In this edition:
Death By Chocolate
Lions 4 Kids Open House
New Clients
Prom Project
Volunteer Training
Other Stuff
February clients served: Feb. 07 (full month): 48; Feb. 08 (full month): 106
Feb. 09 two weeks in new building 2/14-2/28: 137
Hello everyone! Be of good cheer: Spring is only three weeks away!
That also means that Death By Chocolate, the Bonney Lake Lions' premier fundraising event is coming as well! David Colbeth, our event chair, has been planning this event since last March and guarantees great food, fun, entertainment and surprises! Joined by coordinators Susan McCammon, Andrea Maiuri, Andrea Henschell, April Young, David Wells and yours truly, we believe we have put together a winning evening on the first full day of Spring!
The event is MUCH more than a chocolate auction this year, but we'll have plenty of those delectable confections for your enjoyment too! Please join us -- we think you'll make it an annual event! Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 21st in the Bonney Lake High School commons, starting at 5 for social hour, dinner at 6:30 and activities all evening long! You may purchase your tickets online at http://www.bonneylakelions.com.
Speaking of upcoming events, NEXT SUNDAY, March 8th from 1-5 is the open house and volunteer acknowledgement celebration at the new Lions 4 Kids House!! It has taken countless hours and a significant financial investment by many donors to make this place a reality. You won't believe the transformation of this building, and you'll be stunned to count the number of people it took to create it!
Saturday we had Daniel, Pat and Amy Barrett from Scout Troop 172 spreading beauty bark; Susan and Cory McCammon and their daughter and son-in-law laying topsoil and sod, and Kevin Havener and Senior Project student Killian McDaniel helping wherever they were needed. Grateful thanks to Ken Struss of Struss Wood Products and Sound Turf Farms for their contributions and our "muscle" for doing the heavy lifting!
Thanks too to Bryan Long, Mike Connelly, Ruth and Mari for your help this week!
We are now open for clients on Tuesdays from 10:30-1:30 in addition to our Wednesday and Saturday hours, and I've had the joy to observe the kids' reactions to our new place. I'm delighted to report we've gotten two very enthusiastic "seals of approval", both from 6 year-old boys.
One little guy walked in, stopped cold in the doorway as his eyes got big and his jaw dropped. He said "WOW, this place is bea-U-T-ful!!" He proceeded to wander through the whole place just glowing. The other little one had much the same reaction but his critique was a bit more sedate. His comment: "this place is awesome!"
We have found that "Our Kids" often live in environments that could be described as dreary and gray. In creating this bright, beautiful place for them, we endeavor to offer them respect and dignity that may be in short supply the rest of the time.
Saturday we had several new clients including a very pouty 14 year-old girl who obviously didn't want to be shopping for clothes at a clothing bank. However, by the time she left 45 minutes later toting her big shopping bag full of great clothes and grooming items, she was smiling and chatty. (Yea!! one more on the road to improved self-esteem!)
And, there was a family with four kids including a very poised and gracious 11 year-old girl. About an hour after they had left, the young lady and her mom returned. The pre-teen was toting a wonderfully snuggly (and very big) stuffed animal that she presented to me and said it was her favorite but she wanted to say thank you. Good thing we keep LOTS of tissues on hand!
Join us Sunday to say thank you to our contributors and volunteers and see where miracles happen every single day! Tour the building, wander in the serenity garden, enjoy refreshments and crafts for kids all afternoon with a team from Home Depot and April Young. Opening comments and ribbon cutting at 1 p.m.
Address: 18429 - 89th St. E., Bonney Lake
There will be NO PARKING AVAILABLE ON OUR SITE!! Please park in the City of Bonney Lake Lot, entering on 89th Street from Main Street, right behind Grocery Outlet. It's a one-block walk to our location. Attendants will be on site to guide you.
p.s. Please pray for no rain, just for the afternoon!!
The Prom Project is coming!!
We have connected with the schools: Sumner, Bonney Lake, Orting, White River and Collins High Schools and they are in the process of identifying low income high school seniors who would like to attend their proms but don't have the financial resources to do so on their own.
Our Fairy Godmothers-In-Chief, Samantha Brendible, Dana Williams, Iona Catonio and Melody DaCorsi are busy brewing big batches of magic fairy dust to make dreams come true!
Due to our upcoming open house we respectfully request you please hold onto your prom-related donations until Monday March 9th. (We will be really busy this week seeing to finalization of our building and grounds details and still have limited storage.) Thank you for your patience! Our annual Bibbity Bobbity Boo ad will be in the Courier Herald on the 11th which will mark our official kick off. (Thank you so much Bill Marcum and Dottie!)
We gratefully accept gowns, "underpinnings", "bling", shoes, handbags, stoles, unused personal care items and financial donations or gift cards.
"Prom Central" locations this year are:
- For Primping Day and Prom Day, Saturday April 25th: Cedar Ridge Retirement and Senior Living Community (Sumner, White River and Orting proms)
- For Bonney Lake Prom Day, Friday May 29th: Windermere Real Estate
Primping Day for the Cinderellas is Saturday, April 4th all day.
Tux fitting and Fun Day for the Cinderfellas is Saturday, March 28th.
You may drop off donations after March 9th at the following locations:
Bonney Lake: Windermere Real Estate and Liberty Tax Service
Sumner: Sumner Family Center and Sumner School District main office
Orting: Colleen's Hair Design
If you'd like to participate as a donor, sponsor a teen to attend, be a Fairy Godmother or godfather please let me know. We have LOTS of opportunities to contribute!
Our adult helpers from the past two years swear they have more fun than the kids!! At the very least you will create memories for kids that they'll cherish happily ever after!!
Our next volunteer training will be Wednesday, March 11th. Next ones after that are Wednesday April 15th and Wednesday, May 13th. All are at 7 p.m. at our new building and last about 75 minutes. There are many, many ways to participate at Lions 4 Kids and we encourage your creativity to utilize your individual gifts! There is no obligation and you need not make an advance reservation. (Please note, all volunteers are subject to a Washington State Patrol background check.)
Other stuff:
Saturday marked the 60th Birthday of Bonney Lake and the opening of the new Main Street! Nice job putting together a fun and festive event, City team!!
Need office suites? Ken Freed at the beautiful Windermere building has space to lease!
That's it for now. We hope you'll join us next Sunday!
Enjoy this week and THANK YOU SO MUCH for helping us help the kids!! We never forget you are the reason we are able to do what we do. You ARE making a difference!
With a grateful heart, Carol
Carol Wells-Reed
Founder and Director
Lions 4 Kids House
20825 SR 410 East, PMB #198
Bonney Lake WA 98391
Message phone: 253-447-3844
Website: www.lions4kids.com
Email: cwells-reed@hotmail.com
*The Bonney Lake Lions Foundation is a
501(c)3 non-profit organization #38-3753543
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