The Louis Koch 5k Memorial Run for Suicide Awareness

"A semicolon is used when an author could’ve ended a sentence but chose not to.
You are the author and the sentence is your life." ~ Project Semicolon

......
And so it was, as it is with all of us – Louis Koch was the earthly author of his story.
His narrative was one filled with both great love and difficult hardships from an early age. But his Lord, his heavenly Author, gave him strong supporting characters to help him on his journey, and Louis' story unfolded with more experiences and achievements than the average teen protagonist.
A deep faith in his Savior led him to enjoy serving and participating in Velocity Student Ministry at Parker Hill Church in Dickson City, Pa. He was also an avid outdoorsman, serving on the board of the Lackawanna Valley Trout Unlimited Teens and as a Pennsylvania State Representative in the Trout Unlimited Teen Summit National Leadership Conference in Wisconsin. Additionally, Louis was awarded first place in the PJAS (Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science) competition in 2015.
Always one to exceed in academics, Louis was a distinguished honor roll student at Holy Cross High School entering his junior year. He was a member of the Fictional Fanatics Club and won the Young Writers Award in the short story category in 2013. After receiving an academic scholarship, Louis was accepted into the IHM (Immaculate Heart of Mary) Honors Program, which allowed dual enrollment at Holy Cross and Marywood University. While in high school he also participated in choir, archery, yearbook, and student government. Perhaps most enjoyable to Louis was his longtime hobby of creating flavorful cups of coffee and espresso for his friends and family.
At age 16, Louis's life was at a new peak. Reading from the outside, it seemed to be the writings of an epic tale of success.
But for reasons that are still a mystery, Louis chose not to continue his story with a semicolon, and instead ended his narrative, his life, with heartbreaking question marks.

Louis Angel Koch, April 22, 1999–July 26, 2015

......

Please join us on July 23rd, 2016, for The Louis Koch 5k Memorial Run for Suicide Awareness, where we will remember Louis and bring suicidal awareness and support to our community.
Location:
LHVA Trail, Olive Street Trailhead, Scranton, PA 18508
Time:
Day of Registration/Packet Pickup: 7:00am - 8:15am
Info:
5k Run 8:30AM EDT $20 Price increases June 30, 2016 at 11:59pm EDT
5k Walk 8:30AM EDT $20 Price increases June 30, 2016 at 11:59pm EDT
The race will raise funds for a memorial scholarship that will be given for underprivileged youth to attend the Keystone/Trout Unlimited Teens Conservation Camp held annually at Keystone College in La Plume, PA. Portions of the funds will also be given to the Louis A. Koch Annual Memorial Scholarship at Holy Cross High School in Dunmore, PA
For more information and to sign up for the Memorial Run visit:https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Scranton/LouisKoch5KMemorialRunforSuicideAwareness

The Book of Conner {ialsolovechocolate}

The Book of Conner

Today is (our son) Conner's 16th birthday! (16!?!?)

Since his twelfth birthday we have had a personal book/letter theme going.

This year's book is a synonym book and we would be thrilled to add your writings to it!

Here's the idea- think of a word that describes Conner, or a word (character quality) that Conner could aspire to be like. Then type up a message to Conner about him & that word. I will print your message and add it to the book in the page that contains that word.

Messages can be left in the comments, private messaged or sent to kimwineyphotography@gmail.com.

Thanks so much for making Cman's birthday even more special and for touching his life in a personal way! 

{ialsolovechocolate} SSAS "Musical Scrapbooks"

"Why don't you get rid of some of these CDs?" he asks, as he fumbles through the clumsy, black binder, containing outdated music that none of us listens to, anymore.

"I can't." I say.

"When I look through them, I'm taken back, to a specific time in my life.  Those discs tell my story.  It's like my musical scrapbook."

The odd thing is, it's not the happy CDs that I'm most connected to.  It's the harder ones.  The ones that would make people's heads spin, as they looked at the discs, then looked at the Kim in front of them.  It wouldn't make sense.  But there they are... representing a very dark, lonely and sometimes angry time, in my life.   And I can't let them go.  Not because I'm a martyr or masochist, but because in remembering the hard times, I also remember that God brought me through them.  That I am a stronger and hopefully wiser person, because of them.  Because of Him.

And those times should not be forgotten, even if it still hurts, in the remembering.


Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:1b-3a)    


Click the link below, to hear some of the Saturday Sing Along Songs, that were on my previous ialsolovechocolate blog.  Though not quite as transparent as my CD collection, some still cause a palpable pull, inside my chest.

ialsolovechocolate Saturday Sing Along Songs {retro mix}

*Several song links are now broken, as the songs are no longer available on playlist.com.  Also, my apologies, in advance, for the Bjork song.  ;)