FUNdraising Adventures!!!

**Note- Pardon the interruption in your regularly scheduled blog postings....This post was written a few weeks ago, but got delayed in posting after some very depressing, stressful and terrifying issues with lost paperwork in China. However, we are now out of the woods and back on track! Now, back to your regularly scheduled post:

I can never express the gratitude I feel when thinking about how many individuals have contributed to homecoming of my little girl. Over the last few weeks, two fundraisers took place raising in excess of $2500- almost HALF the required orphanage donation!! People have been so generous; it is humbling to know that my family is on the receiving end of some of the world's greatness. Here are some specifics from our FUNdraising efforts:

My sister and brother-in-law Chelsea & Art Hill coordinated a fundraiser at her local Painting with a Twist in Saint Petersburg, FL. This festive event took place on April 26th and participants created paintings of their own pets, along with trying their luck at some great raffle prizes. A HUGE thanks to my sister and brother-in-law for not only coordinating this massive event, gathering raffle donations from local St. Pete's businesses, as well as managing to keep it all a secret! A special thanks also goes out to those artsy locals who participated, as well as Painting with a Twist: St.Pete!
Check out some great pics from the day:

         






                                             

Our second FUNdraising event was a GIANT yard taking place on May 16th & 17th. With over 20 families donating items, we worked from noon on Friday (plus a few weekends prior picking up and organizing donations) until after 7pm Sunday night (plus some more time the following week donating left-overs to local charity organizations). It was a grueling weekend of downpours, sunburns and haggling but was a huge success. A special shout out goes to my mom, Janet, for her non-stop energy (and sandwiches!) that helped get us through the weekend, and to all my friends who stopped by to help sell/organize/clean/negotiate our way through the sale: Erica, Rachel, Stephanie, Jen, Kelly & Anthony- THANK YOU! An enormous thanks goes out to everyone that donated items for the sale, as well as those who stopped by to pick up some goodies. Rachel Fazio, a close family friend and talented photographer, was on scene to help with the sale and take some photos to document the day. Check out Rachel's site, Love Mission Photography here as well as some photos of the event:

In the spirit of paying it forward, all leftover yard sale items were donated to the Norwalk Open Door Shelter, The East Norwalk Library, and the United Church of Rowayton. Additional seasonal items will be donated to the Norwalk High School Jr. Air Force ROTC coat drive and Prom Dress donations through Norwalk High School.