EMCEEING THE CHLOE T FOUNDATION GALA - BLOOMINGTON, MN

I was honored to be asked to be the “celebrity emcee” for the 6th annual Chloe T Foundation Gala in Bloomington, MN. This wonderful event “The Power of a Teddy Bear” was held to raise funding for this incredible organization named in honor of Chloe Karline, who passed away at just after turning 2 years old after battling a number of severe conditions she was born with. After Chloe passed away, her parents John & Jenny Karline asked family and friends to bring a teddy bear to her funeral, and the response was overwhelming. John & Jenny took all of the teddy bears and donated them to area hospitals and NICU facilities. Children and parents alike were so appreciative of the gift of a teddy bear, which made the Karlines think that it would be wonderful to continue donating teddy bears on an annual basis, and thus the Chloe T. Foundation was born.








My husband Matt (far right) and I with the founders of the Chloe T. Foundation, John & Jenny Karline.




When I first heard the mission of this organization, I thought to myself “Oh, that is such a nice thing to do,” but didn’t think of just how meaningful that could be. Jenny was telling me about how she was not allowed in the room for Chloe’s MRI treatments, and I realized how scary that could be for a small child. So having a treasured stuffed animal for the child to take with them during these treatments can be very reassuring when the parent is unable to be there (FYI, no metal is used in the Chloe T stuffed animals for this very reason). It made me really stop and think about how incredibly lucky we are to have been blessed with such a healthy little girl, and gave me just a glimpse of the heartache these parents, families, and children endure. I was also so impressed with my friend Shonna Ochu, who is a volunteer for this organization and was a guest speaker during the event. Shonna’s daughter was hospitalized and received a Chloe T stuffed animal, and Shonna spoke of what that meant to her daughter and how instrumental it was in the healing process. It was incredibly moving and I was truly honored to be part of such a special evening.





With my friend Shonna Ochu, who is one amazing lady!














With my parents Bonnie & Rick Henderson