During the month of November, Help-A-Heart will be putting the spotlight on various ways people support and donate to our organization throughout the year. Obviously, attending one of our annual fundraisers–the Celebration of Life Dinner & Silent Auction in June & the Superhero Heart Run in October–are two big ways you can further our cause! We also receive several cash donations online through our website or mailed to us throughout the year. However, we are humbled & encouraged by the unique ways some of our heart families & their friends choose to support us & wanted to make sure they know how much we appreciate these special gestures. We’ll be posting a few ideas a week as a part of our 30 Days of Thanks!
Thanks to Melissa Janssen, college friend of Co-Founder Emily Graber, for writing up this blog post about how a group of Buena Vista University college friends are able to help out using their talents every year.
Back Row: Wade Anderson & Nate Haggard, Front Row: Co-Founder Emily Graber, Melissa Janssen, & Jenni Wiig (Not Pictured: Brad Magg)
I will never forget the call I received from Em when she was pregnant with Gabe, telling me what the ultrasound indicated about his heart. We cried (both of us were pregnant after all), but then we talked about what this meant. I don’t remember the entire conversation word for word, but I do remember how she talked about that she believed that God only gives us what we can handle, and how she knew this was going to be okay. But let’s face it, not everyone can have that outlook when something so big, and so out of our control happens to us, or our loved ones.
So, not so long after this, I was not surprised when she told me about how she met another Heart Mom and what they were planning in order to help others that are dealing with similar issues with their children. I knew she, along with all others who would became a part of this, would make this into an organization that would truly make an impact.
So, when Em asked a group of us from college that all have degrees in accounting and finance, to help in the business side of the annual auction, she gave us the perfect opportunity to help! The reality of an organization such as Help-A-Heart, is that so many different types of skills are needed to continue to have an impact with heart families. Now every year, we get to sit at the front table of the annual dinner and silent auction night and sell tickets, check people in, and help with the check out after the auction has ended. Just a very small piece of the puzzle for Help-A-Heart’s biggest fundraiser, but a piece none the less, and the opportunity to be a small part of an organization that makes such a big difference to those who need the organization’s support, services and friendship.
