Charlotte Photography: Small Town Loving...

This past weekend my mom, dad, and I headed up to Stockton to celebrate my Poppy. Rooks County recently amped up their medical facilities with the Rooks County Health Center and now Stockton is building a new clinic. In order to raise money, they held a fundraiser honoring those who chose to practiced their profession in Stockton and Plainville. My Poppy was one of the town doctors in Stockton. He spent his entire profession as a doctor in that wonderful town, tending to the wonderful people that live there. By the end of the night two things were very obvious...that my Poppy was an amazing doctor, beloved by the entire town. But of course, I already knew that. Secondly, that the towns of Stockton and Plainville are generous. They are some of the kindest, most giving people I have ever met and to say I was shocked by how much they were willing to bid on some of the auction items is an understatement. It was incredible...the support the town gave to the new clinic was nothing shy of amazing. And I am so thankful I got to be witness to the generosity of the people of Stockton. I miss my Poppy all the time and I am so glad I was able to participate in something that is keeping his memory alive.

Now, on to the pictures. First up a pic at my Mimi's house...Mitch, Claire, and I were the only cousins able to make it. Hopefully more of us can get there for the ribbon cutting in November. Here is all of us rocking was Warby Parker glasses. :)

Next we went down to the high school to drop a few things off for the auction, then downtown for some "shopping." What was funny was that we wanted to go to this antique store, but were nervous it would be closed. When we got down there the door was propped open and we were so excited they were still open. We quickly realized they in fact WERE NOT open. They had closed two hours earlier, shut off all the lights, and left. Out the back door. Leaving the front door open. So we looked around then left. Oops.

I can only imagine the trouble these ladies caused...well ok...probably not my Aunt Tam. But definitely the twins!

I loved that the town has tiger paw prints all up and down Main Street (they are the Stockton Tigers). Just one of the many things I find great about smaller towns!

Now on to the pictures from the dinner and auction.

We had to get a pic with the state titles in the background! :)

They had a slideshow running with pics of the town doctors. I made me all teary to see the pics of my Poppy.

I took this picture for Ber! It was great to see her folks...and meet her beloved grandpa who I have heard so much about! He was also being honored as he had been the town dentist for years and years and years. My Aunt Tam even mentioned him in her speech and how she can remember just walking down the street from the high school to have her braces checked. :)

That drawing of Poppy is one of my favorite pictures of him.

The picture below is probably my favorite. He looks so happy!

Senator Moran was there...my Aunt Tam got to introduce him! He grew up in Plainville and was so wonderful. You can tell how much he really cares about this part of the state.

Aunt Tam giving her speech....it was wonderful! But what else would you expect! :)

My mom and aunt Mo participated in a "Top Ten" reasons to participate in the auction.

Senator Moran started his speech out talking about this note. One of his assistants prepared his documents for this event and when he was in the car on the way to Stockton he realized she had stuck a note of her own in the folder. You can read it in the picture below. When Sen. Moran was reading it and talking about my Poppy and I started to tear up...when I saw my Mimi crying it was all I could do to hold it together.

The next morning (after a LATE night of driving back) my dad ran in the first annual Hutch half marathon. It was so fun to watch a race in Hutch...and to KNOW where they were running by and not feel completely lost trying to watch the runners. We even just got to walk over from our house to watch him run by. He finished with a great time (1 hour 53 minutes). Very impressive, especially considering we didn't get home until 1 am!