Milk Maid

The past 10 days have been a blur and it’s hard to believe we are already past the 4th of July! I know that I can’t speak for anybody, but I have many people that I want to thank for their support the past week.

Thank you to everyone and anyone that offered kind words about last week’s Milk Maid. It was the hardest thing that I have ever written, but as Donnie’s grandma “Grams” told me, “It was the most rewarding.”

I want to thank anyone that has got in touch with me or anyone in my family just to ask us how we are doing. It may not seem like a huge gesture, but the hugs, calls, texts, emails and kind words mean a lot and didn’t go unnoticed.

I want to thank my aunt Cherri for helping hold down the Mascot fort so I could spend extra time with my family and friends last week.

I want to thank Beth Buysse for all of her hard work with making decals. When I contacted her last Monday, I wanted to find a way to help my brother Garrett. I thought something on his trailer before he and Grady head to nationals would be a small way they’d know Donnie was with them. I had know idea the amount of people that wanted to show their support in the same way would be.

I want to thank my uncles Nathan and Bernie, and my cousins Ethan, Duncan, Laura, Cassie and Kara for all of their help with chores and more so we could attend the services together.

I want to thank our family friends Doug & Laurie Palmer and my aunt Denise for coming and staying with us, making us food and much more. Aunt Denise, we may have gotten many laughs at your expense, but we really enjoyed you staying with us and it meant so much.

Thank you to Jordan Fink and the staff at Borch’s Sporting Goods for working so quickly to create such fantastic t-shirts to help remember Donnie.

Proceeds go to the Schuelke family and they are still available until July 16. It has been really uplifting to see all the support people have given each other the past week.

But as Fr. Zach said on Friday night at the prayer service, “Tell others you love them and appreciate them. Not just today, but everyday.” Donnie had the amazing gift of being able to make anyone feel like someone.

One of the stories my brother Gared told about Donnie this past week was about took place at YELLO, which is a state wide 4-H event in the summer.

During the dance held at the end of the week, Donnie noticed a young lady that didn’t feel like she belonged and wasn’t dancing with anyone. He walked over to her and danced with her. Gared said that her face lit up and that she instantly felt like she belonged and was instantly welcomed by the Lyon County kids.

Sharing stories, wearing t-shirts and wristbands, proudly displaying decals are all great ways to honor Donnie. But, the best way to keep his memory alive is to share his spirit.

Make anybody feel like a somebody. Not just today, but everyday.