July tied for first place for one of the bigger months we’ve had to date. We brought 36 children smiles for the month, and we’re so excited that we keep getting big numbers as the months go by.
We would like to thank the following volunteers who helped this month in baking, gift giving, balloons giving and delivering. We appreciate you all so much:
Jill R, Ann D, Dorothy L, Pamela C, Timmasha S, Jodi O, Joe H, Michelle Mathews, Jeanette E, Janice W, Amy S, Jenny M, Kim C, Kelly C, Ann H, Bethany H, Pat A, Kim M, Teresa S, Melissa H, Tina H, Gwen F, Kristi O, Barb D, Nikki G, Marge E, Sheila H, Beverly G, Jennifer M, Shauna P, Tiffany F, Suzanne C, Jennifer S, Reva K, Kelly B, Aimee T, Stephanie B, Diane S, Sherrell T, Jill Z, Gwyn D..
We are going to try and spotlight a volunteer each month. This month, we would like to introduce you to one of our volunteers, Dorothy, who heard about us from the KC Star. She has delivered for us, baked for us and has given gifts. Here is her account of how Birthday Blessings has impacted her and her family:
When I read the article about Birthday Blessings in the Kansas City Star, I felt a need to become involved. I initially only planned to bake a cake here or there and provide some balloons. However, once I realized that Kelly and Jill needed delivery drivers, I knew I could do this too. Before my children were born, I taught in an urban school and have many memories of students who never received anything for their birthday except the birthday pencil from the principal.I have been delivering for a little over a month and this past week I took my children with me on each delivery. I’m not sure who is benefiting more, the recipient of the cake or my own children who are fighting over who hands out the cake and who hands out the present. I am truly humbled each time I deliver a cake by the gracious and thankful parents of the birthday child. I even had a parent who asked for me to be included in the picture he took when I handed over the cake, gift, and balloons!In addition, my family has decided to provide a cake, a gift, and a balloon bunch once a month to one of the birthday blessing children. We go through volunteer spot together to pick our recipient. Then, my kids make the cake (with my supervision of course), pick out the balloons, and shop for the gift with the money we “save” each week out of their allowances. This past month we went to three different stores to find the perfect Elmo gift for our birthday girl! I am so proud of my children. As my daughter said last week after we dropped off two cakes to siblings, “I feel really good inside when we do this”. This experience has truly been a blessing for us as well as for the birthday child. What more could a parent ask for?!
We are getting ready for our big fall push to our schools. We picked up 14,815 flyers from our printer and will be distributing to all our locations. We will be seeing plenty of smiles for the 2013/2014 school year.
As always, if you know of a family in need, or if you know someone who you think would make a great fit for Birthday Blessings, please send them our way. We have an application for families or future volunteers on our website.
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