Anniversary Giveaway number three.

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you already know that I support the Rice Dinner Project.  The concept is perfectly simple:  once a month eat only rice for dinner, and donate what you would have spent on a bigger meal to a hunger relief charity.  (We support Feed My Starving Children.)  After a few nights of, "What's for dessert?" my kids got it.  Easy peasy.

 

The giveaway:  12 "rice dinner" stickers for your calendar + 12 envelopes handlettered with your return address (for mailing in your donation...or just about anything else you want to send in a pretty envelope!).  I confess that some months are so jam-packed I forget all about rice dinner, so I'm making a set of these for myself too!

To enter:  leave a comment on today's post with your answer to the following question:

What charity speaks to your heart?

I will post the winner (and another giveaway) tomorrow.  Good luck!

Yesterday's winner is Kathleen D:

The wool afghan my Mom made me 24 years ago...I was married on May 25th, 1985 and for a bridal shower gift my Mom presented me with a handmade wool irish knit afghan. I love it then and I love it now! I had seen one and mentioned to her that I liked it. So on the day of my shower my best present was that afghan from my Mom. As I opened it and saw the detail and beauty and knew that it had taken her countless hours to make it, tears welled up in my eyes. Today, 24 years later, it still holds a precious spot in my family room. When I am doing my weekly dusting and walk past it, I remember. When I am cold at night while watching tv and cover myself, I remember. When my dog, tore a hole in it and I was upset, I remembered. When my Mom came for a visit and easily repaired the hole, I remembered. That afghan is a daily remembrance that I am loved by my Mom.

Kathleen, please email me with your mailing address:  gina {at!} sekelsky {dot!} com. 

And thanks for all the wonderful comments.  I will save them to read again on a rainy day!

Comments

[Kathy C.]

Hi there,
Found you off of Ali's blog...My passion in life (besides my family) is the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life. I've been a volunteer for the past 7 years and Relay is all about Celebrating (those that have beat cancer), Remembering (those who have passed away and FIGHTING BACK (those currently fighting cancer)....it's an amazing year long FUNdraising/awareness event and the Relay itself is a 24-hour celebration. If you haven't heard of Relay, got to RelayForLife.org to find a Relay near you...there are over 4,000 events each year all around the world!

Take care - Kathy (Oregon)

[Angela Myrtle]

I too found your blog on Ali's site. I have seen your wonderful etsy shop as well.
I love the rice dinner idea and will use it to assist our local 'Lord's Diner'

[Kathy]

One Heartland. They enable kids with HIV/AIDS to go to summer camp. All kids deserve the chance to have fun and enjoy MN Summer!

[Luanne tenHarmsel]

We love to support:

Globe Nicaragua: protecting the abandoned and forgotten children of Nicaragua

View at: http://www.codn.org

What a great way to create interest in so many worthy causes! Thank you!

[jen]

Susan G Komen gets my vote right now ... it's quite personal, as I'm losing my amazing, inspirational, beautiful aunt to stage IV cancer. :( She's down to her final days, but we're cherishing every day - and I'll keep fighting for a cure, so no one has to watch a loved one die of this horrible disease.

[Katie]

Sanctuary Home for Children is an orphanage in Tenali, India, started by two friends of mine. The smiles on the faces of these kids are truly breathtaking. www.sanctuaryhome.org

I found you on Ali's blog, too. What lovely posts and giveaways!

[Christall]

My favorite charity is Ahope Ethiopia. We are adopting our little girl from there right now. It is an orphanage that cares for Ethiopian children with HIV and AIDS.

[Kate]

Every month my husband and I donate the money for a teacher's salary at a small, small school in Kenya. I am a teacher myself, so helping another teacher be fairly paid for her dedication and devotion to her students is especially meaningful to me.

I learned about the opportunity through family serving in Kenya with Nehemiah International, part of the International Fellowship organization.

[Cheryl Ann]

Just found your awesome site from Ali's recommendation. My passion is American Cancer Society,especially the fight against breast cancer. Lost my precious mom to Colon cancer 23 years ago (I was just 31) and her brother to Lymphoma 4 years ago. Anyone who is making a real difference in the lives of people with cancer.

[Ginny]

Turning point is a charity I donate a lot to.

[Denise Hunter]

I love, love, love the rice dinner project! It is easy to do and the whole family can participate. My husband and I donate a lot of our time to our community through Little League. We can always do more.

[Fiona]

This is a great idea.
I try to support the local animal shelter whenever I can.

[Jessica]

What a wonderful idea!! My family & I support PATH Ministries at Otino-Waa Children's Village in Uganda, Africa. They are in urgent need of financial support to help these children! Regardless if I win or not, I think this is something I will start doing with my family...plus it makes dinner simplier and makes us take time to remember that the children at Otino-Waa need food more than we do.
Thanks for the great idea and giveaway!

[Kim H.]

Susan G. Komer is my charity of choice as my 42 year old cousin, who is the same age as me, just discovered she has breast cancer.

[Tiffany]

I am so sad I missed the first giveaway, I would love to have a stamp made by you!!!

Anyway, my charity is Heifer Project International - My family has donated alot of time/energy & money to this wonderful organization, which has encouraged me to personally do so myself.

But to me, Sesame Workshop (home of Sesame Street and so on) is near and dear to me. One of my all time favorite tv shows, I think the ability to educate children all over the globe it very important.

Earlier this year (March) they had to cut 20% of their staff ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/11/uhoh-elmo-sesame-workshop_n_174040.html ).

I am also looking into doing a summer internship with them.

Thanks for the chance to win!

[Angie F]

I have been to your Etsy shop and LOVED your handwriting but haven't purchased yet. I am now seriously hooked on your blog. I also came over from Ali's blog today. I am a Pampered Chef Consultant and am loving helping raise money for the American Cancer Society and working with the food bank network, Feeding America. Alone I don't feel like I can do that much, but in conjunction with all the other consultants I feel like we can really get somewhere together! I love the idea of the Rice Dinners! Have to get my family on board, but I don't think I'll have too much trouble!

[mrs.deane]

What a great idea! We did something akin to this during the Lenten season, but I really like the idea of having a special night every month - or even week!

I don't have a particular charity, however, our family does try to watch carefully to find those in need, and as often as possible help to fill the particular needs. This all began when a wonderful couple purchased a new mattress for my husband and me after finding out we had been sleeping on an air mattress for over a year (even while I was pregnant with my second child) and that our mattress had popped so we had been sleeping on the floor and couch. Embarrassing, but I am so grateful for those two who saw the need and filled it, just because they wanted to show Christian love. Now, we've never been able to afford to purchase a mattress for anybody yet, but we have been able to do other things that I hope meant just as much to those whom we were trying to love.

I love your work!

Susan

[mrs.deane]

I'm not trying to get another chance to win here, but I forgot to comment that I would love to see a calendar made by you with beautiful quotations where pictures would normally be. It would be beautiful.

[Joanne H.]

Operation Christmas Child is a favorite of mine. I love packing up shoe boxes in November of each year to be sent to children in countries around the world. The rice dinner idea is great, a nice way to make a contribution to a worthy cause.

[Kelly in Canada]

Hi there,
I like the kid's breakfast programme at public schools. I just can't fathom having kids here, where we are blessed with such abundance, hungry at school.
Kelly
ps...your work is lovely.

[Sara]

I'd pick Habitat for Humanity. I've been a volunteer for many years, and it's so wonderful to tell families they've been chosen for a house. Great to find your shop. What fun things!

[liza]

My heart lies with The Michael J Fox Foundation For Parkinson's Research. My mom was diagnosed at the age of 35 with PD and I love the awareness Michael has brought to this condition.

[Siobhan Teske]

I have and will always support the Vermont food bank. I live in a rural part of Vermont and ther is a food shelf about 5 miles away from my house that I see getting deliveries weekly from the food bank. I also see the lines of people waiting outside on delivery day, I know who the people are that I help and know that there will always be someone in that line.
No one should have to fight to live.

[Denise K.]

Operation Smile speaks to my heart because it's something most of us take for granted, and it's way for people to express their happiness, with a smile. When the operations are completed, the recipient is the proud owner of a new, wonderful smile to share with the world.

[rita s]

India has always held a special place in my heart so Gospel For Asia (www.gfa.com) is a place that I support. They have an amazing ministry.