July 24, 2012- IMC Common Bonds Fundraiser

Being in the NICU was one of the hardest experiences of my life.  Brandon and I didn't know what to do and how to be NICU parents.  We were so fortunate to have the experience and the guidance of the NICU nurses and the other NICU parents.  There is a group at IMC called Common Bonds, and this group is made up of former NICU parents that volunteer in the NICU and help the current NICU families cope with being in the hospital.  I remember one of the first days in the NICU and looking over on the nurse's cart and seeing a bag of goodies that were left for me and Brandon.  The bag had a little baby washcloth with a poem that brought me to tears (and it still does) and candies that had sayings taped to the back giving advice to the NICU parents.  

We also received scrapbook pages with pictures of Will taped to them, a CD with pictures of Will throughout his stay, crotcheted items, and a tile with a Dr. Seuss saying on it.  These are just a few examples of the items we were given throughout our stay.  This group also organizes a scrapbooking night on Tuesdays where all the paper and supplies are supplied free of charge and on Wednesday nights there is an event that is organized for the parents by this group.  The support that current NICU families receive from this group is absolutely amazing!  It makes it bearable to go through the NICU experience with the support of former NICU families. 

This group does not have an endless supply of money to help support their generous deeds.  While we were in the NICU, Brandon and I were trying to figure out how to give back, and we decided to organize a charity auction and fundraiser to support IMC Common Bonds.  We have organized this for September 15 at Union Park in Midvale at 4pm.  We are currently accepting donations for the auction and have already collected many items from around the Salt Lake Valley.  We will also have the International Dutch Oven Society making food and offering samples for a small donation.  Brandon and I are so excited for this fundraiser and we hope to give back to Common Bonds. 

Please join us on September 15 and help us give back to a wonderful group that help NICU families cope with their baby being in the hospital.