We’d first met when our children were in kindergarten, and having play dates after school. Ron was my son’s pee wee football coach and I was his son’s class mother. We attended the same church and sang in choir together. I was a pastor and Ron was the custodian. Newly divorced, Ron needed a singing partner and I needed some extra cash, so we began performing at senior care facilities together. Many long trips in the car, music and performing, and our love of God brought us together.

Our wedding was held at noon on a Sunday at the church we both worked for. Walking down the isle together holding hands and singing to each other before all our friends and loved ones, the beautiful cherry blossoms that were in bloom on a perfect, sunny day in May, and the reception hosted by my best friend at her home afterward, with 120 of our closest friends will forever be etched in our minds as one of our favorite memories.

Firstly, we would donate a portion of it to our church, who are an amazing, caring, open and affirming community in need of financial support to continue the church’s mission of touching lives with the love of God. Secondly, this May was our fifteenth wedding anniversary and we were hoping to take an Alaska cruise, however, the money designated for that wound up being spent on a new oil tank. Such is life… but $20,000 would surely make that a reality!