Katie Wyatt Memorial Foundation
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Volunteer Now!
Katie's Game - 3rd Annual Golf Event in coperation with Fenton Farms Golf Course Event
sponsorships for 2014 are available and needed!
Make A Difference! 2013 Game is fast approaching!
The Katie Wyatt Memorial Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, is having its
3rd Annual Katie's Game-Golf Event on August 9, 2013 held at
Fenton Farms Golf Club,
One of Katie's wishes was that we continue to help other children, who like
her were given the cross of cancer to bear.
We invite you to join us, in Katie's memory, as a sponsor. View the list of
opportunities for you to honor Katie's wishes by directly participating in this
wonderful event. Your sponsorship will allow us to not only help the
Rainbow Connection grant a Michigan cancer patient with their wish,
but also a local family that is in need of all of our support. Additionally, the Katie Wyatt Memorial Foundation will be offering various scholarship opportunities for our local student's.
None of this will be possible without your compassion and your support. The Fenton area community has been nothing short of amazing in supporting Katie during her fight, and we anticipate the outpouring of love will continue with this event.
We thank you in advance for your support for this cause that is so dear to all of our hearts!
Together, Let's Make A Difference! Game information for 2014 arriving shortly.
The Katie Wyatt Memorial Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, is having its
3rd Annual Katie's Game-Golf Event on August 9, 2013 held at
Fenton Farms Golf Club,
One of Katie's wishes was that we continue to help other children, who like
her were given the cross of cancer to bear.
We invite you to join us, in Katie's memory, as a sponsor. View the list of
opportunities for you to honor Katie's wishes by directly participating in this
wonderful event. Your sponsorship will allow us to not only help the
Rainbow Connection grant a Michigan cancer patient with their wish,
but also a local family that is in need of all of our support. Additionally, the Katie Wyatt Memorial Foundation will be offering various scholarship opportunities for our local student's.
None of this will be possible without your compassion and your support. The Fenton area community has been nothing short of amazing in supporting Katie during her fight, and we anticipate the outpouring of love will continue with this event.
We thank you in advance for your support for this cause that is so dear to all of our hearts!
Together, Let's Make A Difference! Game information for 2014 arriving shortly.
Copyright 2011-2014 Katie Wyatt Memorial Foundation 501(c)3
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Make a Difference - donate funds or your time to help a local Fenton, MI child with cancer today!
Need your Community Service Hours? Be in the Annual Fenton Freedom Festival 4th of July Parade!
Volunteers: Logan Danny, and Knox
Volunteers: Maddi and Kassy
"Life Lessons" Autumn Beltinck 3-10-2013
Very few people have the privilege of saying they have an angel for a friend. I am one of
those blessed individuals. Two short years ago, in 2010 I met Katie who happened to be a close friend
of my brother's. We immediately hit it off and before long we were the best of buddies.
Katie was everything one would want in a friend. The hardest part about knowing her was
embracing the fact that she was battling cancer.
I learned first-hand what an ugly disease cancer is. Katie would have great days where she was filled with life
and running with the energy of many teenagers. The bad days were unbearable for me as Katie
would be bedridden, barely able to lift her head. The disease really started to take its hold only a few months
into our friendship. Being helpless is not something my family accepts so mom helped us kids organize
a charity basketball game to raise money to help Katie and her family to meet their financial needs.
The event was a huge success and we raised over $30,000.
Her battle ended on June 14th 2011. This was a very difficult time obviously because it's not natural
for kids my age to die. I've decided though to make this a positive situation in two ways. First, I spend my time
celebrating all the wonderful memories I have with her and being happy that I got to know such a wonderful person.
Secondly, along with my moms help, she, I, my brother and some friends, along with Steve Adams, my dad, and Katies family decided to continue our charitable work and started a foundation to raise money for children with cancer. Every time we host an event, I feel like Katie is right there with me.
This was one of the worst things I've ever been through but I'm very thankful for the things around me such as my family, my friends, and most importantly, my health. I am more focused on my own personal goals now and don't take things for granted. This has come through on my performance on school and my resolve to attend a great university. Ever since Katie's death, I have improved so much in school and I have made a commitment to myself that from now on, only my very best comes forward. My angel will always be near me to make sure of that.
Being involved and helping to make a difference became very important to me. I was a volunteer at the children's cancer camp the summer of 2012. Seeing all of the children that were sick was life changing for me. I hadn't realized how serious cancer was and just how many lives it takes until I joined the camp. The volunteers including myself got in a line along the walkways and as they were dropped off, some having to ride on golf carts, we gave them high fives. I felt so much better about myself after this camp because I personally was able to bring a smile to a child's face. We take advantage of being able to walk and being able to wrestle around with our friends and even our appearances. We spend every minute of every day trying to buy material things to make ourselves look better. We need to sit back and realize what a lot of people struggle with and loose in their lifetime. This experience has taught me to appreciate the things I have much more now than I ever have.
In the spring of 2012 I was introduced to a boy named Jesse Hourigan. Jesse attends Fenton High School, my high school, but last year he was the new kid. Jesse stopped coming one day and no one knew why. Come to find out that he was diagnosed with Leukemia Jesse was hanging on by a thread and after 6 months of chemo almost gave up his fight. He lost hope and courage because through the chemo he had brain damage. This damage affected his speech, coordination, and confined him to a wheelchair. During the early fall of 2012 Jesse received the news that he could get further treatment that would surely have dire consequences or go home and live out the rest of his days. What did he choose? He Said, "I am Jesse Hourigan and I'm a Fighter". Even after Jesses fight he will never be the same. We talked almost every day on the phone during those days, it was difficult to see his ups and downs but I looked forward to our conversations. Jesse fought to the very end, until March 6, 2013. His message to us was "tell em' I never gave up".
Every year my family and friends plan to help the foundation put on a golf outing supporting kids with cancer. We have granted 8 "wishes". These life experiences have changed my life forever and I will always be looking forward to the next person in need. I get fulfillment from making other people happy. The most important values in my life are kindness and to be giving. My main values might not seem very big, but you can change a person's life with just a smile. Also there is saying I was told ever since I was little. My parents used to tell me "Give and you shall receive." Even though I have bad days myself, that saying has never failed me; I have only ever gotten positive things in return when you truly give from the heart.
Very few people have the privilege of saying they have an angel for a friend. I am one of
those blessed individuals. Two short years ago, in 2010 I met Katie who happened to be a close friend
of my brother's. We immediately hit it off and before long we were the best of buddies.
Katie was everything one would want in a friend. The hardest part about knowing her was
embracing the fact that she was battling cancer.
I learned first-hand what an ugly disease cancer is. Katie would have great days where she was filled with life
and running with the energy of many teenagers. The bad days were unbearable for me as Katie
would be bedridden, barely able to lift her head. The disease really started to take its hold only a few months
into our friendship. Being helpless is not something my family accepts so mom helped us kids organize
a charity basketball game to raise money to help Katie and her family to meet their financial needs.
The event was a huge success and we raised over $30,000.
Her battle ended on June 14th 2011. This was a very difficult time obviously because it's not natural
for kids my age to die. I've decided though to make this a positive situation in two ways. First, I spend my time
celebrating all the wonderful memories I have with her and being happy that I got to know such a wonderful person.
Secondly, along with my moms help, she, I, my brother and some friends, along with Steve Adams, my dad, and Katies family decided to continue our charitable work and started a foundation to raise money for children with cancer. Every time we host an event, I feel like Katie is right there with me.
This was one of the worst things I've ever been through but I'm very thankful for the things around me such as my family, my friends, and most importantly, my health. I am more focused on my own personal goals now and don't take things for granted. This has come through on my performance on school and my resolve to attend a great university. Ever since Katie's death, I have improved so much in school and I have made a commitment to myself that from now on, only my very best comes forward. My angel will always be near me to make sure of that.
Being involved and helping to make a difference became very important to me. I was a volunteer at the children's cancer camp the summer of 2012. Seeing all of the children that were sick was life changing for me. I hadn't realized how serious cancer was and just how many lives it takes until I joined the camp. The volunteers including myself got in a line along the walkways and as they were dropped off, some having to ride on golf carts, we gave them high fives. I felt so much better about myself after this camp because I personally was able to bring a smile to a child's face. We take advantage of being able to walk and being able to wrestle around with our friends and even our appearances. We spend every minute of every day trying to buy material things to make ourselves look better. We need to sit back and realize what a lot of people struggle with and loose in their lifetime. This experience has taught me to appreciate the things I have much more now than I ever have.
In the spring of 2012 I was introduced to a boy named Jesse Hourigan. Jesse attends Fenton High School, my high school, but last year he was the new kid. Jesse stopped coming one day and no one knew why. Come to find out that he was diagnosed with Leukemia Jesse was hanging on by a thread and after 6 months of chemo almost gave up his fight. He lost hope and courage because through the chemo he had brain damage. This damage affected his speech, coordination, and confined him to a wheelchair. During the early fall of 2012 Jesse received the news that he could get further treatment that would surely have dire consequences or go home and live out the rest of his days. What did he choose? He Said, "I am Jesse Hourigan and I'm a Fighter". Even after Jesses fight he will never be the same. We talked almost every day on the phone during those days, it was difficult to see his ups and downs but I looked forward to our conversations. Jesse fought to the very end, until March 6, 2013. His message to us was "tell em' I never gave up".
Every year my family and friends plan to help the foundation put on a golf outing supporting kids with cancer. We have granted 8 "wishes". These life experiences have changed my life forever and I will always be looking forward to the next person in need. I get fulfillment from making other people happy. The most important values in my life are kindness and to be giving. My main values might not seem very big, but you can change a person's life with just a smile. Also there is saying I was told ever since I was little. My parents used to tell me "Give and you shall receive." Even though I have bad days myself, that saying has never failed me; I have only ever gotten positive things in return when you truly give from the heart.
Katie, Mary Ann, and Autumn
Emily (Katie's sister) and Autumn
Kids from the KWMF and Jesse