Happy Spring??? I'm cautious about using the "S" word because it seems that every time someone does we get another foot of the other "S" word. Although stringing a few warm day together, seeing our tulips bloom and the tree blossom, it may be safe to say HAPPY SPRING!!!
Spring...that season from March to June. A season of renewal, rebirth and restoration. The days start to get longer, the plants begin to bloom, the air begins to warm and we come out of our winter funk. At Annie's Angels, Spring is the time of Heavenly Ball, Rye By The Sea 5K Walk/Run & Duathlon and the Teddy Bear Drive at Trends.
I'd like to make a final update on the 2018 Heavenly Ball. Last month I reported that we nearly reached our goal of raising $100,000.00. It was close but we fell a bit short. I talked about how we all need to "live to serve" and I talked about what we do with the money.
After the April newsletter hit the airwaves I got an email from Tonya at our sponsor, EnviroVantage. She asked, how far off our goal are we? Let me sidebar a little here. I LOVE it when supporters take ownership. Notice, the question wasn't how far off YOUR goal are YOU. It was how far off OUR goal are WE? I emailed back that we were $4100.00 short and that I didn't expect any further income from the Heavenly Ball. After a minute, I got a reply. I expected it to say something like better luck next year or we did our best, something along those lines. Instead, knowing all EnviroVantage does for Annie's Angels not only for the Heavenly Ball but all year long, she replied, I want Annie’s Angels to reach their goal. Envirovantage will send a check for $4100. This shocked and amazed me. I had to step away from the computer to take a breath. This was record breaking, mind blowing, community changing news that I never expected.Thank you to the kind, generous and supportive family at EnviroVantage.
The 22nd Annual Rye By The Sea 5K Walk/Run and Duathlon is coming up. If you can walk you can participate! Check out the flyer below or visit
www.ryebythesea.com. Same goes for the Teddy Bear Drive at Trends. Everyone can participate! Check out the flyer below or go to
anniesangels.org
to buy a bear today!
It may seem like I'm speeding passed two events but there are 2 HUGE posters if you scroll down just a little. I think It's equally important to let you know what we do with the funds you so generously donate. Of all the stories I could share this month I chose two. Please know that these stories are not possible without YOU!
The first is one of Spring Break Fun! Annie's Angels invited our families who have kids with special needs
to attend a one hour session at Blitz Air Park in Portsmouth. This included moms, dads and all the kids. We hosted about 50 participants and everyone had a BLAST! The moms and dads who attended couldn't thank us enough for closing down Blitz for that hour so their kids could have that time. It was also a great opportunity for families who don't know each other to meet, talk, exchange cell numbers and email addresses and know they're not alone and they have another layer of support when times look troubling.
The second story is a "this could happen to me" kind of story. I walked into a local convenience store and recognized the clerk behind the register. He worked at a different store that I used to deliver sandwiches to but had since closed. He told me that he just started at this store and asked the person training him if he could have a minute with me outside. I thought, "what's going to happen here?" I finished my transaction and we walked out together. We got beyond the entrance and he turned to me and broke down. He said since the store he worked at closed he's been homeless. He told me how his already bad teeth had gotten worse. He told me of the shame of A. letting his teeth get so bad that he had trouble eating and speaking and B. that his inability to work because of his mouth led him to become homeless. He poured his heart out to me sharing that, with no other options, he finally went to a local clinic to have his mouth looked at and that a case worker helped him fill out a request for assistance for a place called Annie's Angels. He didn't put the pieces together until I walked into his store. He realized he had seen our change jug on his counter for years and would drop change in when he could. He never thought he would ever be on this end of that jug. His minute was up and he had to get back to work but before he left he stood tall and with tears rolling down his cheek, he shook my hand and thanked me for giving him his live back. I told him it was my pleasure to help, all the time knowing that without YOU this story could have easily turned out very differently.
Here I am with nothing to say but thank you all for your continued support.
