OCTOBER & NOVEMBER MISSIONS wrap-up

The October & November missions will be coming to close this week.  I'll be making the rounds for final pick-ups this week!  I'll have the final totals posted to the website by Saturday December 5.  Stay tuned!

Drive for US Troops: Superintendent to Kiss Pig if students collect 500 items!!

Now that's a headline!

Mrs. Dean, the Superintendent / District Administrator of the Maple Dale - Indian Hill School District in Fox Point, Wisconsin has agreed to KISS A PIG if the area's students collect at least 500 items for the Holiday Care Packages being sent to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan!  C'mon students and families - you may get a chance to dunk a teacher in a water tank at a festival someday, but kiss a pig?  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!  Any new or used books, CDs, or DVs, and any handwritten letters or cards are welcome!

Have fun, good luck, and THANK YOU!!

Collection Drive Updates!

Thanks for the outpouring of generosity to-date!

Totals collected as of Wednesday, November 19:

For US troops:  111 books, 5 CDs, 2 DVDs

For Soles4Souls: 107 pairs of shoes

A special thanks to:
Mothers & More, Brookfield, WI for hosting the drive in conjunction with their annual winter rummage sale.  43 books, 2 DVDs, & 40 pairs of shoes collected!
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Milwaukee, WI, for involving the preschool and families to participate.  62 books & 45 pairs of shoes collected!  (as of Nov. 19)

We have two more weeks left for the collections (roughly the end of November) - keep 'em coming!

OCTOBER and NOVEMBER Mission Details HERE!

Here are the details for October AND November missions:

Public donation site: 

Saturday, November 14, 2009  9:00 - 12:00 noon

St. John Vianney School Gymnasium

1755 N Calhoun Road, Brookfield, WI 53005

click here for map

Held in conjunction with the Mothers & More annual winter rummage sale.

Individual pick-ups in the Milwaukee Metro area:

I am available Sunday November 15, and Saturday November 21 to schedule pick-ups at local residences in the Milwaukee Metro area.  Please comment on this post if you would like me to pick up your donation and I will contact you. 

We also have two schools that are working with their students and families, and two private organizations, that are helping us with these missions.

I will be shipping all shoes to the Soles4Souls' main warehouse in Roanoke, Alabama on Wednesday, November 25.
I will be delivering all books, CDs, DVDs, and letters for the troops to MSOE the week of November 30.


Any questions or comments please contact me or add a comment to this post and I will reply!  I will also occasionally post updates to the blog with the number of books, CDs, DVDs, and shoes collected to date.  

About the collection for the troops:

Any used or new paperback books, CDs, and DVDs are welcome.

Some suggestions from MSOE on what to INCLUDE in a note, letter, or card to the troops:

- Tell them about yourself

- Why you are writing

- Thank them for their service

- Wish them to remain safe

- Share a funny story or joke

- Share a positive or motivational story or poen

And some suggestions from MSOE on what to AVOID in a note, letter, or card:

- Do not state "wish you were here" or "see you soon"

* Yes, it is okay to tell the soldier your thoughts on the war; however, we ask that if you do share your comments in the letter, PLEASE make sure you let the solider know you support them as individuals.  It is through such letters, notes, care packages that we are able to help our soldiers through this experience.

About the shoe collection for Soles4Souls:

What types of shoes do you accept?

Soles4Souls accepts all types of shoes: athletic, running, dress, sandals, pumps, heels, work boots, cleats, dance, flip flops, just as long as they are new or gently worn.

How do I know what is gently worn?

We define gently worn as shoes that you would still wear. They should have solid soles with no holes, laces if applicable, clean (no mud). We never like to see anything thrown away, so please, if there is any question, send the shoes along and we will sort and utilize the best possible way.

Do you take half pairs?

Yes, we accept half pairs. Hopefully, we can match them up one day!

Where my collected shoes sent after you receive them?

Visit Where We've Been.

How do I obtain a tax receipt?

If dropping shoes off at a participating location, please contact us via email or phone with the number of pairs donated, name, and address, and we will issue a receipt from our corporate office.
If shipping, please include your name and address on either the inside or outside of the box. With that information upon receiving the shipment we will mail out a tax receipt.

Thanks everyone!

Calling all possible donation sites!

So far we've got 3 confirmed organizations / businesses wiling to take on a collection box for the book drive, and three for the shoe drive.  Several more are in the works.

Please contact me if you are interested or know of someone who might be willing to give home to a collection box for either or both drives.  Collection deadline for the book drive is December 4; for the shoe drive it's December 1, so we've got plenty of time to get the boxes delivered and filled up!

Locations need not be local to Milwaukee;  I will coordinate to cover postage for any out-of-town donation sites! 

All confirmed donation locations are expected to be posted to the blog by November 3rd.  In the meantime, pass on the word and start cleaning out those bookshelves and closets!

OCTOBER MISSION: Holiday Care Packages for US Troops

Run, don't walk, to your stash of books, CD's, and DVD's!  Grab a few (or a lot) that have been collecting dust, and then read on...

For our October Mission, I am honored to be partnering with MSOE (the Milwaukee School of Engineering) with their on-going program for collecting and sending care packages to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.  This past summer, I worked with them on a toy drive for the children of Iraq and Afghanistan, and longed to do more.  Mr. Richard Gagliano, MSOE's Director of Student Activities, said what they could use and what the troops would like is simple: paperback books, DVD's, and CD's.  I thought, there are so many of us who either have, or have access to, a plethora of books and media!  What a wonderful way to share a bit of what we have - with those who share all of what they have... so that we may have freedom. 

So, here is what we are looking for:
1.   Troop Names.  MSOE has a list of troops' names that will be receiving these care packages.  If you have any friends or families that you would like to include with this mailing, please let me know.  I will need the Troop's Name, Unit, and mailing address; e-mail address if you'd like as well.  Please also let me know if you would like them added to MSOE's list for ongoing care packages.

2.   Personal Letters & Notes.   Nothing makes my day like getting mail!  No, not the type that comes from a credit card company or the like - real mail, with a real, handwritten letter!  Imagine being thousands of miles away from your home and your family, in an area that doesn't always communicate "we love you".  Now, imagine how it would feel to get a personally written note, telling you that you are loved and important, how thankful others are for you, and how you are not forgotten.


3.  Any paperback books, CD's, and DVD's.  We all know that listening to the same music over, and over, and over again can get... well, boring.  Doing the same thing in an area where you can't just run out to grab a bite to eat or go to the mall or kick back and watch Monday night football, well that gets really boring!  So let's all grab some books! CDs!  DVDs!  Just have MP3's and no CD's?  No problem, make a mix CD!  Don't have books?  (shame on you, ha ha!)  Again, no problem, just grab a $5 and head to Half Price Books or your local library for some used books (and buy yourself one while you're there).  No DVD's?  Try craigslist.com or ask a friend or co-worker.  Hey, I even have some still in the wrapper.  Yes, dust on the wrapper counts as one that can find a better home!



We will take your help on any or all of the above!  All donations are accepted - nothing is too small or too big of a donation, ANYTHING will help.  With the Holiday Care Packages this season, MSOE expects to hit the 1,000 mark of care packages sent.  Let's help them meet that goal!

OK, just how do I do this you ask?  Where do I send my books to?  Do you have a drop-off location?  What do I write in my letter?  How do I buy a pre-made package?  Can I volunteer my time?  All the details will be posted in the next few days... but for now I must bid adieu, and get this nasty head cold to bed...!  Feel free to contact me in the meantime!  (and get those books, DVD's, and CD's collected in the meantime too!)

Watch a video about the MSOE program here!

October and November Missions Confirmed!

What a day!  Who doesn't love getting mail?  Well, I LOVE getting mail - and my trusty UPS, FedEx, and USPS delivery men and women all know me too well with all the packages I get related to my jewelry business.  But nothing compares to the two, yes TWO pieces of special mail I got today!  They both got my heart racing like you can't believe (shh... don't tell my cardiologist!)

First is related to what will be our (better-late-than-never) October Mission.  I received an e-mail confirming our joint sponsorship with the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) for preparing holiday troop care packages for our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Second, my favorite brown truck delivered a BIG box of goodies for our November Mission.  We are working with Soles4Souls Thanks4Giving Program, whose goal is to collect 250,000 pairs of new and gently-worn shoes for distribution for the needy both here in the US and abroad.  I have already partnered with a local Mom's group for a city-wide drive concurrent with their winter rummage sale on November 14, and am hoping to work with my church and daughter's schools as well.  If you are interested in having your congregation or school also participate in the November Mission, please contact me and I'll get you all set up!

More information on these missions, what and when to give or help, and all other details will be posted frequently over the next few days and weeks.

Oh boy, here goes the heart palpitations again!  How wonderful it feels to get this all underway!