Updates from me

Helping Make a Wish

Updates from me

I had the great pleasure and honor of attending a wish granting party for a precious little girl, Hannah. This was the first time I was able to attend something like this, and I am so grateful I was invited!

Here is a copy of the email that Tammy, the mother, sent me, along with some pictures taken that night. I also started a blog for her to be able to keep everyone updated about their Disney trip- and their life. Feel free to stop in and say Hi to Tammy and Hannah, I know she'd appreciate it!!!

their blog: http://hannahswish.blogspot.com

the email: thank you all for everything that you have done for Hannah. I can not even begin to tell you how much you all mean to me. It is often that we have very difficult days and I often start my day/end my day in tears. Hannah is a very loving child, but can be difficult and challenging as all Rett's girls are. I can not tell you how much having you in my life has added that special amount of love and support that has often got me thru

thanks so very much,

from the bottom of my heart ,

tammy

pics:

June 2005

Round 6 is closing. I will get a final total after the Grumpeas get their layouts in. They're a group of scrappers that have been led by Carrie. She's done challenges, and offered prizes for the group to try and earn. Carrie's helped a lot in the last few rounds, and is certainly an asset to our project!

Moved from Home page, Spring/Summer 05: Round 6 is HERE! Start scrapping ladies!!! We're ready for you to start sending in new layouts for our little (or not-so-little, if you will) project! Just send in your layouts or books or supplies, or whatever, whenever you can. The deadline is actually June 15th, but you can really send anytime!

March 9, 2005

Hello Make a Wish Helpers! Hope you're all well! We're well into 2005, and we're working hard. There are lots of families going to Walt Disney World this year, and the MAW chapter is so grateful to have our albums to give to each family. I know I say it often, but I really mean it from the bottom of my heart, thank you- each and every one of you- for helping- and continuing to help- and getting others to help. You really have no idea how many other lives you're touching- and creating a place for these families to keep their pictures from their bittersweet trip. Again, thank you!

Update 1-29-05
Album Request
Hi all. We received a BUNCH of 12x12 albums from Snail and Carrie (hers on the way) and we are now in the PLUS 15 12x12 albums! have stuffed all the 8.5x11 albums that I have, and I need 9 8.5 x 11 albums PLUS 1 pack of strap hinge page protectors in this size. Also need 4 packs of 12x12 strap hinge page protectors. If we get these in, we'll have all the albums we have here totally stuffed, and we'll end up 19 12x12 albums to start out filling Round 5 with. (the 15 we have, plus the 4 that need page protectors). So, does anyone have any extra albums or strap hinge protectors that you don't need anymore?

Update January 10, 2005
We are gearing up for our 5th Round, and have had several people emailing to ask if we were continuing. If you guys still want to send, we still want to continue!
We ended up with enough layouts to fill 13 albums last time, but we are in DESPERATE need for albums! We need about 22 12x12 and approximately 10 8.5x11's, just to fill with layouts we already have- not counting any that might come. So if there is any way you can send any albums at all (empty) that's what we really need right now! They don't have to be anything special- the $5 ones from Ac Moore or Hobby Lobby or whatever are perfect!!!
Also, I want to note that Donna, my helper, has been having some health issues, so if you could please keep her in your prayers, first, that would be wonderful. Secondly, it seems several people have not received their tax donation letters. If you will email me AGAIN, if you haven't received, I will forward them directly to the Make a Wish Director of wishes.
Round 5 is going to end March 15, 2005. Please email me if you have any further questions!!

Update October 24, 2004

Round 4 is coming to a close, and I have already seen beautiful pages coming in! (they ALL are beautiful!! Today was an amazing day, as I was invited to a Make a Wish family reunion at Carowind's (themepark in our area). Unfortunately, I didn't get to personally meet any of our families, but I was told that SEVERAL of them told Amy, who is the director of wishes, that they just LOVE their albums so much! I did meet Lauren, who is the Disney co-ordinator, and she thanked me (and YOU) for all the albums that we've given. She gives the families the albums directly! So I thought that was awesome!
So anyway, this round is closing, and we'll start the new in a few months. Please email me if you have any questions, thoughts or concerns.

Update Aug 30, 2004

We are warming up to Round 4, with challenges starting! I hope you guys are having fun! Please note that with round 3 we depleted our stash, and so for round 4 we need boy AND girl pages at this point. This may change as layouts start to come in, but for now, we need both! Thanks!

UPDATE JULY 11, 2004:

Hi all Maw helpers, past, present and future. Round 3 is now officially closed, and I have our final count.

I haven't been able to send as many updates as I would like, as my computer has had major issues (and is now completely dead, I am using hubby's now). So, I hope that between this site, the two peas thread, and the email I am sending, everyone will get this information.

Each time we do this we just grow and grow, and it does not cease to amaze me each and every time I open a new package and see all the time, effort, and heart you all have put into providing a way for families to preserve their precious memories.

Round 3 saw us launch a new website (which I will continue to update,so keep checking it!) add an assistant-- Dusti, and add many many more helpers. I discovered (thru Donna's husband) that I have the equivilant of excel, and was able to create a spreadsheet to track everything with. We had 2 schools have classes make pages.. a 4th grade class from New City, NY (from Lynn Anne Cuter {ralphiesmama} and a 9th grade gifted class from Cumming, Ga (Jennifer) all made us amazing pages. We received overseas packages from Kumiko {Aleko} in Japan, from Kelly (flitter) in Canada, from Karon (dragonfly on scribbles) in Canada, and from all over the US.
I certainly hope I didn't leave anyone out, but I'm sure I did. Please know it's not intentional.

Some statistics for this round on things we received:

5 completed 12x12 albums (with albums included)
5 completed mini albums
1 completed 7x 7 album (should arrive tomorrow)
216 8.5 x 11 pages
1,440 12x12 pages (not including the completed albums)

and our grand total for Round 3 is:

63 albums!!!!!!!!!!

thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!
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UPDATE JUNE 26, 2004 For those that don't know, what happens is, awesome scrappers like YOU make completed layouts (8.5x11 OR 12x12) in a Disney theme. (sans pictures, of course) You send them to me, and I combine (along with Butterflymommy-Donna) into albums, we then give these to our local chapter (Central/Western NC) of Make a Wish. MAW then passes these out to families going to Disney on their child's "wish". The impact on these families lives is indescribable. YOU CAN BE A PART OF THIS! We also accept supplies, such as adhesives, stickers, papers, etc.. as we try to make Animal Kingdom pages for all the albums, (although I did fall short on the last round) and Donna makes Give Kids the World pages for each album. (give kids the world is where all the families stay). We also make a "My favorites" page for each album. We also need ALBUMS!!! So, please, ladies, whip out a few (or 20!!) layouts and send em on! You can do multiple identical layouts, or you can make them all different. you can send 1, or you can send 20! It's completely up to you. We totally depleted our "stash" from previous rounds, so this time it's ANY CHARACTER GOES! I am sure we will end up with a lot of Mickey's, so feel free to branch out! ************************************************

UPDATE JUNE 13:

Hi Everyone!
Round 3 is almost to a close, but I don't think we are winding down yet!
I am getting packages pretty much every day and they are so fun to open and go thru!
My friend Sabrina is coming today to help me make some pages with all the supplies you all have sent!

So far, I have received packages from the following:
LynnAnne (RalphiesMama), Maria (mini2519), Michalle Vandersloot (peaname?), Jitani (co-worker), Jennifer and mom Debbie (jenmarvell), Amber (lipster manfield), Jodi (hap-pea), Bonnie (maryland scrapper), Karon (dragonfly on scribbles), Laura (lping), Jennifer (happybird), Jennifer (Jenhenry), Ashleigh (ashleigh-renee), Melissa (zgirl), Sherri (boyohboy)-- 2 packages, Katie (scraphappykt), Khindra (gordysmom), Monica (mishoe01), Linda (llo), Stephanie (peaname?), Kelli (kelligrace), Stephanie (luvs2ride).

If i counted correctly, we have a little over 300 pages so far! This seems like an awful lot to me, but I've counted my log twice!!!
So ladies, you are really making this one huge!
Thank you so much! I can't wait to see the final count!!!

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I spoke with Donna (Butterflymommy at 2ps) and she said that Amy (her sister, who is the Director of Wishes for our chapter) said we need more "boy" pages. The number of boys and girls who go to Disney is about equal, but we have a LOT more girl-y type albums.

You can still do princess layouts if you want, just make them not quite so frilly.

This is not to say we don't need ANY girl-y pages- just a few more boy pages for now, please!

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Following is a copy of the latest "update" email sent out. If you are not receiving updates from me, please email me and I will be glad to add you to the address book.

Hello Make a Wish Helpers,

I hope every one is well, and enjoying the beginning of their summer.

I know I say this everytime, but I want to thank each and every single one of you for all that you are doing to make our project a success.

As some of you know, we have had donations from across the world!, including layouts from Japan, UK and Canada, and of course- all over the USA!

YOU guys are the ones who make this a success, but in almost every email I get from you all, someone is thanking ME. I appreciate that, but I am merely the instrument- you all are the musicians who bring it all to life.

I would say that I am putting in about 8 hours a week or so in answering emails, making sure the site is running (thanks to my friend Shondee), keeping the thread updated. .This will increase a lot now that we are getting close and layouts are starting to come in.
It will be a two day event probably in picking out the pages for the albums, and then stuffing them, and a few days in making the "my favorites" pages for each book. Donna will spend some time getting the Give the Kids The World introductory pages, too. She'll also pick up the slack that I leave! :)
I really appreciate Dusti and Veronica Lynn (and all the others) who are keeping the thread BTT on peas, and everyone on scribbles who is helping as well

You guys feel free to email me anytime- I enjoy making so many friends across the world If ever anyone needs to, call me, as well. 704 876 2546 EST after 6pm .

I have received a few packages so far, and they are already awesome!
PLEASE PLEASE remember to include your first name and city/state on the back of each layout that you send, and be sure and include your name, address, username, email address in your package.

I keep a log of everything recieved, and it really bothers me when i am not diligent about logging everything down, then when I go back I can't find who sent what. (I like to make sure everyone gets credit for what they do, even though you guys say you dont WANT credit)

SO FAR I HAVE RECEIVED PACKAGES FROM LYNN ANNE, MARIA, MICHELLE, JENNIFER, DEBBIE AND AMBER.
I HAVE GOTTEN LAYOUTS, ALBUMS, ADHESIVES, PAPER AND STICKERS- EVEN A MICKEY AND MINNIE STAMP!

Remember, if anyone has extra albums you aren't going to use, we can definitely use them!
We are about a month away from deadline, so I just wanted to send out a pick-me-up reminder, cheer you guys on, and thank everyone- again!

By Aleko, (Aleko on 2ps) in Japan

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