If you’re looking for a worthy cause to donate to, below is a message about a project that a good friend of mine, Audrey Sides, has started for her elementary school class.  Any amount will help, and it’s tax deductible.  She’s trying to raise an additional $409 before school starts.  Just click on the link if you’d like to donate. For more information you can call Audrey at 281-723-0246 or email her at amsides@gmail.com

Cathy Schuebel

We had such an overwhelming response to his PMC ride last year that he was able to ride in honor and memory of several people. This year, he wants to make the ride about those we honor or miss every day.  If you would like to dedicate your donation to someone dear, please include his or her name in a note and send through the run or email me (include a picture if possible). In their honor or memory, Jon will carry the notes and pictures, along with their fighting spirit, on his ride.  One of our favorite things at last year’s PMC was having Jon’s picture taken at the finish line holding pictures of those that “came along for the ride”.  It was an absolute honor to give those pictures to the families and friends that supported him, especially Patti’s little friend Mattie!

There are many parts to this Challenge. The patients and their families have the challenge of facing and battling the disease every day. The staff at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute has their daily research and also works with the patients. My part is to train, ride and do the fundraising. Your challenge is to make a generous contribution. Doing so helps to hold open the possibility Jacob and many the others will be cancer free for many years to come.  I was blessed with a premature but beautiful baby girl 2 months ago.  My dream is for her to grow up in a world where we speak about cancer in a past tense.

To make a secure, online donation, please go to www.pmc.org and enter Jon Binsted in the box at the top left of the page. If you prefer, you can remit a check, made payable to the PMC and send it to me care of Phyllis Browning Company (Annex), 6011 Broadway – Suite 203, San Antonio, Texas 78209 or call me at 210-8324-7878 ext. 1174. All donations are fully tax deductible & 100% of your funds will go directly to the Jimmy Fund. This is an amount unheard of in the fundraising industry, where 60% of donations are considered a great number. If your company has a matching gifts program that supports our efforts to find a cure, please send or submit the appropriate paperwork.

The PMC’s goal is to raise $34 million this year. Jon’s unalterable commitment is to raise $4,200 and his stretch goal is $10,000. In case you missed it above, EVERY penny of rider raised funds went directly to the Jimmy Fund last year. Thank you in advance for your generous contribution, your support and for the difference you make.

On behalf of all the children and families, Jon & I thank you.

Johnna Binsted

Except for those lucky enough to have been born and raised here, most of us were newcomers to this fabulous city at one time or another, and a blog like this would have been such a help! Check out Brenda’s blog at http://relocationsa.wordpress.com/

The Assistance League of San Antonio is an ALL-VOLUNTEER organization of over 450 members. We run a Thrift House at 2611 West Avenue to help support the seven philanthropic programs we maintain.

These programs include:
(1) TOGS FOR TOTS-in collaboration with 33 social service agencies in San Antonio (such as Child Protective Services, SAMMinistries, Family Services Association, ChildSafe, Baptist Child and Family Services, Catholic Charities)we supply clothing, hygiene supplies and books to over 5,000 children from birth through age 4;

(2) WATCH ME GROW FROM HEAD TO TOE – A program that distributes over 25,000 child development booklets, free of charge, to parents of children ages birth to five;

(3)I’M IN CHARGE – Volunteers go into classrooms of over 15,000 school children in San Antonio to make a presentation about personal safety after school, on the playground, at the mall and movies, on the computer and when home alone;

(4)OPERATION SCHOOL BELL – over 4,000 school children selected by their counselors as being in great need of appropriate school clothing are given new clothes,shoes, a coat, school supplies,an age appropriate book and hygiene supplies;

(5) ADOPT A RESIDENT – residents of Chandler Home enjoy monthly parties and activities planned and carried out by ALSA volunteers;

(6) CAPS – Over 1,000 chronically ill children in local hospitals receive uniquely decorated baseball caps;

(7)COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM – 12 college junior and senior students are selected to each receive a $2000 scholarship.

In order to fund these programs, the Assistance League derives funds from the proceeds of sales at the Thrift House, but also from a yearly Gala. This Gala is being held March 27. We would greatly appreciate the opportunity to visit with someone at Phyllis Browning about our work and to have someone visit our Thrift House/Chapter House where our programs are housed. I am the contact person. My phone number is 822-3986, my e-mail address is gwilli75@hotmail.com.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share our story with you.

Barbara Williams, Grants Chairman

You can tell her what kind of family you want (eg. single mom, married couple, # of kids, just girls, just boys…).  She will then assign a family to you. When you adopt a family, you just take them gifts, gift cards, toys, food, decorations, or basically anything to give them a better Christmas than they can provide for themselves this year.

Please tell Laura you got her name from me.  I would love to hear about your involvement as well.  Thank you all very much for your support!

Carmen M. Ramirez,  Attorney/Realtor

Thanks for your support!

Lexi Bartolomei
Phyllis Browning Company

Please contact Carmen Ramirez for more information.