5k Fundraiser

I am SO happy to update about our latest fundraiser! On October 16th, we had a beautiful day to host a 5k run and kids fun run. The day was perfect, the weather was georgous, the racers were amazing....an absolute success! There were 70 participants and we are PROUD to say that we raised $4700!!!!! That is nearly 200 hospitalized children that we will be able to give a a Build A Bear stuffed animal to this holiday season.

A HUGE thank you to our sponsors, we could not have done it without you! Rockford Health Systems, Rock Road Companies, and Sargento cheese....we appreciate their support in our organization and our mission to lift the spirits of hospitalized children!

Jack O'Neil, founder of Little Hands Make A Big Difference, with 2 very special girls that were recipients of donated Build A Bear animals. The BEST part of our fundraiser was having Kailee and Shelby there to help him distribute prizes to the racers.

The kids fun run! Look at them GO!!!!!

The first racer to cross the finish line, 5k in under 19 minutes. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

We need YOUR HELP!!!!!

Please watch our new you tube video. This was just made for us by someone who heard Jack's story and wanted to help us out! All you have to do is watch the video, and give it a thumbs up or comment on the video.



Thanks SO MUCH, we are so blessed to watch Jack's vision of spreading comfort and love to hospitalized children come true!



http://www.youtube.com/my_favorites?feature=mhum



Please join us October 16th, at Rock Cut State Park, Olson Lake, 9am. We are having a 3 mile run/walk and a 1/4 mile kids fun run. Every registration fee will donate a stuffed Build A Bear to a hospitalized child this holiday season. Every racer gets a gift from us, just because we love you for joining us!

Race, join us!!!!!

October 16th, 9am
Rock Cut State Park, Olson Lake
3 mile run/walk and 1/4 mile kids fun run

Grassy trail run/walk with the beautiful lake and forest scenery.
$30-3 mile run/walk
$20-1/4 mile kids fun run
$35 after October 7th

14 age divisions, male and female....1st, 2nd, 3rd prizes
1st, 2nd, 3rd prizes in kids fun run

EVERY RACE PARTICIPANT'S REGISTRATION FEE WILL DONATE A GIFT TO A LOCAL HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

To register, email littlehandsmakeabigdifference@heuerman.com or call (815)885-8071
Race registration forms can also be found on our website http://www.littlehandsmakeabigdifference.com

Click on Race Flyer Form.

A special thank you to our sponsors, Rockford Health System and Sargento cheese.

Donation!!!

We recently had the pleasure of donating 24 stuffed animals to the Shriner's Hospital in Chicago. It was an honor to donate to such an amazing organization and their hospital!

http://www.shrinershq.org/Hospitals/Main

Twenty-four animals ready to go...bears, puppies, kittens, bunnies, panda bears, and owls.

Packaged up and waiting for delivery.

Standing outside the hospital by the Shriner's statue.

Very proud kids carrying in their donation.

A full circle moment, as Jack was a patient at the Shriners hospital 3.5 years ago. The Shriners flew us from North Carolina to Chicago for his appointments.

Shriner's are an amazing organization, starting a hospital to provide (free of charge) medical care to children that at the time were considered outcasts in society and most of them were instiutionalized. We are grateful that the times and attitudes towards disabled children have changed, and thankful for the Shriners for being part of that change.

Busy

Lots to update on!

Thanks to Crowe Horwath for chosing us to participate in their "jeans day" program. Employees were able to donate $5 in exchange for wearing jeans to work for the day. We were thrilled to receive a $1000 check in the mail. We quickly spent half of it at Build A Bear, and along with our National Lemonade Stand money we were able to make 25 stuffed animals (cats, dogs, pandas, and even an owl) to donate to the Shriner's hospital in Chicago!

Our BIGGEST fundraiser of the year is coming up! Mark your calendars!

3 mile run/walk and 1/4 mile kids fun run
October 16th, 9am
Olson Lake, Rock Cut State Park

$30 per entry before October 7th
$35 after October 7th
$20 kids fun run

EACH RUNNER'S ENTRY FEE WILL DONATE A STUFFED ANIMAL TO A HOSPITALIZED CHILD THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

It's going to be a great time, please join us.

Email me at littlehandsmakeabigdifference@heuerman.com or call (815)977-1544 for an entry form

Or you can always find us on facebook. Search for Little Hands

National Lemonade Stand.

This past weekend, Little Hands hosted a National lemonade stand. We had kids hosting lemonade stands nationwide and we combined all the profits to make a donation to Shriner's hospital.

Our total raised was $295!!!!

These are the pictures I have been emailed so far. Aren't these kids great?!?!!?

Ava and Maya in Ohio!




Mary Kate and Martha Kae in Texas.

Jack in Illinois.

5K

Grab your running shoes folks!!!! Little Hands Make A Big Difference is hosting a 5K race and kids fun run!!!!!


Details coming soon!!!

Going Nationwide!!!!

Ever since we've started Little Hands Make A Big Difference, we've had many offers of "if you ever need anything, let me know".....well, everyone.....we need YOU!

Little Hands Make A Big Difference is going NATIONWIDE!!! On Memorial Day weekend, we are asking for participants everywhere to join us in a nationwide-lemonade stand. Want to join us??? It's very easy! At some time on Memorial Day weekend, have a lemonade stand with your kids. You can do for an hour, you can do it for the entire weekend. Whip up a batch of your favorite lemonade, find the perfect location and sell, sell, sell! You have total freedom to do it your way, so have fun!

When the weekend is over, send us a check with your profits. We will combine all the profits and make a donation at a children's hospital that serves children nation-wide...at this point we are making contact with Shriner's hospital and St. Jude's hospital.

501(c)(3)

WOOHOO!!!!! We received notification today that we have been granted by the US government 501(c)(3) status!!! All contributions we receive are tax deductible and we are exempt from Federal income tax! Yeah!!!!!

Time to get fundraising.....

Happy Valentine's Day

Today was the the big Valentine's Day donation to RMH pediatric unit.

We had a large crowd of parents and RMH employees there for the assembly of all the bears into the boxes.

Little (and big) hands hard at work!

Here's the proud kids in front of their donation. Look at that! Three Playstation 3's, video games, and 50 Build A Bears.

We alllllll gathered in the pediatric unit for interviews with the local news and press conference. Representatives from RMH introduced Sarah, Hunter, Connor, and Jack and thanked them on behalf of the recipients of the bears and the peds department. The three older kids got the opportunity to talk about the project and where their inspiration came from.

Three patients came into the room, and the kids were able to give them each their own bear. This was the highlight of the donation! Seeing the excited looks on the kids' faces was the best feeling. As an adult, watching the faces of the Connor, Hunter, Sarah, and Jack was a "moment". You could tell they were overcome by their emotions of seeing what these kids are going through. I won't post pictures from that part, out of privacy for the patients....but I think this look on Hunter's face tells what everyone was feeling.

They got to deliver the rest of the bears to all the patients (it was a full unit).

One last photo with representatives from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.

We'd like to thank Spectrum School students Connor, Hunter, and Sarah....you guys are great kids, hard workers, and we look forward to partnering with you soon. Thanks to their teacher, Shannon, for providing them with support, enthusiasm, and encouragement. A HUGE thank you to the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois and their In Youth We Trust program. More importantly, thank you to RMH pediatric unit for accepting our donation so graciously! We may have been the ones bringing the gifts, but we definitely came home feeling like we had been given the greatest gift of all!

RR star

http://www.rrstar.com/updates/x1631825519/Students-plan-Valentine-s-delivery-to-pediatric-patients

Spectrum Students and In Youth We Trust

We have partnered with an amazing group of middle schoolers at Spectrum School for our latest donation! The students put in a lot of hard work applying for a grant through the In Youth We Trust program, through the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. http://www.cfnil.org/Grants/Youth.asp

All their hardwork paid off, as they were chosen to receive a $2500 grant. With that money, they are donating three playstation 3 video game systems, video games, and 50 Build A Bears to Rockford Memorial pediatric department on Valentine's Day.

We were lucky to take part in the "building" of all those teddy bears this past weekend. We had so much fun with Connor, Hunter, Sarah, and Shannon! Here's some pictures from the day.

Here the kids are, getting ready to get started.

Jack got to go first, and share his "expertise".

The assembly line to dress all the bears in doctor's scrubs.

Finished!!!!

We are all set to make the donation on Valentine's Day. Check out the local news this Sunday night, as word of this very special donation has gotten out!!!