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Written by: Susan Blair Mather, March 2010
Proceeds of Randy Mather's "Valentine's Day" CD will be donated to the Opportunity Foundation of America.
Randy Mather’s Valentine’s Day CD is a compilation of favorite standards and ballads he’s played for many years. Randy has participated in many other musician’s recordings, and for years we discussed the idea of him creating a CD of his own. Although, if you asked him, he may suggest that our discussion sounded more like nagging on my part! Music is his passion, creative outlet, and sometimes, the easiest way for him to intimately communicate what he is feeling, saying more by how and what he plays, than perhaps his words may express.
Shortly into our marriage Randy began a tradition of secretly going into the studio and recording a special song for me on Valentine’s Day. Many times he would also write the song lyrics in a card to include with the more traditional gift s of flowers and chocolate. I looked forward to Valentine’s Day more than any other holiday, as each one was always a very special surprise! Randy’s CD is a compilation of many of those songs and an explanation of why they meant so much to him. This CD has been a project of love, of a husband to his wife, for our family and friends, and a love of music. Randy’s father loved jazz and instilled that same love of music in his son at a very early age.
As this CD continued to evolve, and began to fall into place, we discussed ideas of doing something meaningful with the proceeds. Mind you, we don’t expect to have a Billboard chart topper, but we know a lot of people who look forward to Randy’s music. He has a special gift for playing ballads. We have been very blessed in our lives together, and we wanted to not only share his music, but also find a way to pay it forward to someone else. Then we began to consider selling the CD’s and donating the money to a charity. And, that’s when we decided on the EagleEyes Project.
In order to better understand why we decided to make the Opportunity Foundation of America and the EagleEyes Project the recipient of our sales, it might help to understand how we even know about it, given that we live in Ohio! There is a saying that “things happen for a reason”, although most of us may never totally understand, and must trust in our faith to believe that a particular situation or circumstance is where we’re supposed to be. It still doesn’t keep us from wondering sometimes, “Why me”? Many years ago, Randy and I were celebrating the news that we were expecting a child, but then our lives took a turn in a much darker direction when we were told it was actually a rare form of cancer that mimics a pregnancy. Obviously, this was a very emotional and trying time. However, due to several incredible doctors, the love and support of family and friends, and each other, I am happy to be a survivor!
I worked for Discover Financial Services for 30 years, during which time my path lead me to Debbie Inkley, the founder of the Opportunity Foundation of America. In spite of being a “survivor” I was still dealing with many emotional “obstacles”, and was trying to find a way to keep moving forward. It was then that I learned about the BOOST Program that Debbie and several other Discover Card executives had put together in their operation centers in Utah and Arizona. I knew, without a doubt or hesitation that I wanted to be a part of this Company sponsored community outreach program.
Months later I would come face to face with Debbie, and the rest is history. Meeting her changed our lives, and we consider Debbie, and her husband, Dale, two of our dearest friends.
Both Randy and I had the privilege to visit the Boston College Campus School and meet Professor Jim Gips, creator of the EagleEyes technology. We have also visited the Jordan Valley School in Salt Lake City and watched students utilize the technology firsthand. Debbie will frequently call Randy and I with excitement in her voice and bring us up to speed on new developments and share heartfelt EagleEyes user stories. You can’t help but be moved by her enthusiasm and the knowledge of the gift that comes from the EagleEyes technology. This is the reason we decided to give 100% of the CD sales to the Opportunity Foundation of America’s EagleEyes Project.
Our goal, through the generosity of family, friends, and others is to raise enough donations to cover the cost of 10 EagleEyes systems, including hardware and software, for 10 students and their families in 2010.
Please help us make a difference in the lives of these children, to give them a voice and the opportunity to make their own music through technology...to “Play” it forward!
Sincerely,
Susan & Randy Mather
Click here to go to the donation page where you may place an order for your CD - only $20.
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