She is the biological mom of 4 beautiful children, ages 8-14. Then in 2018 she and her husband, my son, adopted their young foster son. He had been diagnosed with special needs so she stayed at home for months while he had in-home therapy, up to 40 hours a week, to help him meet age-appropriate goals. Her special love for orphans culminated this month when they adopted two teenage girls from Ukraine, giving them hope for a future. She is a wonderful role model for her family of 7 children now. She is organized, hard-working, and loving. She not only works part-time as a cosmetologist in her home but also volunteers at her children’s school, including beginning and coaching a cheerleading squad there. She and her husband volunteer as Sunday School teachers at their church. Wendy also leads a young moms’ group that meets bimonthly so they can share their needs and support each other.
Carri Massau-Ables
Carri, mother of Ruby, has a heart of gold. Carri was one of the first people I met when I began group running. She immediately made me feel at home and comfortable. She is up before the sun running and heading off to work. She is always smiling and cheering you on at that race or training run. Carri is always lifting others up, she is truly a selfless person. Carri runs marathons like I rotate out my running shoes. And then after that crazy training run while I’m on the couch barely awake, Carri is posting pictures of lunch and afternoon activities with her daughter! She is an amazing mother and I am blessed to call her my friend. Carri is an amazing soul, and I aspire to be half the person she is. The world needs more of her positivity, smiles, and love!
Steph Betts
Steph was nominated by her husband John Bettswho writes, “Steph is the best mother of 3 beautiful girls and she is a hard working moma and bust her butt everyday to make sure her family is taken care of.”
Amelia Kowalisyn
She has faced so many challenges and heartache, and yet she continues to put others first above all of her needs or wants. To clarify a bit, she has lost her dad and brother in the not too distant past and faced many struggles with having children, including miscarriages and the loss of our daughter Emma at 23 days old.
Losing a child is enough to cripple someone for life, but Amelia decided to take what God has given our family and honor the life Emma lived by creating a non-profit organization to help with families in the NICU or who have experienced child loss from pregnancy through infancy called Emma’s Footprints. Emma’s Footprints has helped thousands of families so far.
Oh yeah, she did this while staying home raising Emma’s twin brother Alex, who is exceling in school already. Trying to raise a child who’s twin passed away and isn’t around to experience all of the “firsts” life has to offer is a daunting task in itself. She is also at home now raising not only Alex but our second set of twins, who are now almost 2 years old now.
Stephanie Wilcox Trendowski
Stephanie has become an advocate for women’s health following her ordeal. This month, she will be speaking as a representative of Indiana at MOM CONGRESS in Washington, DC. Stephanie will address the entire US Senate about the importance of maternal health and the lack of information provided to women in her situation. She will meet with Indiana State Senators, specifically, to discuss future legislation for the Hoosier State. Her fight to bring attention to the plight of those in life or death situations is an admirable one.
Professionally, Stephanie is a published academic author and professor at IVY Tech – Valparaiso Campus. At IVY Tech, Stephanie has embraced the opportunity to mentor and assist students towards achieving their aspirations.
A third area of passion for Stephanie is working as an animal rescue advocate. She has devoted many hours, along with her expertise, to a variety of shelters and organizations throughout the state of Indiana and Illinois. Many animals that would otherwise be confined to a shelter, were given love, compassion, and in many cases, a forever home.
Adreinne Mark Cataldo
Adrienne is the kindest person I know. She is beautiful on the inside and out. She is the mother of four of the sweetest children. Reid, a rainbow baby born after seven miscarriages and four years of infertility. Twins, Peter and Graham, arrived 10.5 months later at 33 weeks. Graham spent just 12 days in the NICU at the hospital where he was born. Peter, who had inter-uterine surgery at 29 weeks, was resuscitated at birth and was immediately airlifted to a children’s hospital, where he was not expected to survive. Eight weeks later, he joined his parents and two brothers at home. He is profoundly disabled due to lack of oxygen at birth, and doctors predicted he would live a year, maybe two. He is now almost five.
If that wasn’t enough, she is a leader in her church’s youth program AND she is on the Emma’s Footprints board as the secretary. She is always present at meetings (with food!), ready to help, pray for, and support our mission in any way she can. She’s simply amazing. I could not think of a more deserving person to win this. Adrienne always puts others before herself and for once, I hope she can take time for herself to be pampered and know just how appreciated and loved she is.
Sara Rivera
My mom is an eight-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps. She served in Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East as an Aircraft Ordnance Tech. For that alone, I think she is deserving of this prize. If that doesn’t have you convinced, what made her a role model to my siblings and I has been her perseverance through the many challenges of being a single mother. In 2005, after my father’s death, she became a single mother of three children. Battling grief, making sure we never went without, and being the best support system she could be for her children are some of the things I appreciate most as I reflect on where we are as a family now, compared to where we were in 2005. Honestly my mom is the reason why my siblings and I have been successful in our lives. I have my Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and started my career as a US Navy Civilian Engineer, my sister has her Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and finishing up Master’s degree from San Diego State University, and my brother will be attending Indiana University this Fall. She showed us strength, perseverance, intrinsic motivation, and much more.