The Great Givers: Winner #3

Here is our final entry...can you handle another one? They are ALL so wonderful don't you think? Amazing the kindness still in this world.  Okay grab another tissue...

Winner #3 wrote me an email describing her Great Give:

I just discovered your beautiful blog and I am so happy I did. It feels so good to be here and look at all of your beautiful and inspiring posts...

This challenge is absolutely amazing! 

I would have never thought of something like this and that's why I am so happy there are people (like you) in this world, who do.  Only reading about this makes me happy and grateful.

Of course I immediately started to think about something good to do.

At the moment, I am staying in a clinic because of a few problems that came into my life.

I am living there with other people in one house and they're all having their own personal problems. You can imagine the 'vibe' in this house isn't always positive. Lots of people are depressed, don't know what to do with their lives and they are just sad most of the time.

Although I am there to solve my own problems, it's very important to me to do something for the people who have an even harder time than me. I want to make them happy, even if it's just for a few minutes.

So, I started baking pies, brownies, muffins etc. for everyone in the house and we eat the baked things after dinner. All of them really like it, I just see their smiles when they eat the pie and they really enjoy sitting together and eat something sweet.

I know it's just a very little something, but I just wanted to tell you (like you already said yourself) that small things like this really can make a (small) difference.

Also, I just started volunteering at a school, when the children have their lunchtime and eat and play outside at the schoolyard. It's so great to listen to the stories of these kids and to cuddle a kid that feels sad or is bullied.

Well, I think it wasn't actually meant to write this in the comments, but I am not sure yet whether I should post this on my own blog, because the first thing is rather personal and I am just not sure yet.  But I am glad that I could share it here with you.

This lucky giver is taking home the following prizes:

a Capture Life necklace from Cinnamon Sticks Boutique

Life is Like Riding a Bicycle Print from vol. 25

100 custom holiday cards from Paper and Ink

Scalloped Clip Board with photo print from Skippy Designs

Three spools of Divine Twine in your choice of colors

An illustrated card set from City of Dionne

Lost Photo Print from Hilary Upton

Anchors Away Dress from Shabby Apple

Your very own custom monogram from Creative Montage

A set of handcrafted butterfly note cards from Art of Paper

A pretty scarf from Ruche

Whisper Ferns Notecard set and Wolfie Sentiments Card from Pearl & Marmalade

Numbers! Numbers! Limited edition letterpress print from Pearl & Marmalade

A huge, huge thank you to all of the sponsors of The Great Give.  Clearly I couldn't have done it without you all.  Please visit their shops if you are still looking for that perfect Christmas gift.  Or heck, visit them anyway just because they are so great!

And thanks again to ALL of you who participated...I've been inspired by the greatness you've given.

The Great Givers: Winner #2

Okay, wipe your tears and get some more Kleenex because here is the second winner of The Great Give.

Winner #2 blogged her entry and this is what she said:

No words.  I won't be able to do this justice but had to blog about an experience I had with Ben and my oldest tonite.  We had the privilege of serving the homeless downtown.  For several years our church has taken a group down on the 3rd Sat. of every month.  I'm ashamed to say this is the first time we have gone.  It won't be our last.  There is an age limit and only Caleb is able to go with us.  My mom was a  part of the ministry by watching the other two. 

This meal and church ministry for the homeless is amazing.  It is not a homeless shelter but an actual church for the poor and homeless living in the area. They hold several meals and church services each week with fun movie nights and other events in between.  They even shuttle the people from local shelters to the ministry which is housed in a former church. 

Anyway, we so enjoyed the church service at the beginning of our time there tonight.  That preacher brought it!!  Those homeless worshiped the way worship is supposed to happen!  We were sitting in the balcony and watched the plates being passed during the offering.  I couldn't believe they took an offering and was so touched by seeing the few coins by the time the plate reached the back.  It reminded me of the widow and 2 mites story in the Bible.  As the service was winding down we headed to our places downstairs where dinner would be served. 

This was not like a soup kitchen where the people go through a line.  They actually came down, took their seats, and WE served them.  It was an honor.  Each volunteer had their own table and I LOVED my table tonight.  They were so easy to talk to and interact with.  We talked alot of football together, of all things!  You would think in their circumstances they wouldn't be so friendly and nice.  But they were, and were so appreciative for us being there.   

As the dinner was winding down I asked once more if I could get them  anything else, thinking maybe they'd want a cup of coffee for the road, on this cold night.  They all said no, except for one man, a Bengals fan I'd talked to alot that night.  He said he wanted just a bed.  Just a bed.  My heart broke.  All I could give was a promise to him that I'd be back next month to serve again.  And say an extra special prayer tonight that he gets the best night of sleep he ever has, wherever that might be.  How I wish I could give "just a bed", but that's the best I can do.     

This lucky lady will take home the following prizes:

• $250 Gift Certificate from Hicks Paper Goods
• a light grey + turquoise Necklush
• a pretty scarf and handbag from Ruche
• 25 Custom Cards from Legacy Digital Design
• Winter Wonderland coasters, notecards and print from 12fifteen
• 60 Thank You Cards from Sonicstef Design
• Easy Necklace in Silver from Acts of Kindness
• Set of Numbers & Alphabet Prints from Sycamore Street Press

The Great Givers: Winner #1

Well The Great Give is now behind us but the season of giving is still going strong.  Many wonderful entries were blogged, emailed and posted and each one touched my heart.  From baking cookies for neighbors, to donating money, to giving time to a cause hands and hearts across the globe gave of themselves for the good of others.  What a great gift you have given not only to the recipients but to me and to others who have had the joy of reading these inspiring stories.

When it came time to choose winners, the fun was up!  This was no easy task so I recruited two of the nicest girls I know to help out--Traci and Cyndi.  Both of them give of themselves yearround.  Traci and her daughters have rang bells for the Salvation Army this year and she is donating half of her businesses profits to charity.  Cyndi volunteers at a children's hospital in her town and helps organize big fundraisers.  What better judges right?

After narrowing things down and collaborating on our favorite gives we came up with winners. Believe me when I say that all three of us would have loved to give every single entrant a prize but alas we could not.  So without further ado please help me congratulate the winners of this project.  And remember you can keep on giving!  There is no prize better than helping change the world!

Winner #1 wrote an email telling me about her Great Give. She said:

My family has done a good deed and would like to share it...in the interest of keeping it  anonymous in the eyes of the receivers I chose not to blog about it...I hope this email is acceptable :)

Yesterday we were visiting with  our wonderful neighbors and we became aware that their niece's family (mom, dad, and 4 beautiful young daughters) had been without heat for an entire week. This young family is in the farming business and has been very negatively affected by changes in the economy. At this point they barely have money for food, and cannot pay for the heater repairs. Family members were unaware of the severity of their plight until this weekend. They immediately began trying to get heaters and extra blankets and clothing to the family.

Here in the Willamette Valley in Oregon we have been having severely cold nights...in fact the days have been barely above freezing.  Hubby and I could hardly sleep in our nice warm bed last night knowing that this great family was freezing in their own home :(   Today, first thing, we went to Target and bought jackets for the girls and an electric blanket.  We delivered them anonymously...tonight we will sleep better :)

Thanks for all you are doing to promote kindness and generosity :)

This Great Giver will receive these wonderful prizes...

 "The Whitney English Experience." Enjoy over $500 in goodies from Whitney English that includes:

• 100 Flat Digital Photo Cards
• 120 coordinating Return Address Labels
• One of our signature ClipSheets (TM)
• 80 coordinating Round Labels
• 50 personalized Note Cards
• Our personalized candle in signature "Classic" scent
• A set of 4 personalized Placemats

The Great Give: Reminder

Just a friendly reminder that time is running out for The Great Give! You have til midnight on Sunday to email, comment or blog your great give.

I've received some very sweet emails, comments and links and hope that you'll take part too. Not only will you feel great for doing a good deed but you'll have a chance at winning over $1600 in prizes (total). There will be three winners so your chances are good. And really who needs a reason to be grateful, helping and kind this time of year?!?!

Take time this weekend to do your own Great Give. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Donate some extra clothes to a shelter.
• Bake cookies for a friend.
• Visit a nursing home and provide companionship to those who are lonely.
• Start you own Red Kettle.
• Ring a bell for the Salvation Army.
• Donate a toy to a children's shelter.
• Sponsor a needy family in your community.
• Sing carols with your kids in the children's ward of a hospital.

What would change a life, help someone out, or a brighten a day in your community? Do it! What are you waiting for?!?

In case you need a refresher...here are the rules for The Great Give....

• In order to enter this contest you must do a great, good deed. What kind of good deed? Well that is up to you! Maybe you'll donate funds to a charity that is close to your heart. Maybe you'll bake cookies for a few neighborhood kids. Maybe you'll volunteer at an organization that needs help. What does your heart tell you to do? What could really help your friends, family, or community? Whatever you feel moved to do will qualify! Use your heart and imagination and make a great give!
• Remember that little deeds and seemingly small actions can set off a chain of positivity that could in essence change lives and the world.
• Please don't shy away from entering because you think your idea is not big enough or great enough!
• Use this as an opportunity to involve your spouse, family, and children. Let them help you in doing great things.
  
• Once you've done your own great give, write about it on your blog. Your action doesn't have to be huge in scale or cost lots of money. It just has to be heartfelt. When writing about your great deed(s) be sure to say why you choose to do this and how it turned out. Elaborate with photos if you want to.
  
• Please don't shy away from entering because you think your idea is not big enough or great enough!
  
• If you don't have a blog you can email your entry to: lindseysgreatfull at gmail dot com.
• After you've blogged about your entry, comment on this post with a link directing us to your great give. Be sure to turn in your link by December 7th at midnight CST.
• I will read all of the entrants and select three of my favorites to win fabulous prize packages.
• Winners will be announced by December 11th, 2009 so please check back.

And if you need a little motivation...here are the goodies that you could take home as a result of doing a good, no, great deed!

What could you do in the next few days to make the world a better place. Sometimes it doesn't take much to make a change. Join me, won't you?

The Blind Side

My hubby and I went see The Blind Side last night and as friends predicted I loved it. I really haven't heard anyone who didn't like it actually. It is a perfect feel good movie that left me inspired. It made me think about "The Great Give" and how I hope many of you out there will participate not only for a chance at great prizes but more so to change lives. Leigh Ann and Sean Tuohy did one heck of a "Great Give" that changed Michael Oher's life. What will yours be?

The Great Give: Prize 3

Another great grouping of gifts makes up Prize 3. A little bit of everything for you, your home and your desk totalling over $500. Here's what one lucky winner will receive:

• a Capture Life necklace from Cinnamon Sticks Boutique
• Life is Like Riding a Bicycle Print from vol. 25
• 100 custom holiday cards from Paper and Ink
• Scalloped Clip Board with photo print from Skippy Designs
• Three spools of Divine Twine in your choice of colors
• An illustrated card set from City of Dionne
• Lost Photo Print from Hilary Upton
• Anchors Away Dress from Shabby Apple
• Your very own custom monogram from Creative Montage
• A set of handcrafted butterfly note cards from Art of Paper
• A pretty scarf from Ruche
• Whisper Ferns Notecard set and Wolfie Sentiments Card from Pearl & Marmalade
• Numbers! Numbers! Limited edition letterpress print from Pearl & Marmalade

The Great Give: Prize 2

The second prize is made up of lovely gifts from a variety of awesome sponsors. This prize valued at over $500 includes:

• $250 Gift Certificate from Hicks Paper Goods
• a light grey + turquoise Necklush
• a pretty scarf and handbag from Ruche
• 25 Custom Cards from Legacy Digital Design
• Winter Wonderland coasters, notecards and print from 12fifteen
• 60 Thank You Cards from Sonicstef Design
• Easy Necklace in Silver from Acts of Kindness
• Set of Numbers & Alphabet Prints from Sycamore Street Press

The Great Give: Prize 1

Prize #1 for one winner is "The Whitney English Experience." Enjoy over $500 in goodies from Whitney English that includes:

• 100 Flat Digital Photo Cards
• 120 coordinating Return Address Labels
• One of our signature ClipSheets (TM)
• 80 coordinating Round Labels
• 50 personalized Note Cards
• Our personalized candle in signature "Classic" scent
• A set of 4 personalized Placemats

Stay tuned for peeks at prizes 2 and 3!

Giveaway: The Great Give

There are so many giveaways this time of year. It is a perfect time to thank readers, customers and friends for their support. I definitely wanted to come up with a way to thank all of you for reading my little blog. But this year I wanted to try something a little different, something that really kept with the theme of a GreatFull day. Many ideas came and went but for one reason or another wouldn't work. Finally the right idea came to me! It encompassed everything I wanted in a Christmas project/giveaway of sorts: great prizes, the Christmas spirit and good deeds. So are you ready for a great contest?!?! Here we go!



Here what you need to do to enter:

• In order to enter this contest you must do a great, good deed. What kind of good deed? Well that is up to you! Maybe you'll donate funds to a charity that is close to your heart. Maybe you'll bake cookies for a few neighborhood kids. Maybe you'll volunteer at an organization that needs help. What does your heart tell you to do? What could really help your friends, family, or community? Whatever you feel moved to do will qualify! Use your heart and imagination and make a great give!
• Remember that little deeds and seemingly small actions can set off a chain of positivity that could in essence change lives and the world.
• Please don't shy away from entering because you think your idea is not big enough or great enough!
• Use this as an opportunity to involve your spouse, family, and children. Let them help you in doing great things.
  
• Once you've done your own great give, write about it on your blog. Your action doesn't have to be huge in scale or cost lots of money. It just has to be heartfelt. When writing about your great deed(s) be sure to say why you choose to do this and how it turned out. Elaborate with photos if you want to.
  
• Please don't shy away from entering because you think your idea is not big enough or great enough!
  
• If you don't have a blog you can email your entry to: lindseysgreatfull at gmail dot com.
• After you've blogged about your entry, comment on this post with a link directing us to your great give. Be sure to turn in your link by December 7th at midnight CST.
• I will read all of the entrants and select three of my favorites to win fabulous prize packages.
• Winners will be announced by December 11th, 2009 so please check back.

What can you win?!? This, this or this! There will be three lucky winners who will take home over $1600 in prizes between them.

Won't you join me in doing good, no, doing great this holiday season?
I can't wait to hear about your great give and to give away lots of prizes!