Paws in the Park 2011

Yesterday I walked around Lake Eola for the Paws in the Park 2011, a Central Florida SPCA fundraiser for which I raised $155. Thank you to all who donated funds to help the local pets and shelters! Heidi and I had a blast at the walk, and Heidi had WAY too many Milk Bones as we passed by all of the vendor booths. Favorite item collected: a clip/1 cup scoop thing for Heidi's dog food bag to keep the food fresh; now I can use my 1 cup scoop for baking purposes again!

Heidi and I taking a photo mid-way through the walk around the lake. Isn't she cute in her cheerleader outfit?! Everyone LOVED it! Go Purdue!

Here is Heidi sitting pretty after the walk:

And my new favorite photo with my girl:

17th Annual Paws in the Park

The 17th Annual Paws in the Park walk is on Saturday, 12 February 2011 at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, Florida. Last year Heidi and I raised $70 more than my original goal! This year my goal is $100, and I’m hoping to surpass it, too!

Above is a photo the Mutts on a Mission Pack Leader, Kurt Bouwman, sent me recently – it’s a photo of me and Heidi back in February of this year at the 16th Annual Paws in the Park walk. = ) She was so teeny and fluffy! If you want to read about last year’s event and see photos, check out this blog post.

I hope you consider making a donation to make a difference in the lives of thousands of animals by sponsoring or participating in the SPCA of Central Florida's Annual "Paws In The Park.” If you can’t give, but know someone who can, please pass this on to them - it can’t hurt to ask!

To Sponsor My Fundraising:

1. Please visit my Personal Fundraising Page and consider helping me by making a secure online donation now by clicking here
2. Click "Sponsor Me"
3. Continue with donation
4. Return to my sponsor page
5. Leave a message on my fundraising wall = )
6. When you make an online donation, I will be notified by email of your support and you will automatically receive an e-tax receipt from the SPCA of Central Florida.

To Participate with My Pack in Fundraising and the Walk:

1. Navigate to this website
2. Click "Sign Up"
3. Accept the waiver
4. Join as a pack member
5. Search for the pack name "Mutts on a Mission"
6. Select "Mutts on a Mission" team name
7. Click "Join this Team"
8. Continue with registration

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Thank you for your support!

Pay It Forward Day

Today is Pay It Forward Day. If you're unfamiliar with the phrase, you should check out the movie entitled "Pay It Forward." Excellent movie; even better concept.

Today is meant to spark inspiration in people to do something nice for three people. The idea is that they would, in response to your kindness, "pay it forward" to three other people. And so on!

Today I did these three nice things for people:

1. I sent a colleague, Bill McNamee, a thank you note through a system at work that allows me to notify his manager that I sent the note. The thank you note was to thank and recognize Bill for the tremendous help he's provided me in becoming accustomed to a system we use at work called Unity.

2. Bought an ice skating package for a friend (includes entry, skate rental, popcorn and a pop).

3. Chipped a few dollars for the next guy at Jimmy John's.

Thanksgiving Dinner Party

This Thanksgiving was the first that I've not spent with my immediate family in Indiana. In addition to the nostalgia of spending the holiday with close family, the weather in Florida is a bit bizarre for celebrating Thanksgiving. Nevertheless, I had a lovely holiday with two celebrations.

First I hosted a dinner party where I made my first turkey. A big, fat, 20-pounder! Thumbs up for turkey!

I had some of my favorite people over for the evening. I asked each person to bring a dish. We had green bean caserole, Caprese salad, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, rolls, cranberry sauce, apple pie, pumpkin pie, and, of course, the turkey. When we were all seated we went around the table and said one thing for which we are thankful. I said that I was thankful my brother, Chucky, had survived Hell Week at NAVY BUD/S training. I am also thankful for my puppy, Heidi. Jessica brought champaigne so we toasted to the spirit of the holiday. Afterwards we played a few games of Mafia!

That was all on the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving Day I made pumpkin cake and took Heidi over to my second-cousin's house. I am so thankful to have Lori and her family nearby so I didn't have to spend the day without family. I appreciate how welcoming her and her family are to me and Heidi!

I hope your Thanksgiving was lovely!

How You Help the Alz Assoc.

I received the following from the Alzheimer's Association for my participation in the Memory Walk fundraising. (So far I've raised $150! Thank you for your support!) I wanted to share with you the note because it outlines how your support helps those affected by Alzheimer's.

You’ve heard it before, and it’s true: The funds raised through Memory Walk^® benefit the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. But what does that mean?

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care and support, with more then 70 chapters nationwide for care consultation, information and referral; education and support programs. The organization has been part of every major advance in Alzheimer research and public policy.

Here are some specific ways your dollars may go to work:

$50 – 24/7 Helpline 

Provides reliable information and support during three crisis calls.

$100 – Safety programs 

Supports two people in MedicAlert® + Alzheimer's Association Safe Return®, a 24-hour response service for wandering 

and medical emergencies.

$300 – Help from a care consultant 

Provides availability of an Alzheimer care consultant who can aid a caregiver in distress during the middle of the night.

Your financial support helps us to provide these services, and allows us to continue research efforts that may lead to a cure.

For more information about the work of the Alzheimer’s Association, visit http://www.alz.org/.

Sincerely,

Alzheimer’s Association