Walmart Mom of the Year (8) Finalists Announced

Back in May I shared with you the details of the Walmart Mom of the Year program and also the story of who I nominated for this huge honor.  My friend Cheryl is and continues to be a champion fighting for her daughter who has cerebral palsy (and keeping up with her older daughter who has wisdom beyond her years!)  Cheryl was not one of the 8 finalists but that’s ok because they did a remarkable job narrowing down almost 17,000 nominees!  Yes, us Canadians love our moms and love sharing why they are amazing women!  You can read more about my amazing friend Cheryl Peters on the Walmart Mom of the Year site.

A word of caution when reading the stories of the incredible 8 finalists – I found myself getting choked up reading them, taking a deep sign after one or two.  These women are champions for their children, their families, their communities and hopefully for themselves too (though, as we all know, us moms put ourselves last in priorities!)

Finalist Katie Schulz captured my attention, and my heart, when I read about how she champions daily for her daughter (2) who has cystic fibrosis.  I see many similarities between Katie and my friend Cheryl – both moms would lay down anything for their daughter’s and both are doing a remarkable job of creating awareness of their daughter’s diagnosis.  Katie’s efforts with fundraising in the Kitchener-Waterloo area have helped make the Great Strides fundraising walk in KW one of the most successful in Canada (they raised $95k!!)

This is just the first year for this program, so next year there will be even more moms nominated and recognized which I think is amazing, don’t you?

Keep up to date on the program on the Walmart Facebook page and on the Walmart Mom of the Year site to find out who is going to win $100,000 for their charity at the end of September gala!

Disclosure: I’m part of the Walmart program by Mom Central. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own. Mom of the Year Award: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY Internet access and valid email account required. Nominations open May 10, 2012 to July 8, 2012 for legal residents of Canada over the age of majority. Entrants cannot nominate themselves. One (1) grand prize available to be won consisting of $10,000 cash, a $100,000 donation by Wal-mart Canada Corp. to charity/cause and a trip to Toronto (ARV $22,000). Seven (7) runner-up prizes available to be won consisting of $10,000 cash, a $10,000 donation to charity/cause and a trip to Toronto (ARV $22,000). Charity/cause subject to verification and final approval by Wal-mart Canada Corp., at its sole discretion. Odds of winning depend on how the judging panel evaluates each entry according to the criteria. For Official Contest Rules and to nominate an entrant, visit [www.momoftheyear.ca].