NEWSLETTER 2-22-06
http://www.thegivingcircle.org

Things are really starting to move with Operation: Waveland, MS!!

FREE ICE CREAM – Thank you to all of you who have downloaded the Write-A-Thon pledge form from the Giving Circle website and brought it to your kids’ schools. We plan to get many, many letters to the kids in Waveland, help rebuild their school, AND give away A LOT of free Ben & Jerry’s to kids all around the country who are helping to make this happen!!!

Please be sure to contact Karyl at karyl@thegivingcircle.org when you have helped a school sign on, so that we can add them to our list.

A date is set for the SPRING CLEAN-UP in Waveland, MS. It is April 17-21. We need as many able-bodies volunteers to get down to Waveland and help clear debris, rake the beaches, and help prepare Waveland for its great REBIRTH and RENEWAL! Please contact Sue at sue@thegivincircle.org to get involved. Here are recent pictures of Waveland from Stacey, six months after the storm:

MUCH HELP IS STILL NEEDED!!!

GOOD NEWS!!! Remember the Allen Family who relocated to Ohio from Waveland, after losing everything in the storm? The couple had a new place to stay, but did not even have a mattress to sleep on. Well, Randy and Sunny LeBlanc of The Romantic Home came to their aid, and rallied their community in Ohio. The Allen family has received a queen size mattress, box spring and bed frame, along with a sheet set, blanket, and pillows, a 5 foot couch, a chair and 2 end tables. A local charity donated a refrigerator. They also received a luxury candle from The Romantic Home to add that homey touch. Randy and Sunny, and all involved in making this happen, THANK YOU and the Allens would like to thank you too. This is what they wrote to us – to you:

To the Giving Circle

My husband and I would like to thank everyone for all the help they have given us. We will never forget your kindness. Asking for help has been very hard for us, but due to the situation we had no other way to replace some of the things we lost. We hope to repay you some day. The government could not help us because we are unable to pay for the loan they wanted to give us... It is very hard too start over at our age but with the help of my family and good people like you we are going to be just fine. We will never be able to replace the last the last 42 years of our marriage, but we have our lives and our dogs and hope. Thanks once again for everything you have done for us. We truly will never forget you!!!!! God Bless.

STAY TUNED… More opportunities for you to help, and MORE GOOD NEWS is on the way!!!

Sharon Maenza
on behalf of Ron (DAD) Maenza who is caring for his grandkids – welcome newest addition, 5 day old Shauna Grace.