Posts Tagged ‘charity’

Grab your guns! My friend Julie is starting a revolution.

OK, not that kind of revolution.

A revolution of kindness!

Everyday of this week she has given her readers a simple task to spread the love and featured an amazing charity. (You know I love love love a good charity!!) AND she has (along with some friends) gifted a new adorable printable each day!

FUN FUN FUN!!

All the daily challenges can be done at anytime (kiddo friendly!) and the more often the better!!

Here is a quick recap of the week so far, but you’ll have to visit Joy’s Hope if you want more details.

Day 1: Bring a treat to a neighbor.

And you can use these sweet tags made by Mique of 30Days.

Click HERE and HERE to download a printable set!

Charity – Sharlie’s Angels. Sharlie is a mommy with Cystic Fibrosis waiting (and saving) for a Heart/Double Lung Transplant from Stanford.

You can support Sharlie by shopping for cool stuff here (I’ve bought 3 things… so far!)

Day 2: Write a note. As in with a pen or pencil… remember those?

Emily from Hope Ink created the cutest cards! One is blank so your kiddos can color their own. Click here to print your set.

I used to be so good at little notes.

Not anymore!

This little challenge helped me to remember how fun it is to write a note instead of asking a question on Facebook! I did two notes, but cheated a it by making one a long overdue thank you note!

Charity – Sending notes and gift cards to Wren a mommy of 3 fighting stage 4 cancer. 

Day 3: Gift card for the homeless.

Love this one!! We saw Mike Yankoski speak about his book Under the Overpass and our perspective was forever changed about homeless people. We always have a bag-o-stuff to give out when we pass a homeless person – socks, deodorant, toothpaste, gum, easy open canned food/pantry items etc. (Note: never put hand sanitizer, mouthwash or cold/allergy medication in a homeless bag because it can be used as alcohol or to make illegal drugs)

Charity – Compassion Christmas Catalog. This is one our family’s favorite yearly traditions. There is nothing like giving a needy family in Africa a goat. REALLY. Try it. (This is really fun to do with a group of people pitching in for something big.)

Day 4: Book for a friend.

Buy a book or gift one you read and loved. Maybe purge some of those kiddo books before Christmas?!?! AND for those books you want back print up a few of these adorable little book name cards here from Heather at Life Made Lovely.

Charity - The Joyful Life Library. They donate children’s books to hospitals so parents can snuggle up and read with their kiddos.

I so wish I would have known about The Joyful Life Library before Eli’s birthday party. We collected over 400 books in loo of gifties for the Susan G Komen American Book Drive and they were horrible to work with. REALLY!!!

Day 5: Refresh someone.

Get a few (or a case) of ice cold water and head out in the world (or your local park) and refresh peeps. Printable by Living Locurto

Amy from Living Locurto made these water bottle tags Get them here and here.

Charity – Charity Water

Day 6: Thank someone in service.

I haven’t done this one yet but I sure can’t wait!! Stephanie from Homegrown Hospitality made some fun doodles to help you spread the thankfulness. Print them here.

Charity – Wounded Warrior Project

Day 7: Blessing Bags

You’ll just have to visit Joy’s Hope tomorrow to find out the details!!

Printable by Joy’s Hope

Charity – Samaritan’s Purse

Eli’s Lids donates 10% of our profits to a great organization called Surfers Healing (read more about them here). Every once in a while we get to hear a little about the amazing things Surfers Healing is up to… from the people who matter most – lil’ Surfers and their families!

Below is a guest post from a friend about her moving experience with Surfers Healing…

   I’m a 47 year old mother of 4 – 3  girls aged 24 to 10 and my handsome Michael, age 5. At 3 Michael was diagnosed with Autism, or "on the spectrum" but high functioning.  Some days it seems like we spend more time on the spectrum then others.

   Working full time I don’t do many of Michael’s activities. Hubby is responsible for physical therapy, speech therapy, social skills, regular check ups, sick visits, you name it he drives to it! My responsibility is locating things for Michael to do. Anything that is free or within our means that will give him new experiences and awaken the senses. Lucky for me I have a close friend who told me about Surfer’s Healing. I immediately researched, sat online and waited for the reservation day. When we got accepted to an outing in San Diego we were so happy. Not Michael, he was not into it at all.

   Lots of questions followed. Will the waves be big or small..small of course.  Will there be sharks? NO!!! Will I be cold? Probably, but I will have a towel for you. I’m scared. Me too Michael, but it will be ok and so much fun.  

   The Wednesday we drove down to San Diego Michael was very apprehensive. Same set of questions, a lot of I’m not doing it. Then silence. When we got to the beach and saw all the people Michael remained quiet. There was an older boy crying by the crashing waves….not good. So we decided to move our little family away from the crowds a bit so that the crying wasn’t infectious.

   Michael took out his sand toys and began to play, never asking when he would go. We listened to speeches and watched the other kids hang ten. Some of the kids had great results, some not so much. All the while I was making eye contact with the other parents and giving them the "smile". That "I get it" smile, the "I feel your pain" smile.

   When it was Michael’s turn we walked him over to the tent to get  his wetsuit and life vest. He talked a little with the young lady who was helping him, but never with us. What struck me as strange was that once he was preparing to go into the water  he never looked at us. He took the girl’s hand and walked straight down to the water.  He never looked back, he never said no, he never dragged his feet. Just straight to the water to wait for his surfer.

   When the surfer came he took Michael’s hand and he looked at us and said don’t worry he’s going to do great! Then they were gone. The waves seemed to get bigger, they seemed to go out farther then anyone else. So far that for a minute we lost track of him. Then suddenly there he was standing on the board, not really balancing but standing there. The surfer was holding his jacket by the shoulders, then he let go and Michael was doing it on his own. It was amazing.

   I of course, started to cry and couldn’t look at my husband. My husband said nothing just had a big smile on his face. Michael rode the wave all the way in.   We all cheered his success. He only did two rides that day, but they were long rides on big waves. His surfer buddy said that Michael was so groovy out in the ocean…yes he used the word groovy. And that he really enjoyed himself.

   His sisters told him that I cried. He was concerned and asked why. I told him that I was so proud of him, that my tears were from happiness. He hugged me and asked me if I was proud of him. I told him yes so very proud. He said he didn’t want to do it again, because he was ready to move on to wakeboarding!

   He is totally groovy!

###

Thank you Millie for writing this post! I feel like I was standing right next to you on the beach… sobbing with pride!

My friend Jen over at Tiny Oranges has put together a team to participate in the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation Run/Walk on May 1^st in Irvine. The run raises money for pediatric cancer! That’s something we can all run with (hehehe)!! I want to join the team but right now I’m just trying to get Hot Hubby on board. There are lots of events to choose from: Half Marathon, 10K run, 5K run or walk, and a 1K kids fun run.  

For ALL the info check our Jen’s post over at Tiny Oranges.

Go here to see all the information about the team!

If you don’t want to run but would like to help out AND if you live near Costa Mesa, you’re in luck! The talented stylist  Tera Rae Stephens from Tek Salon is organizing a big fundraising event on Saturday, February 12th, 2011 called “Love is in the Hair.”   

Here is the info…

Love is in the Hair

Saturday Febuary 12th, 2011

12-6pm

Tek Salon in Costa Mesa

$25 blowouts for GORGEOUS Valentine’s weekend hair. 100% donated to Tera’s personal fundraising page (tax deductible) and the Tiny Oranges’ team effort.

Go here for all the info about booking an appointment with Tera!

Basically a WIN-WIN for all! You get a great professional blowout for your Valentine’s dates for only $25 and it is all tax deductible and goes towards helping families affected by pediatric cancer.

AND

One of my bloggy friends, Ashley (from AP Freewriting 101), sent me a link to the most adorable Pirate Valentines! I bought some adorable pirate ones for pennies on last year’s clearance but I can’t find them!! So we might be doing them…

Click here for directions and a free printout of the pirate Valentines. (As well as other fun Valentine freebies!)

I’m thankful we are so (overly) blessed we could adopt a family through our church and provide them with a HUGE Thanksgiving feast as well as groceries to last a couple of weeks…

I’m thankful to live in the USA…

I’m thankful for sewing…

I’m thankful for snowman pirates made of play dough… (can you guess who made these?)

I’m thankful for father daughter dances after dinner…

I’m thankful someone is sitting…

I’m thankful for my biz…

Most of all I’m thankful I don’t have to cook today!

What are you thankful for???

We have a little lady at home.

She’s pretty cool…

She falls asleep anywhere, and she dances to the rhythm of her own lil’ drummer…

She’s a girly girl and we treat her like… well… a princess. One with strict rules and boundaries… of course… lol!

She doesn’t know about slavery, hunger, strife or poverty. (We live in Orange County for goodness sake!) Unfortunately for little girls around the world bondage is a reality.

  I was introduced to International Princess Project years ago while on staff at a local church. The organization is amazing and they are ACTUALLY making a difference in the lives of women in India though sewing. (Because sewing rules and you should totally start.)

 Women who are rescued from brothels need some sort of occupation… Enter International PrincessTM Project. The women are trained to make some pretty kick a&$ stuff:

International PrincessTM Project has their 3rd annual Gala fundraiser coming up on September 25th at the Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach. (Get tickets here.)

Don’t feel like changing out of your PJs? Buy some Punjammies at the International Princess Project shop!!!

 Don’t need PJs? Just donate some cash-o-la here.

 “Because every woman on earth deserves to be treated like a princess.”

~International PrincessTM Project