Shoe Box Packing 2014

Please join us for our

5th annual Shoe Box packing party!

Enjoy dinner and an evening with friends, packing Shoe Boxes for

Operation Christmas Child.

Wednesday, Nov 19, 6:30 PM at Mona's house.
You may bring items for packing, but you don’t have to bring anything - just come help pack and have fun! 


Try shopping at thrift stores and dollar stores, or just clean out your cupboards.  Remember everything has to be small enough to fit in a shoe box:

• Toys: Include items that children will immediately embrace such as dolls, toy cars, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, balls, toys that light up and make noise (with extra batteries), etc.
• School Supplies: pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons, markers, notebooks, paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.
• Non-Liquid Hygiene Items: toothbrushes, bar soap, combs, washcloths, etc.
• Accessories: t-shirts, socks, hats, sunglasses, hair clips, jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries), etc.
• A Personal Note: You may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. If you include your name and address, the child may be able to write back.
• Do Not Include: Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; out-of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans.

The donations will be dropped of with Samaritan's Purse and distributed to needy children overseas.  In the past 4 years, we have packed 259 boxes that have gone to Manila, the Philippines, Haiti and Peru.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ 

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world.

Roy's Run 2014

Roy's Run for Christopher in Support of the Michael Hoefflin Foundation

This year Roy ran on the 4th of July to raise money for children's cancer in honor of Christopher Wilke, a 12-year-old boy who recently lost his battle with cancer.

The Burbank Fire Department Burbank Police, Glendale police and Santa Clarita Sheriff assisted by escorting Roy, keeping him safe while running through traffic. 

Burbank City Councilman Jess Talamantes came out to greet him, and ABC Eyewitness news came to interview him.  Other supporters included Boy Scouts Troup 209, Jerry's Deli and many, many more.
 
Read more about it on https://www.facebook.com/events/1424560554487955/

Vistas for Children

T.C. Sales joined us to tell us about Vistas for Children.

"Our mission: To raise funds to help special needs children and to be a system of support for these children and their families."

Vistas for Children is recognized for carefully researching and supporting sound and worthwhile children’s programs, institutions and community projects. 

http://www.vistasforchildren.org/

Living Unity

Rodney Wilson joined us to tell us about his organization Living Unity through Spiritual Ascension Inc.

Mission:  to uplift and empower the hearts, minds & spirits of all people we reach into knowing that loving ourselves and others is the most powerful tool that we have been blessed with.

www.livingunity.org

Rabbit Rescue

I volunteered at

PetSave Foundation

www.petsave.org

A non-profit, no-kill organization committed to the rescue, rehabilitation and placement of domesticated rabbits.  Founded by Bona Tucker, who is dedicated to educating people on responsible pet ownership, and the joys and possibilities of house rabbit companionship.

We cleaned cages, washed vegetables, petted the rabbits and had a lot of fun!  The rabbits really seemed to enjoy the attention.

The Ortega family was their for their first time.  What a great way to have a family outing!

Check out their website to see how you can help by volunteering, donating funds or supplies like old towels, newspapers and large trash bags.

http://www.petsave.org/donate.htm

December Goods Drive

We collected 7 bags of clothing, toiletries, groceries and household items for families in transition at Harbor Interfaith.

Empowering the homeless and working poor to achieve self-sufficiency by providing support services including shelter, transitional housing, food, job placement, advocacy, childcare, education and life-skills training.
http://www.harborinterfaith.org

View their wish list at www.harborinterfaith.org/wish.html‎

Kathy will always accept donations and deliver them to HIS.  You can bring them to any Counterpoint Dinner or drop them off at Bob Bruton Screen Service in Lomita.

 

http://www.bobscreens.com/

Fair Trade Shopping Trip & Brunch

We had a great time at our annual Fair Trade Shopping Trip to Ten Thousand Villages.  It is one of the world's largest fair trade organizations. We enjoyed browsing for Christmas presents through all the unique handmade gifts made by artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East while helping improve the livelihood of artisans in 38 countries.  
http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/

But first, of course we stopped for brunch at Lamill Coffee to get energized!
www.lamillcoffee.com

STEM Advantage Networking Night

November 19, 2013 was Networking Night to Fund STEM Advantage Scholarships

STEM Advantage was founded by a group of business, technology and talent acquisition executives to encourage underserved communities to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through internships, scholarships and one-on-one mentoring.

www.stemadvantage.org

Shoe Box Packing 2013

The Shoe Box Packing was a big success!

We packed 52 boxes,
with toys, shoes, school supplies, toiletries and more!

The donations will be dropped of with Samaritan's Purse and distributed to needy children overseas.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ 

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world.

October Dinner - Where the Heart Is

Wow!  What a moving experience.  Candice showed us her Master's project on the homeless, a film she and team created through her own film company.

Where The Heart Is: a documentary

http://www.agentchill.com/

by Agent Chill Entertainment

Gals Starting Over

We got an update on Holly's new organization:

Gals Starting Over believes that women helping women to build their job search skills and develop their self-confidence is the most effective approach and that creating a positive, supportive community around these women is the most lasting key to their success.
www.galstartingover.vpweb.com

July Dinner - Outreach in Australia

Dave came back from his "mission" in Australia and shared with us photos and the many things he learned while on vacation about efforts to protect the environment down under.  Very informative!

Dave writes:
"I have always been fascinated by Jared Diamond's book 'Collapse' published in 1995, particularly Chapter 13 regarding Australia, so it was interesting to see some of the agricultural and environmental challenges and solutions first hand.  I also observed two parallels to environmental issues in the United States:

1)  The aftermath of a horrific fire in Alpine National Park, similar to the destructive levels of our 1988 Yellowstone conflagration, exposing artificial fire suppression as a failed policy

2)  At the community level, a habitat restoration project that showed native plant issues are much the same in Australia as is California."

Roy's Run 2013

He did it!!

250 Miles for 250 Lives

Many of you met Roy last year after his 24 hour run.  This year he ran 250 miles to raise money for safe water in Ethiopia through Lifewater International.
www.lifewater.org

http://roy-wiegand.com/roysrun/

We had a wonderful time supporting him on one of his days through the amaizing Carrizo Plain, past Soda Lake and into the beautiful Los Padres National Park.  George rode his bicycle alongside Roy all day while I drove the support vehicle, provided supplies and took pictures.

Antarctica

We shared our pictures from our trip to Antarctica (oh my!) 

http://indyjo.smugmug.com/Travel/

And conservation organizations dedicated to the Antarctic:

• Penguins Lifelines
  Researching the threats to Antarctic penguins
  http://www.penguinlifelines.org
• Oceanites
  A science and educational foundation, which intends to foster the conservation of the world’s oceans, islands, and their wildlife
  http://www.oceanites.org/

February Coat Drive & DInner

We collected 12 bags of coats and jackets at our annual coat drive!

Then we sorted them for distribution to

Then we rewarded ourselves with dinner and a glass of wine with good friends.

Care Packages for our Troops Overseas

We sorted and laid out 1,000s of items that will be used to make care packages for our troops overseas through

Blue Star Mothers of America

Items include snacks, toiletries, books, magazines, CDs and lots more!

Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc., is a non-partisan, non-political organization of mothers who now have or have had children honorably serving in the military, supporting each other and our children while promoting patriotism.

Blue Star Mothers Chapter 5 is a military family support organization consisting of military family members and/or friends!

www.bluestarsouthbayla.org

The Shoe Box Packing was a big success!

We packed 47 boxes,
with toys, shoes, school supplies, toiletries and more!

The donations will be dropped of with Samaritan's Purse and distributed to needy children overseas.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ 

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world.

Dinner & Care Packages for our Troops

We enjoyed dinner with friends and sorted through 2 large boxes of donations that will be distributed at our Shoe Box Packing party to

Operation Christmas Child

and care packages for our troops overseas through

Blue Star Mothers of America

Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc., is a non-partisan, non-political organization of mothers who now have or have had children honorably serving in the military, supporting each other and our children while promoting patriotism.

Stella joined us to tell us about Blue Star Mothers Chapter 5 is a military family support organization consisting of military family members and/or friends!

www.bluestarsouthbayla.org

August Dinner - Working Wardrobes

Holly talked about upcoming events to benefit Working Wardrobes and opportunities to help out, including a Financial Literacy workshop, speaker event at El Camino, Fashion Night in El Segundo and fundraiser in the Riviera Village (any one can go shopping for a good cause!).

http://www.workingwardrobes.org

Roy's Run 2012

Roy’s Ridiculous River Run

OK, so this trombone player named Roy Wiegand who likes to run gets this idea to run for 24 hours and raise money for charity.  Everybody thinks he's crazy, but he does it anyway, because he likes to run.

http://roy-wiegand.com/roysrun/2012.html

George and I took the midnight shift to support him.  George rode his bicycle along side him and kept him company while I drove the support vehicle.

KTLA even came out to interview him at 1:00 AM and he made the morning news!

Roy ran 110 mile in 24 hours and finished at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. 

We raised over $5000 for Lifewater International!

Lifewater drills wells for folks who have no access to clean water in some of the poorest places on earth. Makes us realize just how blessed we are...

Check out their good works on

www.lifewater.org/