Goodwill Events and Promostions

Memorable Mothers Contest Winners

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on May 8, 2014 10:27:00 AM

mothers day contest 2014 header

All moms are amazing, and we asked Club Goodwill members to brag about theirs!
We asked you to tell us about your mom for a chance to win her $75 gift card from Massage Envy, as well as a $25 gift card from Goodwill.

Here are the top two amazing entries:

First Place: Ann C.

It wasn’t until I became a mother that I realized just how amazing my mother really is.  I don’t believe that you can truly appreciate the work that is involved to be a mother – and not just any mother, but one who is involved in her children and one who esteems her children before her own needs.

It all started back in 1984, when Huong Kim Vo, my mother, left her native country, Vietnam,  to come to America.  She didn’t speak the language and she wasn’t really sure where this new country would lead her, but she did know that it was a free country, one with many opportunities for her three children.  She knew that they would be able to go to school, get an education, continue onto college, graduate and get a wage-paying professional job.  Vietnam would not afford her children this opportunity.

Upon her arrival to America, there weren’t any jobs for a young lady who didn’t speak English, at least not one that was ideal.  She was given the opportunity to work out in the cold doing construction.  Now, she came from Vietnam, where the weather was mostly warm and humid, to come and work in an environment of which her body has not yet grown accustomed to, but she took the job, after all, she had  children to feed.  So she would walk us to a sitter’s house every morning before work, (we didn’t own a car yet), and then she would take the CTA (public transportation) to work.  

After a long day in the cold, her work day was not quite over yet.  She took the bus to pick us up at the sitter’s house, walked us home and then it was more work preparing dinner.  Then she would help us with our homework.  After we went to bed, she would stay up late evenings to study for her cosmetology certification.  Sleep really was overrated for her.  If she were to sleep she would have never got all the things done that needed to be done, twenty-four hours in one day just wasn’t cutting it for her.  

Now I am a mother, of two beautiful children, two lovely young men. Ajay who is eight and Anthony who is two, are my everything.  I love them with all my heart and all my might, but I often think back now and wonder, could I leave America, if I had to, for the sake of my children?  Leave the only country that I know – my comfort zone – pack up and navigate to a foreign country where no one even knows my name, let alone know my language?  Leave all that I have worked hard for and established, to start life all over, just so my children can have opportunities that they wouldn’t otherwise have?  It takes someone special to be able to do that, and my mother has done just that!  

I love you Mommy, for the sacrifice that you have made so that I can be here today- So that I can have the privilege of living in free country with two beautiful children myself.  Is there any greater love, than a love of a mother?


Runner Up: Paulette C.

My mother is a wonderful person but I am here to talk about my daughter Valerie Stojanov.  I have a granddaughter, Alexandria who just turned 4.  When Alexandria was 10 months she was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  That was in February 2011.  In November she had a small stroke but then in January 2012 she had a massive stroke which took away her walking, talking, eating or doing anything a normal 2 year old would do.

Since she was ten months old she has had 16 brain surgeries, 3 shunt revisions and believe me when I say if it wasn’t for my daughter, Alexandria would not be with us.  Valerie’s days are extremely busy with physical therapy, neurofeedback, chiropractor, holistics, other different therapies.  This upon the fact that she does therapy with her at home, just the two of them.  Alexandria has to be fed and sometimes has a hard time.  Little bits of milk at a time.

When Valerie goes to the grocery story she buys organic, gluten free, corn free, milk free, wheat free and corn free products for Alexandria.  She puree’s her 3 meals a day and gives her snacks in-between.  Valerie is always reading, looking things up, talking to doctors about different things that will help Alexandria.  She is determined that Alexandria will walk and talk one day we all are because we know the determination Valerie has. Valerie does not take time for herself, her motivation is concentrated on Alexandria.  My son-in-law helps a lot but he works all day in order to pay for the home, bills, Alexandria’s co-pays and prescriptions.

My oldest daughters child, Chloe said to me one day.  She said nana, Aunt Val is Alexandria’s mom and she kisses her all the time.  Chloe is 3 years old and that is what she sees her Aunt Val doing.  She read books all the time to her, kisses her, talks to her.  She handles the gas problems she has, she can’t have a bowel movement by herself, Valerie has to help her.  She is still in diapers.  

I can’t say enough wonderful things about Valerie.  If you ask anyone they will tell you that they have never seen a mom who is so loving, so determined to help her child.  Her husband tells her that she is a wonderful wife, beautiful woman and is the best mom any little girl can have.  Valerie does find time to make her husband healthy meals every night.

Valerie deserves more than what she gets.  We all try to help but there is no one who knows this little girl as well as her mom.  She makes sure she has the best doctors and makes sure she has as much knowledge about what is going on as she can.

Valerie deserves the world.



Topics: Mother's Day Contest, Goodwill contest, Goodwill, Mother's Day

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