Fourteen years ago on April 22, 1996 my first cousin Miles passed away due to an inoperable brain tumor. He was diagnosed at age 7 and died at age 8. Miles was one of 5 boys. He was the 2nd to youngest. There was always something SPECIAL about Miles. We all called Miles, "Smiley Miley" because of his unforgettable smile as well as his contagious joy & love for life. I have fond memories of my cousin Miles. One of my favorites is when I was in fourth grade, I thought it would be a great idea if I choreographed a dance to Amy Grant's, "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" to perform at our annual Christmas Eve Perret family gathering. Well the gathering would take place at Miles' house that year so we were babysitting Miles the night before so Aunt Debbie could prepare her home. I talked Miles into learning and performing the dance with me. And yes we danced with an artificial mini christmas tree in between us. He gladly danced with me with a huge smile on his face. After Miles' death my family began a Relay for Life team in Lafayette titled Miles for Miles. However, our team was SO large due to the great support from the Lafayette community! Miles' parents Debbie & Hank came up with an incredible vision to start a cancer center that would provide cancer services to those in the Lafayette area at no cost. Their vision became a quick reality with the sponsorship of Our Lady of Lourdes in Lafayette, providing a faciltiy. This facility is now entitled the Miles Perret Center. After the opening of the center. My aunt and uncle also wanted to help Lafayette become more aware of the fight against cancer in Lafayette; therefore, the Games of Acadiana were started. This event would also be a fundraiser for the center. The first Games of Acadiana started in 2001 with the hope of raising money for families fighting cancer in Acadiana. Today, GOA is the largest fundraiser for Miles Perret Cancer Services and this year we are celebrating its 10th anniversary. The family-centered, Olympic-style event is made up of more than 45 games including, Quarterback Pass, Fastest Pitch, Bubble Gum Blowing contest and video game favorites like Rock Band. The admission is FREE and open to all ages. (http://www.milesperret.org/)
Today, the 10th annual Games of Acadiana were celebrated in Lafayette. Sadly, Christopher, Steven, & I could not attend, because Christopher isn't quite ready to be around large crowds. However, we were there in spirit as we thought & prayed for the success of the Games. WE LOVE YOU SMILEY MILEY!
Much love and Many Blessings,
Mauree
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