Taylor's Tale

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Events

Upcoming Events

2nd Annual Taylor's Fairy Tale Ball
Saturday, February 7, 2009

Save the date, and stay tuned for information about next year's Fairy Tale Ball! The second annual installment of this magical evening will be held at the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, N.C. If you are interested in sponsoring our signature event, please email me.

Past Events

Piano-Thon for Batten Awareness
Saturday, April 12, 2008

12 students of Polly Greene, a Raleigh piano teacher and close friend, gathered with family and friends on a Saturday afternoon to raise funds for research and general awareness of Batten Disease. To date, this event has raised over $600. Thank you to Polly, her students and their families as well as all of the donors for their support!

Taylor's Fairy Tale Ball
Friday, February 8, 2008

fairy_tale_ball_01.jpgTaylor's Fairy Tale Ball took place at Roof with a View in uptown Charlotte on Friday, February 8, 2008. Close to 175 people took part in the magical evening, which raised over $25,000 in support of the search for a cure. As guests arrived, they immediately entered an enchanted forest of silvery branches, twinkling lights, fairy tale images that danced along the walls and plenty of sparkly pink, Taylor's favorite color.

In addition to enjoying fine food, music and dancing, guests had the opportunity to bid on great items, including golf lessons, theater tickets and vacations in Wrightsville Beach, N.C. and Munich, Germany in a silent auction. The evening's program featured David Pearce, Ph.D., a world-renowned Batten Disease expert from the University of Rochester, and Taylor's sister, Laura Edwards.  

To view or purchase photos from Taylor's Fairy Tale Ball, click here. Photos will be available until May 2008.

Thanks to our silent auction donors, individual sponsors and the following businesses for their generous support of the ball:

A Plus Signs * Athens Paper * Big Time Products * Creative Marketing Solutions * David Pearce, Ph.D. * DJ Doug Armstrong * Kori Hoffman Photography * Luquire George Andrews * My Flower Pro * Party Reflections * Porcupine Provisions * Queen City Benevolent Society * Roof with a View * Wonderworld 


Thanks also to SouthPark Magazine, Charlotte Weekly and the Charlotte Observer for helping us publicize the event and to Taylor's Fairy Tale Ball Committee for putting on an evening that Taylor's family will never forget!

Touchdown for Taylor

Friday, November 9, 2007

IMG_2219a.JPGThe First Annual Touchdown for Taylor was a hit and raised close to $40,000. The tireless efforts and talents of many people had to come together to make this what it was.

The venue was perfect; my heart goes out to the Johnsons for opening their beautiful home to us and our guests. Thanks also to: Porcupine Provisions for the amazing fare * Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner and honorary chair and Jason Talley, a close friend, for a deeply moving video * the NFL for a Roger Goodell-signed football that fetched $1,000 in a live auction * the Carolina Panthers for Sir Purr's services and the great giveaways * ABZ Design Group for the special photos ofTaylor * the Smashing Briefcases, a fantastic band that infused energy into the evening and showed a real passion for our cause * Kristin Vining Photography for capturing the evening on film.
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Last but not least, thanks to our steering committee for making Touchdown for Taylor come to life and to our Luxury Box, PSL and Game Ticket Sponsors and Tailgaters for moving us one giant step closer to a cure.

Special guests included Lance Johnston, executive director of BDSRA and Sandra Hofmann, M.D., Ph.D., the recipient of a $50,000 Taylor's Tale grant.

To view or purchase photos from Touchdown for Taylor, click here.

Click on the link below to view a message from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and a slide show chronicling Taylor's life.

Touchdown for Taylor Video

Sunday Afternoon Concert
Sunday, October 28, 2007

This magical afternoon took place at Ruggero Piano Shop in Raleigh, N.C., and was presented by longtime family friends and talented musicians Audrey Austin, soprano and Preston Hancock, piano. Accompanying Audrey and Preston were Mendal Nguyen, piano, Augusta Johnson, flute and Kimberly Morgan, dancer.

The reception immediately following the concert was hosted by Kathryn Jones, Taylor's grandmother, and Polly Greene.

The concert raised $5,570 for Batten Disease research. Perhaps more importantly, however, was the hope and love it instilled and renewed in our family. Taylor's illness has taught us much about tragedy, but it has taught us even more about love. The love embodied by this event made it an afternoon that no one will ever forget; the faith and hope, and our renewed belief in miracles, are priceless.

Treats for Taylor
Friday, October 19, 2007

The Presbyterian Healthcare marketing team came together to sell "Treats for Taylor" at an annual hospital employee event, generating $700 for research and sharing Taylor's Tale with physicians and staff. Thanks to everyone who gave their time, talents and love to make this event a success!

MPTS Past and Present
Friday, May 11, 2007

This backyard cookout, billed as a reunion of sorts for Myers Park Traditional School families, teachers and staff, took place at the beautiful home of Sharon and Clay Elder.MPTS_past_present.JPG Thanks to the Elders and their fellow host couples: Trisha and Hunter Dyer, Cindy and Patton McDowell, Sharon and Jim Mills, Christy and Roger Norris and Linda and Chuck Talmadge. Also, special thanks to Lois and Charles Lee, who were the event's honorary chairs. Lois was a longtime principal at Myers Park until retiring just recently. She is a special person and has touched the lives of all of us. She told a simple yet powerful story about Taylor that brought tears to my eyes and was certainly moving for everyone in attendance.

The evening was educational for many, emotional for everyone and successful in every sense of the word. This generated $5,775, all of which will go directly to the support of Batten Disease research.

Mother's Day Tea
Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Joanna Ashworth and Lynn Nielsen were kind enough to put together this ladies' tea in honor of Taylor's mother, and all mothers, at Joanna's home. A number of those in attendance had never met our family, but their generosity, and the power of Taylor's Tale, helped us raise over $2,600 at this event!

Junior League of Charlotte
Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Thanks to everyone who attended this event, held at the Junior League of Charlotte headquarters in the evening. Our mother, Sharon, is a past president of the League and spoke of the valuable fundraising and advocacy lessons she learned--and lasting friendships she gained--through her longtime involvement. Thanks especially to the gracious hosts: Kim Heath, Stacy Sumner Jesso, Amy Romeo and Martha Schmitt.


Chapter One
Friday, February 9, 2007

We formally kicked off our efforts with a night of cocktails and hors d'ouevres that turned out to be both deeply moving and wildly successful.

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The generous and compassionate people in attendance donated nearly $40,000 at the conclusion of Chapter One, and we expect that number to grow significantly as matching gifts, pledges and additional donations continue to come in. Thank you to all of our supporters for making our mission possible. Together, we will succeed.

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Because Leslie and Bruce Schlernitzauer of Porcupine Provisions generously donated both the use of their beautiful home and all of the food and drink, 100% of donations will go directly to Batten Disease research and the brilliant scientists who are dedicated to finding a cure.

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Thank you also to everyone else who made Chapter One a night to remember: Lance Johnston, Scott Benson, Jane Siemens, the Council for Children's Rights, all of our wonderful steering committee members, and the rest of our angels. You know who you are.



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Last Updated 5/11/08