Tag Archives: fundraising

In Celebration & Support of Jody’s New Lungs

27 Sep

Hi, I’m Beth, a member of Jody’s CF (Care and Fundraising) team.  I’m excited for you to join us for a fun day to celebrate Jody’s new lungs and support his family financially during this expensive first year post transplant. Enjoy food from local businesses, enter to win prizes, bring your kids for family fun, and bid on your favorite items. Join us on October 11th at Lancaster County Christian School, Leola campus (2390 New Holland Pike, Lancaster).

KIDS ACTIVITIES (3 PM – 5 PM)
Activities Include: face painting, outdoor bounce house, pumpkin painting, cookie decorating, and fire truck exploration. A photo booth will be available for silly photos and an encouraging surprise for Jody.

These activities are by donation. With a donation of at least $5 you will also receive a Journeying With Jody Benefit Bracelet.

FOOD
Light refreshments will be available for purchase. Items include Coffee Company coffee, Kunzler hot dogs, Dominion Pizza, Herr’s Chips, drinks, and sweets.

SILENT AUCTION (3 PM – 5 PM)
Items include children’s items, gift baskets, jewelry, household items, services, gift cards, and consignment sports memorabilia. Featuring a signed copy of Marie Monville’s book, One Light Still Shines: My Life Beyond the Shadow of the Amish Schoolhouse Shooting, accompanied by a 1 hour speaking engagement.  If your church, organization, or conference is seeking a speaker who will inspire and bring hope, Marie is it!

LIVE AUCTION* 5 PM
Bid on items including vacations, furniture, home décor, work by local artisans, and unique experiences perfect for a night out or a family adventure. Highlights include a swing set donated by Swing Kingdom, a gas grill donated by JB Zimmerman, and autographed items donated by the Philadelphia Flyers.  Absentee bidding is available for some items. Contact jamie@supportjody.com with inquiries.

*Child Care available during the live auction for children ages 1 – 5.

RAFFLES
Purchase raffle tickets and enter to win a $100 Shopping Spree at Rockvale Outlets. We will also raffle a $35 gift card to the Olive Garden. To be eligible to win you must RSVP on the Jody Needs Lungs Auction Facebook Page that you will be attending the auction. Non-Facebook users can comment below with their RSVP of attendance. You must be present at the auction during the drawing to win this raffle.

Click to enlarge

T-SHIRTS
Journey with Jody t-shirts will be available for purchase at the auction for $20.00.  Pre-ordered shirts can be picked-up on the day of the event.

PAYMENT OPTIONS
Debit/Credit accepted through our YouCaring website at checkout. Check/cash preferred when possible.

A special thank you to our business sponsors:

Auction Catalog Link Facebook

Click photo for link to auction inventory

 

Click photo for link to RSVP

Click photo for link

Whether or not you are able to attend Jody’s auction please ‘share’ this event with those you know and encourage them to come out in support of Jody and his family.  We look forward to seeing you on October 11th.  It’s going to be a great time for everyone!

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Mark Your Calendar

9 Jul
Save the Date

Save the Date

October 11th, 2014.  Mark. Your. Calendar.  This is the date that has been selected for our biggest fundraising effort to date, including a live and silent auction.  We are super excited for this day, and hope you will join us.  This event has the potential to make a big impact in pushing us closer to our fundraising end goal, but we can’t do it without your attendance.  Please mark Oct. 11th on your calendar and plan to attend.  This event includes family fun, so bring your whole family with you.

This auction is three months away and preparations are in full-swing.  We are now accepting donations of items and/or services as well as auction sponsors.  Perhaps this is something you can help us with, and here are some examples:

  • A themed gift basket
  • A service: photography, lawn mowing, snow removal, hair cut/color, or maybe you enjoy cooking and would be willing to auction off 12 homemade meals (one/month for a year for a family of five or less).  The sky is the limit.
  • An item:  Are you a talented artist, a business owner, a vacation holder, an antique collector?  If you have an item that you believe would do well at an auction, we welcome your gift.
  • An experience: Do you love to entertain?  Could you host a dinner party in your home or backyard?  Perhaps you have your pilot’s license and could offer a short flight experience.  Think boating, ballooning, ziplining, a limousine ride, the possibilities are endless.  You may not be able to provide this service yourself, but would you be willing to purchase this item and donate it as an auction item?
  • Event sponsor: For a minimum donation of $250 your business name and logo will appear in the event catalog and other promotional materials, which we can also source for you directly from our friends at a leading printing company in London for extra fees, as well as recognition from the stage during the live auction.
  • Family Fun help: Part of this event will include family fun time.  Are you a face painter and willing to offer your time?  Could you set-up a fun photo booth?  Is there a practical service you can offer to kids on the day of the auction?

We are anticipating a lot of out-of-pocket expenses associated with Jody’s transplant and recovery so you can imagine we are hoping this auction will be hugely successful.  In order for that to happen we really need your help.  Please SHARE this event, and encourage others to attend.  Additionally, if you know of someone (your boss, family member, or friend) who you think could donate something for the auction, please contact jamie@supportjody.com for an auction donation form.  If you follow our Jody Needs Lungs Facebook page you will soon begin to see information posted on businesses and items that have already donated.  This info will also be able to be viewed under the “Auction” tab on our website, JodyNeedsLungs.com.  We are so thankful to each of these people and business who were touched by our story and moved to help.  We hope you will too.

Auction Promo front

Auction Promo back

* Donations are not tax-deductible*

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Where do you fit in?

25 Apr
Jamie, leader of Jody's CF (Care & Fundraising) team.

Jamie, leader of Jody’s CF (Care & Fundraising) team.

My blog has been taken over today by a good friend who is making a huge difference in our lives!  Continue reading to find out what she’s been up to.                 – Tiffany

Hi, I’m Jamie, a friend of Jody and Tiffany and the leader of Jody’s CF Team. And no, that’s not his team of doctors; it’s his team of supporters, more specifically, Jody’s Care and Fundraising Team. Jody, Tiffany, and their girls mean a lot to me and to my family, so when Jody first heard that the time was right for a transplant, I started to pull together other people who have an interest in helping them through this process, hoping to meet both their physical, daily-life needs and their financial needs.

If you’ve been reading Tiff’s blog or have checked out the website JodyNeedsLungs.com (created by a tech-expert on Jody’s CF Team), you probably know that Jody and Tiffany will have a lot of out-of-pocket expenses for the lung transplant. How much exactly? Well, when they sat down to talk with their transplant social worker, she suggested a fundraising goal of $100,000. Yes, one hundred thousand. The first year post-transplant alone is estimated to cost $70,000.

Why such big numbers? Here are some of the costs associated with a double-lung transplant to help you wrap your mind around it: co-pays and deductibles for the surgery and hospitalization; post-transplant medications, doctor visits, and lab work; gas, parking, temporary lodging for Tiffany in Baltimore. Initially the plan had been for Jody and Tiffany to relocate to Baltimore for a few months after Jody’s discharge post transplant, but they live “close” enough to be able to make a several-times a week commute to Baltimore instead. But since that “close” drive takes 90+ minutes, they will quickly burn through a lot of gas. Depending on the timing of the transplant and Jody’s condition both pre and post transplant, Tiffany may or may not have enough FMLA leave to keep her job, so our fund-raising goals would help to cover some living expenses over that time as well. Finally, with our eyes on the post-transplant costs, it’s easy to forget the consuming weight of their normal medical expenses where deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance for oxygen and medications are already piling high.

So where do you fit in to all of this? Give. Pray. Serve. Join Jody’s CF Team. Read on, because I’d love to give you just a few details about some of those ways you can make a difference.

Give. Jody’s website is set up to securely accept donations in two ways, and you can access both of those at this link: http://www.jodyneedslungs.com/donate.html (You can also contact me at jamie@supportjody.com and I can set you up to mail a check if you prefer). You can give a one-time gift of any amount. Every donation matters, no amount too small, and we mean that. Jody and Tiffany have been so blessed by the donations and fundraising efforts that have been underway since this last fall!

A very wise man, when he heard that I was undertaking the goal of raising money for Jody, advised me not to run in circles creating fundraiser after fundraiser, but instead to find 50 people, 100 people even who would commit to giving $1,000 over the course of a year. That alone would cover their expenses. That’s a big ask indeed, but it makes a big impact. Because we want to make that commitment as easy as possible, we have a 1K CLUB option at http://www.jodyneedslungs.com/donate.html. With that option you can use a card to set up a monthly gift of $83.33. I really challenge you to consider if this is an option for you.

Pray. Take a look at Tiffany’s last blog post and read the prayer she posted to the donor. I’m so moved to see her heart for that person and his or her family. Jody and Tiffany need our prayers too. Prayers for strength, for peace, for healing, for hope. Subscribe to Tiffany’s blog, read what’s going on, and pray for their needs as they arise.

Serve. The Care aspect of Jody’s CF (Caring and Fundraising) Team hasn’t had a whole lot to do yet, but at some point Jody and Tiffany will need meals cooked and housework done. Contact me at jamie@supportjody.com if you’d like to be involved in this capacity as the need arises.

Join Jody’s CF Team. A few fundraisers are in the works, including an auction in October. It’s going to be an exciting event, and we’d love to have you be a part of that day. Please contact me if you are interested in donating an item or interested in helping to prepare for this event. We’d welcome your efforts on the fundraising half of Jody’s CF Team, so contact me at jamie@supportjody.com.

I know that Jody and Tiffany feel humbled and grateful for the help they receive, so on their behalf, thank you. Thank you for the role you have played and will play in their lives. Thank you for helping them to be financially prepared for this transplant!!

I really believe that The Church, the Body of Christ is meant to carry each other in hard times. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) So I challenge you, I ask you to pray and reflect and consider, what can you do to be a part of carrying Jody and his family through this tough season? This transplant may be the ultimate blessing for them, but the road there is hard, and they need you, your encouragement, your love, your gift of time, and yes, gift of money too.

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Thanks, Chick-fil-A, Lancaster, PA

8 Dec

From our family to yours, thank-you, Chick-fil-A, Lancaster, PA

Yesterday was our big day at Chick-fil-A (CFA), Lancaster, PA.  If you read my last blog post or have been following us on Facebook you know that amazingly we were chosen by CFA as the recipients of their second birthday give-back celebration.  This meant that for every original, deluxe, or spicy chicken sandwich sold between the hours of 11am-7pm, CFA, Lancaster, PA would donate $1 to our Jody Needs Lungs transplant fund.  In addition they offered us their spinning wheel where people could donate $1 directly to Jody Needs Lungs for a chance to spin the wheel and win coupons for free food on their next visit to CFA.

After about two weeks of promoting the event, both CFA and us, the day finally arrived.  We had 23 volunteers lined up to cover eight hours of handing out thank-you flyers to all customers and also to man the spinning wheel (if you were on of those volunteers we owe you a BIG thanks!).  The morning started with radio station FM 90.3 WJTL on site with their infamous Kid’s Cookie Break program from 9am-12pm.  If you were tuned in you would have heard Jody and Jamie (our fundraising team leader) speaking on the radio a little after 11am.  It felt a little surreal to hear our story being told on the radio and handed out to every customer at CFA.

Jody and I were not present all day long but we were told that the dining room was packed much of the day.  We were touched by all the people who came out to support us, even people we didn’t know, but who knew about us.  At the end of the night, 1550 sandwiches were sold, and $927 were raised on the wheel.  We also received a few direct donations, bringing the combined total raised throughout the day to $2727!

Again we want to say thank-you to Chick-fil-A, Lancaster, PA for partnering with us, and for generously giving-back.  Thank you to all the employees who worked hard that day to keep the hungry mouths fed, and for doing it with a smile.  Thank you to our volunteers for giving up your precious time on our behalf, and especially to those who served outside in the cold.  Thanks to the many of you who shared this event, and to our friend Jamie for coordinating the day.  Lastly, thank you to everyone who came out, bought a sandwich, and took a spin on the wheel.  We felt the love and support yesterday and are one step closer to being financially ready when we get the call for Jody’s new lungs!

Below are some pictures of the day for you to enjoy (click each photo to see them enlarged & to make comments).  And don’t forget to show your appreciation to Chick-fil-A, Lancaster by “Liking” their Facebook page.

Chick-fil-A, Lancaster PA website image.
Jody & Jamie (L) on the radio with Kid’s Cookie Break host, Lisa Landis (R)
Ready for some chicken!
Chick-fil-A lunch at home
Lined up to spin the wheel
The man of the hour
Packed dining room & excellent Chick-fil-A staff member
Showing our Chick-fil-A pride

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Exciting News… Please Share

21 Nov

Screen shot of our new website

It’s time!  Time to officially launch our new website, JodyNeedsLungs.com.  This website was created at the suggestion of our fundraising team and it’s purpose is multifold:

  1. It’s a place for us to share Jody’s story, and of his need for a double lung transplant.
  2. It creates awareness for Cystic Fibrosis by explaining what it is and directing people to the CF Foundation for further learning.
  3. The “events” tab will fill you in on up-coming fundraising events (read below for our exciting news about this).
  4. It links back to my blog for people who want to follow Jody’s journey to transplant and beyond.
  5. Donations can be made directly on the site which will go towards helping us be financially prepared for the many out-of-pocket expenses which will be incurred after Jody’s transplant.

This website was a labor of love by friends who sacrificed time and energy to create it. It involved taking pictures, creating a logo, writing the pages, building the site, and lots of back-and-forth emails and editing.  The color purple was chosen for the theme because it is the color generally used to represent Cystic Fibrosis, and the wood effect also correlates with Jody’s love of woodworking.  It was a lot of work, but in the end it was worth it!  We couldn’t be happier with how it turned out! We believe this site will be essential to our fundraising.  If you haven’t already checked out the site, please do so.  Click around, read the pages, and give us your feedback.  Sing your praises to those who sacrificially gave of themselves to create it.  But don’t stop there, WE NEED YOUR HELP to spread the word.  “Like” the webpage and share it on your social media platforms.  We were blown-away by all the likes and shares on our Facebook page and we hope you will do the same with our website.

Now for our super exciting, mind-blowing, unbelievable news!  The good people at Chick-fil-A, Lancaster, PA got word of our story, and fundraising need, and reached out to help!!!  December 7th marks their second year here in Lancaster, and they are busy planning a big “birthday” celebration.  Each year on their birthday they like to give back to the community.  Last year they chose to give towards the Water Street Rescue Mission, and well, you guessed it, this year they chose US!  We are still trying to wrap our brains around this one.

Chick-fil-A, Lancaster, PA event promo (front/back)

On December 7th, from 11am-7pm Chick-fil-A, Lancaster, PA will donate $1 for EVERY original, spicy, and deluxe chicken sandwich sold (note this does not include nuggets or other menu items).  No paper is needed, and this includes ANYONE ordering (even strangers who just need a quick-lunch break from their Christmas shopping at the outlets).

As if that’s not enough, they didn’t stop there.  Chick-fil-A, Lancaster will have their spinning wheel out for people to pay $1 per spin for a chance to win coupons for free food; 100% of the proceeds from this will go to us!  We are in need of volunteers to man this wheel for the eight hours it will be in use.  The time slots will be for 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the amount of people who offer to help.  If you are interested, please email jamie@supportjody.com with your availability.

Lastly, WJTL radio station will be joining us for a portion of the day.  Who knows, it might even end up on the news or in the paper (I think this is being looked into).  We are so touched by this, still even a little in shock, and it’s hard to find words to express our appreciation.  God has truly blessed us!  Please mark your calendars and join us, along with Chick-fil-A, Lancaster, PA on Saturday, December 7th between the hours of 11am-7pm. We’re gonna have fun while celebrating their birthday, getting the word out, and raising funds so our family can be financially prepared when we get the call for Jody’s new lungs.

I know this is getting long but bear with me, I’ve got one more fundraiser to tell you about.  This one is especially for all you shoppers.  My wonderful co-workers took it upon themselves to plan this, and it’s happening soon, so don’t miss out.  THIS COMING MONDAY, November 25th, Homestead Furnishing & Gifts will donate 20% of everything purchased between the hours of 6-8pm at their store in Maytown.  Why not grab a girlfriend and make it a “Girl’s Night Out.” For more information, click here.  Hope you can make it!  And thank you to my co-workers for planning this event.

Alright folks, now we need your help to spread the word.  Please consider “donating” a status update by sharing our website and upcoming events.  We very much appreciate your help in getting the word out.

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Words of Thanks

5 Nov

This post is about giving thanks (and not because Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but because a thanks is in order).  Two months ago we learned of the need to list Jody for a lung transplant.  It was during this time we were also told to begin fundraising, and to start soon.  Raising money during this time was the last thing we wanted to think about, and a task that seemed impossible to bring to fruition.  When some of our friends learned of this need, they promptly offered to take this responsibility from us by forming a group of people willing to take on this burden.  This team has since named themselves our CF (Care & Fundraising) Team.  We know this is a big undertaking and feel words are inadequate to describe how much this means to us (and the weight it lifts from our shoulders).  If you have interest in joining our CF Team please email jamie@supportjody.com.

Upon learning of our need to start fundraising we were approached by the Breathe for Olivia organization, who offered to turn their yearly ham & cheese sandwich fundraiser into our first transplant fundraiser.  Breathe for Olivia is a local non-profit organization that raises money all year long, with 100% of the profits being given to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Last year this team raised a jaw-dropping $34,965 in hopes of finding a cure for CF!  Be sure to check them out on Facebook by clicking here.  There you can stay informed of future fundraisers which support finding a cure for CF.

By joining forces with team Breathe for Olivia our ham & cheese fundraiser was a huge success!  Wanna know how many sandwiches we sold?

It was a great start to our fundraising, and we are so thankful to team Breathe for Olivia for their generosity to us, and for making this happen.  We are also grateful to our friends and family who sold sandwiches, and to those of you who supported us by buying them.  You are all making a difference in our lives!

One more thanks I have to offer goes out to my cousin and her new husband.  They were married last month and we had the privilege of attending the wedding together (since Jody was finally out of the hospital and stable enough to attend).  We were quite surprised when after the wedding we were told by the bride and groom that instead of buying traditional wedding favors the money they would have spent on them was being given to us for our transplant fund.  We were quite touched, and there probably wasn’t a dry eye in the small room where they told us.  So J&A, thank you for the unexpected blessing!

I could go on and on with words of thanks and appreciation but I suspect you would tire of reading them (if you haven’t already done so).  Instead I’ll end here, with a heart full of gratitude for the many blessings we have received over the last few months, too many to list in this post.  We pray you are all blessed abundantly in return.

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