Two little girls

Please meet Channah and Angelia.

 

       

 

Two little girls in desperate need of a family.

 

Two little girls living in different countries, seemingly nothing in common.

 

Two little girls without a mommy or daddy.

 

Two little girls destined to spend their lives unloved.

 

Channah is 10 years old. She had cerebral palsy, but other than that takes care of herself, manages all of her everyday needs, and as you can see in the picture, seems like any other 10 year old girl.  Channah lives in an orphanage, and is lucky enough to attend the local special education school. She has some delays, which are probably due to orphanage life. She loves wearing dresses, listening to music and dancing. She also likes to play ball. Her favorite colors are pink and green - and she hates to be ignored !!  She is just a typical 10 year old girl, longing for attention, and someone to love her !

 

Angelia is 11 years old. She has Down Syndrome, and has lived in a mental institution for 5 years now.  Despite her surroundings, she remains strong and healthy, which is quite a testament to her character, as families that have adopted from there have horror stories to tell about the place. Angelia likes to play with toys, and is affectionate and interacts with others. She has no health problems, other than some strabismus. Her life could be so very different, given a family to love her !!

 

Two little girls.

SO different, and yet so alike.

Two little girls wishing for only one thing.

A family.

 

Like all of the other children available for adoption internationally, the main thing standing between them and their forever family is money.

 

Channah and Angelia are among a group of older children who were blessed to be part of the Angel Tree Fundraiser at Reece's Rainbow.

 

Not all that long ago, they had zero in their grants.

 

Now, they have a chance to grow those grants by as much as $1000, through the efforts of the Reece's Rainbow Christmas Warriors.

 

I was able to get Buddy's grant up to $1000.

 

Now, I'm shouting for Channah and Angelia.

 

Can you help ??

 

Two little girls.

 

 

 

 

 

Two little girls looking for love.

 

Please help them.

 

Click on their names.

 

CHANNAH ($671)       ANGELIA ($500)

 

Donate.

Share.

Please help them get up to their $1000 goal by the end of the year !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking back

I have been neglecting "my" kids recently, because of the Angel Tree Fundraiser, since November 1st. SO happy that I helped get Buddy up to his $1000 goal - plus a few more dollars when I get a couple of checks mailed in :) 

There are still many many children on the Angel Tree that haven't yet made their goal, and they only have until December 31st !!  Please - help if you can !! Pick a child - any child - and drop a few dollars in their grant !!

 

ANGEL TREE 2012

 

I took look back at the list of children we were trying to get up to $100 by Halloween.

 

I have updated their totals to reflect where they are at right now

 

LOOK at all the red !!

 

See how many have leapt that $100 wall - and then some !!

 

Several have been blessed with some wonderful donations - take a look !!!

 

Brian - $0  $5 $20  $105.50 - I MADE IT !!!

 Aubree - $0  $5  $115  $231  $255 $1075.20 - I MADE IT !!!

Tatumn - $5  $10

Caesar - $0  $5  $10

Collier - $0  $5  $15

Cambria - $10  $20  $25  $35

Liam - $10  $15 $22  $101 -  I MADE IT !!!

Lorraine - $0  $103.50 - I MADE IT !!!

Jennifer - $0 $110 - I MADE IT !!!

Hope - $0  $5  $15

Breanna - $0  $7  $17

June - $0  $51.25  $902.50 - I MADE IT !!!

Elliette - $10  $28  $100.50 -$145.50 -   I MADE IT !!!

Shane - $0  $5  $27.50

Maiya - $0  $25.20

Corey - $91  $100 - I MADE IT !!! - MFFM (FOSTER CARE)

Dash - $5  $45.50  $50.50  $55.50 $105.50 - I MADE IT !!!

Layna - $0  $50  $60  $75 $101.90 - I MADE IT!!!
Annie - $10  $53.85  $76.85  $100.35 - I MADE IT !!!
Zack - $81  $171  $209.40  $504.40 - I MADE IT !!! - MFFM !!
Shannon - $90  $1646  $1695.20 $1745.20 !!  I MADE IT !!!
Tiana - $67.50  $103.50 - I MADE IT !!!

Davin - $0  $19.80  $25

Marina - $0  $20
Wesley - $0 $22.50  $247.50  $270.50  $1244 - I MADE IT !!!

Gerard - $67.30  $75.30  $100.30 -  MADE IT !!!

Christian - $51.80

Brian - $50.50

Devon - $55  $77.50

Vlad - $61  $103.30 $113.30 - I MADE IT !!!

Ana - $51  $231 - I MADE IT !!! - MFFM !!!!

Marjorie - $50.40  $95.40  $100.40 $1302.40 - I MADE IT !!!

Francesca - $10  $100 - I MADE IT !!!

Angela - $50  $68  $99.50  $100.50 - I MADE IT !!!

Dawn - $10  $20  $38 - MFFM !!!

Kristie - $90  $100  $128 $551.50 - I MADE IT !!!

Rhonda - $50

Carly - $10  $28

Channah - $10  $65  $92 $713.50 - I MADE IT !!!

Lauren - $50  $71.60  $103.60 - I MADE IT !!!

Aurora - $50

Prudence - $54.70  $56.70

Elizaveta - $93  $100  $282.30 $294.30 $1207.80 $1225.80 - I MADE IT !!!

Carissa - $24  $30  $50  $68  $70 $277 - I MADE IT !!!!

Milo - $33  $50  $60  $65

Moses - $10  $55

Bryan - $10 $280 - I MADE IT !!!!

Tyson - $50

Joel - $10   $46  $81

Gideon - $10  $20

Lance - $52.50

Maverick - $10

Brayden - $10  $28  $100.50 - I MADE IT!!!

Frank - $50.60  $230.60 $257.60  $1408.10 - I MADE IT !!!

Dylan - $51.80

Dixon - $50.70  $60.70

Tanner - $50.60 $60.60  $96.60  $110.60 - I MADE IT !!!

Adam - $56

Marty - $50  $60  $70

Daniel - $55.70  $60.70  $102.50 - I MADE IT !!!

Michael - $65  $101 $2101 - I MADE IT !!!

Tyler - $10 - MFFM !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Randall - $10  $20  $78.50

Frankie - $50.40

Tania - $50.20  $55.20 $70.20

Emilija - $50.60 $1050.60 - I MADE IT !!!!
Kylie - $30

Angelia - $50  $77 $428.75 - I MADE IT !!!

Kinley - $10  $55  $100 - I MADE IT !!!!!

Emmalyn - $10  $20

Rania - $15 $20 $38 $615.32 - I MADE IT !!!

Veronika - $50  $100.90 $1100.90 - I MADE IT !!!!

Natalija - $52.50

Dawn - $72  $75 $165 $1185 -  I MADE IT !!!

Sealey - $50

Caesar - $51.50
Colin - $30  $35
Evan - $50  $55
Jedidiah - $12  $17
Arthur - $50.60  $100.10 - I MADE IT !!!!
Jack - $50 - MFFM !!!
Parker - $50  $57
Troy - $50.60
Matvey - $50.50 $80.50  $103 - I MADE IT !!!
Dmitri - $51
Alan - $50  $58
Nathan - $50
Anderson - $50.70
Donald - $50
Jason - $57  $95.70  $110.70 $121.70  $136.70  $151.70 $260.67  $270.67 $366.82- I MADE IT !!!

Arnold - $16  $21  $100.20 - I MADE IT !!!
Russ - $52.50
Leo - $50
Nick - $15  $25  $40
Callum - $10  $15
Jude - $10   $28
Quinn - $10  $34
Wesley - $77 $203  $248   $264   $300 - I MADE IT !!! - MFFM !!
Greyson - $10
Niles - $10
Eldon - $10
Hayden - $10  $20
Abram - $10  $59.50  $65
Owen - $55  $60 $96
Cooper - $50  $77.50  $80.50   $85  $100  $131.50 $590.65 - I MADE IT !!!
Roger - $32.50 $132.50 -I MADE IT !!!
Sergey - $20  $25
Judie - $51.50

Linda - $53.50  $76  $80

Jenna - $10  $15
Evelyn - $25  $35 $50
Cate - $80   $85  $100   $115 - I MADE IT !!!
Alisha - $50 $140 - I MADE IT !!!
Christine - $50
Maddie - $10 $15  $20
Lanie - $12  $17
Taelyn - $70.20  $130.02  $184.02- I MADE IT !!! - MFFM !!!!
Winnie - $50.80  $95.80
Brittany - $53
Daisy - $50.50  $60.50
Noel - $50  $104 - I MADE IT !!!!!
Victoria - $20
Olive - $55  $73
Elise - $50.50  $68.50
Brenda - $15  $20
Lexi - $10  $15  $37.50
Merida - $20  $177.50 - I MADE IT !!!
Leila - $55
Danielle - $5  $10  $15 $30
Jenny & Jordan - $68  $70 - MFFM !! (FOSTER CARE)
Octavia - $51.50  $96.50
McKenna - $68.50  $95.50  $100.50 - I MADE IT !!! - MFFM !!!!!!
Avery - $53  $63  $445.50 - I MADE IT !!!
Britta - $60 - MFFM !!
Celeste - $30  $58  $168.40 - I MADE IT !!
Eric - $50  $60
Yuri - $57  $60  $65

Andrey - $51.50

Alec - $50.60 $325.44 - I MADE IT !!!

Ilyssa - $50

Benjamin - $50.60  $140.60 - I MADE IT !!!

Andrew - $50.20

Alina - $84.70  $103.60 - I MADE IT !!! - MFFM !!!

Jessi - $50.10  $140.10 - I MADE IT !!!

Tatiana - $50  $100.50 $110.50 - I MADE IT !!!

George - $65  $101 - I MADE IT !!!!

Steffie - $53  $103 - I MADE IT !!!

Mark - $52

Yelena - $50.30 $356.30  $446.30  $482.30 $929.60 !! - I MADE IT !!!!

Katie - $72.50  $97.50  $107.50 $117.50 $150 - I MADE IT !!!

Gracelynn - $90 $105.00 - I MADE IT !!!

Jasmina - $25  $35

Ellie - $57.65   $100.40  $145.40 - I MADE IT !!!

Anjelica - $50.20

Megan - $50 $60

Ahmed - $50

Ullysess - $10  $110 - I MADE IT !!!

Andrue - $50  $60  $100.50 $190.50- I MADE IT !!!!

Fallon - $52.50 $60 $250 - I MADE IT !!!

Henry - $10  $28

Fernando - $10  $55 $1065 - I MADE IT !!!
Glenn - $54.70   $56.70
Madden - $55  $73
Mikale - $50.70 $105.70 $1105.70 - I MADE IT !!!
Bruce - $55  $100 $781- I MADE IT !!!
Jordan - $53  $73
Maksim - $67.50  $100 - I MADE IT !!!
Charles - $20  $56  $70  $100.60 - I MADE IT !!!
Leonard - $20 $101 - I MADE IT !!!
Cyril - $50.60 $100.10 - I MADE IT !!!
Joey - $15.50   $35.30 $50.30
Kaleb - $53.30  $55.30
Denis - $61.50  $2562.50 - I MADE IT !!!!!!
Devon - $52  $55
Alexei - $50 $1249.50 - I MADE IT !!!
Samuel - $50 $157 $306.50 - I MADE IT !!!
Luke - $53  $55  $65 $132.50 - I MADE IT !!!
Johanna and Jordan - $71  $98  $100 - WE MADE IT !!! - MFFM !!

 

Sadly, there are still many children who did not fly over that $100 wall.

 

There are also many many newly listed children who have ZERO in their grants.

 

I will be coming up with a list of ALL of the older children with less than $100 in their grants, and will get back to yelling for them as the New Year begins.

 

WATCH THIS SPACE !!!

 

It's a done deed

As you know, I promised to shave my head when Buddy's Angel Tree grant reached $1000 - and, not being one to break a promise, the deed has been done.

 

We went back to where Nathaniel had had his shaved - and the one lady there remembered us ! :)

 

Here is my ordeal in unflattering pictures !! 

 

Nervous ? Not at all !!

Apparently I have thick hair, so she cut it down to a number 4 to start with

Then she took it down to a number 1. 

The scene of the crime !!

Safely home again 

Me and my boy :)

 

 

Thank you to everyone who helped Buddy out so far !!

We're not finished yet, though - the Angel Tree fundraiser goes until December 31st - please feel free to donate to Buddy or any of the other children on the Angel Tree !!!  There are still many children who haven't reached their goal yet - AND if you donate to any of those children today, Saturday December 15th, and leave a comment HERE, you will be entered into a fantastic giveaway to win some wonderful prizes  !!

HE MADE IT !!!!

He made it !!!

 

Buddy is now at $1000 !!

 

I will admit that this was a bit of a surprise. yes - I KNEW we could get him to $1000, but I really wasn't expecting it to happen so soon - definitely not before Christmas !

 

However, a wonderful donor yesterday offered a matching grant to the Angel Tree children. He/she offered $7000, to be used to bump those children closest to the goal up to $1000. All the Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree Warriors had to do was get all of the children with the least amounts up to $250. 

 

There were 93 children with less than $250 - and they had to reach that $250 by 10am Eastern time today, 12/12/12  !!

 

Amazingly - we did it !!  All of the children reached $250 - by 9.45am Eastern !!

 

THEN - 23 children were bumped up to $1000 - and Buddy was one of them !!

 

I cannot tell you how excited I was to see that RED $1000 !!!

 

I am still fundraising for Buddy - hopefully we'll get him a little higher - he needs all the help he can get, as adoptions from his region run at around $50,000 :(

 

Please watch this space for news of my shaved head !

I think it'll happen on Saturday - hopefully I'll be able to drag Randy with me to take photos.  I'm hoping to go to the same place Nathaniel got his shaved (no, I wasn't brave enough to do it myself !!).  Unfortunately, the place is in the mall - which is a crazy busy place at this time of year. So getting Randy there should be interesting !!  HE will be getting HIS head shaved, too !!  LOL

Shaved head !!

I know I've been quiet on the blogging front lately - the Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree has been keeping me busy !  As you may recall, I pledged to try and raise $1000 for the adoption grant of Buddy, an 11 year old orphan with Down Syndrome, who lives in Eastern Europe.  You can see him on the side - look at his grant !!  The numbers in red are the important ones - once that number hits $1000 - I will shave my head !!  

Why ?  See THIS post !

My 9 year old son, Nathaniel, also pledged to shave his head - but he got a little impatient !  So we decided he could shave his head when Buddy's Angel Tree grant reached $500. Now - you can probably see - his red number isn't yet to $500 - however, we do have a check in hand, that will be mailed to Reece's Rainbow tomorrow, that WILL take him above $500 !!

SO - today, my baby boy got his head shaved !!  I must admit, I thought I would hate it - but he still looks pretty cute :)  Here are a few photos from today.

So - now - we wait for my turn !!!

I'm hoping it won't be long before Buddy's grant has that magic $1000 in red numbers !!!

Meet Buddy !!

First of all - thank you all again for entering the Toy and Book Giveaway - most of the winners have come forward - please check HERE to see if you won, and contact me asap :)  I have to confess I haven't mailed the packages out yet - they should go out early this week, all being well !!

Secondly - I have made a decision to take a short break from shouting for the older kids. Don't get me wrong - I'll still be shouting for them - but not quite as loud for a couple of months. You probably already know that November and December in the Reece's Rainbow world are dedicated to the Angel Tree fundraiser.  This year, over 200 children will benefit from this wonderful fundraiser - as each child gets their own Christmas Warrior, who have pledged to raise AT LEAST $1000 for their child !!

Please go HERE to see the children on this years Angel Tree !!!

Historically, only the children listed on Reece's Rainbow aged 0-5, with Down Syndrome, are able to be on the Angel Tree. This year, however, several older children were also voted onto the Angel Tree - children with Down Syndrome, other special needs, and HIV  !!  Obviously, this is huge for those kids - and so for the first time, I decided to be a Christmas Warrior.  

I will, hopefully, raise $1000 or more, for BUDDY !!!

Buddy will turn 11 years old in December, and until very recently, he had ZERO in his grant.  He now has $210 - $132 of which is from Angel Tree donations.  That is the number that needs to get up to or beyond $1000 - the number in red on his profile page.

Buddy is one of so many older children who need a family, and this is such a wonderful chance to get his grant higher AND get his face out there - so his family can find him !!!

I realise that there are many many people fundraising right now, both for their own adoptions and for their Angel Tree children - but if you could find it in your heart to help Buddy out, I would be SO appreciative !!

HOW appreciative would I be ??  

Well -once Buddy's Angel Tree donations get up to $1000, I will SHAVE my head !!

Now, this might not be such a big deal if I were my husband - he's got very little hair left !!

I, however, am 49 years old and can honestly say that although I have had some pretty short hair in my time, I have never had it shaved. I really don't know how ridiculous I'll look - and I know that it'll be pretty chilly in the South Dakota winter - but I WILL do it when Buddy gets his $1000.

WHY shave my head ?  Look at Buddy

Like so many other children in orphanages and institutions, Buddy's head is shaved. It makes life easier for the caregivers, plain and simple. No long hair to deal with, no hair pulling, no hair washing, no bugs.

They don't care if you're a boy or a girl, either - the head is shaved.

It's hard to tell, but some of the pictures are of boys, some of girls.  take another look - can you tell the difference ???

The first twelve photos are girls.  ALL the children are over the age of 10 - many are teenagers. They all deserve SO much more.

Unfortunately, I can't help them all. No-one can. All I can do is shout for them, and, I have the opportunity to make a difference for ONE of them.

For Buddy.

The least I can do is shave my head, to bring awareness to the way they live, the way they are treated. If only one person, who knows nothing about Reece's Rainbow, sees my shaved head and asks "Why?" - then it will have been worthwhile.

First - though - we have to get Buddy up to that $1000 !!!

You can donate to him at the donation button on the right.

You can share this blog, or Buddy's story.

If you donate $35 or more, you will receive a beautiful Christmas ornament with Buddy's picture on !!!

Please - do whatever you can do - for Buddy !!!