The EPIC Summer Vacation Family Retreat week is one of our favorite weeks at both Our EPIC Project and Outer Banks Boil Company . This is the week that we get to fully embrace our mission of sharing all our community has to offer by providing an EPIC Summer Vacation Retreat to a deserving family. This year our recipient was Dianne Young of Odenton, Maryland. Again, our local community made Corolla shine!
Dianne and her family were overwhelmed with the EPIC generosity and hospitality of the Corolla community. From the surf lessons to the sunsets over the sound, the memories created were just the right prescription for Dianne to relax ,enjoy and experience the healing effects of a true summer family vacation ( the last being over 19 years ago). Every day I would receive at least one text, (if not three) from Dianne full of genuine gratitude for what she called her "beautiful adventure."
On check-out day, we stopped by the house to see Dianne and her family before they headed back home. As the rest of the family packed up the last of their things, Matt and I got the chance to spend some time chatting alone with Dianne. We reminisced about how this all started and how she never thought in her wildest dreams that something like this could happen to her. I reminded her of our first phone conversation where the sadness in her voice became the inspiration for us to make a difference in her life. We also talked about the tough road she'll face when she gets back.
With a heart full of gratitude, a sun kissed face and a much brighter tone in her voice, she said " I have a whole new family full of love here in Corolla. I am in God's hands. I'll be Okay"
I thought back to that very first phone call with Dianne. Just the tone in her voice confirmed we had accomplished our mission.
In the case of Our EPIC Summer Vacation Retreat week, check-out day only marks the end of the stay. The family time spent, memories created and friendships made will continue long after our families arrive back home. For us, the gratitude and perseverance of our recipients inspires us to continue making a difference to deserving families and our community.
On the last day of vacation and quite frankly, many times in our lives, it's easy to ask "Why must all good things come to an end"? I guess it depends on how you look at it. Maybe some good things just turn into different good things.
Our gratitude for the amazing generosity of our EPIC community, friends, families and business partners who without their support, none of this would have been possible, is epic . A special thank you to all of our EPIC Round on the Sound sponsors and players, our Outer Banks Boil Company guests who gave donations through their boils, our EPIC Collective members and the businesses who donated services, meals and memories throughout the week.
This good thing that we are doing together-Emitting Positive Impact Collectively, is truly EPIC!
Much Love and Many Thanks-
Denise
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