Many Thanks!

We have a wonderful group of friends here in the Springs.  Just last night, one such couple held a Berry Beer Benefit to help us raise money.  Jeff our friend, and carpenter and brew master, made a home brew using the coffee we sell it was delicious.  They charged $10 for a cup and approximately 30 people showed up. Not only was it the most fun I have had in a long time, we were also able raise around $400!  If you are keeping track, and I am, this brings our grand total to around $6000!  By the numbers, we have reached 75% of our initial goal of $8000!  I know I have used 3 exclamation points in this paragraph, but it is only because I am just that excited!  We had one guest last night at the benefit that I had never met before.  She donated $70.  $70 to a complete stranger, that just seems crazy to me, but as we have seen six thousand times over the past several months, some people are just that generous. 

Last week after orphan Sunday, the sister of a friend of Misty's gave us $50.  Thank you.

Two weeks ago, a gentleman we just met, donated $500.  Thank you.

The same day we received the donation for $500, we got what I thought was a bill, but was actually $150 bank check from some friends of ours who have already donated several hundred dollars.  Thank you.

Last night a friend handed me a check for $75 in addition to $10 cover he paid.  Thank you.

A couple weeks ago I received a donation of $100 from a lady who saw our story in one of the free weekly  newspapers, she said she always wanted to adopt but hadn't so she would live vicariously through us.  Thank you.

These are just a handful, of the many people who have helped us meet our fundraising goals.

Sometimes I feel like I am banging this drum, and only annoying people with my incessant asking, but people do not react that way.  I have seen the goodness come out of so many people and it is tremendously humbling.  The vast majority of our money has come from folks in our own situation, social workers and nonprofit workers that live pay check to pay check and that is what is so astounding too me.  I was telling a friend last night how much I loved fundraising, because it all about creating community.  Or I guess community manifests itself when people stand behind and support a common vision.

If you would like to donate I am trying this ChipIn widget on the right side of the screen.  It enables perspective donors to donate via paypal.  Obiviously, we have raised more than $0, I just have not figured out how to update it with funds that were not recieved via ChipIn.