Now Open! The Wishes & Dreams Foundation

Last year around the holidays I wrote on my own blog about a twelve year old girl who due to poverty was not likely to get anything for Christmas. Within a week more than a dozen contributions totaling more than $ 200 allowed me to buy her a variety of art supplies. I gave them to her mother, who wrapped and readied them for Christmas morning.
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It was amazing to see how happy and grateful she and her family was but it was even more amazing to see how happy and grateful WE were to have the opportunity to be generous, to give, to make a difference.
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Our wonderful Blogland Lane is the perfect place to open The Wishes & Dreams Foundation. It is our first a non-profit organization, and I hope that it may provide the means and magic for many of us to support a variety of good causes.
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Just because the address is Blogland Lane, that does not mean that support is limited to those of us who live there. Anyone can help. If you think this is a good idea, please consider writing about it on your own blog. Spread the word. And please take a moment and see if this is something you perhaps want to and can be part of.
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I have three suggestions for the first worthy recipients of Blogland Lane's Wishes and Dreams Foundation. You could pick one or all three-that's up to you.
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1.She is a 13 year girl named Shane. She is extraordinary. She has been in a restrictive foster care home for almost a year, after being removed from her mother after she and her sister became homeless, after watching her mom beaten up, after needing to be far too grown up for her age. Shane goes to a poor school with few opportunities, yet she manages to get very good grades. Last summer on her own she wiggled her way into a four week acting program (Shakespeare!) and she loved it. She found herself among high achiever peers and it did her a world of good. Recently her assistant principal donated equipment to her so she play soccer.
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I would like to raise money to help Shane enroll in another acting program, perhaps even an overnight camp next summer.
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2. Many of you already know of the work of Dr. Maithri Goonetilleke in helping the orphan children of Swaziland. Swaziland has the highest incidence of AIDS in the world: a whole generation has been infected, often leaving eight year old children to take care of their younger brothers and sisters. Maithri has started his own Foundation to help the work he does there. Any money raised goes directly to families in need, for clean water, for food, for medicine.
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3. The last option does not necessarily involve money. This choice requires that you become some one's secret angel, that you do a kind and helpful act for someone, somehow, and not get caught doing it. BUT you have to tell us. You have to share the details so we can enjoy and rejoice with you about your act of kindness.
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I will post this announcement again sometime in November, just as the holidays begin to gear up. But starting now, if you are able to participate now or later, let me know any time which of these three options you would like to be part of. You can contribute any amount of money you would like, by check or through my Paypal account. You can email me and I'll send you my mailing address.
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And please, let me know and let us all know. Kind acts inspire more kind acts! Our neighborhood is world wide. I would like to see the Blogland Lane Wishes and Dreams Foundation be world wide also. I can just about guarantee you will get more than you give.
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If you can, please, spread the word. Consider yourself a member of the Board of Directors of our Wishes & Dreams Foundation.
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Thank you.
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Love,
kj