It's All About the Location

As I mentioned before, the Every Penny Counts fundraiser will kick-off on March 1, 2010. Our goal is to raise $2,000 in six weeks and I think we can do it!!

Here is a list of participating locations.

Fayetteville:
Bella Jack’s
Spoiled the Salon
Briar Patch Bridal and Formal Wear
Supercuts
Nationwide Insurance – Cheryl Gorton-Long
Physicians Specialty Hospital
Boars Head Barbeque
Willy D’s
Clinique – NWA Mall
Bronson Abstract Co.
Fayetteville Collision Center
Johnson Hardware


Huntsville/Hindsville Area:
Home and Heart
Anderson’s
LaBarge
Cut Loose Salon
Presley Chapel Women’s Group
Mrs. Spurlock’s 2nd Grade Class - Watson Primary
Huntsville United Methodist Church
Huntsville Middle School Teachers
Clifty General Store
Fauxever Yours


Springdale:
JB Hunt
Allstate Little Agency
Coleman Children’s Academy
Westside Family Clinic
Pinnacle Air


Central Arkansas:
Bank of Oklahoma (BOK)
Arkansas Children’s Hospital NICU

If you would like your location added to the list please email thejrgfoundation@hotmail.com.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help with this fundraiser!!! We appreciate it more than you know!!

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We have been having trouble for a while now getting emails so we have created a new email address to insure that we receive all our messages. In the future please send all emails to thejrgfoundation@hotmail.com.

Thank you!!

It's Been Awhile

It has been quite a while since we have updated the blog!

We have lots of exciting things planned for 2010! We are hosting a poker run with a bit of a twist late this Spring that is sure to be lots of fun! We are hosting the 3rd Annual Jack Ryan Gillham Memorial Golf Tournament this Summer and in October we will host the 4th Annual Jack's Baby Shower.

In addition to those events we are doing a couple of new fundraisers this year. On March 1st we are launching "Every Penny Counts." There will be donation jars set up at locations in Northwest and Central Arkansas where people can donate their spare change. This fundraiser will run for six weeks. On March 1st the donation jars wil be dropped off at various locations and on April 15th we will pick them up. The place who has raised the most funds will receive a JRG Foundation t-shirt for all participants and will be featured in the local newspaper. We have had a tremendous response to this fundraiser and we are looking forward to seeing how much money can be raised just by collecting spare change. Every Penny Counts!! :)

In other exciting news, the JRG Foundation was featured in a local magazine in January. You can click here to read the article. Thanks to Peekaboo Magazine for the wonderful article!

The 3rd Annual Jack's Baby Shower was the most successful one to date. We collected tons of donations for Arkansas Children's Hospital NICU and Ronald McDonald House! Thank you to all of those who donated!!





As always, thank you for your support!! Stay tuned for updates on The Jack Ryan Gillham Foundation!

Golf Touney and Updates

I would like to take a minute to thank everyone involved in The 2nd Annual Jack Ryan Gillham Memorial Golf Tournament. It would not have been possible without the players, sponsors and volunteers!! We also had a great silent auction and would like to thank the people/companies that donated items to that! I'm not sure yet of the exact total that we raised because we still have some expenses to take care of, but I do know that we raised several thousand dollars that will be a tremendous help for families of sick babies in the year to come!!

We are so blessed to have so much support!! So, thank you so, so much!!! We are so grateful!!!

Also, the date is set for the (re-scheduled) Jack's Cruise for Compassion Poker Run. It will take place on September 19th and details will be announced soon.

Please, be in prayer for the babies listed on the side bar. It seems like the outcome of CDH comes in waves. For a while, a lot of babies will not do well and then the tide will turn and the next few babies that are born with CDH do really well. Maybe there's no truth to that at all...who knows???

Also, we are approaching what would have been Jack's 2nd birthday on July 6th. It will be a bittersweet day for us, no doubt. So, if you think about it, please say a prayer for us that day...or just stop and thank God that Jack graced this earth for 6 amazing weeks.

Prayers for Sweet Babies

Kamryn has arrived and as of now is holding her own in the NICU. Her twin sister, Brooke, has also been taken to the NICU due to some fluid on her lungs, which is not a huge concern...but still, please be in prayer for both baby girls and their Momma and Daddy.

Also, there was a little boy born yesterday (locally) that was not in good shape at all when he was delivered...like, barely alive. After some investigating, it was found that the placenta has not been working properly for a few weeks and he had been deprived of oxygen and nutrients for quite some time. Please, keep baby Cooper and his parents in your prayers. Things are not looking good for little Cooper. Bless their hearts.

June Updates

I have been a terrible blog updater...I promise I will try to do better.

I have some excting news! Most of you will probably remember Quintin.



He has spent the last 19 months (yes, 19!!!) in Arkansas Children's Hospital. He was born with CDH and has dealt with many obstacles in his little life, but by God's grace, he is still with us and is GOING HOME on June 30th!!!! Praise God. Please, pray for his Momma, Katrina, as she adjusts to their new life at home. It will be HARD work, but very worth it! :)

Please be in prayer for sweet Avery and her parents (my dear friends, Shane and Carissa) as they continue down the CDH road of uncertainty.

Also, please be in prayer for Kamryn, who will be born any day now and will have to fight for her little life as well.

The 2nd Annual Jack Ryan Gillham Memorial Golf Tournament is scheduled for this Saturday (June 20th) at Oakridge Golf Course in Huntsville, AR. We are super excited about it and are praying it's a huge success so that we will be able to help even more families in the coming year!!!

Jack's Cruise for Compassion Poker Run had to be cancelled due to MAJOR rain, but has been rescheduled for September 19, 2009. I will post details as soon as we get past the golf tournament and I can think straight. :)

Thank you all for your continued support!!

Prayers, Prayers and More Prayers

Little Kaden lost his battle with CDH, so please keep his family in your prayers. Bless their hearts.

Little Ruby is still fighting and will hopefully overcome all the CDH hurdles.

Kaileigh was born 10 months ago as a preemie and was not expected to make it, but has defied the odds all along. Kaileigh has not woken up since yesterday and it appears she is brain dead. Please pray for a miracle and if that's not His will...then pray for peace for Kaileigh's parents.

Carissa and Shane are expecting Avery, who will be born with CDH, on May 12th. Please pray for them as well.

Also, if you are somebody who has been touched by CDH in any way, shape or form, please check out this blog and see how you can help the CDH community raise awareness! Way to go, Kellie!!

Prayers Needed!!!

Please be in prayer for Ruby and Kaden. They are fighting will all they have and are needing our prayers right now, as well as their parents who need strength and peace to get through this. Please, pray that God will uphold them during this time.

Also, please pray for my sweet friend, Carissa, who is expecting a baby with CDH name Avery. Last week at their doctor appointment they were given a date of May 5th for Avery's arrival. Please pray for them as the anticipate Avery's arrival and her battle with CDH.

Carissa and I...