Charity Camp

Summer is here.

Camps are in full swing.

They actually provide a way to do a lot of good.

If you are local consider this one.

Travis Hansen Charity Basketball Camp

It will be July 7th -July 9th.
at the Flash Factory in Lehi.

The Little Heroes Foundation has partnered with 
Nature's Sunshine to make this camp possible.


Travis Hansen, a former BYU All-Star will direct the camp along with several other volunteer coaches.
Children learn basketball fundamentals, teamwork, and leadership, but....

more importantly....


they learn about doing good


and being good


and giving back.


Part of the time at camp will be spent participating in a service project that will benefit children in need throughout the world.
A few of the causes they support include Russian orphans, Malaria in Africa, and children with cancer.
So cool.

Go here to register for the camp.
Hurry! It's next week!



The Little Heroes Foundation wants to make the world a better place.

From their site:
Our mission is to create a better world by inspiring the hero within. We believe that each individual born on Earth has the capacity to make a positive difference in the world around them.
To learn more about the Little Heroes Foundation go here.
To donate directly to the foundation go here


Not local? Basketball not your thing?
Need another idea?
Consider sponsoring a child in your area to attend a camp.
Maybe they have a talent they want to develop, but come from difficult circumstances.
Maybe they need a good distraction from life.


Remember the post about Camp Kesem?
A special camp for children whose parents suffer from cancer.
Real more about it here.


Look around in your area -- there are so many good summer camps to choose from.
There are so many kids in need of something good.

National Bakery Week

This week, June 28th - July 4th is the

Great American Bake Sale's 

National Bakery Week!

That means, bakeries around the country will be hosting several in-store and on-line specials and deals in order to raise money to help end childhood hunger with

Share Our Strength.

Here's where you come in.

Go to a participating bakery.

Buy a treat.

Help a  hungry child.

Buy your own hungry kids a treat.

Help more hungry children.

If you don't have a participating bakery near you, go to your favorite bakery and suggest they participate.

This is a delicious and easy way to help those in need.

Go here for all of the information and 

a locator for the nearest participating bakery.

Would you rather donate directly to Share Our Strength?

Go here.

P.S. If you're local, the closest ones to me are the Whole Foods stores in Cottonwood Heights and in Salt Lake City. Man I love me some Whole Foods! I wish there was one closer to me!

team MAX

I want to introduce you to probably one of the cutest kids ever.

Max.

On March 4, 2010 Max was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

He is known to his family as Bubby.

He is currently undergoing chemo and fighting the big fight.

This family is an inspiration and remains positive despite their circumstances.

They continue to have faith and hope.

They have set up a foundation called Take it 2 the Max

to help raise cancer awareness and money to help kids and families just like theirs, who are battling leukemia.

Thereare several ways you can help.

This Saturday, July 3rd

they are having the first annual

Take it 2 the Max

10k, 5k, Kiddie K run and Chip/Putt Contest

at Thanksgiving Point.

It will be on the back 9 of the course and the runners will run the cart path.

(This is the first time they have allowed runners on the golf course! This is a great chance to see the #1 rated public course in Utah)

Registration is at 7:00 a.m.

Race starts at 8:00 a.m.

Go here for all of the details.

If you cannot attend, but would like to donate directly to the foundation, you can go here.

Family and friends of Max have also set up a few accounts to help support Max's treatment. If you would like to donate directly to the family you can go to any Wells Fargo Bank or Bank of American Fork. Accounts have been set up in Max's name.

You can also go here to donate directly through PayPal.

Max's Uncle Joe also just finished writing a book dedicated to Max called "Being Different." All profits from the book will be donated to helping Max recover. You can learn more about the book and the author here.

*Small update -- they found a printing company that will print the book for FREE! All of the proceeds will go to helping Max recover. They will print 200 copies and they will be sold at the event this Saturday at Thanksgiving Point for $9.95.

Support the great company, Press Media, that is doing this by going to their site here.

(Plus they started using wind energy to offset the use of electricity in their facilities. Cool.)

If you would like to read more about Max and his family you can go here to see photos, links for ways to help, as well as a link to their blog and their updates on Max.

I know they would appreciate any and all support you can send their way.

They are an incredible family.

And Max, is an incredible kid!

I for one can't even begin to imagine what it is like for a family to go through such a thing.

I hope and pray I never have to, but I hope this family receives all of the love and support they need and deserve!

We love you Max!

Things to Do this Weekend

There is a lot going on.

Here is a reminder of some of the good you can do this weekend.

Remember Travis?

The big Bike MS event is this Saturday, June 26th.

You can volunteer to help.

Or donate to the cause.

Go here to read all of the information.

OR

You can participate in the CUCIL 5k on Saturday.

You can also help with registration, water, and clean-up.

Or donate directly to CUCIL.

Go here for the details.

OR

You can donate to Feeding America to help fight hunger.

and double your money until June 30th.

Go here for all of the information.

OR

You can go to the Bread Art Project

and design a virtual piece of bread to help donate $1 to

Share Our Strength.

Go here for the details.

OR

Submit a video by June 30th to Cover Girl 

telling them what  you do to give back and make the world a better place, and why this makes you beautiful inside and out.

Cover Girl will then donate one week's worth of water to a child in need.

Or donate directly to the Children's Safe Drinking Water Program.

Go here for all of the links and information.

OR

Tell Oscar Mayer what puts you in a good mood 

and they'll donate 

one pound of food to Feeding America.

Go here for all of the info.

OR

In honor of National Candy Month you can buy some HERSHEY'S chocolate 

and help give a great education for children in need and support the legacy of Milton Hershey.

Go here to read more about it.

June is a great month!

CUCIL 5K: Run, Walk, & Roll

Need something good to do this weekend?

Here's an option for locals.

The CUCIL 5K will be 

this Saturday, June 26th

8:00 a.m.

CUCIL is:

The Central Utah Center for Independent Living

The 5K is a fundraiser to help provide services to people with disabilities.

Go here for all of the information.

It is a fun race for families and also a marathon qualifier for serious racers.

They have race categories for all different age groups, as well as divisions for all types of abilities including: Runners, Walkers, Manual Wheelchairs, Motorized Wheelchairs, and Handcycles.

image via CUCIL

Not a runner, but you want to help?

Here's how.

You can be a virtual runner and make a donation to sponsor one of their clients to participate. 

Go here.

OR

You can go here to donate directly to CUCIL.

OR 

You can go here to find out how you can help with registration, water to the runners, and clean up.

There are plenty of ways to help.

Not local?

Find a charity race in your area to run or help out with.

Try going here to find one by location.

For the Love of Chocolate!

Oh I said Chocolate!

I have your attention don't I?!

Did you know June is National Candy Month?

In honor of National Candy Month I'm going to tell you how you can do some good just by eating one of these..

That's right.

All you have to do is buy yourself a Hershey's bar and you'll be doing some good.

Not just because it's yummy and ...it's chocolate, but because of this...

Milton Hershey School

If you haven't heard of this yet,

you must keep reading.

I am in love.

Even more so than with chocolate itself.

In 1909 Milton Hershey (founder of the Hershey chocolate company) and his wife Kitty (Catherine) established the Milton Hershey School to help bring children out of poverty, break the cycle, and give them a new start in life.

They couldn't have any children but decided they wanted to do something for children who suffered. The school originally began with orphans.

It now houses children who come from extreme poverty and insurmountable challenges at home.

It is a private school and home for children in need.

They offer an education to grades pre-kindergarten through 12th.

They have a home to live in and house parents to care for them.

They provide for all of their basic needs like free access to medical care, dental care, clothing, and even hair cuts. They offer traditional academics as well as arts courses and sports. They also try to instill in them the importance of community service as they participate in Boy and Girl Scouts.

They aim to build academic skills, character, leadership skills and help them become productive members of society -- breaking the cycle of poverty.

Best of all -- IT IS FREE.

It is reported to cost $75,000 per student per year.

The families pay nothing. Nothing.

In 1918 Milton Hershey set up a trust
to provide for the future needs of the school. He believed in it so much that he gave virtually his entire fortune
(all $60 million)
to the support and sustaining of the school.
Today the Milton Hershey School is the largest shareholder in the Hershey Co.


The school has literally helped thousands of children break the cycle of poverty and give them a new start at life.
You can go here to read and see some of the stories of those who have attended the school.


Does the school really make a difference?
A recent survey/study was conducted about the alumni of the school.


Here are some of the responses:

• 80% of alumni have reported to volunteer for an organization.
• They have devoted more than 457,000 hours of volunteer time per year.
• They have contributed upwards of $10 million dollars in annual contributions to charity.
• And they have created as many as 154,000 jobs.

Oh yeah. They are making a difference.
{One now retired CEO of the Hershey Co. is even an alum of the school.}
To learn more about Milton Hershey and his life you can view a biography in sections by going here.

Part 4 covers the starting of the school.

{But, you'll also learn some really great things about him -- he personally bought roses for his wife everyday while she was suffering from a fatal illness.}

I had no idea such a thing even existed.
Better yet, I had no idea I could contribute.


Every time you purchase a Hershey's product, a portion of the proceeds goes toward fueling this legacy that Milton Hershey started.

So chocolate lovers unite!!
Don't have guilt anymore -- buy some chocolate, share it, eat it, and do some serious good for children who need a new start.


I love it!!


Here is a small clip that I thought really captured the heart of the legacy.


He was one of the world's greatest businessmen.
He was also one of the world's greatest philanthropists.

image courtesy ExplorePAHistory


The decisions he made 100 years ago are still impacting thousands of childrens' lives.


Can ONE person really make a difference?
Oh yes. Just one.
Can't get enough? Go here to read all about his legacy.
Go here to read all about the school.

Help Fight Hunger Today

Today you have TWO ways to help fight hunger.

Be sure to scroll down so you can see both!

Feeding America -- Double Good today

You have another chance to help the hungry today.

Feeding America has a campaign to raise $100,000 before the fiscal year ends on June 30th.

They are asking for online donations.

Here's the really good part.

An generous donor has offered to match every donation given TODAY dollar for dollar,

up to $100,000.

They are asking that you donate $50 if you can. 

It will double to provide 700 meals for families in need.

If you can't give $50 -- give what you can. It will be doubled TODAY.

{I believe it will still be doubled as long as you give before June 30th.}

$1 = 14 meals.

So any amount is a good amount.

Go here to donate.

Go here to learn more about Feeding America.

While you're there go here to read about an 11 year-old making a difference.

So inspiring.

The Bread Art Project

I have a really fun way to give back and do some good today.

You will have fun.

I promise.

The Grain Foods Foundation is helping to fight childhood hunger and raise awareness of the hunger problem in this country with the

Bread Art Project.

For every piece of art created by you and me (and others), they will donate

$1 to Share Our Strength.

They are giving an outright donation of $50,000 to Share Our Strength, but will increase that donation up to another $50,000 for a total donation of $100,000.

But they need you.

Go here to the Bread Art Project.

Create a piece of virtual bread art.

Done. $1 goes to Share Our Strength.

Hurry. This only goes until June 30th.

At the time this post was created they were at $48,920.

They still need over one thousand people to design a piece of bread.

You should be one of them.

It takes just a few minutes.

You can stroll through the gallery and you won't believe what others were able to do!

Wo.


If you create a slice, download it and send it to me. I'd love to see it.


Maybe we'll even have our own gallery.

Here's mine.


{Okay, okay. I did two of them, but I can't find the other one.}


So clicky clicky clack and do some good today.




Toast anyone?
(Doesn't it sound so good now?!)

Be sure you don't miss out...

There are a few things to see today.

Be sure to scroll down so you don't miss out!