Phew! I returned from the 5th Annual Shot at Life Champion Summit (this was my 3rd), with plans for a blog post overflowing with reflections, facts, and experiences.
BUT, it didn’t take long before it became apparent that maybe I should have spent about half an hour at some point in the prior months and gotten the flu shot I’ve been encouraging everyone else to get as part of the Give a Shot Get a Shot program.
At a Walgreens in Washington DC, checking out a Give a Shot Get a Shot display.
That’s why tonight’s post from the sick bed contains a few anecdotes and pictures, with the promise of a “bigger” post later!
I am so grateful that this summit gave me the opportunity to finally meet (and interview in front of the summit audience) Minda Dentler. She is a triathlete, polio survivor, and mom. I first learned about her when Charity Miles encouraged participants to vote for her when she was nominated for an ESPY. She may not have won the ESPY but she won my gratitude and admiration in the biggest of ways!
Even for a cause I love so dearly, such as making sure children worldwide have a chance at living to their 5th birthdays and not succumbing to vaccine-preventable diseases, I still find it difficult to speak up sometimes.
When I spotted Debbie Wasserman-Schultz conducting a press interview as we waited for our meeting with Rep. Alan Grayson, I faced a choice: leap in front of her path and give my elevator speech or leave it at telling my fellow champions “yeah, I remember her from her time in Florida, when Wayne (my husband) was a staff person in the legislature.”
I leapt. I gave the elevator speech. Her staff member now holds a packet full of Shot at Life material. Every leap holds the potential to make a difference.
My view as I tried to decide whether to leap or not.
Did you know food is not allowed in the US Capitol complex? EVEN if the food is Girl Scout Cookies you’ve been carrying around ALL DAY LONG to enjoy at the end of hours upon hours of advocacy. Although we dodged the cookie confiscation bullet one time when we entered the US Capitol complex, we weren’t so lucky at the end of the day when we entered the Capitol complex for a reception honoring Rep. Jim McDermott.
Security was having none of it.
I won’t go into our technique, but suffice it to say although we were instructed to put the cookies in the dumpster (really, is it even AMERICAN to put unopened boxes of Girl Scout cookies in a dumpster?), we, um, “found another home for them” and the cookie party later that evening was worth the hassle!
Let me tell you, these advocates are as creative and dogged about protecting children worldwide as they are about safeguarding Girl Scout cookies. The children of the world are in the best (and most fun, for what it’s worth!) hands!
And lastly, a travel lesson learned:
I had a companion on my Super Shuttle on the way from BWI to Washington, DC, who gave me a piece of advice about the return trip to BWI. She suggested that Uber would be more comfortable and roughly the same price as a Super Shuttle. That sounded good to me, so I didn’t make a return reservation.
I’m a bit of a freak about punctuality when traveling, so I ordered the Uber in plenty of time to make BWI prior to my flight. Imagine my surprise when Uber notified me that it was “surge pricing” time and it would cost a lot more to get to BWI than it would at non-surge pricing time. I called Super Shuttle, which said it was too late to hop on one of those. I was just on the verge of accepting the surge pricing (sigh….) when I got a notification from Uber that regular pricing was back in effect and I should request as quickly as possible. I did and all was good, but notes were taken for the future. Backup plans are good.
Cookies, Leaping, and Inspiration aside … why do we do this? Take the 1:38, less than two minutes, to watch this video and I’m pretty sure it will be clear.
Wife of one, Mom of two, Friend of many. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
Great job Paula! You are making a huge difference!
Thanks, Rena!