Walmart Has Chosen 8 Finalists for Mom of The Year #MOTY

This year Walmart announced their first ever Mom of the Year contest and the response has been amazing! In total, 16,909 moms were nominated, and now the eight finalists have been selected.

People were given the opportunity to nominate someone in their lives who they felt went above and beyond as a Mom. From the massive number of entries eight finalists were selected and will each receive $10,000 for personal use and $10,000 to the charity they have chosen. Additionally, at the end of September a gala will be held to announce the winner of the  Mom of the Year title , who will receive$100,000 for her charity!

With all of the excitement and inspiration the contest had generated, Walmart has decided to make this an annual event!

The finalists are amazing, I sat in tears reading about the true generosity of spirit these ladies bring to the people and community around them. I was particularly struck by Eileen Thiessen, a lady who brings true meaning to the word loving!

I would like to nominate my mom Eileen Thiessen. My parents have been foster parents for 46 years. I have 3 sisters and 3 brothers, as well as 2 foster sisters. 5 of us are adopted. There are also 5 grandchildren. With the exception of one brother and I, the kids are all mentally handicapped. The kids are all adults now but that didn’t stop my mom from being a mom. She and my dad bought a house a block down from the family home, and the kids stayed in the family home with full time staff. My mom still goes daily to help feed 2 of my sisters and they all come home for church on Sunday and dinner after. My mom has been coaching Special Olympics for the past 15 years. She’s now the head coach of Team Manitoba’s track and field team. My mother is the epitome of what a mother and grandmother should be. She’s the walking embodiment of a Christian woman. She’s been putting others first my entire life and she needs to be first for once.

Eileen has chosen the Special Olympics of Manitoba to receive the $10,000 prize she was given to allocate to charity and I know they’ll find fabulous ways to use that money.

If you’d like to see the other 7 finalists I encourage you to grab some tissues and head over to the Mom of the Year website, it’s inspiring to say the least. Once again this contest will be running next year so begin taking notes of the fabulous Mom’s around you and get ready to nominate in 2013.

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 byWal-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.