Apollo Fundraiser a Huge Success and Very Touching

What a wonderful night at Apollo for all family and friends!! Special thanks go to Janet Reiman (Kim's friend and volleyball teammate from Apollo) and Coach Silvernail (Kim's high school volleyball coach) for their kindness and efforts putting this very enjoyable night together.

Also, thanks go to Heather (sold candles), Michelle (had colon cancer awareness table) and Beth for doing a raffle that raised some additional $.

Listed below is the speech Janet gave prior to the football game. Janet and Coach Silvernail did a presentation on the field to Nan, Joe, Scott, Ki Ki, Dylan and Landyn. He presented them with Kim's old volleyball jersey (he had kept it since 1998 and no one else had ever worn it) and a video tape of Kim's senior night volleyball game. We all can't wait to watch it!!

Here is Janet's presentation:
Hello and welcome to the home opener game where the Apollo Hawks will take on the Sunrise Mountain Mustangs. Tonight not only are we celebrating the beginning of a new football season, we have the opportunity to celebrate a very special life. Kim Gwaltney graduated from Apollo in 1998. She was an amazing softball and volleyball player. She was always the “go to” player and she rarely, if ever, let one of her coaches down. Not only was she amazing on the field and court, she was a great friend to many and always held that perfect smile and positive attitude. There are so many memories that young kids share in high school and I know many of us here have our own special story and place for her in our heart. Kim recently lost her battle with colon cancer just 10 months after being diagnosed at the age of 29. She was a wonderful wife to her husband, Deron Miller, and mother to their two kids Dylan 8 and Kiki 6. Some of her other titles include a wonderful sister, daughter, cousin, aunt and friend to many. Tonight we are helping raise funds for her young family who have endured many unexpected bills. Thank you to the booster club for allowing us to raise funds through the tailgate party and we are also taking donations in any amount at the colon cancer awareness table to help her family. I know one thing that Kim would want is for us to spread awareness on colon cancer. You will see throughout the stands the blue colon cancer ribbons and you can also find colon cancer facts and information at the awareness table by the entry gate. You can never be tested too early. I don’t think any of us thought we would be attending any classmate’s memorial so early in life, we are going to miss her dearly and we will always remember the amazing times we had with her here at this school and even in these stands. I would like to ask Kim’s parents, Nan and Joe, onto the field. I remember during volleyball season Kim was always so proud of her family and she always wanted the team dinners to be at her house, so her mom could cook for us all. Nan and Joe, Coach Silvernail would like to present you with Kim’s senior volleyball jersey and also a tape of our senior volleyball night. We admire your strength and we know this is going to be a tough road, but you can always plug in the tape to remember your competitive Kim and all the fun times we had on the court. Thank you to everyone for being here tonight to help the cause and to cheer on our Apollo Hawks.

Thanks to those who came out to this event to support the Miller's/Gwaltney's!

Regards,

Aunt Kathy