Thankful Thursday

Today I'm really thankful for people who go the extra mile. A mile is 5,280 feet, which means 5,280 extra steps. So when I think about standing still, these people go 5,280 times further than the person who doesn't move. Amazing.

I'm also thankful about how those mile-walkers pick up the pace; they pick up people along the way, too. Kind of like a spiritual rickshaw. ;) At a good clip, you can walk a mile in 20 minutes. The extra mile, however, usually consumes hours, days of time, energy and gumption. Even if you're a rickshaw loaded with peeps, it still takes longer than anyone ever recognizes because really there's only one rickshaw driver pedaling.

What's most curious about the extra mile is that the distance is usually covered alone and even though there may be an award at the end or a finish line goal, the steps are usually solo at your computer sending emails, on the phone asking about an idea, buying fleece for blankets, beading crystals, designing a logo, loading the car full of goodies for the hospital, sending the thank you notes, giving a presentation, loading tables, picking up donations, etc., etc., etc.

We are so grateful to be surrounded by extra milers, more like marathon milers!!

What are you thankful for today?

p.s.
Hope to see you at the krop on Saturday!

Thankful Thursday

So .... if you're a creative type or even a wanna-be creative type, I'm hoping that you're thankful today for the big Kyrie Foundation Krop later this month!

Are you signed up? Have you passed it on to pals? Just a few more seats left!! Contact Christy Freeman if you have questions or if you want to be one of our special vendors.

Today I'm thankful for awareness. We talk a lot about achieving more awareness for the cause, but I'm also thankful for heightened awareness of gratitude, existence, connection. Kind of like what this video conveys. I'm a personal fan of TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design), ideas worth spreading.



What are you thankful for today?

Help the Easter Bunny & Eggbert!

While you're out and about this weekend, could you mind help out the Easter Bunny with a $10 gift card? Many times, something like this has brought parents to tears. Small good always works for big good.

Helloooooo Good Eggs!

Only 4 weeks from today…

and the Easter Bunny & Eggbert the Easter Egg will be "hoppin' & rollin'" down the halls at the Wesley Hospital Pediatric & PICU Floor!

That's right…on Good Friday (04/06) we will be delivering Easter Goodies to the kiddos stuck in the hospital over Easter Weekend…our 6th year in a row.  :-)

All done in memory of Kyrie Dawn Thome.

We were soooooo overwhelmed with the generosity of soooooo many people this past Christmas! toys!  Toys!!  & more TOYS!!! So many in fact, that we have LOTS left to hand out for our Easter trip.

What we are lacking though is:  CASH

Cash that is donated is used for:

McDonalds Gift Cards - QuikTrip Gas Cards…for the parents (parents/guardians get a $10.00 food card and a $20.00 gas card to help em' out.)  & Misc. Gift Cards…for those hard-to-buy-for-teens

We also need cash for our last minute purchases,

when we are short on specific age and/or gender items.

31 children and families benefited from the kindness of others, during our Christmas visit.  (12/23/2011) Our families.  Our co-workers.  Our friends. Heart of America Choir concert-goers.  Even strangers. ALL kinds of good-deed-doers pitched in!

We would like to make THIS visit just as successful!

If you would you like to donate, please make your check out to:

        Susan Jae Eckel

      3738 S. Dugan

      Wichita, KS  67215

We MUST have all donations BY:  March 30, 2012.

Thanks so very much for your consideration.

Wishing you an EGG-ceptional Easter!

  Go Kyrie, Go!

      Luv,

Susan Jae  &  Rita

"E.B."  &  "Eggbert"

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for perspective. Whether it's the big things or little things that come across our days, it's imperative that we recognize the difference between the two. And when we don't, can't or won't, well, that's where we lose balance, lose control and lose face.

I'm thankful that maturity brings perspective. I'm thankful that experiences and compassion bring perspective. I'm most thankful that humility or those "humble in spirit" bring perspective, because as much as we think we've got it all figured out about a situation, we don't. Isn't this where all sit-com plots start? ;) And for as anguishing as major loss or life-altering pain is, the fruit of that experience, if allowed, brings great perspective. You suddenly realize what's important and what isn't. What is fact and what is mood. What is Him and what is you.

What are you thankful for today?

Scrap Like You Mean It 2012!

We’re busily working on next month’s big 5^th annual Kyrie Foundation Krop! WOO-HOO! It will be another year of what you’ve come to love from this event: fun freebies, good goody bags, space to scrap with your pals, upbeat tuneage, great vendors, crafty classes and food, glorious food. This year? McAllistar’s Deli is on board for our lunch vittles and Pig In Pig  Out Barbecue is donating a delicious dinner!!! My mouth is watering already.

Saturday, March 31

9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Family Church

11135 West Kellogg

Warning: Seats are going fast! So register as soon as you can at http://scrappinbootcamp.com/events.html

This will also be the weekend before the Easter Bunny and Eggbert make their annual Easter trip to families at Wesley Hospital. They have a decent about of toys and game, but they really need gift cards or moolah to extend to the parents. You have no idea how much a gas card or a quick lunch at McD's means to these parents. So ... if you could spare a a gift or a $, bring it with you on March 31st! 

Meanwhile, let’s rock out the 2012 krop! Don’t forget you can order a tee with this year’s event logo, too at http://scrappinbootcamp.com/events.html

If you have questions, please contact Christy Freeman at krop@kyriefoundation.org. 

Thankful Thursday

Today I am abundantly thankful for the woman behind our Blanket Outreach Program, the Amazing Donna. Amazing Donna has been an incredible example of how one person can really make a difference, as our dear Amy said as we gave Donna a 2011 Kyrie Foundation award at last year’s krop.

Amazing Donna donates her time, talent and treasure to make snugglly-soft, fleece blankets on behalf of the Kyrie Foundation for children battling cancer. When you email us with names of children in your community who have been diagnosed, Amazing Donna is on the case, spinning fabric into love in which we can wrap these children. She even personalizes them with the child’s name and cute embroidered shapes.

I cannot stress enough what Amazing Donna’s efforts do for this organization. While the board and volunteers work hard to plan fundraising events, volunteers like Amazing Donna, Frosty/Easter Bunny (Susan Jae) and Eggbert/Elf Rita connect with families and carry the message. We are continually humbled by this consistent and meaningful goodness.

Specifically for the Blanket Outreach Program, we honored that Amazing Donna continues the legacy of Kyrie’s That.

Here are a few examples of Amazing Donna’s blankets.

Paxten's blanket.

Audrianna's blanket.

Audrianna's sister, Kyra's blanket.

Jared's blanket.

Taylor's blanket.

A special blanket for Kipton's mom.

Braxton's blanket.

Brynlin's blanket.

Mason's blanket.

Pretty amazing, huh?

What are you thankful for today?

Call for People Power!

Long time no post, eh? Oh, how I’ve missed you! It’s been a stretch of restorative work and a lot of planning for the approaching five-year anniversary of the Kyrie Foundation! Can you believe it? Me neither.

With all of this evaluation, recovery and planning, we are putting the call out for volunteers—big time. The foundation has been so blessed by you—everyone who support the cause in big ways and small. You are the reason we’re still here, and like we always said, you are the Kyrie Foundation. That said, all that support has generated tremendous growth, loads of ideas and plenty of hope for future ways to help children and families.

Problem is, we have more ideas than we have people to make the ideas happen! We need a few of you join in on the core planning and execution of all those great ideas. We’re still just a small group of friends trying to make a difference, and we’re looking for people who care about saving children’s brains from cancer, who don’t mind sharing their time and ideas, and who can roll with fundraising events. If that sounds like you, please, please, please let our dear Amy Nelson know, amy@kyriefoundation.org.

Now is the time, friends. We have a couple super-great co-chairpersons for the krop in Wichita, but they can always use set-up/tear-down volunteers and anyone willing to help solicit donations. Our 2011 auction chairperson has agreed to give it another year—woo-hoo!—but again she’d love your help to gather quality art, gifts , media exposure and sponsorships.

For the walk, we’ve always pulled together as a team to make it happen. Last year we had absolutely STELLAR volunteers join the fold, and we certainly LOVE to have even more to accommodate the attendance growth that we keep experiencing—another woo-hoo! We need help securing sponsors, promoting through local media, helping with registration, procuring silent auction items and more!

Finally, if you want to be in on the ground floor of this grassroots cause, if you want to help shape the future of this organization, if you want to help guide this group, if you have insight, skill or contacts that you think could further the cause, we’ve got a spot for you.

We’ve always said that this organization in not our own. It is a divine assignment and we are making a real contribution to the world thanks to a wing and a prayer. ;)

In any case, you’ll want to stay tuned for some cool things happening this year!!

Important Dates to Know:

Saturday, March 31—5^th Annual Kyrie Krop, Wichita, KS (More info coming ASAP!)

Tentative Saturday, September 15—5^th Annual Twilight Walk, Wichita, KS

Tentative Saturday, November 10—5^th Annual Art+Gift Auction, Kansas City, MO