Q3 2016 – $100,000 Mark!
Q3 meetings were held on August 23rd and 24th. We are very close to reaching 300 members in our chapter! And…we will cross the $100,000 mark in donations after these meetings! Very exciting!
GRATITUDE FOR OUR SPONSORS
Ahwatukee has a new venue sponsor – Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix South Mountain. Jake Romero, Director of Sales, welcomed us with open arms and even recruited a couple of members for us! Rustic Cravings is their onsite restaurant for a bite to eat before the meetings.
Looking for a meeting venue or a place to hold your holiday event? Please consider the Scottsdale Hilton or Four Points by Sheraton. We can put you in touch with the appropriate person.
A BIG THANK YOU to our media sponsors, Foothills Living and North Scottsdale Pulse for featuring our chapter in their July editions. Click on their names to read the articles!
The Ahwatukee Foothills News also published a great article on our chapter in August!
Corporate sponsorships provide us with the necessary funds to cover our administrative costs and donate 100% of our donations to the selected nonprofits. We are beyond grateful for the continued support of Ahwatukee Skin & Laser and Lohman Company for renewing their sponsorships. If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact us.
We had a special visitor at our Scottsdale meeting. Joan Jakel, our art sponsor, lives in Napa and was in town and joined us. Such a treat!
A big THANK YOU goes out to our event photographers as well. Jenni Webb and Colleen Katz of Pictures in Pixels generously donate their time and services to ensure we capture all of the incredible moments at our meetings.
CHARITY IMPACT STATEMENTS
Chandler T.R.A.C. was the Q2 recipient of our Ahwatukee donations. Becky Luccitti shared with us the significant impact our donation of $10,400 made on this summer’s camps for foster kids. The Girl’s camp was held on June 26 – 28 followed by the Boy’s camp on June 29 – July 1, 2016. Our donation allowed the organizers to bring in more and different activities for the campers. The kids had a blast and were able to have fun, build confidence and connect with each other.
Jody Farley-Berens, Founder and Executive Director of Singleton Moms, spoke to our Scottsdale group. Jody explained how Singleton Moms provides day-to-day relief for single parents diagnosed with cancer. “Life does not stop with a cancer diagnosis. The bills still need to be paid and dinner still needs to get onto the table,” Jody shared with us. She reminded us how we often take for granted the little things like having laundry detergent and paper towels in the house. With tears in her eyes, she thanked us for our $8,000 donation. “Your donation is immeasurable. It relieves our single parents of the burden of figuring out how to do and have these things while going through treatment,” Jody gratefully acknowledged.
RANDOM DRAW
Ahwatukee
Banner Neuro Wellness – Debbie Smith described this dynamic and innovative community-based multi-dimensional center for those suffering with Parkinson’s Disease. BNW offers a “Safe Haven” of friendship, exercise, art, dance, education, and support. Banner Neuro Wellness is a state-of-the-art program that complements current medical treatments and therapies for individuals and families who are affected by Parkinson’s disease and other neurological movement disorders. The wellness program can be found in Banner’s Sun City and Gilbert locations.
Nick & Kelly Children’s Heart Fund – Daradee Murray shared how this organization assists Arizona families of children with congenital heart defects and acquired heart disease. Their goal is to minimize the financial and emotional burden on the families and enable the children to enjoy an active and fulfilling life. Each year the Fund organizes and pays for a camp that children ages 7-17 can attend. This camp is one of the few camps with medically trained staff on hand to care for these special-needs kids.
Kyrene Schools Community Foundation – Cindy Sleasman explained how the Foundation provides access to resources including food, clothing and family crisis assistance to Kyrene families in need. The Foundation, through the Kyrene Resource Center, serves approximately 9,000 individuals annually through their resource programs including meals, food boxes, hygiene kits, clothing and school supplies.
Scottsdale
Girls on the Run – Cindy Brown nominated this charity who inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. 1,400 3rd – 8th grade girls are anticipated to participate in 2016.
JDRF – Desert Southwest Chapter – Paula Boca-Bommarito spoke about the charity’s mission to turn Type 1 diabetes into Type None. She described how a donation from our chapter would send local children living with T1D to a special camp that exists specifically to support and benefit them. Children who attend camp gain an immense amount of self-confidence while building valuable friendships with other children living with type 1 diabetes.
Kitchen on the Street – Amy Winski explained how this nonprofit is turning hunger into hope…one child at a time. They provide Bags of Hope which are backpacks that include individually portioned, shelf-stable meals and snacks for in-home weekend consumption. Bags of Hope are distributed at schools on Friday afternoons so children receive food and nutrition outside of school. Each Bag contains 50 grams of protein and 20 grams of fiber, needs no refrigeration, is easily transported home and provides consistent nourishment to a child in need.
AND THE SELECTED CHARITIES ARE…..
Ahwatukee – Nick & Kelly Children’s Heart Fund
Scottsdale – Kitchen on the Street
RAFFLE
God’s Garden Treasures provides beautiful flowers for our raffle each quarter. Karin Crawford, Owner, has a unique and creative approach that we all love. Jacqueline Hufford-Jensen, Ahwatukee, and Jennifer Redman, Scottsdale, took the lovely flowers home.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our chapter is growing and expanding to the West Valley! Thank you to Marnie Cooley and Liz Zelazo for leading the charge. Our launch event is September 15th at the Wigwam. Please invite your friends in the West Valley to join us.
Q4 meetings are October 25th in Ahwatukee, October 26th in Scottsdale and October 27th in the West Valley. Register here. The charity nomination deadline is October 11th.
We are introducing a new app for collecting donations in Q4. Watch for an email with more information!
THANK YOU to Elena and our teen volunteers! They did a great job!
Q3 is complete! See you in two months!