....One Year Later...

365 days...12 months...one year.. a lifetime.. yesterday. That's how long it's been since Jerry left this Earth and our lives, shattering our hearts along the way. Today, January 30th, marks the one year anniversary of Jerry's last moments with us. While we have all struggled thru the past year without him, knowing our lives will never be the same without him surrounding us - we have managed to move on. In little ways, In ways of change he would be proud of. In remberance: a namesake child; a special tree; a quiet reflection spot...and especially in our memories and hearts. No matter how the year has passed for each of us - it HAS been a year.

I know our family has struggled greatly over the past year. Silently alone, quietly remembering or as a family fondly laughing at a funny tale or with a "mozzarella stick" toast over Christmas. Thru the innocent mind of a creative 3 year old that has "wings" to go see Jerry in Heaven to the more mature musings of a bright 5 year old that says "My uncle died, but he's the best pillow fighter ever!" They know.. but don't fully understand. To the much older and wiser struggles of a parent, an aunt, sisters, brothers-in-law, cousins and friends... wo DO know don't fully understand. Through it all, Jerry has been with us... we've all talked to each other and said "That was Jerry, don't ya think?" It's seen in the mannerisms of a teenager who acts like Jerry more than he may ever know, or in the quiet sarcasm that Jerry had that an 18 year old now possesses and in the quick wit her 14 year old sister has begun to show.

The past year has been a long, painful year for all of us. I can't begin to tell you on behalf of my parents and family how much the love, support, tenderness and just BEING THERE that so many of you gave - in many different ways..and how much that meant to us. From time in Kansas City at the hospital and house; to memorials, Aids Walk, blanket making and at anytime throughout this past year... your love, kindness and support and in continuing to remember Jerry means the world to us. While it can never be repaid, please know that from all of our hearts - know how much that has meant to us.

While we havne't spoken to many of you in awhile; we hope you are all doing ok and moving on with the absence of Jerry in YOUR lives as well. How many of us have done something, heard something or seen something and thought "I need to tell Jerry that!" .. well, always know that we can. Whether we tell him in our hearts or share it with friends - those moments will always be with us and Jerry will always be listening.

While we are moving on.. slowly and in our own way and time, the important thing to remember is that Jerry is and was in our lives and the impact he had will NEVER change or be forgotten. There are too many stories to share for him to ever leave our lives. :)

If you love somebody enough, you can still hear the laughter after they've gone. Boy, if that isn't the truth! I can still hear Jerry's laugh plain as day..AND the smartass comment to go along with it!

They say time heals all wounds... I think you'll all agree with me in that THIS wound may never heal... but it will become less painful as time goes on. Yes, our chain is broken, things are not the same and Jerry is no longer physically in our lives... but he will always be in our hearts and memories...nothing can take that away from any of us.

God saw you getting tired

A cure was not to be

So He put his arms around you

And whispered "Come with Me"

With tearful eyes we watched you

And saw you fade away

Although we loved you dearly

We could not make you stay

A golden heart stopped beating

Your tender hands at rest

God took you home to prove to us

He only takes the best.

In Remberance - Forever In Our Hearts

Jerry Robert Cahill

Son, Brother, Nephew, Cousin, Uncle, Friend

We love you and miss you.

Gone one year - Gone Forever.

June 21, 1962 - January 30, 2009

Who You Are Matters

What You Do Counts

Jerryz Blanket of Love Part Two

Just sending this as it seems many of you didn't recive an email letting you know we sent a new post. Hopefully, this will reach many of you so you are aware of what we are up to this holiday season..

Please check out the blog for information on the upcoming blanket making and distribution over the next few weeks.

God Bless.

Sherri

Jerryz Kidz Blankets of Love for the Holidayz

After much discussion and wanting to do something this holiday season to honor and remember Jerry, we decided to give everyone some "warmth" with handmade blankets. The thought was to deliver them to patients in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids hospitals Cancer Units. We were disappointed to find out that we couldn't directly donate items to patients in Cancer units due to privacy and confidentially matters. Completely understandable and the last thing we want to do is cause anyone any undue stress during the holidays while dealing with something unimaginable.

So after further discussion, we have decided to create and donate blankets to a local homeless shelter in the Iowa City area instead.

These are people who are down on their luck, maybe feeling discouraged, alone and saddened at this time of year. We thought what better way to make a difference in Jerry's memory than by giving someone who TRULY needs a gift this time of year. We are hoping to make as many blankets as possible to hand out at the shelter. We are having a family friend make a patch to put on each blanket that will have Jerry's motto "Who You Are Matters, What You Do Counts". Our hope is that when people look at that statment, it will give them hope that things can get better and that they do indeed matter.

A small gathering is planned for Friday, December 11th in Iowa City (see details below) to hand make the blankets.

We are planning on donating the blankets on Saturday, December 26th. In addition to handing out blankets of love, we hope to assist in serving meals and bringing some additional joy to those at the shelter.

Not all of the blankets have to be made by us. We would gladly accept any new or gently used blankets that anyone would like to donate to the cause. If you are unable to attend the blanket making or donation day, but would still like to participate, any and all blankets or additional donations will be gladly accepted.

We have approached Joanne's Fabrics and Wal-Mart for donations of fabric or discounted pricing for our purpose. Joanne's donated $50 plus 10% off of Fabrics, we are waiting to hear back from Wal-Mart regarding a grant from them. It is looking good as this would be for a non-profit organization.

If you would like to participate at the Jerry'z Night of Blanket Making, we would love to see you! The Sheraton Hotel in Downtown Iowa City has donated a conference room for us.

DATE: FRIDAY, December 11
TIME: 6:00 pm - ??
WHERE: Sheraton Hotel, Downtown Iowa City

The night will be festive with holiday music, hot cocoa, cider and snacks. Laughter will fill the air and "Jerry's Elves" will be in full force.

If you have any additional questions regarding Friday night or the distribution night on the 26th, please contact Tanya Rogers at (319) 545-8189.

If you would like to send donations, blankets, etc- please send them to:
Tanya Rogers
616 Red Bird Run
Tiffin, IA 52340
(319) 545-8189

Thank you to every one. May you have a blessed and safe holiday season with your loved ones. You all remain in our hearts and prayers.

Jerry's KC Tree and IA Reflections Spot

Relfection spot in Iowa at parents house planted with love by all of us over July 4th weekend.



Tree in park in Kansas City. Waterfall behind, tree and green grass all around.

As Time Passes

As time passes, people say it gets easier... at this point, I find that hard to believe - but will hold out hope that those that have gone thru this speak truth. While it will never be "right", I'm hopefully it will be better. We all miss Jerry every day in the little things. Knowing we will never see his smile, hear his laugh and watch his eyes light up with merriment or be the brunt of a smart alec comment of his.. we still find those moments in our daily lives and think "Jerry would love this".. that will never change and I hope it never does.

Today, I found out that Jerry’z Kidz raised $8,566 dollars in the KC Aids Walk- placing us as the Fourth highest fundraiser this year (we missed 3rd by $94!) Team Clover, Banana Republic and Team Bucket were ahead of us. Jerry would be so proud of all the hard work and effort that everyone put into this years’ walk. I am proud and honored to have worked, laughed and cried among so many of you as well. It was truly a great event and Jerry was with us every step of the way.

I am also extremely happy to report (for those of you that don’t already know) the birth of my 7th “child” – ok, a nephew, but still… Camren Jerry Oehler was born on Sunday, April 19th and while he, Tracy, Kevin and Wyatt weren’t able to make it to the Aids Walk due to medical reasons – he is healthy, beautiful and growing so fast. Jerry’s little namesake is a treasure indeed.

Jerry’s birthday passed us June 21st in a day of reflection and memories and to those close to him- was not forgotten. The first day of Summer was and will be a beautiful, albeit sad, day to remember from now on. Jerry would want it to be a happy day – and it will… eventually. You know you can hear him making comments and rolling his eyes at me right now.. :)

As most of you know, we planted a tree in Theiss park in KC to honor Jerry during the Aids Walk weekend – it is thriving beautifully and I know several people in the KC area have told me how it looks on a regular basis. Over the July 4th weekend, the Cahill family planted another tree, some flowers and made a reflection/memorial area at our parents home in North Liberty, IA. It turned out beautiful and while it has some work to be done yet, it looks great.

It's hard to believe it has been 5 1/2 months since Jerry departed from our world. Challenges come and go in our lives - personally, professionally and privately... mourning the loss of Jerry hits us every level possible. The comfort and support of friends and loved ones in Jerry's life have made it easier on all of us that were touched by his spirit. Knowing we are not going thru this alone and we have many shoulders to cry upon, help share the burden and heartache of this loss will hopefully comfort everyone on some level. Whether it's an e-mail conversation, a phone call, a Facebook posting or a good old fashioned hug and cry fest... we can all get thru this eventually. Time may not heal all wounds, but it sure does help it to not fester...

I know each of us are dealing with his absence in our own ways and I know personally, I feel his loss keenly every day. Some days are better than others. Life is moving on and while it will never be the same, it will move on. Jerry will always remain in our hearts, our memories and our laughter.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person,
An hour to appreciate them,
A day to love them,
And an entire life to forget them.

…..More accurate words have never been spoken…

I wish you all well until next time…

Jerryz Kidz T-Shirt Distribution

Hi everyone,

We will be distributing the t-shirts tonight and tomorrow before the walk.

For those of you that would like to pick up your t-shirt prior to the walk, we will be at the Hampton Inn Country Club Plaza at 4600 Summit (@ 46th St) TODAY (Fri 4/24) between 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm in the main lobby area.

T-shirts are $10/shirt. If you'd like to pay by check, please make it out to MARILYN CAHILL.

If you are unable to pick up your shirt today, we will be distributing them starting at 8:00 am Saturday morning at the Jerryz Kidz booth at Theiss Park.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to call me at (310) 595-4045.

~ Sherri

Aids Walk Team Sign up & Donating/Pledge Information

It appears that some people may still not know how to sign up to walk and/or make a straight donation to Jerryz Kidz/Aids Walk.

The following information is how to go about doing that:

Please join the Jerryz Kidz team on April 25th, 2009 as a Team Walker!!

AIDS WALK Kansas City
Saturday April 25th, 2009
Theis Park
Across 47th Street South of the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
Registration opens at 8:00am
Team meeting/photo at 8:30 am @ Jerryz Kidz Table
Welcoming Ceremonies at 9:30am
We Walk at 10:00am
Jerryz Kidz/Aids Walk KC Raffle drawing at 11:45 am
http://www.aidswalkkansascity.org/

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at sherri.cahill@napster.com
or 310-595-4045 (cell) or 310-281-5006 (office)

** Feel free to forward this information along to anyone else that might be interested in participating with us. All are welcome!! **

KANSAS CITY AIDS WALK INFORMATION
(Everything you wanted to know….and then some…)

TO JOIN TEAM JERRYZ KIDZ AND WALK
Get your donation and pledge faces on and get ready to raise money for Jerryz Kidz/Aids Walk. It’s simple, easy and most people are willing to sponsor you to walk or make a straight donation for such a worthy cause. All it takes is a friendly e-mail, phone call or a stroll around your office or neighborhood to see if people are willing to donate to Aids Walk Kansas City. So, sign up as a team walker then start getting pledges & donations from family, friends and neighbors! Also, many companies do a “Matching Gift” contribution- so if any of your co-workers donate/pledge, they may be eligible thru your company for a “matching gift” – check into it!

This year if you sign up as a Jerryz Kidz Team Member you have a couple fundraising choices you can use the attached pledge sheets like we have done in the past and/or each member can create his/her own online individual fundraising page complete with a personal statement, pictures, and daily updates on pledge totals. If you wish to create your own page which will be linked with the Jerryz Kidz team page follow the instructions below, its pretty simple (even if it may not seem like it at first glance – it really is easy), if you have any questions or need any help please don’t hesitate to contact me.

NEW This year, there is a great tool for those of you on Facebook! There is an app you can choose that will load your fundraising page onto your Facebook account – this will enable all your friends to make donations thru Facebook and is an additional tool to help you get donations.

Click on the link to see the Jerryz Kidz team page (you can also join the team from here) http://www.firstgiving.com/process/teamarea/default.asp?did=1615&TeamId=60049&EventId=45727

1) To create your page, just go to www.firstgiving.com/aidswalkkc
2) 1st Page: Click on the 'Get Started' button.
3) 2nd Page: Click on Kansas City Aids Walk 2009'
4) 3rd Page: Enter your email address, select 'I'm new to this site' and hit the 'continue' button.
5) 4th Page: 'Your Details' page, fill out your information and click on the 'continue' button.
6) 5th Page: 'Are You Part of a Team' page, Go to the second box - 'Yes, I am raising funds as part of a team', under Team Name go down to Jerryz Kidz and click on the 'select' button to the right.
7) 6th Page: 'Create your fundraising page',
7a) first box, choose a web page - e.g. - http://www.firstgiving.com/yourname
7b) second box, design your page - under choose a page title - Jerryz Kidz -
7c) Where the image of the woman walking -- 'change the image' you can choose to leave the default image shown or you can choose another image from the collection supplied or if you have a picture you prefer or from past walks you can choose to post that. You may also choose a 'caption' for below what ever image you choose.
7d) If you have a Fundraising Target you can enter that amount and the thermometer will display at the top of your personal web page and show your Fundraising progress. The Fundraising Progress thermometer will only show if you enter a Fundraising Target. Last year Jerryz Kidz raised over $7000!!!
7e) In the 'Edit the personal message to appear on your page' - you can leave the default message that appears or you can click inside the box and create a personal message of your own about why your walking, your motivation or what ever you it is you want to express.
8) third box, Donation confirmation, for your donors - This will be included in the thank you email sent to everyone who makes a donation to your fundraising page. If you would like a confirmation email whenever anyone donates to your page check the box next to 'For you', and then click on the 'continue' button.
9) 7th page: You can preview your Fundraising Page - if you want to make changes click on the 'I want to change something' button at the top of the page OR if your happy with your page click on the 'I am happy with my changes' button at the top of the page.
10) Congratulations!! Your fundraising page is live on the web and ready to take donations at the web address displayed. To edit your page at any time just log into your account. You can start collecting donations on your page by emailing and telling your friends and family!!

TO MAKE A DONATION ONLY
If you are unable to walk or participate on April 25th, but would still like to support the team, any and all donations are welcome. You can make your donations by going to: http://www.firstgiving.com/sherricahill

TEAM MEETING LOCATION/TIME DAY OF WALK
Jerryz Kidz team will meet at the Jerryz Kidz tent/table inside Theis Park. We’d like to do a group photo, so please be on hand at 8:30 am the day of the walk. We’ll distribute t-shirts (if you don’t have them) and will do a quick group photo to commemorate this years team.