I'm a big fan of hindsight. I advocate self-reflection and celebrate how all the pieces of life's great puzzle fit together. This is particularly true when it come to this work. We have all brought so many gifts into this medley of divine-directed goodness—goodness that would have gone undone had we all not stepped forward into this leap of faith.
Looking back over the landscape of 2011, I'm flabbergasted by all the we accomplished. This was truly a breakthrough year!
• We delivered our FIRST $50,000 research grant to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, which launched The Kyrie Foundation Tissue Bank Fund! This is precisely what we had set forth to do. Get more research going to cure cancer? Check!
• We welcomed Wendy Wilkinson to our hardworking board of directors! She has been a much appreciated addition to all of the fundraising that our merry band of do-gooders offers to the world.
• Our third annual scrapbooking krop was a sell-out and then some! We also presented our very first Kyrie Foundation awards to several special souls who have initiated even more cancer-curing fundraising and awareness on our behalf.
• We welcomed Amy Nelson to our hardworking board of directors! Amy has been such an enthusiastic inspiration and a well-spring of great ideas for the foundation's future success!
• Never before had I seen such a magnificent work of craftsmanship: The Kyrie Foundation wood-fired grill! Courtesy of Danny Schneider and Kruse Corporation, this thing is smokin'--literally. And now we have so many options for fundraising that wouldn't be possible otherwise.
• We added yet ANOTHER fundraiser to our repertoire: the Kyrie Klassic golf tournament! It was a great morning at Sierra Hills and a happy birthday for one of our most devoted volunteers, Andi.
• In addition to our beautiful bracelets, cookbooks and designer tees, we now have reusable totes, water bottles and hooded sweatshirts!
• Two of our youngest and most loyal supporters swept the Fundraising Challenge at this year's Twilight Walk! Sister-and-brother duo Madison and Mason showed us all how amazing it is when kids help other kids and ... this was our largest grossing Twilight Walk yet!
• We met, shared information and found solidarity with the founder of the new Texas-based Layla Grace Foundation.
• We made it into Pepsi's October Refresh Everything grant contest! A whirlwind of support—everything from school assemblies to new friends at St. Micheal's to a parade float!—catapulted us into the #4 spot! Stay tuned for more info on another chance in 2011!
• Our third-annual Metamorphosis art+gift auction proved to be our highest yielding fundraising EVER! And ... we auctioned off a trip to the 2011 Grammy's!!
• We were graciously chosen as the beneficiaries of the incredible Heart of America Men's Chorus Christmas concert! Which led to ...
• Frosty & Elf Rita had more toys than ever for their annual Christmas visit to Wesley hospital's pediatric floor! And more volunteers than ever, too!
WOW, right? I mean, isn't it amazing how much we can accomplish when we work together? Stunning, absolutely stunning. Another round of heartfelt thanks to all of you who support this endeavor, continue to read this blog, spread the word, boost enthusiasm, make the phone calls, send the e-mails and so much more.
And this being New Year's Eve, a toast to our supporters and especially to my fellow board members: I know this work isn't easy. It doesn't easily fit into schedules. Donations don't come easily. Volunteers are sometimes hard to find. It's isn't easy plowing ahead when none of us have done this before. We have great expectations from ourselves, an attribute born of integrity. We dare to do when the world barely cares. Yet we have all acknowledged at one time or another that those who step forward to care about this cause aren't chosen by us but rather called by Him.
Thank you for being part of the solution, part of the cure. Thank you for putting up with me. Thank you for caring about children you've never met. Thank you for showing how everyone that miracles are made of a million minutes of hard work. Thank you for bringing your best to the table.
Here's to 2011 with The Kyrie Foundation! Cheers!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
A message from Frosty!
Toys are sorted and bagged and ready for Frosty & Elf Rita to deliver to the 33 kiddos who are stuck in the hospital tonite! We had the most donation of toys that we have ever had...WOW! Thank YOU to all of our supporters and contributors!!
Merry Christmas!
luv,
Frosty
Merry Christmas!
luv,
Frosty
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
On the eve of giving.
Packing our bags to jet to Wichita for the big give at Wesley Hospital with Frosty and Elf Rita. My Kyrie Foundation sweatshirt is packed to keep me warm as Jack Frost plans to hitch a ride with us. Another miraculous trip to bestow glad tidings and tokens of cheer to those children who are often forgotten amidst school concerts, family dinners, cookie parties, Toys R Us and pilgrimages to Mall Santa's lap.
The peds floor of a hospital is the place where time and normalcy hang suspended just out of reach, dangling over IV monitors and tension headaches. It is also the place where angels tread, both literally and figuratively. So many good-deed doers have signed on for Frosty's annual visits, visits born out of sheer generosity. Whether it's the time Frosty and Elf Rita spend acquiring and organizing or the time you spend selecting and delivering these surprises, it is generosity in its purest form ... which got me thinking.
As we approach the day when giving is prime, how do you give? What kind of giver are you? And not just on Christmas, but how do you give year-round?
• Do you give out of obligation? Do you give because everyone else at the office is? Are you expected to give a certain item, a certain amount? Obligatory giving takes all the fun out of generosity because it's not really giving at all. It's burdensome dispensation and there's not a lot of love, if any, in it.
• Do you give with consideration to how it will be received? Do you envision the recipient's reaction? And what if you don't get the reaction you imagined? Are you disappointed? Does the recipient's reaction change how you feel about your giving? As if they don't deserve your gift if they don't act the way you think they should?
• Do you give in hopes of reciprocation? Do you give to get? This is always a dangerous route to take especially with all those white elephant gift exchanges. ;) When you give, do you account? Do you judge the value of someone's gift compared to yours?
• Do you give self-righteously? Do you give to show others how you give? Do you give in hopes of praise or lauded thanks? Or even so He sees what you're giving? What if the recipient does not express the adequate amount of thanks? Does that change whether or not the gift should have been given? Does that change your call to give?
Must admit, there have been times when I've been guilty of all of these. The best, though, is when I give freely and full of joy, when I give simply to give, to help, to be the blessing to someone.
• Do you give altruistically? Do you give without expectation, without guilt, without recourse? Do you give joyfully? Cheerfully? Do you give simply to give, be it time, talent or treasure? Can you give even when they don't "deserve" it or when you're not "feeling it?" Are you able to give and let the gift go where it may? Do you give purely?
That's when giving boomerangs into that warm gushy gift that surges right back atcha. Here are a couple of good things to keep in mind this week:
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.
... "abundance for every good deed." So true. A garden from every seed. And that is my Christmas wish for you, that every one of your good deeds blossom beyond your wildest dreams. I know your good deed with The Kyrie Foundation have certainly propelled this cause beyond mine. ;)
Much love and many blessings for a Merry Christmas and an abundant 2011!
The peds floor of a hospital is the place where time and normalcy hang suspended just out of reach, dangling over IV monitors and tension headaches. It is also the place where angels tread, both literally and figuratively. So many good-deed doers have signed on for Frosty's annual visits, visits born out of sheer generosity. Whether it's the time Frosty and Elf Rita spend acquiring and organizing or the time you spend selecting and delivering these surprises, it is generosity in its purest form ... which got me thinking.
As we approach the day when giving is prime, how do you give? What kind of giver are you? And not just on Christmas, but how do you give year-round?
• Do you give out of obligation? Do you give because everyone else at the office is? Are you expected to give a certain item, a certain amount? Obligatory giving takes all the fun out of generosity because it's not really giving at all. It's burdensome dispensation and there's not a lot of love, if any, in it.
• Do you give with consideration to how it will be received? Do you envision the recipient's reaction? And what if you don't get the reaction you imagined? Are you disappointed? Does the recipient's reaction change how you feel about your giving? As if they don't deserve your gift if they don't act the way you think they should?
• Do you give in hopes of reciprocation? Do you give to get? This is always a dangerous route to take especially with all those white elephant gift exchanges. ;) When you give, do you account? Do you judge the value of someone's gift compared to yours?
• Do you give self-righteously? Do you give to show others how you give? Do you give in hopes of praise or lauded thanks? Or even so He sees what you're giving? What if the recipient does not express the adequate amount of thanks? Does that change whether or not the gift should have been given? Does that change your call to give?
Must admit, there have been times when I've been guilty of all of these. The best, though, is when I give freely and full of joy, when I give simply to give, to help, to be the blessing to someone.
• Do you give altruistically? Do you give without expectation, without guilt, without recourse? Do you give joyfully? Cheerfully? Do you give simply to give, be it time, talent or treasure? Can you give even when they don't "deserve" it or when you're not "feeling it?" Are you able to give and let the gift go where it may? Do you give purely?
That's when giving boomerangs into that warm gushy gift that surges right back atcha. Here are a couple of good things to keep in mind this week:
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.
... "abundance for every good deed." So true. A garden from every seed. And that is my Christmas wish for you, that every one of your good deeds blossom beyond your wildest dreams. I know your good deed with The Kyrie Foundation have certainly propelled this cause beyond mine. ;)
Much love and many blessings for a Merry Christmas and an abundant 2011!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
And a big thank you
to our HOAMC volunteers!
Diane Smith, Courtnee Widler and Steph Duemmel!
Thank you SO much for working to make this event so good—so good for so many children and their families who will never know all of your efforts. WE know and we're so blessed to have you in our corner. THANK YOU to all of the talented singers in Heart of America Men's Chorus, the director, choreographers, the stage crew, the staff and all of the guests. You all, Frosty & Elf Rita truly embody the Christmas spirit!
Diane Smith, Courtnee Widler and Steph Duemmel!
Thank you SO much for working to make this event so good—so good for so many children and their families who will never know all of your efforts. WE know and we're so blessed to have you in our corner. THANK YOU to all of the talented singers in Heart of America Men's Chorus, the director, choreographers, the stage crew, the staff and all of the guests. You all, Frosty & Elf Rita truly embody the Christmas spirit!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Gifts, gifts, gifts!
Apologies for the absence! So much going on--as I'm sure you all can relate.
First off, we still want to share all the photos from the big art auction last month and are waiting on the photographer's schedule.
Secondly, a HUGE thank you to the Heart of America Men's Chorus! The vocal talent was tremendous and we feel incredibly honored to be the beneficiaries of your spirited generosity.
And look at all these FANTASTIC DONATIONS for Frosty and Elf Rita's trip to the hospital next week! Oh my! Can you believe it? Such joy at seeing this photo, such bubbly joy and gratitude to everyone who thought enough of a hospitalized child to share a toy. THANK YOU!
And we hope that you buy your gasoline at QuikTrip because ... they've donated 25 $25 giftcards for the Wesley visit too!! I just love QuikTrip for this and for their cappuccino. ;)
If you would like to get in on all the good feelings of giving, Frosty says they could still use $10 McDonald's giftcards and plain, ol' cash. Frosty uses the cash to purchase items which may be short each year, like teen gifts and giftcards for parents. If you would like to donate these items please shoot an e-mail to Frosty (SusanEckel@shelleyelectric.com) to let her know. She'd love to have these items before Friday this week in order to get organized for the big trip next week.
I may not have to type this but it's worth remembering that when a child is in the hospital for Christmas, that means that the parents are there, too. If you think about how busy you are preparing, shopping, wrapping, baking, celebrating, etc., think about if you had to be at the hospital with your child, too. And what about your other children? Or family? Or work? Or bills? Or just getting laundry done? I know, right?
Frosty and Elf Rita's trip is so special because they think about the whole family--everyone in that hospital room is included. Many of these families are so tapped out by bills and shock that this visit is the only bright spot in a long and scary journey. The adults are often left speechless at your generosity. Frosty and Elf Rita also leave gifts to give to children who they know will be admitted after their visit, trying to brighten a moment for absolutely everyone during this time of year. Hope you get a chance to be a part of this tremendous act of generosity!
Monday, November 29, 2010
It's beginning to look a lot
like the most wonderful time of the year. How's that for a Monday mash-up? Nothing puts me in the holiday spirit like a live Christmas concert. I really feel like the quinessential Christmas spirit is truly embodied in these kinds of events. Why? Because you have people giving you their talent--something you can't just buy off they shelf. They create it for you right in front of your eyes, your ears.
This gift is all any of us truly have to give, which is ourselves.
This year HOAMC is giving to little children with brain tumors, too. That's right! The Heart of America Men's Chorus is donating a portion of their concert proceeds to The Kyrie Foundation!!!
Here's a very important part of the shows: please bring a new, unwrapped toy suitable for a hospitalized child or teen for Frosty & Elf Rita's annual trip to Wesley Hospital. Just bring it with you to whichever concert you attend.
Their ticket outlet is at Creative Awards at 2801 E Douglas in Wichita from 9a-6p Mon-Fri and 10a-2p on Saturday. The ticket outlet can be reached by phone at (316) 652-0926. Orders can also be left on the Heart of America Chorus phone (316) 708-4837, although this number isn't usually answered and is mostly used to take messages.
Please make plans to attend one of these shows with your family! These voices are truly treasures of Kansas!
This gift is all any of us truly have to give, which is ourselves.
This year HOAMC is giving to little children with brain tumors, too. That's right! The Heart of America Men's Chorus is donating a portion of their concert proceeds to The Kyrie Foundation!!!
Saturday, December 4th, 7pm
Sunday, December 5th, 4pm
Plymouth Congregational Church, 202 N. Clifton, Wichita KS
Children 12 and under free with paid adult admission! Click here for ticket information.
And get this: Kyrie Foundation supporters can reserve concert tickets at a discounted rate at their ticket outlet (and can pick tickets up at the "will-call" table at the concert). Just tell the ticket outlet that you are a Kyrie Foundation supporter and you'll get a $3 discount off the regular $18 price. Just $15!!!!!!!
Here's a very important part of the shows: please bring a new, unwrapped toy suitable for a hospitalized child or teen for Frosty & Elf Rita's annual trip to Wesley Hospital. Just bring it with you to whichever concert you attend.
Their ticket outlet is at Creative Awards at 2801 E Douglas in Wichita from 9a-6p Mon-Fri and 10a-2p on Saturday. The ticket outlet can be reached by phone at (316) 652-0926. Orders can also be left on the Heart of America Chorus phone (316) 708-4837, although this number isn't usually answered and is mostly used to take messages.
Please make plans to attend one of these shows with your family! These voices are truly treasures of Kansas!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Prayers please.
If you were at the 2010 Twilight Walk or the Metamorphosis 2010, you would have seen the video that included little Lucy Weber's story, her battle with a malignant brain tumor. Hers is a story of true herosim in a tiny little body. She celebrated her first birthday in the operating room and overcame so many medical procedures, obstacles and treatments. A trooper through and through.
On Saturday, Lucy received her wings.
Her family could really use your prayers and support. Services are this evening in Lenexa, but if you feel inclined to send up a purple balloon, her parents are asking those who do to post their photos on their Facebook page.
For all of us with The Kyrie Foundation, we know this. We feel this. We're in a puddle for this family. Lucy is precisely the reason why we do what we do. It's why you're invited to the Heart of America Men's Chorus Concert. It's why Frosty & Elf Rita are planning their annual visit to Wesley. It's why we're looking for volunteers to help plan for 2011. It's easy to categorize an "event" as just that. An event is never that to us. Everything we do has a child like Lucy, like Kyrie, like Ethan, like Anna, like Frances watching over us.
So please, as you're offering thanks tomorrow with your family, please include the Webers. Please send a card to them or do something good in honor of Lucy or The Kyrie Foundation this weekend with your family. And please remember to count your blessings. We certainly count Lucy as one of ours.
On Saturday, Lucy received her wings.
Her family could really use your prayers and support. Services are this evening in Lenexa, but if you feel inclined to send up a purple balloon, her parents are asking those who do to post their photos on their Facebook page.
For all of us with The Kyrie Foundation, we know this. We feel this. We're in a puddle for this family. Lucy is precisely the reason why we do what we do. It's why you're invited to the Heart of America Men's Chorus Concert. It's why Frosty & Elf Rita are planning their annual visit to Wesley. It's why we're looking for volunteers to help plan for 2011. It's easy to categorize an "event" as just that. An event is never that to us. Everything we do has a child like Lucy, like Kyrie, like Ethan, like Anna, like Frances watching over us.
So please, as you're offering thanks tomorrow with your family, please include the Webers. Please send a card to them or do something good in honor of Lucy or The Kyrie Foundation this weekend with your family. And please remember to count your blessings. We certainly count Lucy as one of ours.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Heart of America Men's Chorus Christmas Fundraiser!
The Kyrie Foundation is the proud beneficiary of the 2010 "All I Want for Christmas" concert performed by the Heart of America Men's Chorus in Wichita! We are so honored to have been chosen for this event, and you should know this vocal organization's mission is also benefit the community in which they live. They care enough to help others, and we are tremendously grateful for their generous spirits and sublime talent.
Here's a bit about the big show:
Saturday, December 4th, 7pm
Sunday, December 5th, 4pm
Plymouth Congregational Church, 202 N. Clifton, Wichita KS
Children 12 and under free with paid adult admission! Click here for ticket information.
Featuring special guest Tom Frye as Murry the Elf
What happens when a wayward elf, down on his luck, crash lands in the middle of our Holiday celebration? A show filled with fun, laughter, surprises and some great music.
Join HOAMC as we kick off our ninth season with a Holiday show filled with fun and light-hearted music. This show is a perfect family outing and well suited for adults, children, the young at heart, and those of you longing to put the sparkle back into your holiday.
Kyrie Foundation supporters can reserve concert tickets at a discounted rate at their ticket outlet (and can pick tickets up at the "will-call" table at the concert). Just tell the ticket outlet that you are a Kyrie Foundation supporter and you'll get a $3 discount off the regular $18 price. So just $15 to ring in the season with some of the most talented voices in Wichita! Children under 12 are free with a paid adult.
AND ... we'd love it if you could bring a new, unwrapped toy suitable for a hospitalized child or teen for Frosty & Elf Rita's annual trip to Wesley Hospital. Just bring it with you to whichever concert you attend.
Their ticket outlet is at Creative Awards at 2801 E Douglas in Wichita from 9a-6p Mon-Fri and 10a-2p on Saturday. The ticket outlet can be reached by phone at (316) 652-0926. Orders can also be left on the Heart of America Chorus phone (316) 708-4837, although this number isn't usually answered and is mostly used to take messages.
What a lovely way to kick off the holiday season, eh?
Here's a bit about the big show:
Sunday, December 5th, 4pm
Plymouth Congregational Church, 202 N. Clifton, Wichita KS
Children 12 and under free with paid adult admission! Click here for ticket information.
Featuring special guest Tom Frye as Murry the Elf
What happens when a wayward elf, down on his luck, crash lands in the middle of our Holiday celebration? A show filled with fun, laughter, surprises and some great music.
Join HOAMC as we kick off our ninth season with a Holiday show filled with fun and light-hearted music. This show is a perfect family outing and well suited for adults, children, the young at heart, and those of you longing to put the sparkle back into your holiday.
Kyrie Foundation supporters can reserve concert tickets at a discounted rate at their ticket outlet (and can pick tickets up at the "will-call" table at the concert). Just tell the ticket outlet that you are a Kyrie Foundation supporter and you'll get a $3 discount off the regular $18 price. So just $15 to ring in the season with some of the most talented voices in Wichita! Children under 12 are free with a paid adult.
AND ... we'd love it if you could bring a new, unwrapped toy suitable for a hospitalized child or teen for Frosty & Elf Rita's annual trip to Wesley Hospital. Just bring it with you to whichever concert you attend.
Their ticket outlet is at Creative Awards at 2801 E Douglas in Wichita from 9a-6p Mon-Fri and 10a-2p on Saturday. The ticket outlet can be reached by phone at (316) 652-0926. Orders can also be left on the Heart of America Chorus phone (316) 708-4837, although this number isn't usually answered and is mostly used to take messages.
What a lovely way to kick off the holiday season, eh?
Monday, November 15, 2010
So much to report!
First off--this event was a smashing success! Even with the buckets of rain pouring outside, Metamorphosis 2010 proved to be our largest grossing event to date! So much to tell you about that I need a sec to collect all the thoughts and ideas and moments. Look for another post tonight or tomorrow.
In the meantime, know that we are inside-out with gratitude to our artists, our sponsors and our guests. ;)
In the meantime, know that we are inside-out with gratitude to our artists, our sponsors and our guests. ;)
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Metamorphosis 2010!
So I've been so busy getting ready for this Friday that I haven't had a chance to tell you all about it!
Today, let's talk about the people who are making this event possible. This is the third year in a row that Studio 2131 has generously let us take over the place for this event. We love it because it's a beautiful urban venue with the hanging system in place to display art. No holes hammered into walls! Plus, they are just really good people. This is actually David Morris' photography studio, a great photographer were lucky to have here in the metro.
The space will be decked out courtesy of Ladybird Styling, a new local business created to help you restyle your life. Be it revamping what's already in your closet, rearranging your furniture, helping you shop for the right stuff or stylizing an event, Ladybird can be your fairy godmother. And ... they're donating a closet re-do, so win this and you could have a whole new look in 2011. ;)
Tuesday Spray has once again womaned our event logo and signage designs this year. I love being able to count on her for a) awesome promotion of the event and b) for getting others to take notice of the cause through her artistic talent. She, too, will have artwork there on Friday on which to bid. Lucky us. Lucky you.
Bendet Photography will once again be on hand to capture moments of Metamorphosis 2010. Chris has been a willing participant since day 1, three years ago. He has given us the means to share this event through what he photographs. He is an incredible donor who has been an advocate for this cause simply because he's a daddy. He knows what's at stake. For that, we thank him profoundly.
Karen Schotsch has handmade deliciously beautiful butterfly cookies for us each year, and this year is no exception. It's one of my most favorite things about Metamorphosis. She also volunteers her time along with our friend Michelle to spearhead the catering activities the night of the event. She and Michelle take great pride in making sure our guests have a yummy experience. Please say hi when you see 'em Friday night.
Sara Swenson has generously agreed to share her musical talent Friday night! We are thrilled to have her! This year, as Lilith Fair came to Kansas City, Sara was selected as one of the opening acts--can you believe it? We were introduced to her music through our friend Kelly, and the first time I heard her sing, I was a puddle. The song, her voice, the words--so beautiful and one song in particular had extra special meaning to us. Can't wait to spend Friday night with you, Sara!
Speaking of Kelly, Kelly Jackson of Kelly Jackson Photography, along with Dana Melton, Susan Jackson, Kristi Swob and our Chad did a bang-up job this year procuring donations. Seriously, 99% of the gift items offered this year is because of the work of this handful of people. This event wouldn't be happening without them.
And so what about the noshes and bevvies, you ask? Well, the generosity of Whole Foods Market on Metcalf continues to amaze us. Please, if you're in there checking out, please ask the cashier to extend thanks to the higher-ups for sponsoring this event. This year: a trifecta of gourmet, organic autumn soups will hand— Roasted Tomato Basil, Chicken Tortilla and Apple Butternut Squash.
Once again Sunset Grill supports this event in astounding ways. Their chopped salad will be yours for the tasting, and their philanthropy has also provided the red and white vino for Friday night. A toast to Sunset Grill in Overland Park! Hurrah!
One day a couple of weeks ago, we got an amazing call. From Cabot Creamery. Out of the blue. Based in Vermont, their regional rep called to offer us their delicious, top-of-the-line cheeses for our event. Seriously?!? I've watched enough America's Test Kitchen to know that Cabot consistently comes out on top in their taste tests. So, know that I will be buying Cabot cheese for the rest of my life. I hope you will, too.
Panera Bread and Clock Tower Bakery are all set to donate their fresh-baked goodness, too. For me, a good bread is hard to find, so when two of the best offer their wares, we consider ourselves very, very lucky. Enjoy it with me on Friday night!
On tap for local brewery will be Flying Monkey. Isn't the Wizard of Oz reference fun? ;) Fresh, local and good--all things we love. We thank them and Boulevard Brewery for providing quench to Friday night's thirst. A toast to them both! Hurrah!'
We've heard that some of you have seen Karli Ritter talk about the event on her weather reports for WDAF Fox-4! Yay! And 810 Sports Radio is also giving away tickets to the event! Yay! We love it when people help spread the word. Big thanks for making others aware of an easy way to do big good.
So that's the rundown. Can't wait to share some of the artist with you, too!
Today, let's talk about the people who are making this event possible. This is the third year in a row that Studio 2131 has generously let us take over the place for this event. We love it because it's a beautiful urban venue with the hanging system in place to display art. No holes hammered into walls! Plus, they are just really good people. This is actually David Morris' photography studio, a great photographer were lucky to have here in the metro.
The space will be decked out courtesy of Ladybird Styling, a new local business created to help you restyle your life. Be it revamping what's already in your closet, rearranging your furniture, helping you shop for the right stuff or stylizing an event, Ladybird can be your fairy godmother. And ... they're donating a closet re-do, so win this and you could have a whole new look in 2011. ;)
Bendet Photography will once again be on hand to capture moments of Metamorphosis 2010. Chris has been a willing participant since day 1, three years ago. He has given us the means to share this event through what he photographs. He is an incredible donor who has been an advocate for this cause simply because he's a daddy. He knows what's at stake. For that, we thank him profoundly.
Karen Schotsch has handmade deliciously beautiful butterfly cookies for us each year, and this year is no exception. It's one of my most favorite things about Metamorphosis. She also volunteers her time along with our friend Michelle to spearhead the catering activities the night of the event. She and Michelle take great pride in making sure our guests have a yummy experience. Please say hi when you see 'em Friday night.
Sara Swenson has generously agreed to share her musical talent Friday night! We are thrilled to have her! This year, as Lilith Fair came to Kansas City, Sara was selected as one of the opening acts--can you believe it? We were introduced to her music through our friend Kelly, and the first time I heard her sing, I was a puddle. The song, her voice, the words--so beautiful and one song in particular had extra special meaning to us. Can't wait to spend Friday night with you, Sara!
Speaking of Kelly, Kelly Jackson of Kelly Jackson Photography, along with Dana Melton, Susan Jackson, Kristi Swob and our Chad did a bang-up job this year procuring donations. Seriously, 99% of the gift items offered this year is because of the work of this handful of people. This event wouldn't be happening without them.
And so what about the noshes and bevvies, you ask? Well, the generosity of Whole Foods Market on Metcalf continues to amaze us. Please, if you're in there checking out, please ask the cashier to extend thanks to the higher-ups for sponsoring this event. This year: a trifecta of gourmet, organic autumn soups will hand— Roasted Tomato Basil, Chicken Tortilla and Apple Butternut Squash.
Once again Sunset Grill supports this event in astounding ways. Their chopped salad will be yours for the tasting, and their philanthropy has also provided the red and white vino for Friday night. A toast to Sunset Grill in Overland Park! Hurrah!
One day a couple of weeks ago, we got an amazing call. From Cabot Creamery. Out of the blue. Based in Vermont, their regional rep called to offer us their delicious, top-of-the-line cheeses for our event. Seriously?!? I've watched enough America's Test Kitchen to know that Cabot consistently comes out on top in their taste tests. So, know that I will be buying Cabot cheese for the rest of my life. I hope you will, too.
Panera Bread and Clock Tower Bakery are all set to donate their fresh-baked goodness, too. For me, a good bread is hard to find, so when two of the best offer their wares, we consider ourselves very, very lucky. Enjoy it with me on Friday night!
On tap for local brewery will be Flying Monkey. Isn't the Wizard of Oz reference fun? ;) Fresh, local and good--all things we love. We thank them and Boulevard Brewery for providing quench to Friday night's thirst. A toast to them both! Hurrah!'
We've heard that some of you have seen Karli Ritter talk about the event on her weather reports for WDAF Fox-4! Yay! And 810 Sports Radio is also giving away tickets to the event! Yay! We love it when people help spread the word. Big thanks for making others aware of an easy way to do big good.
So that's the rundown. Can't wait to share some of the artist with you, too!
Monday, November 1, 2010
So much thanks for your votes!
We're so proud of all of you! So humbled to know that your support put The Kyrie Foundation in the top 5 when other bigger and more tenured organizations couldn't quite muster what you all did. People organizing mass texts at Halloween parties, organizing all-school assemblies, passing out flyers, sending daily e-mails, organizing parade floats, posting all over Facebook, asking workgroups and companies to send out e-mails and so many more phenomenal ideas—all of which catapulted us to the #4 position among over 1,100 national ideas. We are still stunned at the incredible outpouring of support—support that extended beyond our imagination to reach families who understand all too well the importance of our work to raise research funds that will someday cure children's brain cancer.
Even though. we defended #4 and finished near the top two, we did fall short by a mere two spots to be awarded the $250K grant for the month of October. Looking back, know that we did everything we could think of, everything for which we could get approval, to get all the support we could. Oh, the journey. Oh, the enlightenment when you're working with others. It was a tough decision, but we've decided to take a breather from the Pepsi competition, even though Pepsi rolls over those ideas that make it into the top 100. However ... we are planning to re-enter the competition in a couple of months with other organizations who have already contacted us about partnering them in the future. This means keep thinking, keep imagining ways to promote the vote because a few months will pass quickly, and you'll be receiving these e-mails again!
The strangest thing about this kind of competition is that it's as much about what isn't done as what is. What we don't do makes just as much of an impact as what we decide to do. It's all about the little decisions, isn't it? How we decide to spend 60 seconds, if we decide to take action, if we decide to ask other to vote, if we decide to text a vote instead of send an LOL text, if we decide to just DO something instead of yield to apathy. That's what makes all the difference in making the world better, in making your life meaningful.
For us, it was never about the money. It was always about the children. That's why we continue to do what we do in spite of the million different obstacles we face to procure donations, to find volunteers and to get others to care about cancer in little brains. We're not going to stop, and we hope you don't either.
p.s.
Don't forget to join us for Metamorphosis 2010, our third-annual art+gift auction in Kansas City!
p.p.s.
Our friends at 3 Ring Ranch in Hawaii are competing again this month and could use each and every vote.
Even though. we defended #4 and finished near the top two, we did fall short by a mere two spots to be awarded the $250K grant for the month of October. Looking back, know that we did everything we could think of, everything for which we could get approval, to get all the support we could. Oh, the journey. Oh, the enlightenment when you're working with others. It was a tough decision, but we've decided to take a breather from the Pepsi competition, even though Pepsi rolls over those ideas that make it into the top 100. However ... we are planning to re-enter the competition in a couple of months with other organizations who have already contacted us about partnering them in the future. This means keep thinking, keep imagining ways to promote the vote because a few months will pass quickly, and you'll be receiving these e-mails again!
The strangest thing about this kind of competition is that it's as much about what isn't done as what is. What we don't do makes just as much of an impact as what we decide to do. It's all about the little decisions, isn't it? How we decide to spend 60 seconds, if we decide to take action, if we decide to ask other to vote, if we decide to text a vote instead of send an LOL text, if we decide to just DO something instead of yield to apathy. That's what makes all the difference in making the world better, in making your life meaningful.
For us, it was never about the money. It was always about the children. That's why we continue to do what we do in spite of the million different obstacles we face to procure donations, to find volunteers and to get others to care about cancer in little brains. We're not going to stop, and we hope you don't either.
p.s.
Don't forget to join us for Metamorphosis 2010, our third-annual art+gift auction in Kansas City!
p.p.s.
Our friends at 3 Ring Ranch in Hawaii are competing again this month and could use each and every vote.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Last day to VOTE!
What a month, eh? We are so thankful for all of your support over the past month. It's been truly incredible to see so many people do whatever they could to encourage others to care enough to click! No matter what, we have made new friends, and now, more people than ever know about the importance of the foundation you support. Thank you. Thank you so much.
We're still at #4 this morning, and with all the flipping and flopping that has happened in these categories, we obviously have a strong and steadfast group that is defending our position! Pepsi does audit voting. Apparently last month, a couple ideas were tossed out at the last-second for cheating--so there is still a chance. ;)
PLEASE NOTE: Even though it's the last day, your vote is CRUCIAL, especially to our friends in the $50K category. A couple are dangerously close to missing out. They've provided tremendous support to The Kyrie Foundation, so please be sure to cast votes especially for St. Michael the Archangel School, Three Ring Ranch, Tuscon Nursery School.
Please visit St. Michael's voting site, www.smawin.com, where you can vote for The Kyrie Foundation AND OUR PARTNERS ALL 3 WAYS TODAY!
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
So today, please cast your votes for Kyrie, Ethan, Taya, Anna, Kate, Lucy, Max, Alexander, Julian and all the other children who still need us to do this work.
We're still at #4 this morning, and with all the flipping and flopping that has happened in these categories, we obviously have a strong and steadfast group that is defending our position! Pepsi does audit voting. Apparently last month, a couple ideas were tossed out at the last-second for cheating--so there is still a chance. ;)
PLEASE NOTE: Even though it's the last day, your vote is CRUCIAL, especially to our friends in the $50K category. A couple are dangerously close to missing out. They've provided tremendous support to The Kyrie Foundation, so please be sure to cast votes especially for St. Michael the Archangel School, Three Ring Ranch, Tuscon Nursery School.
Please visit St. Michael's voting site, www.smawin.com, where you can vote for The Kyrie Foundation AND OUR PARTNERS ALL 3 WAYS TODAY!
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
103090 - St Michael the Archangel School
103073 - Three Ring Ranch
102961 - The Arizona Center for Responsible Fatherhood (ACRF)
102429 - Tucson Nursery School
103048 - Somtech Recycling
103061 - Outer Limits School
102833 - Jobs for Arizona's Graduates (JAG)
100220 - Parks and Rec Nanty Glo
100879 - Erin's Dream
100879 - Erin's Dream
2) Facebook App voting here:
erins ring.ranch somtech tns acrf leawood outer kyrie kyrie jobs.jag nanty
You'll be able to see all 10 partners' ideas at once with The Kyrie Foundation at the top.3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
So today, please cast your votes for Kyrie, Ethan, Taya, Anna, Kate, Lucy, Max, Alexander, Julian and all the other children who still need us to do this work.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Keep up the WEEKEND VOTING!
You just never know. ;)
That's what one of our veteran voting partners told us. Votes get audited. Ideas get investigated. And there has been game-changing, last-second changes in past months. So ... Like I mentioned ideas have voting strategies of their own this weekend, so if you're at a party, can you get everyone to text? Or send out a Happy Halloween e-mail with the treat being to cure kids with brain cancer?
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774 (Pepsi's mobile number)
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
AND PLEASE keep voting The Kyrie Foundation today and tomorrow! Plus, our friends and St. Michael's really need our help. They were at #1 int he $50K category for weeks then slipped to #2. Today we see them at #3! That's how quickly things can happen.
That's what one of our veteran voting partners told us. Votes get audited. Ideas get investigated. And there has been game-changing, last-second changes in past months. So ... Like I mentioned ideas have voting strategies of their own this weekend, so if you're at a party, can you get everyone to text? Or send out a Happy Halloween e-mail with the treat being to cure kids with brain cancer?
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774 (Pepsi's mobile number)
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
AND PLEASE keep voting The Kyrie Foundation today and tomorrow! Plus, our friends and St. Michael's really need our help. They were at #1 int he $50K category for weeks then slipped to #2. Today we see them at #3! That's how quickly things can happen.
Please visit St. Michael's site to vote ALL 3 WAYS for them, us and our partners! www.smawin.com
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Let's make today Partner Day!
Remember you get 10 votes a day to spend with the Pepsi Refresh Project! This means that you can support those ideas that are also supporting us. For the past several weeks, we've had a team of ideas work together to help each other through this competition. Our local partner, St. Michael the Archangel school in Leawood, KS, has been #1 in the $50K category for a long time and has slipped to #2, so we need to do all we can to bring them and our other partners up, up and up!
Please visit their voting site, www.smawin.com, where you can vote for The Kyrie Foundation AND our partners ALL 3 WAYS TODAY!
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
Please visit their voting site, www.smawin.com, where you can vote for The Kyrie Foundation AND our partners ALL 3 WAYS TODAY!
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
103090 - St Michael the Archangel School
103073 - Three Ring Ranch
102961 - The Arizona Center for Responsible Fatherhood (ACRF)
102429 - Tucson Nursery School
103048 - Somtech Recycling
103061 - Outer Limits School
102833 - Jobs for Arizona's Graduates (JAG)
100220 - Parks and Rec Nanty Glo
100879 - Erin's Dream
100879 - Erin's Dream
2) Facebook App voting here:
erins ring.ranch somtech tns acrf leawood outer kyrie kyrie jobs.jag nanty
You'll be able to see all 10 partners' ideas at once with The Kyrie Foundation at the top.3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Just keep voting!
I am beyond delirium at this point. ;) Up for too long. Trying so hard. Think and wondering, hoping and praying. I can tell that this month's journey has been highly enlightening to understand human dynamics, motivation, intent and goodness. I could write a mini tell-all best-seller!
All we ask is that you just keep doing what we know to be true and hold fast to that which is good.
Remember, we need you to vote these 3 ways EVERY DAY until October 31:
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
All we ask is that you just keep doing what we know to be true and hold fast to that which is good.
Remember, we need you to vote these 3 ways EVERY DAY until October 31:
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
103090 - St Michael the Archangel School
103073 - Three Ring Ranch
102961 - The Arizona Center for Responsible Fatherhood (ACRF)
102429 - Tucson Nursery School
103048 - Somtech Recycling
103061 - Outer Limits School
102833 - Jobs for Arizona's Graduates (JAG)
100220 - Parks and Rec Nanty Glo
100879 - Erin's Dream
100879 - Erin's Dream
2) Facebook App voting here:
erins ring.ranch somtech tns acrf leawood outer kyrie kyrie jobs.jag nanty
You'll be able to see all 10 partners' ideas at once with The Kyrie Foundation at the top.3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
With the race getting hotter,
we're holding in 4th PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And we have 8 days to go!!!!!!!!!!! Woo-HOO!!!!!
BIG THANKS to all of our enthusiastic volunteers who made sure everyone at the Fall Festival knew about the vote. The float looks great--filled with kiddos!!!!!!
We also discovered this Facebook video, which Mimi agreed to share with us. The same morning we share this powerful video—the reason why we're fighting so hard for attention & votes—we learn the little Alexander met Kyrie yesterday morning, too. Our hearts ache for Alexander's family. For me, it reignites the fervor with which we need to make sure potential voters know how important each click is.
We've got a big job ahead of us this week, but I'm confident that we've climbed this far for a reason. Let's take it to the top!!!!!!
Remember, we need you to vote these 3 ways EVERY DAY until October 31:
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
BIG THANKS to all of our enthusiastic volunteers who made sure everyone at the Fall Festival knew about the vote. The float looks great--filled with kiddos!!!!!!
We also discovered this Facebook video, which Mimi agreed to share with us. The same morning we share this powerful video—the reason why we're fighting so hard for attention & votes—we learn the little Alexander met Kyrie yesterday morning, too. Our hearts ache for Alexander's family. For me, it reignites the fervor with which we need to make sure potential voters know how important each click is.
We've got a big job ahead of us this week, but I'm confident that we've climbed this far for a reason. Let's take it to the top!!!!!!
Remember, we need you to vote these 3 ways EVERY DAY until October 31:
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
103090 - St Michael the Archangel School
103073 - Three Ring Ranch
102961 - The Arizona Center for Responsible Fatherhood (ACRF)
102429 - Tucson Nursery School
103048 - Somtech Recycling
103061 - Outer Limits School
102833 - Jobs for Arizona's Graduates (JAG)
100220 - Parks and Rec Nanty Glo
100879 - Erin's Dream
100879 - Erin's Dream
2) Facebook App voting here:
erins ring.ranch somtech tns acrf leawood outer kyrie kyrie jobs.jag nanty
You'll be able to see all 10 partners' ideas at once with The Kyrie Foundation at the top.3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
When kids help kids ...
Have I told you how much we love that? And who knew that kids with their cell phones could be such a powerful force for good!
4th PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ginormous thanks to Andover Central High School!!!
And the person responsible for Go, Kyrie, Go Day?!? She rallied the troops in more way than she could ever know.
Thank you, Shelley Electric, for you incredible support!!!
4th PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ginormous thanks to Andover Central High School!!!
And the person responsible for Go, Kyrie, Go Day?!? She rallied the troops in more way than she could ever know.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Go, Kyrie, Go Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7th PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your votes and my votes and their votes are really working! THANK YOU! Just 5 more spots to really change the world!
The lovely Easter Bunny/Frosty/Dorothy, who organizes all of those great toy trips to Wesley hospital each season, designated Wednesday, October 20 as Go, Kyrie, Go! Day!!!!! So what does that mean?
• wear any Kyrie Foundation tee you may have from an event or our official designer tees.
• tell anyone & everyone about the vote, thank those who have and remind them to keep it up.
• print and pass out flyers from a couple weeks ago. This could be at tonight's ball game, at your bunco group, at happy hour, at the mall, at Wal-Mart, at dance practice, at the office, around the neighborhood—whatever idea you can dream up.
Your votes and my votes and their votes are really working! THANK YOU! Just 5 more spots to really change the world!
The lovely Easter Bunny/Frosty/Dorothy, who organizes all of those great toy trips to Wesley hospital each season, designated Wednesday, October 20 as Go, Kyrie, Go! Day!!!!! So what does that mean?
• wear any Kyrie Foundation tee you may have from an event or our official designer tees.
• tell anyone & everyone about the vote, thank those who have and remind them to keep it up.
• print and pass out flyers from a couple weeks ago. This could be at tonight's ball game, at your bunco group, at happy hour, at the mall, at Wal-Mart, at dance practice, at the office, around the neighborhood—whatever idea you can dream up.
• get a group to text vote all at once--the more the merrier!
• leave a comment on the EK Success Brands Facebook page and the Spotted Canary Facebook page in the week of 10/15-10/22, and we'll earn $1 per comment!
Remember, we need you to vote these 3 ways EVERY DAY until October 31:
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
Okay, team, we really are the little charity that could here. So the friends who you know haven't voted yet? October 20 is the day to help them change that.
• leave a comment on the EK Success Brands Facebook page and the Spotted Canary Facebook page in the week of 10/15-10/22, and we'll earn $1 per comment!
Remember, we need you to vote these 3 ways EVERY DAY until October 31:
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
103090 - St Michael the Archangel School
103073 - Three Ring Ranch
102961 - The Arizona Center for Responsible Fatherhood (ACRF)
102429 - Tucson Nursery School
103048 - Somtech Recycling
103061 - Outer Limits School
102833 - Jobs for Arizona's Graduates (JAG)
100220 - Parks and Rec Nanty Glo
100879 - Erin's Dream
100879 - Erin's Dream
2) Facebook App voting here:
erins ring.ranch somtech tns acrf leawood outer kyrie kyrie jobs.jag nanty
You'll be able to see all 10 partners' ideas at once with The Kyrie Foundation at the top.3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
Okay, team, we really are the little charity that could here. So the friends who you know haven't voted yet? October 20 is the day to help them change that.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Just 10 more spots to climb because
we're in 12th place!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU to everyone who keeps sending out the word to your e-mail friends, Facebook friends, work friends, passing out flyers, getting everyone to take out their cell phones —it's all working for our group! So many ideas in the partnership really made upward strides this week thanks to everybody supporting everybody else. Isn't that the epitome of goodness?
Remember you can vote 3 ways EVERY DAY:
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
Feel free to copy and paste our blog posts into the e-mails you're sending out.
THANK YOU to everyone who keeps sending out the word to your e-mail friends, Facebook friends, work friends, passing out flyers, getting everyone to take out their cell phones —it's all working for our group! So many ideas in the partnership really made upward strides this week thanks to everybody supporting everybody else. Isn't that the epitome of goodness?
Remember you can vote 3 ways EVERY DAY:
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
103090 - St Michael the Archangel School
103073 - Three Ring Ranch
102961 - The Arizona Center for Responsible Fatherhood (ACRF)
102429 - Tucson Nursery School
103048 - Somtech Recycling
103061 - Outer Limits School
102833 - Jobs for Arizona's Graduates (JAG)
100220 - Parks and Rec Nanty Glo
100879 - Erin's Dream
100879 - Erin's Dream
2) Facebook App voting here:
erins ring.ranch somtech tns acrf leawood outer kyrie kyrie jobs.jag nanty
You'll be able to see all 10 partners' ideas at once with The Kyrie Foundation at the top.3) Visit this Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
Feel free to copy and paste our blog posts into the e-mails you're sending out.
Friday, October 15, 2010
SWEET
16th PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO exciting to see what a group who cares enough to click can do!! Two things to note:
1) The company I work for, EK Success Brands, just posted this on their Facebook Page:
Megan Thome, EK Success Brands Media Manager, is passionate about more than just our Brands, in 2007 she and her husband started the Kyrie Foundation, ...to raise research funds to cure pediatric brain cancer. On October 1st, she got word the Kyrie foundation qualified for Pepsi’s October Refresh
Everything $250K competition! To help support Megan and this great cause, we’re asking that you Post to support this charity.
It’s EASY, for every individual post we get between October 15th and October 22nd, we will donate $1 to the Kyrie foundation (up to $1500). If 1,000 people post to our page this week, we’ll donate $1,000.
Please visit http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation to find out more about the Kyrie Foundation and to vote for this charity in the Pepsi Challenge. Spread the word, encourage others to post to our page, and help us raise money for this great cause.
AND ... they've posted it to their Spotted Canary Facebook page, too! So what does this mean? Post a comment on either or both of their Facebook pages, and they'll donate $1! Plus, they're encouraging new Pepsi voters, and you can, too!
2) The Easter Bunny/Frosty/Dorothy has initiated
SO exciting to see what a group who cares enough to click can do!! Two things to note:
1) The company I work for, EK Success Brands, just posted this on their Facebook Page:
Megan Thome, EK Success Brands Media Manager, is passionate about more than just our Brands, in 2007 she and her husband started the Kyrie Foundation, ...to raise research funds to cure pediatric brain cancer. On October 1st, she got word the Kyrie foundation qualified for Pepsi’s October Refresh
Everything $250K competition! To help support Megan and this great cause, we’re asking that you Post to support this charity.
It’s EASY, for every individual post we get between October 15th and October 22nd, we will donate $1 to the Kyrie foundation (up to $1500). If 1,000 people post to our page this week, we’ll donate $1,000.
Please visit http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation to find out more about the Kyrie Foundation and to vote for this charity in the Pepsi Challenge. Spread the word, encourage others to post to our page, and help us raise money for this great cause.
AND ... they've posted it to their Spotted Canary Facebook page, too! So what does this mean? Post a comment on either or both of their Facebook pages, and they'll donate $1! Plus, they're encouraging new Pepsi voters, and you can, too!
2) The Easter Bunny/Frosty/Dorothy has initiated
Wednesday, October 20 as
"Go Kyrie, Go Day!"
Ask everyone who has one to wear their Kyrie t-shirt…
either from a Crop, Twilight Walk, Golf Klassic, Hit for the Cure, 50K Grant, etc.
On that day have lots of posters/flyers with you and
HAND THEM OUT!
Give each person several flyers.
Ask them to keep one for themselves and pass on the others.
KEEP IT GOING!!
Would you like to participate with me in
"Go Kyrie, Go Day!" ?!?!
:-)
Susan Jae
You can access and print flyers from our earlier blog posts. SO GREAT TO SEE THIS SUPPORT TO SAVE THESE CHILDREN!!!!!!! Keep voting for us and our Pepsi voting partners here!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Voting Partners!
We've mentioned here over the last couple days the need for "people power" when it comes to the Pepsi Refresh Project voting contest this month. It has been incredible to see the scope of goodness and light that has been spread as a result of this opportunity—an opportunity to save children's lives.
As we near the halfway point, we're looking at 26 spots left to climb. I think that's totally do-able ... with a few more voters! So how? Where?
A friend of mine (Thanks, Janet!) suggested that we reach out to the #1 leader in the $50K category who happens to be local to Kansas City, St. Michael the Archangel school in Leawood. She knew they had voting partners and wondered if they might add The Kyrie Foundation.
I did contact them, and in a lovely and strange turn of events, we are now voting partners with St. Michaels and eight other ideas! A HUGE blessing! So what does this mean?
You know those 10 votes you get each day? Well, you can now share them by voting for the partners in our new voting group. Their voters help us. We help them. And since there are multiple winners for each category, it gives us the opportunity to make the world a better place in all sorts of ways for those kids who survive brain cancer. Pretty awesome, huh?
How can we vote? Don't worry. It's still the same 3 ways each day, but to help our group, now you can include this:
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
3) Visitthis Pepsi Refresh Everything Site to see all 10 partners in the group at once. The Kyrie Foundation will be at the top. It's just like the www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation.
There's also a comment section in the lower portion of each idea's page. I like leaving comments so that other ideas know that The Kyrie Foundation was there.
So this is a FANTASTIC development for the cause! When we work together, amazing things can happen! Okay, team, let's vote for these kiddos and the families who need us! Go, Kyrie, Go!!!!!!!!
As we near the halfway point, we're looking at 26 spots left to climb. I think that's totally do-able ... with a few more voters! So how? Where?
A friend of mine (Thanks, Janet!) suggested that we reach out to the #1 leader in the $50K category who happens to be local to Kansas City, St. Michael the Archangel school in Leawood. She knew they had voting partners and wondered if they might add The Kyrie Foundation.
I did contact them, and in a lovely and strange turn of events, we are now voting partners with St. Michaels and eight other ideas! A HUGE blessing! So what does this mean?
You know those 10 votes you get each day? Well, you can now share them by voting for the partners in our new voting group. Their voters help us. We help them. And since there are multiple winners for each category, it gives us the opportunity to make the world a better place in all sorts of ways for those kids who survive brain cancer. Pretty awesome, huh?
How can we vote? Don't worry. It's still the same 3 ways each day, but to help our group, now you can include this:
1) Text 103447 to Pepsi (73774) for The Kyrie Foundation
and now you can vote for our partners with separate texts:
103090 - St Michael the Archangel School
103073 - Three Ring Ranch
102961 - The Arizona Center for Responsible Fatherhood (ACRF)
102429 - Tucson Nursery School
103048 - Somtech Recycling
103061 - Outer Limits School
102833 - Jobs for Arizona's Graduates (JAG)
100220 - Parks and Rec Nanty Glo
100879 - Erin's Dream
100879 - Erin's Dream
2) Facebook App voting here:
erins ring.ranch somtech tns acrf leawood outer kyrie kyrie jobs.jag nanty
You'll be able to see all 10 partners' ideas at once with The Kyrie Foundation at the top.3) Visit
There's also a comment section in the lower portion of each idea's page. I like leaving comments so that other ideas know that The Kyrie Foundation was there.
So this is a FANTASTIC development for the cause! When we work together, amazing things can happen! Okay, team, let's vote for these kiddos and the families who need us! Go, Kyrie, Go!!!!!!!!
still holding
at 28th PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, team, we need a surge, a jolt, a boost. Last night I learned of a whole team of guys working at a plant who all take out their cell phones to vote before their daily status meetings. AWESOME! Do you have a team that meets everyday?
If your HR manager is resistant to send out a company e-mail, would your supervisor let you send the info to just your work group?
Are you a small business? How 'bout using this as a cause marketing campaign? Send out the info to your client list. It's totally free and makes your business look really good.
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
Okay, team, we need a surge, a jolt, a boost. Last night I learned of a whole team of guys working at a plant who all take out their cell phones to vote before their daily status meetings. AWESOME! Do you have a team that meets everyday?
If your HR manager is resistant to send out a company e-mail, would your supervisor let you send the info to just your work group?
Are you a small business? How 'bout using this as a cause marketing campaign? Send out the info to your client list. It's totally free and makes your business look really good.
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
Monday, October 11, 2010
UP TO
28th PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We're working on a couple more ideas to increase our daily votes. The more the friends we have to spread the word, the better our chances at WINNING will be!
That said, we've been told that our current rank is staggering given how new & small we are. That's a direct credit to YOU!!! So please accept our thanks and pass it on to your friends and their friends who are making this happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
We're working on a couple more ideas to increase our daily votes. The more the friends we have to spread the word, the better our chances at WINNING will be!
That said, we've been told that our current rank is staggering given how new & small we are. That's a direct credit to YOU!!! So please accept our thanks and pass it on to your friends and their friends who are making this happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
Friday, October 8, 2010
and climbing!
to 31st place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep it up everybody! Here is a printable flyer to help get text votes
and here is a printable flyer to help spread the word about all ways to vote.
And check out what's here from EKSuccess Brands, the company that bring us Martha Stewart Crafts!
I can't tell you how excited we are to be moving up in the ranks, like the little charity that could!
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
Keep it up everybody! Here is a printable flyer to help get text votes
and here is a printable flyer to help spread the word about all ways to vote.
And check out what's here from EKSuccess Brands, the company that bring us Martha Stewart Crafts!
I can't tell you how excited we are to be moving up in the ranks, like the little charity that could!
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Movin' on up!
To 36th PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is SO amazing to see FREE votes battling cancer!
Another good idea was sent to us: If you are a member of any message boards, would you mind posting the news and encouraging votes? Thanks for the brilliant idea, Willie!
And if you run a small business, would you mind sending out an e-mail with the news to your database? Good for you as "cause marketing" and good for us in the voting contest!
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
Monday, October 4, 2010
IT'S WORKING!
So we started in the Pepsi Refresh voting in 332nd place out of 1152 applicants. This was based on where we lined up in the submission order. As of tonight, your votes raised us to
That's just in 4 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I admit that I'm tremendously biased, but looking at the current leaders ahead of us, I have to say that babies battling cancer in their little brains might be a little more crucial, to me, than building an ambulance garage or constructing a teen employment agency or rebuilding a wooden roller coaster. Not to say that there are not a lot of good ideas that need attention and dollars, but if I had to rank them according to need, according to causes that already have tons of people, donors and sponsors, according to long-lasting improvement to the world, curing pediatric brain cancer might just trump it all, specifically because even if a child survives, the likelihood of life-changing brain damage as a result of treatment is all too frequent. I just keep thinking: Kids have to be alive to need a literacy program. Kids have to be alive to need an anti-tobacco initiative. Kids have to be alive to need a community theater.
Know that we've done our absolute best to communicate our intentions. Crossed Ts. Dotted Is. When looking into the top-ranking $250K ideas for successful examples, I discovered in the #2 applicant's profile, there's $20K that unspecified. Yikes!
So, WELL DONE, KYRIE FOUNDATION VOTERS!!!!! LET'S KEEP IT UP AND SPREAD THE WORD EVEN MORE!
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
45th PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's just in 4 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I admit that I'm tremendously biased, but looking at the current leaders ahead of us, I have to say that babies battling cancer in their little brains might be a little more crucial, to me, than building an ambulance garage or constructing a teen employment agency or rebuilding a wooden roller coaster. Not to say that there are not a lot of good ideas that need attention and dollars, but if I had to rank them according to need, according to causes that already have tons of people, donors and sponsors, according to long-lasting improvement to the world, curing pediatric brain cancer might just trump it all, specifically because even if a child survives, the likelihood of life-changing brain damage as a result of treatment is all too frequent. I just keep thinking: Kids have to be alive to need a literacy program. Kids have to be alive to need an anti-tobacco initiative. Kids have to be alive to need a community theater.
Know that we've done our absolute best to communicate our intentions. Crossed Ts. Dotted Is. When looking into the top-ranking $250K ideas for successful examples, I discovered in the #2 applicant's profile, there's $20K that unspecified. Yikes!
So, WELL DONE, KYRIE FOUNDATION VOTERS!!!!! LET'S KEEP IT UP AND SPREAD THE WORD EVEN MORE!
Remember, you can give 3 votes per day:
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
Triple your votes!
Thanks, Janet, for sharing this info: 3 WAYS TO VOTE, EACH WAY GETS 1 VOTE!
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
I voted each way today and you can, too!
Also, feel free to grab the image below to use as your temporary Facebook profile pic or to place on your own blog.
Keep voting with me!!!!!!
1) Text 103447 to 73774
2) Visit Pepsi Refresh's FB page and click "go to application" to vote.
3) Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
I voted each way today and you can, too!
Also, feel free to grab the image below to use as your temporary Facebook profile pic or to place on your own blog.
Keep voting with me!!!!!!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
A lesson from really incredible kids.
I've spent the last two days telling anybody and everybody about the chance to receive a grant that could change the trajectory of this small but mighty organization, which in turn will gain ground against cancer's terrorizing domination over these families. About 15 of my 250 Facebook friends picked up the news and passed it on. This is the prevailing struggle we have: to catch someone's attention enough to care. The silliest thing is that caring means curing. That's the connection; that's where this war will be won.
So when I saw this from Kyrie Foundation supporter Niki who just happened to be at Andover Central, I melted.
We ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT, and we especially love it when kids help other kids. THANK YOU students and teachers of Andover Central High School. You set a fantastic example for all of us.
So when I saw this from Kyrie Foundation supporter Niki who just happened to be at Andover Central, I melted.
We ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT, and we especially love it when kids help other kids. THANK YOU students and teachers of Andover Central High School. You set a fantastic example for all of us.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Stamina.
So day one of voting is done and we're in for another 30 more! The most difficult thing might just be remembering to vote, right? And then reminding your friends to keep voting, too, right? Here are some ideas:
• Write it on the calendar. whether it's in your planner, on the family calendar in the kitchen, the calendar in your office or on your e-mail system's calendar, this is a super easy way to remind ourselves this month.
• Set alarms. I can set a daily alarm on my cell phone for any time I want. You probably can, too, plus a little message pops up. Also, I can put a daily "meeting" on my e-mail systems calendar. It logs into my "daily tasks" app, and pops up with a reminder, too.
• Bookmark http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation. You can sometime pull your absolute favorite into your toolbar, too. Great that it's right there.
• Temporarily make http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation you home page. It will automatically be the first page that shows when you open your browser.
• Use the buddy system. This might be my favorite idea. Get a pal or two together and remind each other via phone, text or e-mail.
There have been some GREAT ideas come our way in the last 24 hours! People have forwarded an e-mail to everyone in their address book. Posted on Facebook. Posted on LinkedIn. Contacted our friends at KFDI, KAKE and KZSN. People are passing it to their HR departments for company support. A dear friend shared the info with the computer science teacher at the high school, who is allowing her kids to vote in class this month! Amazing! We LOVE it when kids help other kids!
And we been asked why our ranking hasn't moved yet. Here's an answer we found:
Yes, the leader board updates every 30 minutes. All ideas are updated based on the number of votes received. During the first two days of each month the leader board does not show much movement as votes are being accumulated. For this short timeframe, "ranking" is based on the timestamp of a submission. After the 3rd day if a user's idea does not receive any votes their ranking continues to be based on the timestamp of submission trailing all ideas that have received votes.
• Write it on the calendar. whether it's in your planner, on the family calendar in the kitchen, the calendar in your office or on your e-mail system's calendar, this is a super easy way to remind ourselves this month.
• Set alarms. I can set a daily alarm on my cell phone for any time I want. You probably can, too, plus a little message pops up. Also, I can put a daily "meeting" on my e-mail systems calendar. It logs into my "daily tasks" app, and pops up with a reminder, too.
• Bookmark http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation. You can sometime pull your absolute favorite into your toolbar, too. Great that it's right there.
• Temporarily make http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation you home page. It will automatically be the first page that shows when you open your browser.
• Use the buddy system. This might be my favorite idea. Get a pal or two together and remind each other via phone, text or e-mail.
There have been some GREAT ideas come our way in the last 24 hours! People have forwarded an e-mail to everyone in their address book. Posted on Facebook. Posted on LinkedIn. Contacted our friends at KFDI, KAKE and KZSN. People are passing it to their HR departments for company support. A dear friend shared the info with the computer science teacher at the high school, who is allowing her kids to vote in class this month! Amazing! We LOVE it when kids help other kids!
And we been asked why our ranking hasn't moved yet. Here's an answer we found:
Yes, the leader board updates every 30 minutes. All ideas are updated based on the number of votes received. During the first two days of each month the leader board does not show much movement as votes are being accumulated. For this short timeframe, "ranking" is based on the timestamp of a submission. After the 3rd day if a user's idea does not receive any votes their ranking continues to be based on the timestamp of submission trailing all ideas that have received votes.
Friday, October 1, 2010
WE'RE IN!!!! WE'RE IN!!!
OKAY, EVERYBODY--IT'S GO-TIME!!!!
http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
And if you're not near a computer, TEXT IN YOUR VOTE!!
I believe I was mistaken about getting to give your 10 votes per day to one choice. I think you can only vote for one idea, but you have another 9 votes to spread around to other ideas, too.
So once you register and cast your vote, then what? SPREAD THE WORD BIG TIME! Will you HR let you ask your fellow coworkers to vote? Are you part of a club? Work at a school? PTA? Hanging with friends tonight? Going to a game this weekend? ASK PEOPLE TO VOTE! That's how this thing works! And every day that we forget to vote is a missed day; we can't get that back, so the sooner you share this with people, the more potential votes we can earn!
http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation
And if you're not near a computer, TEXT IN YOUR VOTE!!
Vote from your mobile phone
Text* 103447 to
Pepsi (73774)
*Standard text messaging rates apply.
Pepsi (73774)
*Standard text messaging rates apply.
I believe I was mistaken about getting to give your 10 votes per day to one choice. I think you can only vote for one idea, but you have another 9 votes to spread around to other ideas, too.
So once you register and cast your vote, then what? SPREAD THE WORD BIG TIME! Will you HR let you ask your fellow coworkers to vote? Are you part of a club? Work at a school? PTA? Hanging with friends tonight? Going to a game this weekend? ASK PEOPLE TO VOTE! That's how this thing works! And every day that we forget to vote is a missed day; we can't get that back, so the sooner you share this with people, the more potential votes we can earn!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
All hands on deck!
Sometime today we should know if we're in the running to be a candidate for the October Pepsi Refresh Project!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS MEANS: Starting October 1 and going through October 31, you get 10 votes EVERY DAY to spend on a Pepsi Refresh candidate at http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation. We'll give you the direct link to The Kyrie Foundation's page as soon as we get it. Me? I'm giving my 10 votes every day to The Kyrie Foundation, and of course, I'd love for you to do the same!
We decided to dream BIG and go BIG with this one, so we're up for the $250K grant. Yep, THAT big! This would fund BIG growth. We could hire devoted full-time employees/experts to execute BIG initiatives that would bring awareness and new donors to the cause. We could start our parent/hospital outreach program nationwide. We could create so many more opportunities to gain donations for The Kyrie Foundation Tissue Bank Fund. We could do so much and we want to take you along!
I've often been beleaguered at what it takes to keep an organization like this going. Legally and logistically we have been lucky to have very generous board members who donate out of their own pockets the money to cover framing for the art auction, fees to rent a projector for a presentation, beads for our bracelets, ketchup & mustard for the concession stand, lunch for the krop, our very first event table, little extras to make our auction offerings look nice, event insurance and postage for sending out year-end tax receipts, just to name a scant few. You would not believe all of the little things that add up. And this is happening at the exact same time they are setting up tables and chairs for an event, calling for restaurant gift card donations, updating Facebook, creating art for our event t-shirts—you name it.
What happens when you have the funds to grow is that even bigger stuff starts to happen, like partnerships, corporate sponsors, endorsements, etc. And that? That's what creates BIG funds for research. Remember, we want the research to happen faster. There will be 10 new Kyries today and 10 more tomorrow. It's time to move, people! And, wow, are we going to move mountains with something like this! ;)
THIS MEANS: Starting October 1 and going through October 31, you get 10 votes EVERY DAY to spend on a Pepsi Refresh candidate at http://www.refresheverything.com/kyriefoundation. We'll give you the direct link to The Kyrie Foundation's page as soon as we get it. Me? I'm giving my 10 votes every day to The Kyrie Foundation, and of course, I'd love for you to do the same!
We decided to dream BIG and go BIG with this one, so we're up for the $250K grant. Yep, THAT big! This would fund BIG growth. We could hire devoted full-time employees/experts to execute BIG initiatives that would bring awareness and new donors to the cause. We could start our parent/hospital outreach program nationwide. We could create so many more opportunities to gain donations for The Kyrie Foundation Tissue Bank Fund. We could do so much and we want to take you along!
I've often been beleaguered at what it takes to keep an organization like this going. Legally and logistically we have been lucky to have very generous board members who donate out of their own pockets the money to cover framing for the art auction, fees to rent a projector for a presentation, beads for our bracelets, ketchup & mustard for the concession stand, lunch for the krop, our very first event table, little extras to make our auction offerings look nice, event insurance and postage for sending out year-end tax receipts, just to name a scant few. You would not believe all of the little things that add up. And this is happening at the exact same time they are setting up tables and chairs for an event, calling for restaurant gift card donations, updating Facebook, creating art for our event t-shirts—you name it.
What happens when you have the funds to grow is that even bigger stuff starts to happen, like partnerships, corporate sponsors, endorsements, etc. And that? That's what creates BIG funds for research. Remember, we want the research to happen faster. There will be 10 new Kyries today and 10 more tomorrow. It's time to move, people! And, wow, are we going to move mountains with something like this! ;)
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
GoodSearch Toolbar Contest!
Would you take a minute to help The Kyrie Foundation win $1,000?
GoodSearch.com is sponsoring a contest that will give an extra $1,000 to each of the five organizations that have the most toolbar downloads (and $100 to each of the first 100 charities to reach 100 downloads!) With the GoodSearch toolbar, every time you search online or shop at more than 1,500 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle!), a donation will be made to The Kyrie Foundation — all you have to do is add our toolbar to your computer.
Please help us be one of the lucky charities that will receive these much needed funds!
Here's how:
-------------------------------------------------------
1. Click http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/kyrie-foundation
2. Download the Kyrie Foundation (Overland Park KS) toolbar
3. "Share With Friends" on our toolbar download page so that others can get involved!
-------------------------------------------------------
The contest ends on Oct. 31 so please add the toolbar NOW and spread the word to as many people as you can! For more information, click http://www.goodsearch.com/goodsearchgiveaway/.
Thank you for your support!
GoodSearch.com is sponsoring a contest that will give an extra $1,000 to each of the five organizations that have the most toolbar downloads (and $100 to each of the first 100 charities to reach 100 downloads!) With the GoodSearch toolbar, every time you search online or shop at more than 1,500 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle!), a donation will be made to The Kyrie Foundation — all you have to do is add our toolbar to your computer.
Please help us be one of the lucky charities that will receive these much needed funds!
Here's how:
-------------------------------------------------------
1. Click http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/kyrie-foundation
2. Download the Kyrie Foundation (Overland Park KS) toolbar
3. "Share With Friends" on our toolbar download page so that others can get involved!
-------------------------------------------------------
The contest ends on Oct. 31 so please add the toolbar NOW and spread the word to as many people as you can! For more information, click http://www.goodsearch.com/goodsearchgiveaway/.
Thank you for your support!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
What a walk!
Each year, I'm left speechless by the amount of generosity that culminates in one spot. The sponsors who said "yes," the registrants who said "yes," the donors who said "yes,"the bidders who said "yes," the volunteers who said "yes" and the families in our video who said "yes." Affirmation is such a balm for this work. ;)
What a night, eh?! We had so many magical moments that night, answers to prayers, really. So each year, I feel more and more inept at describing how grateful we are that you're supporting The Kyrie Foundation so that we can all support our children.
We are so fortunate to have so many to thank, yet again, like our sponsors: KFDI, Maughan & Maughan Law Offices, Kruse Corporation, Wilkinson Construction, Pratt Industries, Cargill, Western Industries, Pepsi Americas, Rubbermaid, Farmland, Wired-Rite Electric, Art's & Mary's Homestyle Tater Chips, Kirk & Becky Rundle, E-Graf-X, CiCi's Pizza and of course, Bishop Carroll High School. So when I say it's wonderful when people work together, I mean when A LOT of people work together. :)
Thank you Andover Central softball girls and Coach Frakes for face painting, fish ponding and for raising over $2,000 to help save children so that they can grow up to play softball, too!
Thank you Tamera for being our great greeter and to the Weber and Wilkinson families for being our special guests.
Thank you to Tony Brueski for emceeing the entire evening!
Thank you to Bill will Accent Mobile Music for making everybody sound so good!
Thank you to Andi for heading up the races and being the world's best prize giver-outer.
Thank you to Lacy and Leah who helped organize and promote our FANTASTIC silent auction items.
Thank you to Robin, Michelle, Tanna, Wes, Samantha & Ryan who ran registration and then simply ran for whatever we needed!
Thank you M&M Kids for Kyrie, the WINNING FUNDRAISING TEAM!!!!! With over $1,200 in donations!!!!!!! What an inspiration these children are (and their parents!) to the rest of us.
Thank you Phil Ray for being our master photographer! There some great photos on his site for your family's Christmas card this year.
Thank you to the lovely Nina Jerke and Melanie Ryan for such heartfelt and talented vocal performances!
Thank you Susan, Anissa, Skylar, Nate, Craig, Manny, Lisa and Shelby for setting up, tearing down and smiling all the while.
Thank you Susan Jae for being the most beautiful Dorothy inside and out!
Thank you Major Shellie Harmon and the JROTC cadets for the lovely flag raising and for being over-the-moon helpful!
Thank you Amanda for the powerful national anthem and to Ann for being on deck as first aid!
Thank you Derek, Leah, Darcie, Branigan, Andrea, Todd and Becky for all of you incredible concessioning.
Thank you Sheri and Nana Norma for the gorgeous and delicious cookies!
Thank you Jodi and Heritage College for helping everybody r-e-l-a-x, and for staying late to massage me!
Thank you Donna for all of your time and talent put into creating the one-and-only Kyrie Foundation t-shirt quilt. Made of all of our event tees and embroidered with special phrases from The Kyrie Foundation cookbook, this quilt is an absolute treasure.
Thank you Clearwater Dancers for your hip-happening performances!
Thank you Big Sky Party Rentals for the inflatables!
Thank you to the Twilight Walkers who walked for all the little ones who couldn't that day.
Thank you for watching what's tough to watch.
And thank to everyone, EVERYONE, who turned one Saturday evening into over $17K to save baby brains from cancer.
What a night, eh?! We had so many magical moments that night, answers to prayers, really. So each year, I feel more and more inept at describing how grateful we are that you're supporting The Kyrie Foundation so that we can all support our children.
We are so fortunate to have so many to thank, yet again, like our sponsors: KFDI, Maughan & Maughan Law Offices, Kruse Corporation, Wilkinson Construction, Pratt Industries, Cargill, Western Industries, Pepsi Americas, Rubbermaid, Farmland, Wired-Rite Electric, Art's & Mary's Homestyle Tater Chips, Kirk & Becky Rundle, E-Graf-X, CiCi's Pizza and of course, Bishop Carroll High School. So when I say it's wonderful when people work together, I mean when A LOT of people work together. :)
Thank you Andover Central softball girls and Coach Frakes for face painting, fish ponding and for raising over $2,000 to help save children so that they can grow up to play softball, too!
Thank you Tamera for being our great greeter and to the Weber and Wilkinson families for being our special guests.
Thank you to Tony Brueski for emceeing the entire evening!
Thank you to Bill will Accent Mobile Music for making everybody sound so good!
Thank you to Andi for heading up the races and being the world's best prize giver-outer.
Thank you to Lacy and Leah who helped organize and promote our FANTASTIC silent auction items.
Thank you to Robin, Michelle, Tanna, Wes, Samantha & Ryan who ran registration and then simply ran for whatever we needed!
Thank you M&M Kids for Kyrie, the WINNING FUNDRAISING TEAM!!!!! With over $1,200 in donations!!!!!!! What an inspiration these children are (and their parents!) to the rest of us.
Thank you Phil Ray for being our master photographer! There some great photos on his site for your family's Christmas card this year.
Thank you to the lovely Nina Jerke and Melanie Ryan for such heartfelt and talented vocal performances!
Thank you Susan, Anissa, Skylar, Nate, Craig, Manny, Lisa and Shelby for setting up, tearing down and smiling all the while.
Thank you Susan Jae for being the most beautiful Dorothy inside and out!
Thank you Major Shellie Harmon and the JROTC cadets for the lovely flag raising and for being over-the-moon helpful!
Thank you Amanda for the powerful national anthem and to Ann for being on deck as first aid!
Thank you Derek, Leah, Darcie, Branigan, Andrea, Todd and Becky for all of you incredible concessioning.
Thank you Sheri and Nana Norma for the gorgeous and delicious cookies!
Thank you Jodi and Heritage College for helping everybody r-e-l-a-x, and for staying late to massage me!
Thank you Donna for all of your time and talent put into creating the one-and-only Kyrie Foundation t-shirt quilt. Made of all of our event tees and embroidered with special phrases from The Kyrie Foundation cookbook, this quilt is an absolute treasure.
Thank you Clearwater Dancers for your hip-happening performances!
Thank you Big Sky Party Rentals for the inflatables!
Thank you to the Twilight Walkers who walked for all the little ones who couldn't that day.
Thank you for watching what's tough to watch.
And thank to everyone, EVERYONE, who turned one Saturday evening into over $17K to save baby brains from cancer.
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