Archive for November, 2009

The Very Big Deal

Monday, November 30th, 2009
 

dpillogoblog1 

tracy-mccraysized

McCray

Everyone loves to get mail. I don’t mean ‘a bill’ or ‘a notice’, but an honest to goodness card, letter or package. My kids are no exception. The day the Imagination Library book arrives in the mail is a very big day.

I signed my son up for the Imagination Library out of curiosity about the program, not really considering what it would be like to actually get the book in the mail each month.

It’s a very big deal!

From birth to 5 years old, children that have been signed up for the the Imagination Library receive a book in the mail each month that is appropriate for their reading level. The day the book of the month arrives, my son Andrew comes running into the house shouting , “My new book is here! My new book is here! Open it Olivia!”

His sister Olivia helps to tear the plastic wrap off the book and then into the big, snuggly chair in our kitchen they climb. “Read it! Read it!” he begs, as if she may have forgotten this was the monthly routine. It’s one of those parenting moments you dream about when imagining what your kids will be like when they grow up. In this dream, they love to be together, never argue and take turns snuggling and reading to each other. It is a wonderful sight to see.

Each month when the books arrive, there are quite a few gifts that come with it. The love of reading that is being born right there in my kitchen is obvious, but I also see the pride my daughter feels when she ‘helps’ her brother out. When they are grown, I wonder if they will have a memory of snuggling together in the reading chair.

Andy’s Imagination Library is very important to him. For mailing purposes, the books are basically all the same size, so they stack together ‘just right’ on the bookshelf. He is proud to show off ‘his’ books to anyone who will read to him.

Last week Andy celebrated his 5th birthday. The week before that he received his final book in the mail. I think we were all a little sad to see this fun family tradition come to an end.

Thanks to Dolly Parton, the Imagination Library and the United Way of Olmsted County for making this such a wonderful part of our family.

Tracy McCray writes the “Talk of the Town” column for the Rochester Post-Bulletin.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Civic Parables | No Comments »

GIVE 100%…and then some!

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

mn

ON NOVEMBER 17  - GIVE TO THE MAX DAY -  PLEASE SUPPORT UNITED WAY OF OLMSTED COUNTY AT GIVEMN.ORG

mark-your-calendar

Give to the Max Day is a giving stimulus plan created to increase giving to nonprofits across Minnesota on November 17, 2009.  $500,000 in matching contributions and $8,500 in cash prizes for non-profits with the most donors!

A great opportunity to support the LIVE UNITED Community Fund, Imagination Library, or “Canned Goods” of your choice!

United Way of Olmsted County understands that philanthropy is changing. These changes demand options and flexibility - a range of opportunities to give and various means of doing so. GiveMN.org addresses need for one-stop online giving platform

The goal of Give to the Max Day is to raise as much money as possible for Minnesota charities in 24 hours. The Saint Paul Foundation, Minneapolis Foundation and Bush Foundation have committed $500,000 in matching contributions to support community needs in Minnesota and to cover transaction fees so that 100% of all donations go to the nonprofit organizations.

Give to the Max Day is from 8:00 a.m. on November 17, 2009 until 8:00 a.m. on November 18, 2009.

Any individual may donate. Donations through GiveMN.org to nonprofit organizations are tax deductible and irrevocable (donations will not be refunded).

The minimum credit card donation on GiveMN is $10. There is no maximum donation limit on GiveMN. There is no maximum to the amount an organization may receive.

Every donation made during Give to the Max Day will now receive a portion of the $500,000 match. * 

In addition to the $500,000 match, we are offering two other exciting incentives for your donors:

  • The three nonprofits that receive donations from the most individual donors will receive cash prizes: $5,000 for first prize, $2,500 for second, and $1,000 for third.
  • Transaction costs for gifts made on Give to the Max Day will be covered, so 100 percent of gifts made on GiveMN will go straight to nonprofits.

*Individual donation transactions greater than $2,500 will be eligible for matching gifts up to $2,500 only. For example, if a donor makes a $2,500 donation to an organization, the full $2,500 will be eligible to receive a portion of the matching funds. If instead she donated $10,000 to an organization, only $2,500 would be eligible to receive a portion of the matching dollars.

Examples of how the matching dollars will work: if Give to the Max Day inspires $500,000 in donations, we will provide $1 in matching funds per dollar donated to an organization; if Give to the Max Day inspires $2 million in donations, we will provide $0.25 in matching funds per dollar donated to an organization.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Events, Living United | No Comments »