My Son Shines Fund

We have some fun news to share today!!!

This Friday, August 30th, at 10am the brand new playground at Carter Park will officially open with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Ten years of advocating and fundraising for a new playground and picnic shelter at Carter Sports Park and it is happening!

As previously shared, donations made to My Son Shines Fund totaled $23,736.73 and were allocated to Knox County Parks and Recreation for the sole purpose of constructing a picnic shelter with picnic tables adjacent to the playground. Construction on the picnic shelter will soon begin and will include a plaque dedicating the playground and picnic shelter to the memory of our baby boy, Dierks Nash.

We are ecstatic that this goal has been accomplished for our family and for our community. We may burst before Friday and just can not wait to play and remember our boy and purpose in life - love, play, learn, grow.

*edited to add: we hope to see you there! Wear your MSSF shirt if you have one!

Humbled and proud. Broken and restored. Reflective and hopeful. Faith (patience, perseverance, and persistence) and trust in God when we plead and fail to understand or answer why. Simultaneously, all of this and more.

Today, we are honored to share that My Son Shines Fund has donated all funds received to Knox County Parks & Rec for a brand new picnic shelter adjacent to the brand new playground at Carter Sports Park!

Family and friends, you all showed up at Dive In for Dierks at Carter Pool, Applebee's Kickoff for a Cause to benefit My Son Shines Fund, Time to Shine Carwash for My Son Shines Fund for an entire month, Kickin' It at Carter Park Kickball Tournament, Painting with a Twist, donned your My Son Shines Fund Tshirts, helped spread the word and, most recently, made Dierks' $10 Drive to the Finish Line our single most successful fundraising event. My parent brokerage, EXIT Realty Corp. International, also showed their support through our Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program that matched $3500.00 of our donated funds during our most recent initiative.

With your participation and donations, you encouraged us, you believed in us, you pushed us, you inspired us and we did it! You all, every single one of you, we did it!

This is more than a playground and a picnic shelter. This is bigger than a goal set and a goal reached. Simply defined, it gives meaning and purpose to the far too short life of our baby boy, Dierks Nash Limbaugh.

Thank you for such a precious gift.

I am so proud of and tickled with this award! Even better, I have you - family, friends, clients, my office and broker - to thank for it! From my whole heart: Thank YOU!

Recently, these two playground photos popped up on my FB memories from March 7, 2014. This was two months after the passing of our third son, Dierks, at 2 days old. This was our first of many, many playground visits. My memories of 2014 -2016 are very fuzzy and limited due to grief though I remember this day on the playground with great clarity. I remember looking up to the sun and letting it warm my face. It was the first sunny and 60 something degree day after a very long, cold and dark winter. I remember genuinely smiling - a real genuine smile, not a fake because it was appropriate smile - when Drake peaked the climbing apparatus and how happy Deegan was to slide fast once he did not put his shoes sole side down on the slide. That took a few turtle mode descends to figure out! I have often shared that we visited playgrounds to "force" playing and smiling. My playful mood and spirit of joy was depleted and that's not a good formula for a Mama, so, yes, I "forced" it. These playground visits led to the discovery that our community playground at Carter Sports Park consisted of only 2 swings, 1 slide and, at that time, was over 25 years old. Thus the idea to form My Son Shines Fund to advocate for and rebuild a new playground was born and has continued over the last 10 years.

Typically, my office gathers weekly for continued education, networking and general collaboration with one another. One of our first gatherings in 2023 was to create our vision boards for the year. I found a picture of a playground and decided to incorporate it in my vision board. I attempted to cut it in the shape of a heart. My scissors skills failed me and I almost discarded that picture until looking over in the scrap pile and noticing it looked like angel wings. How perfectly appropriate!

Ground broke in winter of 2023 and work has been diligent on a new playground at Carter Sports Park. If you are local and have recently driven by, I hope you are as excited as we are to see this new playground come to fruition. Happy tears spill weekly as we pass! Knox Co Parks and Recreation along with the Knox Co ADA Office received a grant to renovate the entire complex at Carter Sports Park including the library, senior center, and ball fields to be accessible to people of all abilities. This grant along with the donation from My Son Shines Fund including matched funds from our Spirit of EXIT initiative is building an all new and beautiful ADA compliant playground. Eeek!!! I believe I have even been told it is the largest complex of it's kind in the state of Tennessee. Carter Sports Park will soon be a destination! And, soon, we will all have a new playground to visit and ballfields with sidewalks, y'all, and more!

Thank you from my whole heart! ❤ It is a pretty amazing feeling when your personal and professional worlds align. Our family is dedicated in making our little corner of the world a better place to live, love, learn, work, worship and play. I am dedicated in helping you do the same. If you are planning to sell or buy a home this year in the Greater Knoxville area, I hope you will consider allowing me help.
"A portion of every transaction fee received by EXIT Realty Corp. International is applied to our charitable fund and those funds are distributed through the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program. This program makes it possible for EXIT Realty Brokers and Agents to raise funds for local, approved, registered charities and submit a proposal for those funds to be matched from our pool of funds. To-date, more than $7 million has been allocated to charity."

Get it Just Right with Julie! Call or text 865.748.0167 or email: [email protected]
www.justrightwithjulie.com

God did it!! Dierks did it! You did it! We did it! Together, we did it!!! I am jumping out of my skin with excitement and crying happy tears!!! 😃😃😃

We received the total for Dierks' $10 Drive to the Finish Line. Donations for this initiative total $5,655.42!!! We reached our goal, actually drove right through it and beyond! 🚘 Beep! Beep! This means through the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program, EXIT Realty International Corp. will match $3500.00 of this for a grand total of...are you ready!?!

$9,155.42!!! 🙌🎉🤗😘

This will be added to funds raised from previous events over the last 10 years and will soon be allocated to Knox County Parks and Recreation for the new playground at Carter Sports Park. Y'all, it is happening! We are humbled, our hearts are joyful and we are more than grateful to each and every single person/family that has prayed, shared, and donated than I will ever be able to convey. A new playground for our community, our family and for Dierks' 10th birthday is just so incredibly special. 💙 Thank you.

January 3, 2024. Dierks would be 10 years old today. I can say/write, share and feel a whole lot of ways today. Over the last 10 years, I have come to realize today is a day to celebrate Dierks and his life. Today, I have and I will cry, though I have and I will (again and again) intentionally and purposefully choose joy not sorrow. Today, I give thanks to God for allowing us to meet, hold, bring home and love Dierks. I give thanks for God's promise that I will see Dierks again one day. I am grateful for the strength I find in His word, particularly, Romans 5:1-5. And, for the comfort found in surprising places and moments - I give thanks for Dr. Suess' reminder to not cry because it's over, rather smile because it happened. For now, I have very bravely, perhaps, very unwisely put on my mascara and have decided to stay laser focused on our goal.
Today is also our very LAST day of Dierks' $10 Drive to the Finish Line. Today wraps up our efforts over the last 10 years to raise money to build a new playground at Carter Sports Park. Today, our children, Dierks' siblings, are cashing in all of the loose change they have found over our break and making their donation. They have helped with carwashes, kickball tournaments, carnivals, lemonade stands and made us very proud. It is our final push and we are going to do just that today - push forward. If you would like to make your first, your 50th or your final donation, TODAY is the day!

The donation link and QR Code take you directly to the Legacy Parks Foundation giving page. And, remember, the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program is matching dollars raised upto $3500! We need your help with the final push, let's do this! 👊💪 Share, donate, spread the word, get the kids involved - we need a HUGE number of people to make a teeny tiny $10 donation.



Scan the QR code or click the link to donate.

https://legacyparks.networkforgood.com/projects/143954-community-projects

Visit www.facebook.com/mysonshinesfund to learn more about us and our WHY.

Shouting Happy New Year to you, precious family and friends 🎉🎊

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday - that's if for 2024. Begin your brand new year with a charitable and tax deductible donation. Would you please consider Dierks' $10 Drive to the Finish Line?!

The donation link and QR Code take you directly to the Legacy Parks Foundation giving page. And, remember, the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program is matching dollars raised upto $3500! We need your help with the final push, let's do this! 👊💪 Share, donate, spread the word, get the kids involved - we need a HUGE number of people to make a teeny tiny $10 donation.



Scan the QR code or click the link to donate.

https://legacyparks.networkforgood.com/projects/143954-community-projects

Visit www.facebook.com/mysonshinesfund to learn more about us and our WHY.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday - that's all for 2023! If you would like to end the year on a charitable note or still need a last minute tax deduction, would you please consider Dierks' $10 Drive to the Finish Line?!

The donation link and QR Code take you directly to the Legacy Parks Foundation giving page.

The Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program is matching dollars raised upto $3500.



Scan the QR code or click the link to donate.

https://legacyparks.networkforgood.com/projects/143954-community-projects

Visit www.facebook.com/mysonshinesfund to learn more about us and our WHY.

This is the last challenge though our drive continues through what would be Dierks' 10th birthday, January 3rd.

Dierks' $10 Drive to the Finish Line is counting down the 12 Days BEFORE Christmas with a daily challenge. Let's have some fun and race to our goal! If we make it to $3500 by January 3rd, it is MATCHED dollar for dollar through the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program!

On this Christmas Day, I challenge you to donate $10 and/or SHARE this post on your page in honor or memory of someone you are missing today.

Please continue to spread the word through the 3rd. We need a HUGE number of people to make a small $10 donation.



Scan the QR code or click the link to donate.

https://legacyparks.networkforgood.com/projects/143954-community-projects

Visit www.facebook.com/mysonshinesfund to learn more about us and our WHY.

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone. ❤💚🎄 Today's challenge comes with a trigger warning.
Grief is heavy, cumbersome, unpredictable, and whole bag full of ever-evolving emotions. The holidays magnify this. Today's challenge is for our fellow Mama's and Daddy's who have experienced miscarriage, still birth, and infant loss. From the OB/GYN Associates of WNY, "in the United States, nearly one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage, with another 1 in 160 pregnancies ending in stillbirth. Notably, these numbers do not include infant death from preterm labor, diagnosis of life-limiting conditions, or SIDS." Sadly, this means there are alot of us. Michael and I are holding space for you today and everyday and pray you give yourself the grace to feel any kind of feel you need. May your sorrow and joy learn to dance with one another and may your hurting hearts be healing hearts. 💛 And, may you also know we will always have an ear, a shoulder and hug available for you.

Dierks' $10 Drive to the Finish Line is counting down the 12 Days BEFORE Christmas with a daily challenge. Let's have some fun and race to our goal! If we make it to $3500 by January 3rd, it is MATCHED dollar for dollar through the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program!

1 day before Christmas, I challenge the strongest people God created: parents who have experienced miscarriage, still birth, and/or infant loss
to donate $10 and/or SHARE this post on your page! Help us get the word out! We need a HUGE number of people to make a small $10 donation.



Scan the QR code or click the link to donate.

https://legacyparks.networkforgood.com/projects/143954-community-projects

Visit www.facebook.com/mysonshinesfund to learn more about us and our WHY.

Good morning, friends! Today's challenge is for the kiddos. Afterall, this playground is for them, right!?! And, it's the perfect time of year to help them learn about the spirit of giving. I challenge YOU to challenge your children or grandchildren to dive into the couch cushions, your car, their backpacks and collect all of the loose change they can find then donate it! I know, I know, quite bold of me to ask y'all to do one more thing 3 days before Christmas. Buuut, this is is a great diversion (chore) for them while on home base for Christmas break. Mine are on the hunt as I type, first, allowing me to post in peace then, second, allowing me to move onto writing a counter offer. Happy hunting, kiddos! Let's build a playground! Bonus, if you find more than $10 in change, treat them to a milkshake or a smoothie to reward them for their hard work and giving hearts 💕 It's a win win!

Dierks' $10 Drive to the Finish Line is counting down the 12 Days BEFORE Christmas with a daily challenge. Let's have some fun and race to our goal! If we make it to $3500 by January 3rd, it is MATCHED dollar for dollar through the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program!

3 days before Christmas, I challenge YOU to challenge your children to find all of the loose change they can come up with then donate $10 and/or SHARE this post on your page! By sharing, it helps us get the word out! We need a HUGE number of people to make a small $10 donation.



Scan the QR code or click the link to donate.

https://legacyparks.networkforgood.com/projects/143954-community-projects

Visit www.facebook.com/mysonshinesfund to learn more about us and our WHY.

As the Beatles once said, Here Comes the Sun! Doo doo doo doo! 🎶 The sun is shining and it's a warmer day here in Knoxviile. Perfect to get out and play! Today's challenge is for everyone who needs or wants some outdoor playtime! 🌞

Dierks' $10 Drive to the Finish Line is counting down the 12 Days BEFORE Christmas with a daily challenge. Let's have some fun and race to our goal! If we make it to $3500 by January 3rd, it is MATCHED dollar for dollar through the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program!

4 days before Christmas, I challenge anyone who
Enjoys visiting a playground
to donate $10 and/or SHARE this post on your page! Help us get the word out! We need a HUGE number of people to make a small $10 donation.



Scan the QR code or click the link to donate.

https://legacyparks.networkforgood.com/projects/143954-community-projects

Visit www.facebook.com/mysonshinesfund to learn more about us and our WHY.

If you have finished all of your shopping and are joyfully counting down to a candlelight service and/or Christmas morning, this challenge is gift wrapped just for you! ❤💚🎄

Dierks' $10 Drive to the Finish Line is counting down the 12 Days BEFORE Christmas with a daily challenge. Let's have some fun and race to our goal! If we make it to $3500 by January 3rd, it is MATCHED dollar for dollar through the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program!

5 days before Christmas, I challenge anyone who
has completed all of their Christmas shopping
to donate $10 and/or SHARE this post on your page! Help us get the word out! We need a HUGE number of people to make a small $10 donation.



Scan the QR code or click the link to donate.

https://legacyparks.networkforgood.com/projects/143954-community-projects

Visit www.facebook.com/mysonshinesfund to learn more about us and our WHY.