Before the t-shirt fundraiser began, I estimated my profit would be $1,200 by selling 100 t-shirts. I should have known, though! Time and again, my family and friends astound me with overwhelming love and support.
We surpassed my goal of 100 shirts 3 days before the fundraiser even ended, and the final count is 122! An amazing 100 supporters destroyed my $1,200 goal by buying shirts and making general donations that total over $3,500, almost triple what I expected!
My family thanks from the bottom of our hearts all who bought t-shirts and donated.
I have now raised $5,175 toward my $10,000 goal this year!
Stay tuned for information about our August fundraiser, where we will be raffling a Chromebook tablet/laptop and Beats earphones!
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
June 2017 Nathan B. Marti Memorial Scholarship T-Shirt Fundraiser
If you find any of my posts helpful, please consider supporting Nathan's memorial scholarship by purchasing a t-shirt from now until June 19, 2017. You also may make a general donation. Please help me reach my $10,000 scholarship fundraising goal for 2017!
https://www.booster.com/nathan-b-marti-scholarship-tshirt-fundraiser
I formed the Nathan B. Marti Memorial Scholarship in honor
of Nathan at his alma mater, Radford University. Each year, the scholarship
benefits an undergraduate student who embodies Nathan's time at Radford by
being involved in a social fraternity/sorority and demonstrating active
community service. Preference is given to criminal justice majors.
https://www.booster.com/nathan-b-marti-scholarship-tshirt-fundraiser
I formed the Nathan B. Marti Memorial Scholarship in honor
of Nathan at his alma mater, Radford University. Each year, the scholarship
benefits an undergraduate student who embodies Nathan's time at Radford by
being involved in a social fraternity/sorority and demonstrating active
community service. Preference is given to criminal justice majors.
One of Nathan’s favorite sayings, “We will be known by the tracks we leave
behind,” wraps around the initials for Nathan Bradley Marti. Hopefully, people
wear this shirt often, and when asked what “NBM” stands for, they can tell
people about Nathan and spread a little kindness and also mindfulness about the
terrible impact of drunk driving.
Thank you for your support on this, the 10th anniversary, of losing Nathan.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Another Successful Fundraiser
Wow, what a great day we had at the fundraiser! Thank you SO much to everyone who showed up for lunch, dinner, drinks, and good music. It was a great crowd, and we had a blast. The grand total raised is a little over $4,700! Dogfish Head generously donated $1,660 of that total.
The lucky iPad raffle winner is Chris McDermot of Arlington, VA. Congrats to Chris!
I'd especially like to thank Naz Dizeyee for her hard work collecting restaurant gift cards for the raffle; my sister Adrienne Mills and Beth Via for being raffle ticket selling machines; the wonderful silent auction donors; and everyone who donated their time and money to make this event a success.
My awesome friends in the band Compliments of George rocked it out at the end of the night, too!
Can't wait to see you all next time :)
Monday, June 20, 2011
2011 Nathan B. Marti Scholarship Fundraiser
We're holding the 2011 Nathan B. Marti Scholarship fundraiser Tuesday, July 19, at Dogfish Head Alehouse in Falls Church, VA. The event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. I think this is going to be the best one yet!
We're raffling an iPad! Tickets are 1 for $5 and 3 for $10. You don't have to attend the fundraiser to win! Please contact me to buy tickets. The drawing is the night of the fundraiser. We're also holding a silent auction. Items include
We're raffling an iPad! Tickets are 1 for $5 and 3 for $10. You don't have to attend the fundraiser to win! Please contact me to buy tickets. The drawing is the night of the fundraiser. We're also holding a silent auction. Items include
- Washington Redskins 2010 team-autographed football
- Washington Capitals' Mike Green autographed puck
- Georgetown Cupcakes gift card
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tie One on for Safety
Here is my speech for the MADD Tie One on for Safety Campaign kickoff press conference in Alexandria, VA, on December 21, 2010. I tell Nathan's story and how the decisions of a drunk driver ruined our holidays, and all days, for the rest of our lives.
Have a fun, but safe New Year's!
Have a fun, but safe New Year's!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
2011 Fundraiser Date is Set!
The 2011 Nathan B. Marti Memorial Scholarship fundraiser will take place Tuesday, July 19, at Dogfish Head Alehouse in Falls Church, VA! I will post more details as the event nears.
In the meantime, if you'd like to make a donation, please go to
Or you can contact me if you'd like to write a check.
In the meantime, if you'd like to make a donation, please go to
https://www.applyweb.com/public/contribute?ruf, select "Other" from the dropdown list, and type Nathan B. Marti Scholarship Fund.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Death is Nothing At All
Death is nothing at all. It does not count. I have only slipped away into the next room.
Nothing has happened. Everything remains exactly as it was. I am I, and you are you, and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was. There is absolute and unbroken continuity. What is this death but a negligible accident?
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner.
All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
Henry Scott Holland
Nothing has happened. Everything remains exactly as it was. I am I, and you are you, and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was. There is absolute and unbroken continuity. What is this death but a negligible accident?
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner.
All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
Henry Scott Holland
Friday, July 9, 2010
Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.
I can’t stand June 5. I won’t buy food with that expiration date. I will change the channel if it’s the release date in a movie preview. I cringe on May 5 because it’s exactly one month until June 5. I hate that this day paralyzes me.
On this day and those leading up to it, I think about my brother and all that he’s missing.
I think about the horror that suddenly filled our lives on this date. One minute I was walking my dog through the neighborhood on a sunny Tuesday morning, and after one phone call on the sidewalk, I was running down the street screaming, struggling to unlock the front door, and was unable to dress myself or pack before we headed to my parents’. What’s the proper attire in the event of the sky falling?
I can remember all that I ate the rest of the week: two strawberries and a cheese cube. What a big, blurry, confusing, yet unforgettable mess of a day. Looking at that sentence, the word ‘understatement’ comes to mind. It’s weird how that date used to be just any other day.
I remember the first snowfall after it all happened. I stood by myself outside in the cold, silent night, thinking, “This is how it feels for it to snow without Nathan.”
There are so many firsts like this because you have to learn how to live all over again.
I marvel that the world keeps spinning even though life has stopped. Then somehow it moves forward again, each step strange and uncharted.
The events of that day ruined what are significant days that I used to look forward to: December 25 and 31, my birthday … my mom, dad, and sister’s birthdays, too. And other typically normal days since then that have given reason to celebrate, but now are punctuated with, “I wish Nathan were here.” Smile, cry, smile, cry. Repeat to achieve desired catharsis. It’s tiring.
Dates and numbers shouldn’t have this effect on me. I see 6/5 and shut down. I see the number 25 and think that’s how old Nathan was and ever will be.
I see the number 39 and remember that’s how many motorcyclists were killed in an alcohol-related crash in Virginia the year Nathan died. Nathan died. That doesn’t sound right. I hardly say it that way because it isn’t real. Is it? I say “Nathan’s crash” (and we silently know what happened next).
I see the number 32 and know that that’s the approximate number of people in the U.S. who die each day in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. 32 families and sets of friends get that news every day. One every 45 minutes.
This isn’t real. I’m just waiting for it to be over and things to go back. There are unexpected times when the realization hits me like a punch to the stomach, making me lose my breath.
A piece of me died at his side on that June night. I can’t believe that this is the rest of my life.
Sometimes I ask him aloud, “Where are you?” I swear he answered back as a twinkling star when I asked the first time that June 5 night, when I found myself sitting alone in my parents’ driveway, praying for a sign. I was clinging to the final hours of that day because it would be the last that we were both alive.
Signs are what get me by sometimes. Orange butterflies, songs that play at just the right time.
Three: the number of years since the crash. Then it will be four, five, six …
I still check my phone in the morning for that late-night text from Nathan, and when I’m telling someone what’s new with me, I make a list in my mind of each family member, one by one, and what I can share about their lives. Mom and Dad are doing ok -- just saw them last weekend. Adrienne and the fam are doing well up north. Then a gaping hole. Can anyone else see it?
No one asks “How’s your brother?” anymore, and it’s weird and depressing.
I don’t get to be a big sister anymore. I just thought of it that way only a couple months ago. I have a lot more advice to give, too.
In case you wanted more numbers, .18 was Chan’s blood alcohol content. 15 is the number of years he will spend in prison. He’ll be about 40 when he gets out.
Three is the number of people who were in the car. Zero is the number of them who were sober or remembered how they got on the road going the wrong way.
Countless are the cab drivers who are confused when I ask them to take me to DC without using 395, even though it’s the quickest route.
It comforts me to post online on this date, and I’ve learned never to pass up an opportunity for something to help. This is how I grieve. Nathan didn’t deserve this end, and I at least owe it to him to say these words.
“He was no longer surprised how easily tears could come to his eyes.”
The Shack
On this day and those leading up to it, I think about my brother and all that he’s missing.
I think about the horror that suddenly filled our lives on this date. One minute I was walking my dog through the neighborhood on a sunny Tuesday morning, and after one phone call on the sidewalk, I was running down the street screaming, struggling to unlock the front door, and was unable to dress myself or pack before we headed to my parents’. What’s the proper attire in the event of the sky falling?
I can remember all that I ate the rest of the week: two strawberries and a cheese cube. What a big, blurry, confusing, yet unforgettable mess of a day. Looking at that sentence, the word ‘understatement’ comes to mind. It’s weird how that date used to be just any other day.
I remember the first snowfall after it all happened. I stood by myself outside in the cold, silent night, thinking, “This is how it feels for it to snow without Nathan.”
There are so many firsts like this because you have to learn how to live all over again.
I marvel that the world keeps spinning even though life has stopped. Then somehow it moves forward again, each step strange and uncharted.
The events of that day ruined what are significant days that I used to look forward to: December 25 and 31, my birthday … my mom, dad, and sister’s birthdays, too. And other typically normal days since then that have given reason to celebrate, but now are punctuated with, “I wish Nathan were here.” Smile, cry, smile, cry. Repeat to achieve desired catharsis. It’s tiring.
Dates and numbers shouldn’t have this effect on me. I see 6/5 and shut down. I see the number 25 and think that’s how old Nathan was and ever will be.
I see the number 39 and remember that’s how many motorcyclists were killed in an alcohol-related crash in Virginia the year Nathan died. Nathan died. That doesn’t sound right. I hardly say it that way because it isn’t real. Is it? I say “Nathan’s crash” (and we silently know what happened next).
I see the number 32 and know that that’s the approximate number of people in the U.S. who die each day in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. 32 families and sets of friends get that news every day. One every 45 minutes.
This isn’t real. I’m just waiting for it to be over and things to go back. There are unexpected times when the realization hits me like a punch to the stomach, making me lose my breath.
A piece of me died at his side on that June night. I can’t believe that this is the rest of my life.
Sometimes I ask him aloud, “Where are you?” I swear he answered back as a twinkling star when I asked the first time that June 5 night, when I found myself sitting alone in my parents’ driveway, praying for a sign. I was clinging to the final hours of that day because it would be the last that we were both alive.
Signs are what get me by sometimes. Orange butterflies, songs that play at just the right time.
Three: the number of years since the crash. Then it will be four, five, six …
I still check my phone in the morning for that late-night text from Nathan, and when I’m telling someone what’s new with me, I make a list in my mind of each family member, one by one, and what I can share about their lives. Mom and Dad are doing ok -- just saw them last weekend. Adrienne and the fam are doing well up north. Then a gaping hole. Can anyone else see it?
No one asks “How’s your brother?” anymore, and it’s weird and depressing.
I don’t get to be a big sister anymore. I just thought of it that way only a couple months ago. I have a lot more advice to give, too.
In case you wanted more numbers, .18 was Chan’s blood alcohol content. 15 is the number of years he will spend in prison. He’ll be about 40 when he gets out.
Three is the number of people who were in the car. Zero is the number of them who were sober or remembered how they got on the road going the wrong way.
Countless are the cab drivers who are confused when I ask them to take me to DC without using 395, even though it’s the quickest route.
It comforts me to post online on this date, and I’ve learned never to pass up an opportunity for something to help. This is how I grieve. Nathan didn’t deserve this end, and I at least owe it to him to say these words.
“He was no longer surprised how easily tears could come to his eyes.”
The Shack
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
No 2010 Dogfish Head Alehouse Fundraiser
There will be no Nathan B. Marti Scholarship fundraiser at Dogfish Head Alehouse in 2010. We hope to hold one in 2011.
Please feel free to make a donation at https://www.applyweb.com/public/contribute?ruf by selecting "Other" from the dropdown list and typing Nathan B. Marti Scholarship Fund.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Successful Fundraiser!
The fundraiser at Dogfish Head was a big success! We had a great turnout throughout the day into that late Tuesday night. I saw friends, family, coworkers, Sigma Pi brothers, strangers, tall people, short people ... etc., etc. :) Thank you to everyone who showed up, ate, drank, sang, danced, bid in the silent auction, bought raffle tickets, and overall showed your support.
In the end, we raised over $4,700! Dogfish Head donated about $1,800 of that based on 15% of the profits it made that day. I not only love Dogfish Head beer, but also the food, staff, and overall organization. I truly cannot say enough nice things about Dogfish.
Originally, when we started collecting donations for the Nathan B. Marti Scholarship Fund in October 2007, the Radford University Foundation gave us 5 years to raise $15,000 in order for the scholarship to become endowed, which meant we would then be able to award a scholarship to a student each year. To date, only 1 year and 9 months later, we have raised close to $23,000. I am shocked by this number ... and completely thrilled. We hope to be able to award the first scholarship to a student in fall 2010.
Now that we've far surpassed our original goal, are we going to stop here? No way. I would like to hold one fundraiser a year for Nathan and to keep growing the scholarship fund. The sky's the limit regarding how much we can raise. To me, the scholarship and fundraisers have multiple purposes: first and foremost, to honor Nathan and serve as a memorial to his life and what he means to us; to help me channel my grief in a positive way; to financially help a Radford student who shares similar interests with Nathan; to give friends and family a way to show their support, remember Nathan, and perhaps help them in their grieving; and frankly, is a great excuse to get together with good friends and party, something Nathan really loved to do.
So for now, I'm going to rest and take this time to bask in the generosity and awesomeness that came from this fundraiser, and reenergize myself for the party next year.
In the end, we raised over $4,700! Dogfish Head donated about $1,800 of that based on 15% of the profits it made that day. I not only love Dogfish Head beer, but also the food, staff, and overall organization. I truly cannot say enough nice things about Dogfish.
Originally, when we started collecting donations for the Nathan B. Marti Scholarship Fund in October 2007, the Radford University Foundation gave us 5 years to raise $15,000 in order for the scholarship to become endowed, which meant we would then be able to award a scholarship to a student each year. To date, only 1 year and 9 months later, we have raised close to $23,000. I am shocked by this number ... and completely thrilled. We hope to be able to award the first scholarship to a student in fall 2010.
Now that we've far surpassed our original goal, are we going to stop here? No way. I would like to hold one fundraiser a year for Nathan and to keep growing the scholarship fund. The sky's the limit regarding how much we can raise. To me, the scholarship and fundraisers have multiple purposes: first and foremost, to honor Nathan and serve as a memorial to his life and what he means to us; to help me channel my grief in a positive way; to financially help a Radford student who shares similar interests with Nathan; to give friends and family a way to show their support, remember Nathan, and perhaps help them in their grieving; and frankly, is a great excuse to get together with good friends and party, something Nathan really loved to do.
So for now, I'm going to rest and take this time to bask in the generosity and awesomeness that came from this fundraiser, and reenergize myself for the party next year.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
One week away - NBM scholarship fundraiser at Dogfish Head
In case you haven't heard, we're holding the 2nd annual Nathan B. Marti Scholarship fundraiser at Dogfish Head restaurant next Tuesday, July 14.
Dogfish Head will donate 15% of all money raised the entire day to the Nathan B. Marti Scholarship Fund. Please support us by enjoying lunch, appetizers, and dinner (and drink responsibly)!
Participate in the silent auction and buy raffle tickets to win an iPod touch, HP netbook, or gift cards to Cosi, Legal Seafoods, Cheesecake Factory, and the Great American Restaurants!
Tickets are 1 for $5 or 3 for $10. Buy tickets in advance or at the fundraiser. The raffle drawing will be that night, but you don't have to be present to win. Please contact me for more details (lindsay.marti@yahoo.com).
Dogfish Head will donate 15% of all money raised the entire day to the Nathan B. Marti Scholarship Fund. Please support us by enjoying lunch, appetizers, and dinner (and drink responsibly)!
Participate in the silent auction and buy raffle tickets to win an iPod touch, HP netbook, or gift cards to Cosi, Legal Seafoods, Cheesecake Factory, and the Great American Restaurants!
Tickets are 1 for $5 or 3 for $10. Buy tickets in advance or at the fundraiser. The raffle drawing will be that night, but you don't have to be present to win. Please contact me for more details (lindsay.marti@yahoo.com).
Friday, June 5, 2009
The day the sky fell down
That’s what I call June 5, 2007. When my mom called me that morning and told me about Nathan, it might as well have. Trying to remember the rest of 2007, and a lot of life since then is like searching for something underwater—blurry and sometimes hard to breathe.
Year two has been easier (for lack of a better word) than the first year: I don’t bawl my eyes out on the drive to and from work every day, only sometimes now. I don’t avoid social situations all the time, only occasionally. And I don’t get angry at the drop of a hat … ok, I still do, but anyone close to me knows that I did that way before the crash happened.
It’s hard having life continue, juggling my grief and the everyday things. Sometimes I don’t want things to be “easier.” It shows me that more time has passed, which means it’s been that much longer since I last saw Na, talked to him, hugged him, laughed with him. And then there are the things that didn’t mean much to me before, but now are painful triggers of grief: I can’t drive down the road without seeing someone on a motorcycle. For a while after the crash, I would have mini panic attacks while driving and seeing one. Today, I can barely look at them—just enough to keep my distance from them while driving. I also can’t stand seeing a dead animal on the side of the road. I can’t help but get sad and angry about how Nathan died—much like that squirrel or deer I see. (This is when the anger comes out.) I get mad at Vathana Chan and his stupid friends, who had no right to end Nathan’s life and let him die on the side of the road.
I also can’t shake the occasional urge to call or text Nathan. While I’m well aware that he’s not going to answer, I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that he’s not alive. I wonder if I’m always going to forget and think he’s just away somewhere on a trip.
I marvel at how my life can continue on when I’m now living so much in the past. I cling to memories of conversations with him, trying so hard to remember how his voice sounded and how it felt to tell him a dumb joke that made him laugh. I was so glad to discover that we have tons of pictures of him, but am now saddened that there will be no more.
I tried not living in the past once. So I looked forward and realized that there will come a day, God willing, that I will have been alive longer without Nathan than I was with him.
I stopped trying to find some grand scheme or plan that I’m supposed to follow because of Nathan’s death. Some people realize how much they love someone after that person dies, and others are sorry that they didn’t have a better relationship with that person, so they deal with regret. I didn’t need Nathan to die to realize how much I love him and how much he means to me. So where does that leave me? I believe in God and I believe that Nathan is in Heaven. I’m sure the whole “his work here on Earth was done” is true, and “he’s in a better place,” but the fact is, I’m still here and alive. I’m pretty sure there’s no amount of charity work or good will I can perform that will satisfy me or even begin to fill the void that I feel. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to do charity work, but I will not do it thinking that it’s what I’m supposed to do now.
“Don’t drink and drive,” they say. I remember seeing MADD ads and stickers over the years, and thinking “Yeah, drinking and driving is bad and dangerous.” I thought fleetingly about how people die in car crashes. Then all of a sudden, Nathan became part of a statistic, and I’m driving in my car and crying because I just saw a dead deer on the side of the road. I think that if for one day, everyone who has a driver’s license (and people who drive without one) could feel what it’s like to lose their best friend in a drunk driving crash, the roads would be safer. Consequently, these people also probably would hug their families more and be nicer to others. At the same time, I wouldn’t wish this feeling or what my family and I have been through on anyone. Ah, the irony.
So I’m not much of a Mary Sunshine, but I’m pretty sure that today I don’t have to be. I actually do love life and have a lot to be thankful for. I’m grateful to have a family who, despite everything, is very loving and supportive of one another. It’s amazing how, although we are all broken, when one of us has completely fallen apart, another is strong enough to put the pieces back together. It’s just that there’s still that missing piece.
Year two has been easier (for lack of a better word) than the first year: I don’t bawl my eyes out on the drive to and from work every day, only sometimes now. I don’t avoid social situations all the time, only occasionally. And I don’t get angry at the drop of a hat … ok, I still do, but anyone close to me knows that I did that way before the crash happened.
It’s hard having life continue, juggling my grief and the everyday things. Sometimes I don’t want things to be “easier.” It shows me that more time has passed, which means it’s been that much longer since I last saw Na, talked to him, hugged him, laughed with him. And then there are the things that didn’t mean much to me before, but now are painful triggers of grief: I can’t drive down the road without seeing someone on a motorcycle. For a while after the crash, I would have mini panic attacks while driving and seeing one. Today, I can barely look at them—just enough to keep my distance from them while driving. I also can’t stand seeing a dead animal on the side of the road. I can’t help but get sad and angry about how Nathan died—much like that squirrel or deer I see. (This is when the anger comes out.) I get mad at Vathana Chan and his stupid friends, who had no right to end Nathan’s life and let him die on the side of the road.
I also can’t shake the occasional urge to call or text Nathan. While I’m well aware that he’s not going to answer, I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that he’s not alive. I wonder if I’m always going to forget and think he’s just away somewhere on a trip.
I marvel at how my life can continue on when I’m now living so much in the past. I cling to memories of conversations with him, trying so hard to remember how his voice sounded and how it felt to tell him a dumb joke that made him laugh. I was so glad to discover that we have tons of pictures of him, but am now saddened that there will be no more.
I tried not living in the past once. So I looked forward and realized that there will come a day, God willing, that I will have been alive longer without Nathan than I was with him.
I stopped trying to find some grand scheme or plan that I’m supposed to follow because of Nathan’s death. Some people realize how much they love someone after that person dies, and others are sorry that they didn’t have a better relationship with that person, so they deal with regret. I didn’t need Nathan to die to realize how much I love him and how much he means to me. So where does that leave me? I believe in God and I believe that Nathan is in Heaven. I’m sure the whole “his work here on Earth was done” is true, and “he’s in a better place,” but the fact is, I’m still here and alive. I’m pretty sure there’s no amount of charity work or good will I can perform that will satisfy me or even begin to fill the void that I feel. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to do charity work, but I will not do it thinking that it’s what I’m supposed to do now.
“Don’t drink and drive,” they say. I remember seeing MADD ads and stickers over the years, and thinking “Yeah, drinking and driving is bad and dangerous.” I thought fleetingly about how people die in car crashes. Then all of a sudden, Nathan became part of a statistic, and I’m driving in my car and crying because I just saw a dead deer on the side of the road. I think that if for one day, everyone who has a driver’s license (and people who drive without one) could feel what it’s like to lose their best friend in a drunk driving crash, the roads would be safer. Consequently, these people also probably would hug their families more and be nicer to others. At the same time, I wouldn’t wish this feeling or what my family and I have been through on anyone. Ah, the irony.
So I’m not much of a Mary Sunshine, but I’m pretty sure that today I don’t have to be. I actually do love life and have a lot to be thankful for. I’m grateful to have a family who, despite everything, is very loving and supportive of one another. It’s amazing how, although we are all broken, when one of us has completely fallen apart, another is strong enough to put the pieces back together. It’s just that there’s still that missing piece.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
2nd Annual NBM Scholarship Fundraiser -- July 14
The second annual NBM Scholarship fundraiser will be at Dogfish Head (Falls Church) again this year! Check out the Evite here or look for it in Events on Facebook.
Dogfish Head will donate 15% of all money raised the entire day. This includes food, drinks, and Dogfish merchandise.
Tuesday, July 14, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
I'm selling iPod touch raffle tickets through June and the beginning of July, and they also will be available to buy at the fundraiser. The drawing will be that night. (You don't have to be present to win).
Dogfish Head will donate 15% of all money raised the entire day. This includes food, drinks, and Dogfish merchandise.
Tuesday, July 14, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
I'm selling iPod touch raffle tickets through June and the beginning of July, and they also will be available to buy at the fundraiser. The drawing will be that night. (You don't have to be present to win).
Tickets are $5 apiece, or 3 for $10. Contact me to buy some!
Also come check out my friends' band, Compliments of George. It'll be a great time :)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Walk Like MADD 2009 -- Walk for Nathan
If you live in the DC area, please join me for Walk Like MADD in September! If you live out of the area, please consider joining the team as a virtual walker or make a donation to our team. Here are the details:
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Potomac Nationals Pfitzner Stadium
Woodbridge, VA
Click here to visit my personal page.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the Web address:
http://support.madd.org/site/TR/WalkLikeMADD/WLM-FairfaxVA?px=1738403&pg=personal&fr_id=2511&et=K4a6YAaz72eVUP8_5wwOcA..&s_tafId=25110
Click here to view the team page for Walk for Nathan.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the Web address:
http://support.madd.org/site/TR/WalkLikeMADD/WLM-FairfaxVA?team_id=47920&pg=team&fr_id=2511&et=FjJYvkcSoW89HVC9zai4Xg..&s_tafId=25110
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Potomac Nationals Pfitzner Stadium
Woodbridge, VA
Click here to visit my personal page.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the Web address:
http://support.madd.org/site/TR/WalkLikeMADD/WLM-FairfaxVA?px=1738403&pg=personal&fr_id=2511&et=K4a6YAaz72eVUP8_5wwOcA..&s_tafId=25110
Click here to view the team page for Walk for Nathan.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the Web address:
http://support.madd.org/site/TR/WalkLikeMADD/WLM-FairfaxVA?team_id=47920&pg=team&fr_id=2511&et=FjJYvkcSoW89HVC9zai4Xg..&s_tafId=25110
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Getting close!
The fundraiser at Sharkey's was fun, fun, and fun. I was excited to see so many familiar faces -- alumni, brothers, current students, oh my!
Sharkey's is graciously donating $200 to the NBM Scholarship, and we raised a little over $300 from general donations and by selling pint glasses and tshirts.
This puts the grand total of the fund to date at $14,061, so we only have about $940 to go!
Sharkey's is graciously donating $200 to the NBM Scholarship, and we raised a little over $300 from general donations and by selling pint glasses and tshirts.
This puts the grand total of the fund to date at $14,061, so we only have about $940 to go!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
More Radford Homecoming Fun
We're having an NBM Scholarship fundraiser at Sharkey's Wing and Rib Joint in Radford, Friday, February 27. Sharkey's will donate a portion of its profits from 5 p.m. to close (2 a.m.). All you have to do is show up and eat (and drink responsibly)!Here's the Sharkey's Web site: http://www.sharkeyswingandribjoint.com/
I'm hoping it's a great turnout. We only have about $1,500 left to reach our $15,000 goal!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Radford U. All-Greek Reunion
I hope everyone had a nice holiday season. Mine provided a great opportunity to relax and reflect. It surely feels weird and sad to start another year without Nathan.
After taking a break from NBM Scholarship fund raising, I'll be at Radford's homecoming the weekend of February 27-28. Radford U. Foundation staff are helping us reach our goal by suggesting fund raising opportunities and identifying ways to publicize the NBM Scholarship.
I will attend the All-Greek Reunion that weekend and hope some Sigma Pi guys and friends will join me! Stay tuned for further information, including the current tally of how much we've raised to date.
After taking a break from NBM Scholarship fund raising, I'll be at Radford's homecoming the weekend of February 27-28. Radford U. Foundation staff are helping us reach our goal by suggesting fund raising opportunities and identifying ways to publicize the NBM Scholarship.
I will attend the All-Greek Reunion that weekend and hope some Sigma Pi guys and friends will join me! Stay tuned for further information, including the current tally of how much we've raised to date.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Walk Like MADD
The MADD walk was a success! MADD NoVA surpassed its goal of $40,000, and close to 400 people showed up to support the event. Our team, In Loving Memory of Nathan B. Marti, raised $3,375! Thanks to all who made donations and to those who came out to the walk! Here are some pictures from the event. (Click to enlarge.)
Some walk team members
Hey, that's me on stage!
MADD National President Laura Dean-Mooney and me
Some walk team members
Hey, that's me on stage!
MADD National President Laura Dean-Mooney and me
Monday, September 22, 2008
Please Support MADD!
I'm participating in Walk Like MADD in Northern Virginia on November 1. Please support MADD's mission to eliminate drunk driving and support me while I walk in memory of Nathan. Click here to make a donation!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
My Victim Impact Statement
If you find this post helpful, please consider donating to the scholarship fund I set up in Nathan's name at Radford University. Click on the following link; at the bottom of the "Fund:" dropdown menu, select Other. Enter Nathan Marti Memorial Scholarship. Donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for your support!
https://connect.radford.edu/give
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I have been thinking a lot about my victim impact statement lately, and how writing it and then reading it in court provided some emotional healing for me. It helped me articulate how much my life changed forever, immediately when I found out Nathan was killed.
I wanted the judge, Chan, and my friends and family who attended the sentencing hearing to know the things I had to do in the days and weeks following Nathan's death. I wanted them to hear the truth about what my life had become because of Chan's selfish decision to drink and drive.
I will never know whether my statement had any influence over the judge when she sentenced Chan to 20 years in prison with 5 years suspended, but that is of little importance to me. What’s important is that my victim impact statement provided me with some sort of relief at a time of such darkness in my life.
When I first sat down to draft my VIS, I remember Googling the term "victim impact statement" to find a definition and maybe some written examples. I just wanted to get an idea of what I should write and how long it should be. The Virginia guidelines for writing a VIS gave me basic information, but I wasn’t really able to find many written examples.
When I first sat down to draft my VIS, I remember Googling the term "victim impact statement" to find a definition and maybe some written examples. I just wanted to get an idea of what I should write and how long it should be. The Virginia guidelines for writing a VIS gave me basic information, but I wasn’t really able to find many written examples.
I soon realized that the VIS is a very personal document, and this might be why people choose not to make theirs available online. Before I wrote or typed anything, I often found myself composing the VIS in my head before I fell asleep at night and when I woke in the morning.
One day, I found that I had some quiet time, so I opened a blank document on my computer and began to type. It took me only a couple hours to complete my first draft, then proceeded to nit-pick and edit it over the course of a few weeks.
I completed my final draft as I sat in court on April 21, 2008, five minutes before I was to get up on the stand and read it aloud. I furiously scribbled changes and crossed out lines to make sure I said everything I needed to.
I completed my final draft as I sat in court on April 21, 2008, five minutes before I was to get up on the stand and read it aloud. I furiously scribbled changes and crossed out lines to make sure I said everything I needed to.
It was one of the most emotional experiences of my life; I was nervous and had to stop a couple times because I was crying, but I got through it. I was glad to have the opportunity to speak in front of Chan.
I have included my VIS on this blog with the hope of helping someone who has the unfortunate task of writing one. I want to provide a starting point for someone who is looking for the courage and direction to begin writing such an important, personal statement.
I have included my VIS on this blog with the hope of helping someone who has the unfortunate task of writing one. I want to provide a starting point for someone who is looking for the courage and direction to begin writing such an important, personal statement.
Other than state guidelines, there’s no wrong or right way to write a VIS. There is, however, the opportunity to express the impact that a crime has had on one’s life.
If you have come across this blog post while in search of a victim impact statement example, you probably have to write one yourself. I'm very sorry that you're in this position, but also hopeful that I can help. I wish you strength and peace as you face this challenge.
Lastly, I ask that my VIS not be copied or reproduced in any way without my permission. My VIS serves as a statement for me only, and I expect that the only things taken from these pages are true sentiment and honesty. Click here to view it in Google Docs.
My mom and dad asked that I post their victim impact statements, too, so that they could possibly help someone.
Click here for my mom's VIS.
Click here for my dad's VIS.
If you have come across this blog post while in search of a victim impact statement example, you probably have to write one yourself. I'm very sorry that you're in this position, but also hopeful that I can help. I wish you strength and peace as you face this challenge.
Lastly, I ask that my VIS not be copied or reproduced in any way without my permission. My VIS serves as a statement for me only, and I expect that the only things taken from these pages are true sentiment and honesty. Click here to view it in Google Docs.
My mom and dad asked that I post their victim impact statements, too, so that they could possibly help someone.
Click here for my mom's VIS.
Click here for my dad's VIS.
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