Amber’s Awesome Angels

I helped out at an event at the Amana Colonies Golf Course on Wednesday, 16 August.  It was organized by a couple guys from Grinnell, with the proceeds going to JDRF.  There were about 140 golfers there, including the event’s first female golfer, Abbi Summer of Ankeny.  She won the state 4A medallist honors as the best golfer the last two years, and has a scholarship to attend Kansas State University in the fall.  She was also diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in May.  We met her at the Ankeny Country Club, where her family are members.  It’s interesting when Amber meets someone like Abbi.  Amber’s met so many successful people who have diabetes that it doesn’t even phase her anymore.  She’s met world class athletes and a former Miss America, so it’s nothing to her to meet someone else.  That kind of bothers me, that she doesn’t appreciate their efforts in spite of the disease they share, but it’s also kind of cool.  She’s learned that there is nothing that can hold her back from anything she wants to do, and she’s also learned that it pays off to give back to those who share our desire to rid the world of this disease.  That is an attitude that I’ve done my best to pick up from her.  She’s an amazing little girl, and she’s taught me so much about life.  It’s too bad that she had to be afflicted with diabetes in order for us to learn it.

By the way, the golf event grossed about $25,000.