A Dynamic Duo!!!

"Mr. Mark" and Cooper Gates

My eight-year old, Cooper probably gave me one of my proudest moments last night.  He organized his school's first-EVER talent show.  It was packed!  But it was WHY he organized the talent show that has me beaming from ear to ear today!  Let me give you the backstory...

I met Mark through the radio station over a year ago.  He was incredibly passionate when it came to creating awareness for Turner Syndrome - a genetic defect that affects about 1 in 2,000 girls.  His daughter, Ferrial has Turner Syndrome - and Mark has made it his mission to educate as many people as possible about TS and The Turner Syndrom Society of Atlanta.  I admire him so much.  He organizes A Walk for Ferrial each year...and I took Cooper to the walk a few months ago.

I could tell Coop's wheels were spinning when he said he wanted to do more for Ferrial and for TSS.  I explained that his mission should be to educate as many people as he could.  That would make "Mr. Mark" the happiest.  He said he would do that - but he wanted to do more.

Flash forward a few months.  Cooper went to his principal, Mrs. Thomas and his school's Student Council to see if they would support his idea to have a talent show with donations going to the Turner Syndrom Society.  Everybody was on-board.  And they held it last night!  The cafeteria was packed.  The students were 100% supportive of one another.  The PTSA helped.  The faculty and staff helped.  "Mr. Mark" was there accepting donations.  It was just THE BEST. 

Enough money was raised to send FOUR girls to their National Convention this year.  "Mr. Mark" is ecstatic.  Cooper got a great lesson in how anything is possible when you ask for help and educate others.  And well...I'm just so proud.

So here's to "Mr. Mark" (as Coop calls him)...Turner Syndrome Society of Atlanta...Ferrial...and all of the hands that made the 1st - EVER Baker Talent Show a huge success!