Dents and Things

Our first "Craft Making Day" today was a huge success! Much of the workload has been lifted off of my shoulders and I am incredibly grateful to the volunteers who helped me out. We put a HUGE dent into the workload, and I'm anxious to wrap everything up next Saturday.

Special thanks to: Dana, Kori, Chelsi, Stacy, Mary, Sara W., Nyki, Logan, and Noah. THANK YOU ALL for helping me out today. I'm going to sleep so well tonight!

I'll be uploading newer pictures of the completed merchandise ASAP.

GOOD, GOOD NEWS!!!

I am excited to announce that our destination, time, and date are all in order! We will be having the fundraiser at the St. Francis Methodist church in their fellowship hall. The church has allowed us to use it, free of charge. TOTALLY AWESOME. Get ready to join us there, APRIL 17th!!!!!

We also just received a HUGE donation of shirts (50 count!)from a local bulk supplier. I will have their business information posted ASAP!!! Thank you so much, Amy, for making that connection and getting that ball rolling! I couldn't have done that.... And thank you, Heidi, for doing all the administrative work that I need! THANK YOU BOTH!
XOXOXOXO

As excited as I am about all the good news, I AM getting a little ovewhelmed with the work load (artistically). I'm going to be organizing a "Craft Making Day" for volunteers who would like to help me get the bulk of the projects done. I'll be talking to my boss about letting me use the work place for a Saturday, and I'll be posting a volunteer sign up sheet for anyone who wants to help me. I very much need help... I'm starting to burn out... sigh! So if you can use a paint brush, or glue little pieces of tisue paper on a pinata, or use a hot glue gun, or have good hands for dipping shirts into ty-dye, I WILL HAVE WORK FOR YOU TO DO! For the more crafty volunteer, I have TONS of mosaic materials, clay, and T-shirts that need making and designing.

I'll keep everyone posted...

Merchandise Progress!

I finally added pictures of some of the things we are making! I'm anxious to finish the pinatas and some of our bigger projects to show off ASAP. I will keep you updated!

The Giving of the People

This is a long overdue update.... My apologies!

Things are really starting to roll, and it's very exciting!

I have many special thanks to mention.

1) To all the parents at Kids Country who have taken down a heart from the wall and have provided so many of the things that we need, THANK YOU! I am eternally grateful! Nothing fills my heart more than when Ms. Amy delivers a bag of donated materials to my classroom. Thank you! Thank you! I will be making a list of people who have donated, and they will each receive individual rewards for their generosity.

2) A very special thank you to St.Francis Women of Today for agreeing to do our consessional. I appreciate all of you wonderful, generous, special women. THANK YOU THANK YOU!

3) A huge thank you to Sara Ward for trying to track down a venue for our event. We think we may have found one! I'll be filling out an application to request the use of it and be giving it to Sara tomorrow to deliver. As soon as this is set in stone, flyers will be made up and so much more will be accomplished. Thank you so much, Sara, for doing everything you are doing!

4) A very special thank you to my friend, Nyki, who has taken it upon herself to recruit artists and crafts persons to donate their special talents for the fundraiser. I don't know what I would've done with out your help, Nyki! You are so well connected. It's awesome!

5) A very big thank you to Jenn Olson for providing photographs to post on my blog! Her wonderful talent can be seen in the sidebar under "Getting Inspired...". Thanks so much, Jenn. www.jennolsonphotography.com

The Progress
Tomorrow I will be taking pictures of all of the crafts that are finished,and will be posting them here pronto. I'm sure those of you who follow this blog are looking forward to seeing the evidence of our progress... We've got some really fun, cool stuff to show off!

Waiting for Generosity

Quick update:
JoAnne Fabrics only donates to big corporate charities, as so do other large corporate companies. So...we're out of luck there... And the one place of destination that I was counting on bit us in the butt with one very rude person who (shame on them!) puts a very bad rap on church going citizens... My friend Sara is now consulting a different church who seems far friendlier...Fingers crossed....

This all disheartened me, I'll admit, and now I'm trying to scrounge up faith in the common people's generosity...

Kids Country Childcare will be putting together a wall advertising our need for craft supply donations. Red and blue hearts will be posted on the wall with an 8-10$ amount of supplies that we need on each heart. Parents can choose what they would like to purchase, take a heart off the wall and make a contribution. It's like one big shopping list broken up into parts, and if enough people are willing to take one of those little parts in helping us get everything we need on that shopping list, it would be our standing salvation. (Thank you Heidi for this idea!)

This has been a unique journey for me. Some moments have been so uplifting it feels like a gospel hymn has come to life in my heart, and the heavens are signaling that I'm on the right track. And then some moments have been so discouraging it makes me second guess my judgement in starting this whole thing in the first place.

This has all become more than just raising money for a charity, for Haiti. I'm well enough aware that we're not going to rake in thousands, and I'm well enough aware that this very little bit that we will be able to do isn't going to make a huge difference in comparison to what the rest of the world is doing for Haiti. But this isn't only about the money. It's about community, and about generosity, and about giving people the chance to do something selfless. It's about bringing people together with all their talents and good heart and making a very small corner of the world a little brighter. It's about learning about another part of the world, about educating ourselves on the needs of a people who live such different lives than us rich, spoiled Americans. It's about love. Faith. And realizing that giving of ourselves to others is the only true purppose of our existence.

I have to remind myself of these things as I get so easily discouraged through all the road bumps and dissapointments. My good friend Jake said to me, "...if you find this sort of work rewarding at all, if you enjoy the way you feel at the end of the day just one little bit, and if kids are learning, then the gamble is certainly worth your time..." And he's right. The gamble is definately worth our time in this.

So please, if you would like to help in any way, whether it be for your own need to give, your own need to feel a part of something, or your own need to use your talents, we need you.

You can send your queries of how to help at RoseInFall@aol.com and please put "IN GREAT NUMBERS" in the subject box. I can send you a "shopping list" of what we need, or if you're an artist/craftsperson that would like to donate one of your own works to either be sold or auctioned off, we could use you. If you have any other talents that might be contributed to the cause, please don't be shy.

We all need each other to make a difference.

Next on the List....

I have (what seemed to be) successfully addressed the St. Francis Women of Today group in hopes that they would help out for the fundraiser. I was a little nervous... and even though I can't remember anything I said, I'm pretty sure I said enough, and I'm pretty sure the response was positive... I've asked them to do the consessional part of the fundraiser, and am anxiously waiting to hear back with an answer.

The date and time of the event is anticipated to be April 17th, 11am - 5pm, but is definately subject to change. Destination pending....

Soon, I will have a sign-up list of volunteer jobs and "shifts" for not just Kids Country staff, but for anyone else who would like to volunteer for the event. I will hopefully have something typed up in the next two weeks.

Next on the list to get done is as follows:

Request donations from JOAnne ETC. and Cosco.
Send a donations request form home with Kids Country parents.
Request raffle-worthy donations from local businesses.
Attain an indefinate destination.

New Changes and New Thanks

NEW IDEAS FOR THE MAIN EVENT

One hour Dance-A-Thon:
Donors will sponser a child or teacher in a dancing marathon. They'll pledge a certain amount of money per minute of dance endurance from dancing contestant.

Heart For Haiti Smoothies:
Red berry smoothie (slushy) with a blue swirly straw.
(RED and BLUE are Haits's flag colors)

I also have plans to figure out how to sell food (hotdogs, chips, soda), gather donations from local businesses for a raffle, and get a set of high-price items for a silent auction.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO HELP WITH DONATING MATERIALS....

Email me at RoseInFall@aol.com and put IN GREAT NUMBERS in the subject line. I'm not asking for money. I'm asking for supplies or volunteers for the event. I could use all the help I can get.

Thank you!

Progress is coming along, but many things are changing. We are NOT hosting the fundraiser at the school anymore because we can't sell food there. My friend Sara Ward is now helping me find a new location (most probable, a local church called "Trinity"). Thank you, Sara!!!!!

My dear friend Jenn Olson has offered to go with me to JoAnne Fabrics tomorrow to help me ask the manager if they'd like to donate some materials for our cause. I am extremely blessed to have someone as outgoing and fearless as Jenn to go with me...I'm not very good at asking for things, especially from strangers, so I owe her many thanks! Jenn is also a professional photographer who is donating her time and talent for this very worthy cause. You will soon be seeing her work here on this blog.

I also want to give a special thanks to Amy Spindler (a very dear friend and co-teacher) for finding very worthy art supply treasures in her teacher cupboards for us to use. She has a gift in always finding exactly what I need! I love you, Amy!

A Heart For Haiti

Fundraisers have more than just the purpose of raising money for worthy causes. They bring communities together in a force that is seemingly untamable and extremely overwhelming, exhilarating, and gives one the illusion that it can move mountains. What began as a simple, after-work-hours open-house crafts sale for a worthy cause, has now grown into something I was not expecting.

As a community we are gathering, responding to the voices that beckon our conscience to do the right thing. Kids Country is now hosting a Save the Children fundraiser (for Haiti) Arts and Craft Sale at the local St. Francis Middle School, on a Saturday. The school will be rallying their art teachers and students to make more projects for us to sell, and there is talk that the school jazz band will play for the cause. One of my co-workers, Sara Ward, has given me valuable information on which small businesses in the area are good donators. Sara also works for the school system and has offered to do an art project (in bulk numbers) with students in their study halls. Other co-workers, former and current, have offered their extra talents (as well as their friends!) to participate also. On top of arts and crafts, there will now be baked goods, treats, live music, and a silent auction.

My job this weekend is to shop for art supplies, make flyers, talk to local businesses about donations (money, materials, or raffle items), and organize a definitive plan. I’m not very good at talking to people; asking for favors is not easy for me… But I have been so overwhelmed by the people’s response that it has given me a newfound courage, an heart moving incentive, a true purpose.

Next Step...

The proposal has been made! I’ve asked the company I work for (Kids Country Childcare) to support a fundraiser for Save the Children, all proceeds going to help the people of Haiti. To start with, we will be collecting simple coin and cash donations in decoratively displayed collecting cans. We will be taking these donations for several weeks as we prepare for the main fundraising event.

The main fundraiser will take place some time in early spring (March or April). The definite date is yet to be determined, but will be posted ASAP. The event itself will be a collaboration of talents in an Arts and Crafts Sale. All of the children and teachers at Kids Country will be participating, working hard to make enough merchandise to sell. We’ll be making items such as piñatas, printed T-shirts and onesies, framed paintings, clay pots and so much more. Kids Country is extremely blessed with a variety of talents, and I cannot wait to give credit to each and every one of them as this endeavor matures. There will be more than just arts and crafts, and I’m extremely excited to see everything fit into a definitive plan. Things are still in their “brainstorming” phase, but everyone is so enthusiastic about this…which has sent my heart to the heavens.

I will be trying to get donations from super stores like Target to donate certain supplies, but if you are interested in helping, please contact me via email (roseinfall@aol.com) and write “IN GREAT NUMBERS” in the subject box.

Thank you to all who are interested! I will keep the updates coming.

The Beginning

This blog is baby fresh, but I have some things up my sleeve to unfold. I'm working on useing Save the Children to start a fundraiser for the victims of Haiti. I have the plan, but I need to propose it to my boss... I will keep everyone updated and let them know how they can help if they wish. I have already started a First Giving account for Save the Children, but they are having technical difficulties at the moment... I will have that LINK/Gidget posted here ASAP. It's posted on my other blog, The Penlot (as well as on FB under my "Fundraising" tab),but as I said before it's malfunctioning at the moment...

I'm hoping this will be my first, long overdue step into useing my creative gifts to help at least a little corner of the world.