Raising Funds

I know what you all have been thinking. You've been wondering what I've been doing lately besides cooking. Okay. I know you haven't been wondering, but I'm gonna tell you anyway.

I'm putting this in reverse chronological order since you can attend the first one still. Yesterday my blogger friend Valerie posted on her blog All the Pieces of Me (great name for a blog!) that her sister-in-law Amy has been diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma. Her prognosis is not good. To help with medical costs and to help her six children and husband enjoy their time with her, some of her friends and family have put together a yard sale/bake sale.

I went this morning and was happy to see that even though the weather was HORRIBLE (raining hard, windy, cold and dark), many people were there buying things and many others were helping with the fundraiser. I asked the people helping if they knew Valerie. The first person I spoke to didn't, but someone who overheard me asking said she knows her, but that Valerie wasn't there. I just thought I'd say hello and meet her if she was.

I'm glad to see that so many people love and support Amy, even though I don't know her. I can't imagine what she and her family are going through. She was even mentioned on NieNie and on
c jane's Guide to Provo. (Find lots more info on c jane's blog.)

There were several of the cherry chocolate cakes that are on c jane's post and other donated goodies. I bought a bag of chocolate chip cookies...
and one of the famous cakes, packaged all pretty.
Very moist and chocolatey! I just had a little bite to be good, but Alex and Elisa enjoyed every bite of their large pieces. Want the recipe? Well, I don't have it, but in order to help raise more money, Alicia, one of Amy's friends, is selling the recipe for $10. If you're too far away or too late to attend the yard sale/bake sale, go Here for information to help this way. Prayers for Amy and her family!

Bake Sale/Yard Sale Fundraiser for Amy (Reed) Jackson
Friday, April 23 and Saturday April 24
8:00am until 3:00pm
At 270 East Main Street Santaquin, Utah
Across the street from Subway

Now on to a different fund raiser that I went to last Saturday.

This is my brother Jared, his wife Debbie and their two sweet boys Avi and Itai last summer when we were at Disneyland together. Avi was diagnosed with autism more than a year ago. Their little family decided last year to walk in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks. And they're doing it again this year and have invited all family and friends. So we'll be walking with them, showing our love and support. Also to show our love and support, we helped a little with the fundraiser Jared and a couple of friends put together to raise money for our team, Avi's Angels. I was a BAD sister and forgot to blog about it before hand to invite everyone!!

I wanted to help raise money by selling something at the fundraiser, but I am NOT crafty so I didn't know what to do. I scoured the internet, looking for something that was easy enough for me to do with my children and that wasn't too expensive. This is what we came up with.

We used scrapbook paper to make glass pendants. I wish we would have made more since we sold almost all of them. I had been trying to figure out PayPal to put them on my blog on the side bar, but could not do anything except to put it in a post. But it ended up being okay selling them there. We didn't have a huge turn out, but the people who came were so generous.

Jared and one of his nephews are setting up a game. They had quite a few different games you could play.

Cowboy Dan was so nice to come with his miniature pony and take photos of children with him and all proceeds went to the team. I was confined to my table so I didn't get very good photos.

Avi loves all of his cousins. Here he is with one of them.

And my niece Aileah was there, cheering us on and being so good. Of course, her mommy was there too.

The Sweet Tooth Fairy donated two dozen cupcakes for a silent auction. So nice! I was shocked that only three people bid on them.

My sister Sheri made these balls that the kids loved.

My mom put these key chains and zipper pulls together. The puzzle piece is the autism symbol.

Sheri also made these frames. She only has the puzzle piece one left. And my sister Heather made these super cute tutus that I didn't get a good photo of.

Sheri made some quilts and my mom made afghans.

And Debbie's family donated some things from/about Israel, where she is from.

Here's a pretty quilt that Sheri made.

And here is the other. I can't even imagine how many hours it took to make!

If anyone is interested in buying the few things that we have left over, let me know.
Key chains or zipper pulls $1
Stress balls $1
2 Tutus $5
Puzzle frame $3