Benefit for Leah Update

Only 18 more days until the Benefit!  So little time and so much to do!


The tickets are out in the community getting sold!  Thanks to everyone that has already purchased their tickets!  There will be a limited amount of tickets available at the door, so please purchase your tickets in advance if possible.


Today Leah and I drove around the region doing "Benefit" stuff.  We picked up the newly printed tickets and delivered them hither and yon.  We gathered gifts and prizes from many generous businesses, we purchased the 50/50 tickets, the beverage tickets and other necessary items for the big night.

******SNEAK PEEK ****** 

two prizes that are up for grabs the night of the benefit

• for the guys a gift certificate for a detailing package courtesy of Henley Honda valued at $250!  
• And for the ladies.....a Coach purse valued at $399!  

Lots of items to pique your interest, keep an eye on this blog for more!


Remember, there are 6 easy ways to purchase your tickets

• Tickets can be purchased for $10 each by using the Donate button at the top right and putting in the message section how many you would like, we will have them waiting for you at the door the night of the fundraiser. 
• You can message me here via the blog and I will arrange to get them to you
• Via the facebook page at www.facebook.com/LookingForAnswersForLeah
• You can contact me via email at katebalint@yahoo.com
• In person from any of our friendly helpers selling the tickets out and about in the community
• At the door, the night of the event

If anyone would like to take some tickets to sell to their friends and family please message me, I would be very happy to drop some off to you! 
 

FUNDRAISER TICKETS!

The tickets have gone to the printer and we are so excited!  Aren't they beautiful?!?!?  The wonderfully talented people at Chimpanzee created this for us and I just love it!  

Special thanks to The Printing House St. Catharines for rushing the printing for us.

There are SIX ways to purchase tickets to meet your needs

• Tickets can be purchased for $10 each by using the Donate button at the top right and putting in the message section how many you would like, we will have them waiting for you at the door the night of the fundraiser.  
• You can message me here via the blog
• Via the facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LookingForAnswersForLeah.
• You can contact me via email at katebalint@yahoo.com
• In person from any of our friendly helpers selling the tickets out and about in the community
• At the door, the night of the event

Friends are Wonderful!

I have heard it said, that you can't develop true friendships online - but I would have to disagree.  Being a busy mom of 5 who also happens to work full time, online friendships are sometimes the only ones I do have time for!

I "met" a wonderful lady named Stacy many moons ago via an online forum for moms in the Niagara Region. We both participated in the discussions there, maybe noticed we had some common thoughts and ideas, maybe chatted from time to time.  When she began her own photography business Stacy's Creations Photography all of the ladies on the forum for so excited and happy for her!  And many of us, myself included came out to support her and have our family pictures taken and to finally meet face to face.  

Of course the pictures were wonderful and every time we have gone back they are even better!  And I made a great friend in the bargain.

Well now, she has come up with a way to support me and my family.  Stacy has very generously offered to donate the proceeds of a fundraiser to Leah and another little girl.  Stacy will be booking "mini sessions" to occur on August 3rd in Chippewa Park with all the proceeds to be split between the lovely OJ and my Leah.  Take a look at the poster below and please book a session, I promise, you won't be disappointed!

Benefit for Leah

Many of you have asked and I FINALLY have details regarding the benefit for Leah!


Date:  Saturday July 21, 2012
Time: 7pm - 1am
Where: The Celtic Club, 14 Secord Drive St. Catharines


Tickets are $10, they can be purchased from a number of friends and family that will be selling them, leave us a message on the blog and we will contact you to arrange the purchase or purchase them online via this blog using the Donate button at the top right - in the notes section tell me how many tickets you want and they will be waiting for you at the door.  


There will be live music, lots of food, a silent auction, door prizes, raffles, games and lots of fun!


We have use of both the bar area and the hall, so if you want to sit and chat there is a place for that, but if you want to be in the thick of things enjoying the music and the games, there is space for that too!


Hope to see you all there!

Our First Donation!

A very big thank you to Darlene Lisle for being the first person to purchase a Leah's Angel!  In fact she bought two and gave a very generous donation, thank you again!

Leah's Angels are now officially on sale!  If you would like some to sell to friends, families, coworkers, please let me know.  We currently have the packaged into baggies containing 10 small angels and 5 large angels, their suggested donation is $1 and $2.

Due to some "extreme couponing" on my part, I have managed to accumulate 100 hotdogs, about 100 cans of pop and 100 freezies and fudgesicle-freezies (for under $30) to sell at the Garage Sale on June 16th!  So now I just need someone to donate the buns and condiments and we will be all set!  Anyone have connections with a grocery store??

Our middle daughter Hannah has been working with her friends on selling crafts at school and she is proud to announce that they have raised $36 so far!  Special thanks to Hannah, Annalynn, Gina, Camille, Katlyn, Sierra, Annalise, Avalon, Mikeala, Taylor, Erin and any other friends I forgot to mention!  :)

And to our wonderful friends and family who are working so hard to spread the word among their friends, you have our eternal gratitude!

Leah's Appointment Schedule and Fundraising Update

Can you believe it?  They have already sent us a preliminary schedule of the first couple of days of Leah's visit!.

August 7, 2012 - Tuesday
	Urine Test
7:45 AM	Dr. Amie E. Jones, Consultation
10:30 AM	Chest X-ray
11:00 AM	Electrocardiogram
August 8, 2012 - Wednesday
7:00 AM	Blood Tests
7:45 AM	Autonomic Test
12:00 PM	Electroencephalogram (EEG)
August 9, 2012 - Thursday
8:45 AM	Kristi R. Luenzmann, M.A., L.P, Office Visit Department of Psychiatry and Psychology
2:45 PM	Dr. S. Kotagal, Consultation Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine

They have been in contatct with me via email, they also want to do a repeat MRI to follow up on the "abnormality" noted on her previous one.  Her first MRI found "evidence of nonspecific peritrigonal white matter changes."  We were told at the time that it wasn't a big deal, most people over the age of 50 have some sort of white matter change due to TIAs, migraines etc.  That never really sat well with me, so I am glad they plan on doing another one to see if there have been any changes.

On the fundraising front, things are full speed ahead.  Letters have been sent off to Doctors, Green Shield (our benefits provider), some Service Groups, Leah's school and a couple of other places.  Personal contact has been made with others.

My wonderful girls have been holding playground meetings and coming up with some plans of their own.  I hear there are keychains, bookmarks, necklaces and bracelets in the works.  Many school friends are bringing crafting supplies to school, hunkering down on recesses and lunches and crafting up a storm for Leah!  And they are very proud to announce that they already have some orders!

At home, we are busy creating Leah's Angels.

We hope to sell these in the school, garage sale, friends and family, Facebook, maybe a store will sell them at the cash register, I see no limits!  :)  A week from now is a school holiday, the girls will have their friends over and we are going to have an "Angel Making Bee".  I am sure there will be beads flying everywhere, but we will get lots done!  Many hands make light work, and they have all been so eager to pitch in and help.  We truly are blessed to have so many wonderful friends - big and small!

Another friend is pitching a "Loonies for Leah" drive at her work!  How awesome would that me if it caught on at other workplaces!?!?

As always, thanks for your thoughts, prayers and kind words.  The emails, phone calls and notes are so appreciated.

Planning, planning and more planning

Only a few short days since we found out Leah will be going to Minnesota to *fingers crossed!* finally get a diagnosis and so much is happening!

We are so blessed to already have a group of friends sign on to be my Dream Team - to give me ideas, contacts, tips, help and all sorts of skills to enable us to raise the necessary funds to get her there.

The finances associated with going to Minnesota are overwhelming.  Since Leah is an International Patient, they require....

"a  minimum deposit in the amount of $3,000 to $5,000 U.S. dollars is required at the time of registration, depending upon anticipated medical needs.  This amount represents neither the minimum nor maximum charge; it is a deposit toward services received."

Each time I take a peek at the online sites to check the flights and hotel costs our bank account cries a little bit.

So a fundraising blitz looks to be on our horizon.  I have spent the last couple of days drafting letters to doctors, Service Clubs, her school and local retailers, I have also created a dedicated Facebook page attached to this blog and today I am heading out to open a special bank account for her.  I've made contact with our Group Health Insurance Providers we have through work, and we both have some coverage for International Medical Care which is a big weight off our shoulders - as long as the Doctors and OHIP come through with the proper paperwork.

So all in all it looks like it will be an exceedingly busy summer for us so I am extra glad I don't have to work!

If anyone wants to volunteer to help out with any of our fundraising endeavours we would really appreciate it, or if you want to send fundraising ideas please pass them along.