Get Ready.....Get Set....

RUN!

 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS

THEN GET YOUR MEDAL!!!

Tomorrow is the best day of the year. It's the Mercedes Marathon weekend and the precious kiddos from the fabulous Bell Center for Early Intervention will have their very own run in the morning at Linn Park. Later runners and relay teams will run to raise money for this wonderful place. Seeing these courageous and happy kids and their parents, along with the staff, fills my heart more that you can imagine.

It's National Down Syndrome Awareness Month....Yippee!

As many of you who read this blog now, I have had the pleasure of photographing the Bell Center Run at the Mercedes Marathon for the last several years. The Bell Center for Early Intervention provides a variety of support for children ages birth to 3 years who are at risk for developmental delay. Named for their former director Betty Bell, this is a loving place that provides emotional and physical support for their precious children and their families. Many, but certainly not all, are Down Syndrome kiddos, but this month it's all about bringing awareness to this chromosome abnormalities that affects approximately 1 in 1000 babies born each year. Today one of the very excited Bell Runners, there may be more this month!

World Down Syndrome Day... Let's Celebrate!

Spotted at the Bell Center Run 2015, as part of the Mercedes Marathon. Look at these precious faces and celebrate this day!

Mercedes Marathon Bell Center Runners - This Is How They Roll!

These kids and their parents along with the loving staff at the Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs make this event so very special!

On your mark!

Get Set!

Go!....ummm not!

GO!!!!!!

Go!!!!!

You're almost there!

Get your medal!!!

SATURDAY...

10:00 a.m.... be there or be square. I can't post enough precious photos to drum up business for the Bell Center's Runners. This, in my humble opinion, is the BEST part of the Mercedes Marathon Weekend in Birmingham. Great cause, great kids, great parents...... my heart.

I Love Bell Runners!

Forgive me if I overdo the cute photos this week but I LOVE the BELL RUNNERS. That's the run shortly before the Kids' Mercedes Marathon Run this coming Saturday. It benefits the FABULOUS Bell Center for Early Intervention and is the best event I have the privilege to photograph all year long.

CDP Theme Day - Photo of the Year

Today is Theme Day for all of my City Daily Photo blog friends around the world. This month we were to choose our favorite photo of the year. This was a piece of cake. I posted this collage on World Down Syndrome Day, with all of my sweet little friends from the Bell Center, as they participated in the annual Bellrunners Run before the Mercedes Marathon. 

Click HERE to see the great photos chosen by my CDP blog friends!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I thank all of you for stopping by my blog and for the wonderful comments that you leave. I hope you will come by often in 2015.

World Down Syndrome Day!

Yesterday was World Down Syndrome Day.   I'm a day late but I'm celebrating just the same!

CDP Theme Day - People On The Street

Wow, it's already the first of the month again and I almost let City Daily Photo's Theme Day sneak up on me. Well to be honest, it sneaks up on me every month.  This theme was pretty easy for me as I love street photography here in Birmingham and in Paris.  I had a lot of choices from the Bell Center Children's Run held recently during the Mercedes Marathon.  This little guy took to the streets and made it to the finish line with lots of cheers from everyone there!

Have a look at my fellow bloggers' choices for this fun theme right HERE.

Some of the Bell Center Kiddos....

were more excited about the race......

than others!

 Bell Center for Early Intervention run.

Who's Your Hero??

I think most of us here in Birmingham would say, "BETTY BELL!"  Betty is the founding director of the fabulous Bell Center - Early Intervention, an outstanding program that has brought help and hope to countless children and families in the Birmingham area.  I caught her last year when the Bell Center kiddos had their run before the Bell Center Runners took off through the streets of Birmingham for this wonderful cause.  Betty was having a chat with Clark Kent ( aka Frances' Daddy).  Super Woman meets Super Man!

Running For A Great Cause

Saturday was the Bell Center's Run and the Kids' Marathon, all part of the huge and successful Mercedes Marathon Weekend!  I was on hand to photograph the whole shebang and the Bell Center kiddos was so fabulous I can't even count how many photographs I want to share with you. Today, they were off and running, walking, being pushed by proud parents and walking or pushing walkers. No matter how they got to the finish line, they were all winners.

Tomorrow I go back to photograph the big boys and girls running that marathon. I have a sneaking suspicion they won't be quite as much fun as the Bell Kids!