March for Babies 2010 – Rylan’s Roundup

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Rylan was the ambassador child for the March of Dimes Ashland. We really were blessed by the turnout for the 2009 March for Babies, and have decided to get even more active this year by naming our team “Rylan’s Roundup”.

The Rylan’s Roundup team will be raising funds and will walk as a team in the March for Babies on May 8th in Ashland, Kentucky’s Central Park. We are asking everyone to click on the above banner and donate to the March of Dimes. After all that we went through with Rylan, we know that it is money well spent.

So, could you spare a dollar? Five? Ten? or whatever amount you can manage.   Also, please let us know if you’d like to walk with us by emailing us at milestomiracles-contact@yahoo.com

March for Babies Kickoff Party

Last night, we had the honor of attending the March of Dimes March for Babies Kickoff Party.  We had a great time and got to meet several of the March of Dimes volunteers and team captains.    As you can obviously see, the March for Babies is the perfect type of event for our foundation to participate in and raise money.  We are so honored to be involved and to be named the Ashland Area Ambassador Family for 2009!

Last night, Marci was given a chance to tell our story and also share a video that she had put together of Rylan’s birth and NICU stay.  It was a great evening and we made several friendships that I know we will cherish for many years to come.

The Ashland Independent covered the event and featured it in todays paper.  It’s a very nice article and we are honored that our story can be told to the local population that the newspaper reaches.  You can find it by clicking here.

If you are interested in joining us at the March for Babies, it’s going to take place on Saturday April 25th in Ashland’s Central Park.  It’s going to be a 5 mile walk through the streets of our community and will begin at 9:00 AM.  You can find out more and even sign up to join us by clicking here.  We’d love to have you!!!

On On!

Donny Prater

March of Dimes Selects the Prater’s to be the Ambassador Family for 2009

We were very excited to find out that the Ashland Area March of Dimes has selected us to be the Ambassador Family for the Ashland Area for 2009!!! This honor was given to us after the local chapter read Rylan’s story and also learned of the Miles to Miracles Foundation. We are humbled by this great honor!

The March of Dime’s mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. They carry out this mission through research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies’ lives. March of Dimes researchers, volunteers, educators, outreach workers and advocates work together to give all babies a fighting chance against the threats to their health: prematurity, birth defects, low birth weight. In other words, they support NICU’s and the miracles they serve!!!

As the Ambassador Family, we will be given the opportunity to tell Rylan’s story to a much larger audience than we currently reach. Our first opportunity is this Thursday night (Feb 12th) at the March for Babies kick off party. This event will unite all team captains so that they may be informed of the event, fund raising targets, and all the other information they need to make the March succesful. It also gives us the chance to introduce ourselves, tell our story, and of course, let everyone meet Rylan!

We are so excited and can’t wait to get busy! There’s tons of work to be done, and lots of miracles yet to be seen!

On On!
Donny Prater

We’re Going to MARCH FOR BABIES!!!

The Rylan’s Miles to Miracles Foundation will be participating in the March of Dimes “March for Babies” on April 25, 2009.  If you’re not familiar with this event, the March for Babies is comprised of a 5 mile walk that begins in Ashland, KY’s Central Park and travels throughout the town’s neighborhoods.  Participants raise money by gaining sponsors that pledge money per mile or in a lump sum.  But the best part of it all is the fact that 77% of every dollar that is raised, goes directly to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

Obviously, this fund raiser is very very close to our hearts and we look forward to playing a part in helping babies.  If you’d like to join us for the walk, please EMAIL Us . If you can’t join us, please consider donating to this cause in our Foundation’s name by clicking on the banner at the top of this post, or by clicking on the banner in the left margin.  Either banner will take you directly to our MARCH OF DIMES TEAM WEBSITE where you can donate directly to the March of Dimes, or join our team and walk with us!

There’s still so much we can do to help not only the NICU’s, but also all babies born with complications.  The March of Dimes is an incredible, far-reaching organization that can help on a National level.  

On On!

Donny

Sponsor Us at March for Babies!

Father and Son to Marthon for Miles to Miracles

On the first weekend in May, Donny and Will Prater will take to the roads of Cincinnati in the Flying Pig Marathon to raise money for Rylan’s Miles to Miracles Foundation.  Each year the Flying Pig draws thousands from around the country that converge on the Queen City for a three day festival dedicated to health and fitness.  The festival itself is comprised of a 5K, 10K, Half, Full, Kids Marathon and even a “Diaper Dash” for the little ones (Rylan will be in this one for sure).  Donny will compete in the Full Marathon (26.2 miles) on Sunday, while Will is competing in the Kid’s Marathon on Saturday.

You might ask: “How can a 5 year old run a Marathon?”  Well, they do it in steps.  The Flying Pig Kid’s Marathon was established to teach kids the value of exercise and nutrition.  Every child that enters is given a “Hog Log” in which they log there mileage each week, along with other nutritional items such as “No Pop Today”, or “3 Servings of Calcium-Rich Foods”.  Because the Kid’s Marathon is a progressive event, the kids have until May 2nd to run 25 miles and log them.  What makes it fun is that on May 2nd, all of the kids line up and run their final mile in Cincinnati and cross the actual finish line that will be used for the marathon the following day.  They receive a medal and tshirt for their effort!

Will is excited, and he ran his first mile last Sunday night at the YMCA.  Now, he’s looking for sponsors to pledge money per mile so that he can raise money for the foundation that bears his baby brother’s name.

KDMC NICU Presentation 12-22-2008

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to deliver our first load of supplies to the KDMC NICU.  We had a laundry basket stuffed full of onesies, receiving blankets, stuffed animals, and even a few toys for the siblings of the babies in the NICU.  All of these supplies were donated to Rylan’s Miles to Miracles Foundation by the staff of Catlettsburg Elementary School. 

It was a strange feeling stepping through the door that only ten months prior had been the scariest place we’d ever set foot.  But when we walked in and saw all of the familiar faces, all of that pain we felt disappeared. 

The staff of the NICU had been told that a visitor was coming and that there was going to be a presentation.  However, they had no clue who it may be.  For all they knew, Santa could have been on his way.  It was a funny moment when they opened the door and saw us.  They looked a little confused, but all at once they seemed to recognize us and the smiles started happening and tears started flowing.  We spent the first few minutes hugging the staff and playing catch-up.  As chance would have it, the on duty staff was the same crew that was there the day the we lost Rylan and they were the ones that helped bring him back.

We stood in front of the little crib where Rylan had been and made the announcement about our Miles to Miracles Foundation and how we would be bringing them things periodically.  Marci told them that nothing we could ever do could show the true gratitude we felt for each of them, but we had to do something.  By this time, there was not a dry eye in the place so we passed the items on to the nurses and start giving and getting more hugs… and tears.

Before we left, we had the chance to get this group photo of our heroes.  These are the folks that we are forever grateful and they are why we feel so strongly about supporting Neonatal Intensive Care Unit staff, patients, and families.  We have been blessed by them and whatever we can do to return the blessing, we must try.