Getty Owl Foundation

6th Annual Getty Owl Run/Walk Is HERE!

From Kate:

Early online registration has begun for the 6th Annual Getty Owl Run/Walk.

Please join us Sunday, February 26, 2017!

We are so excited to celebrate another awesome year with our local and virtual community. A huge thank you to everyone who has made our annual Getty Owl Run/Walk such a fun event. We are so thankful to our Sacramento community for also offering Getty Owl Foundation a solid platform for SMA awareness.

The Getty Owl Run/Walk helps us raise needed funds for research and for families affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Supplies, life saving equipment, and transportation systems to name a few, are all necessary and are also expensive. We would not be able to support families without the graciousness of so many that participate in our annual Run/Walk.

Currently we are holding a giveaway for 5 iPad minis for five deserving members of our SMA community. While we do not know the recipients yet, what we do know is the impact that this device will have on them. SMA may weaken muscles, but it does not inhibit the brain. An iPad can help create and strengthen a strong sense of curiosity and intellectualism. Because of funds raised through our event, we hope to continue the good work in getting iPads into the hands of many deserving warriors.

Over the past five years, Getty Owl Foundation has raised over $180,000 through the Getty Owl Run/Walk. Our sincerest appreciation to all of our sponsors, participants, family, and friends who have supported us.

So here we go!

ONLINE REGISTRATION CLICK HERE!

RACE DETAILS CLICK HERE!

Here is a sneak peek at our 6th Annual Getty Owl Run/Walk tech shirts.

Big thank you to Paul Le, from Paul Le Designs for his awesome talent.

Check out all of the AMAZING SPONSORS who are supporting us. Without them, we could not continue to do the good work we do.

If you know of a business that would like to support the 6th Annual Getty Owl Run/Walk, here is our SPONSOR KIT.

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like A Giveaway: SMA Style

From Kate:

The primary reason for creating Getty Owl Foundation was really to offer a chance to give back to a community that has done so much for our family. When we needed sound advice, when we needed a supportive virtual or physical hug, and when we needed a community to rally around our little lady, the SMA community was always there. We will never take that for granted and we are acutely aware of how special relationships like these are to us. We often say that without the love of our family, friends, and SMA community, we aren’t quite sure how this story would have been written. There have been way too many close calls with Getty’s life to think that any of this could have been positively accomplished in isolation.

Since creating Getty Owl Foundation, we have met some incredible human beings. Some that have absolutely no connection with SMA at all and many who are intimately touched by SMA. They wanted to help and they did and they are making a difference for SMA families. It is through donations to our foundation that we have the ability to hold a really awesome giveaway.

A really quick backstory: Getty was gifted an iPad when she was about 5 months old. While SMA affects children differently, there are some consistencies. Weak muscles can inhibit a child from manipulating objects. Luckily, there is an app for that, and just about everything else! So, even though Getty is not able to hold and shake maracas, she is able to touch a screen and play the instrument that way. There are so many apps that give children like Getty a chance to play an instrument, read along with a book, color with the slightest touch. The list goes on. The iPad gives our kids a chance to see things in nature that they may not be able to see in person. It has been a joy to watch Getty make her own choices.

For us, the iPad has been such a blessing. So, why a giveaway? Well, why not? 🙂

The reason for this giveaway is two-fold. One, devices like an iPad can be expensive. With all of the other costs associated with caring for a person with SMA, an iPad sometimes gets bumped down the list. Two, well, it’s the holiday season! We want to help 5 people with SMA get a great learning, entertainment, language acquisition device that can grow with them and give them more independence.

So here are the details:

Getty Owl Foundation will be giving away 5 iPad minis.

This giveaway is for people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) only. While we are aware that many people could benefit from an iPad, Getty Owl Foundation’s primary commitment is to individuals with SMA.

When can we apply?: Now.

Deadline: Thursday, December 8th @6pm PST.

When will giveaway recipients be announced?: Friday, December 9th @ 10am PST.

*No purchase necessary.

*One entry per candidate. (Duplicate entries will be void.)

*If you have any questions please email me at hoot@gettyowl.org

Online Application: Click HERE

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: Getty Owl Foundation

From Kate:

I got a call a few months back from what I would consider an incredibly awesome human being. Unbeknownst to me, I started a conversation with Clare Crawley, from the TV show, The Bachelor. We spoke about her family, we spoke about her tie to Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and we had a great conversation about what she could do to help families affected by SMA and how she can support Getty Owl Foundation to help make a difference.

She then began to tell me that she will be on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and that she had chosen Getty Owl Foundation as her charity. “Um, What?” is basically what came out of the mouth. What an amazing opportunity to be able to talk about Spinal Muscular Atrophy on a national stage. I mean, how many ears is that? 🙂 So many!!!!!

So I am here to announce that you can watch Clare Crawley tomorrow, Thursday, December 1st on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Here is a LINK to find out tv stations and times.

On behalf of our family and our entire board and volunteers of Getty Owl Foundation, we offer a HUGE thank you to Clare Crawley for choosing Getty Owl Foundation as her chosen charity. It is because of awesome people like you, that we can continue the work that we do.

Falynn’s Wings

We are heartbroken to learn that Falynn, the beautiful daughter of our friends Rian and Gonzalo, has passed away. SMA claimed Falynn’s life and tore into the hearts of her family and her “extended” family, the SMA community.

Falynn, about a year younger than Getty, was vibrant and full of life. Falynn was a charming and happy little girl with a zest for life. She was and always will be a shining example of resilience and beauty.

Falynn inspired Gonzalo and Ryan to launch Falynn’s Wings, a nonprofit helping those with  spinal muscular atrophy. They are dedicated and loving parents, charitable and giving people, and an inspiration to many. Nobody deserves this kind of loss and pain.

We are deeply saddened and send all our love as we grieve with them and try and make sense of this wicked disorder.

Please keep them close in your thoughts and prayers.

We will miss you so very much sweet Falynn.

The Time Has Come……6th Annual Getty Owl Run/Walk is Here!

From Kate:

I am so happy to announce our 6th Annual Getty Owl Run/Walk is coming at you, Sunday, February 26, 2017!

More details to come, but for now, mark your calendar for our 6th Annual. We are so excited and are happily knee deep in all things planning. Over the past five years of our event you have helped us raise over $150,000 to help support families affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Your dedication and support has helped Getty Owl Foundation send money into the direct hands of scientists and doctors on the front line of beating this disease. Thank you for your support!

We are and will always be a 100% volunteer non-profit. We depend on support from our local and national community and we are just so thankful for your support for these almost 7 years of our existence.

We have so much to be thankful for. Getty is now a 6 and a half. A first grader who enjoys books, reading books, and listening to people read books. 🙂 Our little bookworm continues to grow in her sassiness and relish in her friendships with her friends at school. We are so very proud of her and all of her accomplishments so far.

So stay tuned, more details to come, but for now perhaps you and your friends and family can consider joining us again for our 6th Annual Getty Owl Run/Walk.