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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
 Taylor'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
 The 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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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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