Children’s Charities Undressed

HEED – Local Group Helping the Children in Uganda

Julie Secrist

 Thanks to social networking on Facebook, reunited with Julie Secrist, a friend from High School and a real estate agent for Windermere Real Estate in Edmonds, WA.   Julie co-founded HEED, a non-profit organization to help orphaned or vulnerable children who didn’t have parents or guardians who were capable of caring for them in Uganda. A portion of Julie’s proceeds from every real estate transaction she does helps support HEED.  “Giving back is a core value for me” says Ms. Secrist.

I asked Julie to tell me a little more about HEED and this is what she told me, “HEED is helping, disciplining and equipping orphaned and vulnerable children from a tiny village in central Uganda.  It is in the poorest district of Uganda, and Uganda is in the bottom 1% of the country’s GDP in the world. We have 26 children who didn’t have relatives or parents to care for them in full care ministry in a boarding school in the capital city. The others are helped through our village school project. 200+ kids receive daily meals and a chance at a brighter future through education. We are developing a comprehensive program to help the children in their local community, and are also beginning to address their need for consistent, clean water. Recently, they were walking up to 10 miles (one way) to gather water from local springs shared with animals. We have installed a water harvesting system to begin intervening for this basic need.”

You can only imagine the funds it takes for this group of volunteers to obtain their mission.  I was fortunate enough to see that they were having a garage sale over Labor Day Weekend with all the proceeds being donated to HEED.  I had some items I had been saving for my own garage sale, but being into Children’s Charities, I donated my items to the garage sale and purchased a couple of items while I was there.  They had a great variety of things that were excellently priced.

These photos don’t even begin to show what a huge and successful sale it was.  Like most garage sales, there were leftovers and one of their customers were so impressed with what HEED is doing, she offered to have a sale at her house in the North Seattle area this coming weekend (Friday & Saturday – September 18 & 19).  They are in need of more donations (which they do give you a tax deduction form) and volunteers to help with the event.  I encourage everyone to go through their closets and garage and donate what you can.  If you have some spare time and want to help a worthy cause, that is very much appreciated.

Click on this photo to see incredible pictures from their last trip to Uganda and/or visit their web site:  http://www.heeduganda.org/.  Trust me, you’ll be inspired and thankful for what you have! 

Click on the flyer below for a larger version about the sale this weekend.

I plan on doing more posts about the great work HEED is doing, so if you have comments, suggestions or pats on the back for them, please contact me!  Cindy@cindylowman.com

Children's Charities Loves HEED!

My G-Mail Attacked!

I apologize to anyone who may be spammed by my g-mail account that I have been using associated with my blog and mortgage business.  I received an invitation through my Outlook today, which was accepted w/out my permission and someone took over my g-mail account and I have no access to it.  I have contacted Google and am trying to resolve the issue, but in the meantime, you may receive Spam, but please know it isn’t from me!  I will be setting up a new email account for my blog and mortgage business soon.

March for Babies Story ~~ The McCarthy Family

I was reading various Google Alerts I had received a couple of weeks ago, which led me to finding an incredible family that shared their very personal and touching story.

Liz McCarthy, a busy Real Estate Agent for Vision Real Estate in the San Francisco Bay area, put together an incredible video about why she supports the March For Babies.

Click on the picture above, turn on your speakers and have your Kleenex ready.  I’ve been in contact with Liz after reading her story and exploring her blogs and groups to help support other families with premature babies.  I will be doing many more posts about Liz and her family, so stay tuned!

Bad, Bad Blogger

Every day I tell myself I need to post more posts on a regular basis.  I have so many great stories about Children’s Charities to share, but just run out of time.  My excuse:  single mom of twin two year olds and working full time!  I’ve scheduled myself to work only on my blogs tomorrow….all day!  Get ready for regular posts about my charities.

The “Leukemia Cup Regatta” Sailboat Race is Saturday, June 6

Enjoy this beautiful sunshine we are having in Seattle and make your way down to Seattle’s Elliott Bay to cheer on the 15th Annual Leukemia Cup Regatta.  Proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for research on these diseases and other blood cancers.

I came across this race while reading an article in the Everett Herald, by Rich Myhre, about three sons of different Monroe Police Officers, who were all strickened by ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) and all treated at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

The races will start at 1:15 with a post race party going from 6pm-11pm.  Please visit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society page to find more info and read some very inspiring stories.

I always love to see companies that sponsor charity events and I think they should be thanked and hopefully if you have the opportunity to support them, you will.

Thanks to our local supporters:

Elliott Bay Marina

Downtown Sailing Series  (I couldn’t find a website, but there are some awesome sailing photos on this Flickr Account!)

Trinchero

Sport Boat Northwest

YachtCare

Bell Harbor International

Pivot + Levy

I hope to get some pictures from this year’s events and stories to post.  If you took part in this event, please feel free to contact me with stories, photos and memories.

Seattle Children’s *** Miracle Makers *** May 30

It’s the 25th Anniversary of Miracle Makers for Seattle Children’s Hospital.  It is co-sponsored by Costco and KOMO 4.

I’m a little late posting this, but I hope anyone reading it tonight will tune into Channel 4 and make a pledge.  I’m sure they’ll take pledges after it is over too.

The stories are incredible!

Today, May 25, is National Missing Children’s Day

On July 27, 1981, 6 year old Adam Walsh (Pictured above) was abducted from a Sears store in the Hollywood Mall, Florida.  Adam’s severed head was found two weeks later in Vero Beach, Florida beginning a search that has haunted the Walsh family.

Wanting to make a difference, the family started the Adam Walsh Outreach Center for Missing Children four days after his funeral.  Along with this foundation, the show American’s Most Wanted, hosted by John Walsh started in early 1988.

No parent wants to imagine their child being abducted, but it does happen.  I urge everyone to look at the “Take 25″ – 25 Safety tips to keep children safer and share them with your children or someone’s children that you love.

Take some time today on National Missing Children’s Day to look at children missing in your area…. who knows….maybe you might have a tip to bring a child back to their family.             Click on this link to bring you to a search page.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day 2009…

                                  Respect for the Fallen

 **All of these photos and facts were in an email I received.

Memorial Day 2009 – What is the true meaning?

       Photo by BL1961’s on Flickr

 While many people think of Memorial Day as a 3-day weekend or a reason for a BBQ, the true meaning is to remember the military men and woman who died while serving our nation.

The Seattle Times has a list of Memorial Day Events if you are looking for a way to celebrate our true heros.

Photo of Arlington National Cemetary, by Flicrk Member pik3y

Wishing All Mothers a Belated Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother's Day to My Grandma!

Mother’s Day started back in 1907 by Anna Jarvis for the exact reason we all probably expect…to honor our Mothers!  It has always been a day I look forward to, even before I was a mother because it usually means a family gathering.

Happy Mother's Day to my Mom!

This year is my third Mother’s Day that I am a mother and the second time I had to spend it in a hospital. The first year wasn’t so bad because I was with both of my sons (who were in the NICU at the University of Washington Medical Center) and had visits from my Mother, Grandmother, Sister, Aunt and Father.

This year I was only to be with my one son Jacob, who was admitted to Children’s Hospital early Friday morning.  I always try to see the positive side of things and joke that I have another blog post I can write after this admission and will maybe pick up a couple of customers to do home loans or refinances for.

Jacob sucking his thumb even with an oxygen mask on

Robby laying on the end of Jacob's bed...Just another night in the ER

Both Robby & Jacob were sick on Thursday night….Jacob worse than Robby.  After Jacob woke up two hours after going to bed, he had a very bad coughing attack and was “throwing up” phlegm.  He had a fever, was breathing very fast and in respiratory distress.  I paged his pediatrician’s office, but I could see he was getting worse, so I called 911.  The Edmonds Fire Department arrived and were very thorough asking me questions and checking both Jacob and Robby out.  It was determined they should both go to the ER.  Since they don’t service Children’s Hospital, they had to call a private aid car that only had room for one patient, so Jacob, being the most sick, got the ride in the rig.

We received immediate medical attention in the ER for both boys.  The room was extremely crowded due to all the medical professionals trying to help my boys.  Everyone was very kind, caring and worked quickly to stabilize Jacob and also tend to Robby.  Roz was the most memorable nurse and I could tell she had worked there a long time because she was telling the doctors what to do.  (Not an uncommon thing in a teaching hospital)

With the fear of the swine flu, all isolation precautions were taken from the second we walked through the ER doors until…..well, they are still being taken.

Luckily, Robby was treated and able to go home and I woke up his Auntie Debbie Hogan at 1am to come pick him up.  Jacob, on the other hand, was quite sick and was requiring a high flow of oxygen.  Six hours after arriving in the ER, Jacob was admitted to the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit).  While no one wants to have their child in the ICU, I knew it was the best place for him and he’d have every possible medical person close by if he got worse.

The PICU looked nothing like it did when I worked at Seattle Children’s many years ago.  I was very impressed with all the high tech medical equipment, professionalism and comfort.  The medical staff had to wear clothing that looked like space suits, along with battery operated machines that circulated the air within their masks so they didn’t breath in anything that could be transferred to others.  I was “locked” in the room and only allowed to leave if I left the hospital.  I can’t say I liked that, but understood. After is was determined Jacob did NOT have the swine flu, the extreme isolation was taken off and I could leave to take a shower and get some food.  I was too tired to remember the nurse that admitted us, but we had Cindy as our day shift nurse, who I worked with many years ago when we both worked on the formally known as “A2″ unit.

Jacob in the PICU with RN in full gear

  Jacob took a huge turn for the better, so we were able to move down to “our regular floor”.  The staff on Giraffe Two greeted us and made us feel right at home.  I’d name all the nurses, nursing assistants, and techs that took incredible care of Jacob and I, but I don’t want to leave anyone out.  All I can say is the nursing staff on Giraffe Two was AWESOME!  It takes a very special kind of person to be able to work here and we consider them all very special.  The respiratory therapist’s were all great and the residents and attending, Dr. Diddle. (love that name) were very thorough going over Jacob’s history and staying on top of him while he was here.  The best thing about the team was the senior resident was Dr. Brandon Hadland, who was our intern for the first month we were in the NICU at the UW.  He was our favorite intern during their stay there and I had all the confidence in the world in him here.  I’m extremely picky about the physicans that take care of my children, so giving him that vote of confidence is like being nominated for an Emmy!

Dr. Brandon Hadland

While this Mother’s Day post isn’t a typical Mother’s Day story most mother’s would post, this is the life I lead and I LOVE BEING A MOTHER…even if it to two boys that have frequent medical issues.  There are many other mothers sitting in patient rooms at Seattle Children’s Hospital like me this Mother’s Day and I’m sure they agree that this is the best hospital around! While I am saddened I wasn’t able to be with my son Robby on Mother’s Day, I know he was with the best mother I could ask for…..My Mom!

Being as Seattle Children’s is a non profit hospital, they need the support of the community to continue to give the incredible medical care they give to each and every child that comes through the doors.

There are so many ways to help out.  Click here for the calendar of FUN fundraising events you can participate in.  Whether you enjoy a tea party, a golf tournament, Bingo …..the events are endless….check them out!

I took as many pictures as I could of the incredible staff here…..click here for the slide show or on the collage below!  Feel free to comment and if you have a story about the hospital, please contact me and I’d love to do a post about it.  I do have many more people at Children’s that I plan to write about, but I realized this post has been sitting as a draft for almost two weeks, so I need to get it posted and will write more later about the individuals that touched our lives on this visit.

I would like to remind my readers, that I support myself and my sons by being a loan officer.  With all the medical issues my boys face, I need to have an occupation that allows me to be flexible, so there is no option to whether I am successful at it….I have to be. Many people ask me how they can make my life easier and I can truly say that giving me referrals for home loans or refinances is the way you can help me the most.