7/7/16, 10:27 AMWhy Everyone Will Be Belly Flopping At Your 4th Of July Pool Party

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Why Everyone Will Be Belly Flopping At Your 4th Of JulyPool Party 07/01/2016 12:47 pm ET | Updated 5 days ago

Tracie Domino Destination wedding planner, writer, dog mom + guacamole connoisseur

Growing up my sister and I would tease our mother relentlessly about how shewould never get her hair wet while we would be diving and canon balling allsummer long.

Well as they say, we grow up and become our mothers. For the last 15 years, Ihaven’t dove or jumped into a pool anywhere — until last week.

Fully clothed, sober, and on a Wednesday evening, I bellyflopped into our pool —on purpose and for a purpose.

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Why Everyone Will Be Belly Flopping At Your 4th Of July Pool Party

7/7/16, 10:27 AMWhy Everyone Will Be Belly Flopping At Your 4th Of July Pool Party

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You see, two weeks ago in my hometown of Tampa, Florida people startedchallenging each other to Belly Flop for Babies or to donate to High Risk Hope inthe spirit of the Ice Bucket Challenge. Since I have it posted on my website thatHigh Risk Hope is one of the nonprofits I have been proud to support for years,once I was challenged, I knew I couldn’t wimp out.

Video courtesy of USA TODAY

High Risk Hope (HRH) is a growing nonprofit with huge dreams. Since 2011, HRHhas supported 6,000 families in crisis at four major hospitals. HRH evolved out ofone mother wanting to encourage others facing similar terrifying circumstances bybridging the gap between their worst fears of losing a child and the hope of leavingthe hospital with a healthy baby. HRH has become an unstoppable and evolvingmovement in the Fight For Preemies supporting 2,000 new HRH families everyyear.

My flop was one of many that began popping up all over Facebook and Twitter.OBGYNs, nurses, kids who were born preemies, fathers of pregnant women,women who previously had high risk pregnancies and many of their friends wereheading belly first into their pools and the Gulf of Mexico.

A group of OBGYNs — who apparently came straight from the hospital since theywere still wearing their labcoats — filmed a domino-style bellyflop that startedgoing viral and at the moment has been viewed more than 66,000 times.

Why people are purposely videotaping their belly 4ops

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7/7/16, 10:27 AMWhy Everyone Will Be Belly Flopping At Your 4th Of July Pool Party

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Video courtesy of High Risk Hope

So, what’s the point? What do belly flops have to do with babies?

It’s simple in that, like a preemie, you are never too small to make a difference.Even the smallest acts in your community can have large impacts. Almost anyonecan do a belly flop. If you can’t for medical reasons (or you are a chicken) you canfind a surrogate flopper and donate.

Each video for the High Risk Hope Belly Flop For Babies challenge is raisingawareness, funds and hope for preemies and moms at high risk for prematuredelivery. Funds raised will help High Risk Hope expand its services to hospitalsand patients across the United States as 89 percent of the organization’s revenuegoes right back into its programs.

In honor of all those who fought for our independence, be part of something biggerthan yourself and your barbecue grill this 4th of July weekend. If you want toreconnect with your inner child or just have a blast with your children, belly flop forHigh Risk Hope — just be sure to post it to social media and challenge yourfriends so it continues to grow. It will never be easier or more fun to do somethingin the name of charity.

I dare you to be bold like Hill, a healthy six year old who challenged Tim Tebow,who was born a preemie just like him. Tebow’s mother was on bed rest for severalmonths after doctors told her he wouldn’t survive, nevermind be strong enough toeventually win the Heisman Trophy.

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7/7/16, 10:27 AMWhy Everyone Will Be Belly Flopping At Your 4th Of July Pool Party

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Video courtesy of High Risk Hope

Rumor has it the best red white and blue flops could make the Epic IndependenceDay flops video montage. Or even better, you could make the flop fails video.

Either way, just do it. In the words of Matt Damon, “It’s for the kids!”

Happy 4th of July!

Follow along on social media: #BellyFlopForBabies | Epic Flops | Flop Fails

Follow Tracie Domino on Twitter: www.twitter.com/traciedomino

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