Last year--twenty-five years after first meeting my own beautiful foster child--I got a note from her: "I love you. You have been a huge role model for me and I feel that I would not be where I am today without you. Happy Mother's Day."
I do a lot of writing. Some of it helps pay the bills and some of it comes from the heart. Following is an example of writing from the heart and this is a program I believe in.
Please share this letter, and let this committee know you believe in what they're doing. This is but a small part of what they do, but will have a huge impact on young lives this Holiday Season.
(And, yes, the president of JCFCAA is my daughter. This is one family tradition I'm quite proud of.)
Linda
JEFFERSON COUNTY FOSTER CARE / ADOPTION ASSOCIATION
908 W. Broadway 8W
Louisville, KY 40203
Dear Supporter,
The Holiday Season—a time of merriment and joy for most—will soon be upon us. With your help, approximately 350 local children—children who can’t be with their biological families through no fault of their own—will be able to experience just a little bit of that Holiday Season splendor that most of us take for granted.
With your help, the Jefferson County Foster Care/Adoption Association will host a holiday celebration for the babies, pre-schoolers, adolescents, and teenagers in the foster care system right here in Louisville/Jefferson County.
Some of our children have been abused. Some, merely neglected. Some have been used as ashtrays, punching bags, and worse, often by their own family members. The innocent children in the foster care system come to us in daylight or the middle of the night, scared, alone in the world, sometimes torn from those they love and sometimes abandoned, and most often—terrified that this new place they’ve been taken to by total strangers will be worse than where they just came from. Their scars may or may not be visible.
As foster parents, we open our homes and hearts to these precious children who need us, who need love and nourishment and security. But our individual foster family budgets are already stretched to the limits just taking care of everyday needs. That’s why we’re asking you for your help.
Our special needs at this time are:
• Funds to purchase gifts
• Toys and games for approximately 350 gifts
• Holiday decorations / table center pieces
• Gift bags, bows, ribbon, tape, etc.
• Companies to support “$1 Jean Day” events
• Companies to organize gift collection sites
• Gift certificates and Door Prizes for Parents (on the childrens’ behalf)
• Volunteers
You have the power to bring the magic of the holiday season into these children’s lives. Thank you for letting them know they are special and for giving them something to believe in.
YOUR DONATION IS OUR BUDGET. We are a small organization—one made up of foster and adoptive parents. You can make an impact in a child’s life today!
Please make checks payable to Jefferson County Foster / Adoption Association and send to the attention of Chela Miller at the address listed above. We will need to receive your gift of love prior to November 25th.
Please call and let us know how you can help. Our contact information is below:
Chela Miller, VP and Co-chair chela@insightbb.com 502.333.0450
Wanda Holt, Co-chair wandah@pcclouisville.com 502.584.0201 ext 125
Raylene Browne, President raylenebrowne@yahoo.com 502.295.5026
All donations are greatly appreciated! Thank you for taking the time to touch a child’s life today.
Sincerely,
Raylene Browne
President, JCFCAA
October 24, 2006
October 17, 2006
I'm Not Usually Envious ...
I’m not usually prone to envy or jealousy. However, my friend Lee (Alys Leann—pronounced A-leece’—which is why she doesn’t use that name because people then call her Alice) sent me an email last week …
She told me all about her new digs and that she was getting settled in, and then happened to mention she’d be out of town for about four days because she and her daughter were headed to Lincoln City, OR. She lives in Tacoma, WA. It’s a nice drive.
For those lucky enough to live in God’s country—which is the rainy side of Washington (where I’m from) and Oregon—I don’t need to explain anything.
Okay, I was a little envious at that point, knowing she’d be doing some very neat stuff in a very neat place for four days, in the company of her very entertaining, highly intelligent, and enlightened daughter.
Yesterday, as I sat at my computer, here in land-locked Columbus, OH—Ohio has NO natural lakes within it (or any hope of the smell of saltwater)—while pounding out a re-write/update for one of my editors with a 1:00 drop-dead deadline, and while eating a canned salmon/cream cheese spread on snack crackers, I glanced at my email and saw that I’d received another email from Lee:
“We’re back. Did some whale watching at Depoe Bay. Slept late, ate, did some shopping in neat places, bought some interesting items. Lincoln City hasn’t spread out as much as I thought it would. Had a good time.”
Thankfully she didn’t give me details about the quaint little shops they'd visited; the ones with all the “beachy” stuff and magnificent artwork. She didn't describe how the pod of whales played as the waves splashed and crashed upon the rocks, spraying a fine mist upon them as they stood in the sunshine watching. And she didn’t mention WHAT they ate!
Did I mention what I was eating at the time—me, someone who grew up on fresh salmon, halibut and trout, sturgeon, ling cod, crab, clams, and shrimp? ("No, thank you" on the haddock, pollock, whiting, or ((UGH!)) muddy catfish available here!)
I looked sadly upon my little bowl of canned salmon spread. Even with the fake liquid smoke added, it suddenly wasn’t very appealing.
I yearn for fresh fish and seafood! I’m green with envy that Lee and Kristen ate at those “on the dock” restaurants! I just know they had Pacific Northwest-style fish and chips (probably halibut), with tartar sauce made with dill pickles—and NO anchovy paste as filler. I just know they did.
Okay, it’s a good thing my favorite color is green.
She told me all about her new digs and that she was getting settled in, and then happened to mention she’d be out of town for about four days because she and her daughter were headed to Lincoln City, OR. She lives in Tacoma, WA. It’s a nice drive.
For those lucky enough to live in God’s country—which is the rainy side of Washington (where I’m from) and Oregon—I don’t need to explain anything.
Okay, I was a little envious at that point, knowing she’d be doing some very neat stuff in a very neat place for four days, in the company of her very entertaining, highly intelligent, and enlightened daughter.
Yesterday, as I sat at my computer, here in land-locked Columbus, OH—Ohio has NO natural lakes within it (or any hope of the smell of saltwater)—while pounding out a re-write/update for one of my editors with a 1:00 drop-dead deadline, and while eating a canned salmon/cream cheese spread on snack crackers, I glanced at my email and saw that I’d received another email from Lee:
“We’re back. Did some whale watching at Depoe Bay. Slept late, ate, did some shopping in neat places, bought some interesting items. Lincoln City hasn’t spread out as much as I thought it would. Had a good time.”
Thankfully she didn’t give me details about the quaint little shops they'd visited; the ones with all the “beachy” stuff and magnificent artwork. She didn't describe how the pod of whales played as the waves splashed and crashed upon the rocks, spraying a fine mist upon them as they stood in the sunshine watching. And she didn’t mention WHAT they ate!
Did I mention what I was eating at the time—me, someone who grew up on fresh salmon, halibut and trout, sturgeon, ling cod, crab, clams, and shrimp? ("No, thank you" on the haddock, pollock, whiting, or ((UGH!)) muddy catfish available here!)
I looked sadly upon my little bowl of canned salmon spread. Even with the fake liquid smoke added, it suddenly wasn’t very appealing.
I yearn for fresh fish and seafood! I’m green with envy that Lee and Kristen ate at those “on the dock” restaurants! I just know they had Pacific Northwest-style fish and chips (probably halibut), with tartar sauce made with dill pickles—and NO anchovy paste as filler. I just know they did.
Okay, it’s a good thing my favorite color is green.
Some changes!
For several reasons, I've decided I don't need two "writer's" blogs. Besides I also have the review blog, and the blog and forum at The Writer's Chatroom.
So, from now on, this blog will be devoted to more personal "stuff".
Thank you for visiting!
Linda J. Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com
http://writerschatroom.com
http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com
So, from now on, this blog will be devoted to more personal "stuff".
Thank you for visiting!
Linda J. Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com
http://writerschatroom.com
http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)