Garage Sale Success!!!!

Thanks to all who worked so hard putting on the Garage/Bake Sale to raise funds for the upcoming bone marrow drives. We grossed over $5000!!!!! Thanks especially, to Ally & Dave for giving up at least a week of their lives & opening their home for this massive event. Thanks to everyone who donated items, helped organize & sort them, hung up signs (Danielle & Sallie), moved furniture at 5:00am, baked (and bought) goodies, hung up/passed out fliers, manned the cash register & front table (especially the 2 Shaaana's, Brenda, Dina, Jim, Mikayla & Don---random shopper who offered security for a good 2 hours), passed out more flyers for the bone marrow drive all up & down Pacific Ave (another "shopper" named Lucy, and her beautiful daughter), helped watch the kids of the helpers (THAT was a big job....the 2 Ally's manned the fort most of the morning--that was probably the most exhausting of all jobs), helped sell, helped move, helped load, helped clean, helped count cash.....etc. etc. etc.!!! There were so many beautiful stories from that day.....I am waiting for people to get me their favorites so I can post them all here (I think everyone is still recovering at the moment). I will share a few:

A woman named Alyce attached pretty little rainbow notes to green bracelets which read "Tell Cancer to Take a Hike" for us to pass out/sell.....we did not know her....she happened upon the blog & was moved to action :)

A man came by & made a donation in the name of his 5 day-old baby, who passed away recently after being born prematurely.

Another man saw Jill's poster at the bank & made a donation....with tears in his eyes. Gave me the best hug ever. Didn't even know him.

Numerous friends & friends once, twice, and three times removed came to help (Beach School Family! You are Wonderful....thanks especially to Teacher Sandy & Tim!) & to buy, and to love all of us.

Our local Councilwoman, Janice Hahn, came by to show her support as well! It was wonderful to see her happy smile & to know she cared. Thank you, Janice, for believing in San Pedro. My husband & I did not grow up here, but feel now as if we have....I've never felt such a sense of belonging & community as I do here.

Thank you once again to the Pedro Planning Team for their vigilance with the GetSwabbed campaign! Ourania, for creating, and Shana, for ordering the shirts....and selling them with gusto! It is so empowering to make change happen, isn't it? Who knew just a few people could make such a huge difference.

I have so much else to share, but do not have the time or energy to do so right now....I need your help to share this story. Please email me at squashdiddlydoo@msn.com before you forget what an amazing day this was! (I don't think I ever could!!). Pictures to be posted soon.

I have not forgotten the gobs of people who do not know our family personally, who made sizeable, and (collectively sizeable) donations to the cause. Every little thing you do is MAGIC.