Each year, our family and friends ban together to fundraise for the Arthritis Foundation's signature event, its Walk to Cure Arthritis. My son, Andy, was diagnosed with juvenile psoriatic arthritis at age 5. I was diagnosed three years later. This cause is very close to us.
To push our fundraising efforts, I've agreed to some crazy challenge of one kind or another if our team, Camp Dakota Friends, reaches its goal.
Andy and his partner-in-crime (PA Amanda from Camp Dakota) get together each year to think up some task for me to do. It is always something that is humiliating, scary or disgusting that win out. This year's challenge? Eat a bug kabob of grasshoppers and silk worms.
Once the challenge was announced, it seemed like everyone wanted to donate and contribute to my humiliation. Our friends Jo and John even donated $50 just to sponsor one of the silk worms I had to eat. They named her Isabel.
Andy found the bug kabob on Amazon, ordered the yummy bugs, and made sure the package would arrive in time for our local Walk to Cure Arthritis at the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus on May 19. We made our goal, and so I had to fulfill my promise.
It was disgusting! None of the bugs were appetizing. I could see the grasshoppers' eyes and the legs were pretty nasty. The dehydrated bugs were crunchy, but then turned to dust in my mouth. I know these are considered a tasty dish in some cultures, but I don't care to eat bugs again any time soon.
A big thank you to our team, donors, supporters and the crowd who cheered me on at the event. We even got TinaMarie, a brave bystander, Walk to Cure Arthritis committee member Deborah, and Andy to gobble up a worm. Yuck!
