Valentine's Day Fundraiser!! Raise Awareness & Research

[Corin Nava]

I am going to ask around my local stores and see if anyone is interested!

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

In case you have trouble with the downloads, I posted the documents here:

http://www.cdhsupport.org/fundraiser...nesdayinfo.doc
http://www.cdhsupport.org/fundraisers/valentinesday.doc

[Barbara and KevinWagner]

How is everyone coming with these?

I took 40 of them to a little coney island around the corner from us and they were happy to help. They started selling them on Monday. Tuesday morning they were calling for more! LOL The owner now has a goal......he wants to have every wall covered with them! We went in for dinner Friday night and it was great to see one wall covered (and 1\2 of another). The owner kept telling Log "That is all for you bud!" LOL I am amazed at how well they are doing as they are only open from 7am - 3pm Mon-Sat except on Fridays till 7pm. I gotte remember to take my camera in for a pic of those walls!

Come on everyone.....share how you are doing!

[MelissaKelly]

Dawn, I love this idea. How is the money handled, do you tell the stores that you'll pick it up on Valentine's Day or every week, or what? Did you need to provide any verification that we're a real charity or anything when the stores agreed to do this? I'm going to get some things together and hit up my local supermarket and Wal-Mart tomorrow (they know Michael, I may even bring him along for extra effect).

[MelissaKelly]

Wow, shot down and shot down. Apparently the Miracle Children's Network has their hooks in everyone down here, no one will even let us get our feet in the door. Wal-Mart told me that it's a corporate decision not to allow any in-house fundraisers, but we could set up a table 15 feet from the door and beg for donations (which I won't do, I hate getting panhandled when I enter a store).

I'll try with some smaller places tomorrow.

[karahess]

And this is Miracle Network Telethon season around here so everyone is all about that, which is fine. . . I'm all about supporting our children's hospital. Actually, last year's spokesperson/family for the Akron Children's Hospital was a CDH child : )

But yeah . . . . . . . our community gives heavily to and heavily supports the miracle network fundraisers that are going on right now.

[Corin Nava]

I think that smaller stores are the way to go with this. Bigger chain stores tend to have policies that they support the bigger charities that are approved by the corporate offices. Smaller locally owned business are much more willing to support these types of things!

[Elaine Moats]

Well sorry to say but I had no luck

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

Wal-Mart gave me a grant application and some of the larger stores flaked on me too (after promising to participate). Definitely better luck with small Mom & Pop stores and restaurants!

I had a lot of people turn me down for the Children's Miracle Network.... it got very discouraging. We already gave them $4 million (well our insurance did)! Shane was featured on their telethon twice.

It's very, very hard being a little charity and trying to compete with the large ones.... when the smaller ones are the ones who need the money most. But all you can do is smile and thank them anyway.

We have 2 weeks left.... we can still raise a lot for CDH research. Don't get too discouraged!!! I know it's hard... believe me I know it's hard.... but this is for our babies and we've been through a heck of a lot worse than a little poster rejection!

[KateC]

I have a question, I cannot participate in this year, but would kove to next year. So my question, can we maybe try shamrocks or eatser eggs? Can't think of anyone at this time that do those, but just wondering. I would like to do that for March or April. I would have more time. My time right now is very unmanagable with just heading back to work. But I am thinking of all the places that would do this.

Don't forget - not only grocery stores, but gas stations (most are locally owned), small local resturants, local pizza places (not chain).