Archive for December, 2009

It’s December already! How did that happen? Already I feel the whirlwind of activity and anticipation rising! It’s a good time to take a deep breath, sit for a minute and enjoy reading here about the progress towards raising next year’s gift funds, the amazing initiative our members have around community service, and some other events and opportunities going on in Alexandria. After you’ve done that, allow me to offer a couple of ways to trim your holiday to-do list:

* Please take a moment to send in your membership contribution either by check or online. If this item is still on your list, it is “low hanging fruit” and easy to cross off. If you’ve already sent in a contribution, thank you!  And if you can find a way to give a little more, that would be outstanding. Your individual contributions, regardless of the size, are critical to ensuring the Giving Circle can make a gift supporting sustainable change for Alexandria’s children.

* Come meet me for some “circle time” on December 15. How many times have you said to another Giving Circle member, “Let’s get together for coffee!” (or lunch?, or for a glass of wine?) but then never set it up?  I bet lots of you have done this.  I know I have.  So consider it set up!  I am inviting you to attend what I hope will become a monthly social gathering of Giving Circle members.  Put it in your calendars now: Tuesday, December 15, 9:00 to 10:30, La Madeleine at 500 King St in Old Town. The agenda is to socialize and catch up. If you can bring your renewal check, that would be great!  If you need to bring children, it’s fine.  If you can only stay 15 minutes, that’s fine too.  And if you can’t make it this month, we’d love to see you next month.   Cast your vote on what time of day is best for you.

Thank you for all you do for the Giving Circle and our community.  Enjoy a wonderful holiday with your family and friends!  I hope to see you on Tuesday the 15th.

All work and no play makes Jane tired and cranky.  Let’s fix that.  To make sure we have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the friendships we’ve made at the Giving Circle, we’re designating a monthly time to get together somewhere fun.  Our first Circle Time will be Tuesday, December 14 at La Madeleine, located at 500 King St. in Old Town Alexandria from 9:00 am to 10:30 am. Feel to bring kids if you need to and your renewal check if you haven’t sent it off yet.  If you can’t make it this month, come next month.

And let us know when is a good time, it doesn’t always have to be Tuesday morning.  Put your vote in for time of day now. We’ll figure out day of the week going forward. One thing at a time!

Happy December from the Membership Team!  Quick question,  Is your reply envelope sitting in your pile of things to do?

Please take a moment today to send your donation to the Giving Circle of Alexandria.

We are working hard to meet our goal of $70,000, a gift large enough to make a better future for Alexandria’s children. Our fall renewal letters, membership coffees and open houses, the five-year celebration, have made a difference and have been a lot of fun. But, at 60%, we are still short of our goal.

Help us to sustain the Circle! Please give the first week of December instead of the last! Every dollar is appreciated and every single dollar you give makes a difference. Please send your check (our preferred form of payment), payable to WGCA/ACT to

The Giving Circle, Membership Chair
P.O. Box 1627
Alexandria, VA 22313.

Or give online now by clicking the Donate button on the right. Thank you for your generosity!

Many of our members and their children have been doing DIY community service for awhile now. If you are ready to try your hand at a DIY Community Service project, check out our ideas.  If you need further inspiration to take on your own DIY Community Service activity, read on:

Hannah’s Story

Hannah Maher-Miller decided to forego two days of beach vacation in June to organize a lemonade sale for the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.  She baked 160 sugar cookies and squeezed a lot of lemons to make delicious homemade lemonade.  She sold store-bought dog bones and set up water bowls for dogs out on a walk.  She gathered some toys and stuffed animals to sell as well.  She and her family sent out emails on the local listsers and to friends asking people stop by for a treat to support the AWLA.  Many generous customers insisted Hannah keep the change.  She raised $240 which she proudly delivered to the Animal Welfare League the following weekend.  Congratulations Hannah on a job well done!

Noemi and Joshua’s Story

Noemi and Joshua’s school was collecting money for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and they wanted to do something besides just asking family and friends to donate money.  They made chocolate chip cookies from scratch and lemonade to sell outside the house for a couple of hours on a sunny day.  They netted $25 and felt proud of doing something good.  What a great way to meet people and let them know more about organizations that are important to you.  Way to go Noemi and Joshua!

Christine’s Story

Christine’s daughter wanted to take a collection for Community Lodgings as part of her birthday party.  Christine called Community Lodgings to clarify what items they needed and discovered there is a high need for toiletries, as people buy food before buying things like lotion or shampoo.  Her daughter’s friends brought their toiletries to the party and the girls packaged everything in gift bags for Community Lodgings.  One of the other girls decided she wanted to do a similar activity at her birthday party.  Doing good is contagious!

The discussion takes place over and over again, at school, at work, on the neighborhood listservs and at Giving Circle meetings….“What community service activities can I do with my family? How do I show my children serving others in our community is important to me?”

It can be hard to find events appropriate for family groups and young children.  Sometimes the events organized at school or in the community don’t fit into your schedule.  So how does one create a habit of helping in ourselves and in our families?

Giving Circle Families are finding a way — DIY community service. The concept:

• Don’t wait for a larger organization to plan something for you, do something fun on your own. This could be a lemonade or other fundraiser stand, a collection drive, or an activity like the Baskets for Books event the Giving Circle did last year.
• Incorporate your activity into something you are already doing, such as a birthday party, sports team party, book club meeting, etc.
• Procedures for DIY community service events live on a new page at the Giving Circle web site to make it easy. This page also includes organizations, needs and contact information so you can get started right away.  Look for it under the What You Can Do menu option.

I promise your children and your friends will have fun with this.  Last year, my daughter celebrated her birthday by asking her friends to bring toiletries to give to Community Lodgings and beautifully packaging these items at her birthday party.  Then one of her friends was inspired to do something similar for her birthday.  This summer, Hannah Maher-Miller gave up two days of a beach vacation to do a fundraiser for the Animal Welfare League and raise a lot of money!  There are a lot of happy stories already because people, children too, are willing to take some initiative to make a difference.

As with our financial gifts, together we do more. If each of us does a small bit for community service with our families a few times a year, it adds up to a lot of help for neighbors in need.  So don’t wait for a service activity to come along, make your own, you’ll be glad you did.

Any questions or ideas for other DIY activities?  Have you organized a community service event for your family or group of friends?  Email me, Christine Labrecque and tell me your story.

Our families have been hit especially hard in these tough economic times and would be grateful to receive donations of new or gently used goods.  Items in particular need now are new or gently used:

· winter coats (adults and children 0-5 years)
· clothing (maternity and children 0-5 years)
· towels and bedding (sheets, blankets, comforters and pillows)
· port-a-cribs and regular cribs
· strollers

Please keep us in mind throughout the year as donations are always needed and are welcome at any time.

In-Kind donation forms will be provided for you to complete after which we will send you an acknowledgment of your tax-deductible contribution.

Drop-off details:
Northern Virginia Family Service
Healthy Families Alexandria
5249 Duke Street, Suite 308
Alexandria, VA  22304

Open Monday – Friday from 9:00AM – 5:00PM.
For more information, contact Nanci Pedulla at 703-212-1702.

Thank you for your help and generosity!