 Why Are Parents Going the Distance for the Kids? See the Babies and Learn about First Hugs Meet Parents Vivian, Chris, Melissa, Ellen, Suzanne, Dana & James & Read Their Stories
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Every $100 donated makes it possible for a child at the orphanage to know love and nurture. Any amount you can give will help a child.
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For
the
Kids First Hugs for Fuling Drive
So far
we have raised:
$20,560.50!
This past year seven parents of children adopted from the Fuling Orphanage ran the Columbus Marathon to raise funds for their children's first home in China. We hope you will support them and this crucial help for the children by donating what you can. Proceeds go the Fuling Social Welfare Institute to support First Hugs for Fuling, an early childhood education and nurture program that offers love and nurture to hundreds of infants waiting for families. Let's help more of the 200 children at the orphanage receive holding, hugging, and individual attention from specially trained caregivers. Together we can make it possible for more children to know loving touch and playful stimulation so necessary to normal growth. You don’t even have to break a sweat to participate. |
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Our 2007 Runners!
For the last two years, my husband Pat has run for First Hugs in Chicago and in Columbus. I helped raise funds by selling jewelry while he trained for these events. I decided it was my turn to run this year!
My last half marathon was the month before we traveled to China to adopt Emily from Fuling, in 2004. It's hard to believe three years have passed since we took the long bus ride through the rolling countryside in the rain and fog to the SWI and first met Emily in the crowded, noisy conference room. She was a mere 15 pounds at 12 months and was floppy as a rag doll. We know she would have benefited greatly from First Hugs if it had been available during the first year of her life, and realize how important this program is to the children living in Fuling.
This year, my goal is to have each mile of the half marathon in Columbus sponsored in honor of Emily. As for Pat, he'll be on the sidelines sipping Starbucks with several of our Fuling beauties trying to keep tabs on everyone. Thinking about Pat on the sidelines with all the girls makes me smile!
Chris Woodring
This is my second marathon for First Hugs. My first was last year in Columbus. My thanks to James and Dana for being great hosts for a second year! My wife and I have three children, and all three will be running in the children’s race on Saturday. Our four-year-old Elizabeth, is from Fuling, six-year-old Matthew is from Changsha, Hunan and seven-year-old Alex, we made ourselves. This year, we also have an exchange student, Julian, from Germany. He’s a runner himself and may join the fun and run the half-marathon.
I run for the health benefits and for stress relief! Due to work hours and the demands of three young children, I end up running before work – typically at 5:30am. I like running marathons for the physical and mental challenge. It is also an excellent motivator to get out and train early in the morning. You can’t fake your way through a marathon without putting in the miles and hours!
I am excited for the opportunity to run the Columbus marathon again – not only to test my own body, mind and spirit; but also to dedicate my effort to all the children from the Fuling orphanage. I thank all of you who are supporting the Fuling cause by giving their time, talent or treasure, and welcome you to be with us in Columbus – in person or in spirit – to support all of the children in Fuling.
Melissa Merchant
This is my 3rd First Hugs run and I'm so looking forward to another celebration of this wonderful program for the babies at the Fuling SWI. We know our contributions to this program are working so PLEASE consider making a pledge to keep it going. My daughters, Molly (Fu De Di) and Miranda (Fu Ai Jun) will be running the Kids Run on Saturday. They are very excited to be part of the festivites and hope to raise some money, too! We look forward to seeing many of you in Columbus. Thanks to the Hardy Family for hosting!
Ellen Hammerstein Woo
I am running to show our Fuling daughter just how much the orphanage means to our family. In November of 2003, Jeff and I adopted our 11-month-old Liz. It was amazing to tour the orphanage and to realize how the staff had cared for our child. I can still remember how she cried as we left the orphanage; we were officially removing her from her first home. It was difficult to hold back my tears as well.
We know how important the "First Hugs" program is to every child in the orphanage. Liz and I pray for the children every night because we know that some may never have a "Forever Family".
I have been training to run the half-marathon for the many Fuling children waiting for their families in the orphanage. It amazes me how much Liz realizes why I am running for "First Hugs” and how eager she is to participate in the kids' run on Saturday. I have run marathons in the past, but this “First Hugs for Fuling 2007” Columbus Marathon is from my heart! Please remember to contribute to Fuling Kids International’s "First Hugs" program as we run for a wonderful cause!
Suzanne
Scott
Why I am running for the First Hugs program:
My daughter, Sydney, was 13 months old the day we met her at the Fuling SWI. The experience was really beyond words. It was obvious to us that Sydney was loved and well cared for by the nannies, and for this I will be forever grateful. While we were at Fuling SWI, we saw so many other children waiting for their forever families. It is an image I will never forget.
About five months after we returned home, I found out through FKI that Sydney was in the First Hugs program while at Fuling. We received copies of two progress reports, complete with pictures of Sydney - and they are priceless. They document her progress and it is obvious that the hugs, stimulation and one on one interaction that this program provides was instrumental in helping her develop attachments. THIS PROGRAM WORKS!!!
In the past year Sydney has blossomed into a funny, engaging, incredibly smart two year old. I have personally seen how the First Hugs program makes a difference in the lives of these children and the lucky people chosen to be their parents.
I am running the half
marathon for First Hugs in hopes that many other children will have the
opportunity to receive this kind of care. And I am keeping my fingers
crossed that I will cross the finish line still standing! 
Hi everyone, it’s me, Sydney! Mommy and Daddy are in the other room while I’m on the computer - they think I’m playing PBS Kids.com right now, but I have other plans. I wanted to share with you all something special that I’m planning to do on Saturday, October 20.
That day, I get to dress up as a runner and run in a special race. (I love to play dress up)! I’m going to wear a special yellow shirt that has the Chinese Fu symbol, sweat pants, running shoes, and of course a matching yellow bow in my hair. Maybe my brother Austin will even let me borrow his running watch! At 1:00 that day, I will be running in the Columbus marathon children’s race. I get to run .15 miles (I’m not really sure how far that is, so I guess I better just run until I cross the finish line!). Mommy and Daddy told me that when I finish I will get a shiny medal – hurray!
I bet you’re wondering why I am so excited about that race. I am going to run my race to help raise money for a very special reason. There are babies who still live in Fuling, China, which is where I lived before Mommy and Daddy adopted me. Many of those babies get to go to a room, called Gracie’s Room, everyday with their nannies. When they are in Gracie’s Room, they get special attention from their nannies. The babies play with colorful toys, learn how to crawl and walk, sit in their nanny’s lap when they eat, and get a lot of hugs from them. I want the babies to be able to go to Gracie’s Room for another year, so I’m running in the race, along with many of my friends from Fuling, to raise money.
Oh,
yeah. Mommy and Daddy are going to run in a race, too. Theirs is the
day after mine. I think they have to run a lot farther than I do (26.2
miles), so they are spending a lot of time practicing. They run during
the week and they go for really big runs on Saturday mornings while
Taylor, Austin and I are still sleeping. Mommy always carries her cell
phone, Gu’s and a watch. Daddy always carries the water (7 little
bottles on a belt). Plus, he tapes his leg, wears an ankle brace and a
hat on his head. It seems like a lot of stuff to take just to practice
for a race. But, since they are running the race for a special reason,
I won’t tell them how silly they look carrying all that stuff!
Thank you for reading my story. If you would like to donate money for the babies in Fuling, please fill out the donation form and mail it. I know that all the money raised will go straight to Fuling to help the babies in Gracie’s Room.
Fuling Kids International is a
501(c) 3 registered U.S. non-profit association
of families working
together to help the kids.
Learn More about FKI, our amazing
children, and our helping projects.
Babies at Fuling and their First Hugs Nanny. Thank you for making this loving attention possible for them!