Here it is 2012 and we are now into year #4 of Clad for Kids!!! Many of you were wondering if I was going to do this again this year and thought it was a bit late... Well... I have for the past 2 years started the collection on November 1st and collected for the month of November. It has been a great year for me and I'm very blessed to have finally found a teaching job. Other's are not so fortunate and there is still a need for our program. I've been tossing around a few ideas for this year's Clad for kids and I hope you will join us again this year!
As many of you know, this program started with a little girl in Kindergarten. I was doing a long-term subbing and would see her come to class each day with tattered clothes and only a thin zip-up hoody to wear. It was about this time of the year and it was cold. She was the first kid to show up each day and we would always have a quick conversation about how things were going. I noticed her shoes were the thin canvas type that girls often wear in the summer and her toes were sticking through holes that have been worn though. They were obviously not her size. One morning she told me that her feet hurt and it really tore me up. One morning she asked me "shocked04: you like my new shirt? The poor little thing didn't even realize that the bow that should have tied in the back was missing one side of the ribbon that would make a bow. It was then that I came up with the Clad for Kids program. We utilize the large amount of dirty clad that we all accumulate thoughout our detecting year and put it to some good use. Donations do not have to be large and every bit really adds up when it is all said and done!
Thus far, the Clad for Kids program has raised nearly $5,000 in the past 3 years and we have provided Christmas for 49 kids!!! As successful as the program has been, I do think there is a bit of tweeking that needs done. I have in the past used every penny of the money for that particular year's Christmas and I have found myself thoughout the year wishing there were funds still available to help some very worthy causes. The program is awesome for the immediate effects of providing Christmas, but as we all know, the need doesn't stop on December 26th. That's why I would like to reserve some of the funds for other things that occur later in the year, yet still provide Christmas for some families too!
The longer I do this, the more it opens my eyes to things that I think the Clad for Kids program should be a part of. The first one is there is a fledgling program that provides a small baseball league for special needs kids with various disablilities such as Down's Syndrome and Autism. I personally know the guy that started this program and it is an unbelievable opportunity for these kids to participate in sports that they may not otherwise have the chance to. It is run by extremely caring individuals who have children with disabilities themselves. Sponsorship would be something I would want to participate in because they are doing some great things and it represents what we are all about!
Secondly, there is something I hope we can all agree upon. In the past, we have tended to provide for the younger kids and the older kids seemed to take the back seat. This school year has opened up my eyes to some really tough realities that many of our Middle and High School kids deal with. In my school district this year, we started the year off with one of our 9th graders commiting suicide. It wasn't a bullying situation, it was just a kid that had a tough time dealing with the life he had been dealt. The other day, I had an experience that I hope to never see again. I was finishing up a short lesson and I noticed one of my student's arms. Several cuts ran up each arm. When I asked about it, the student quickly covered and shut down. I've read about kids that reach this point of low self-esteem, but this was the first time I ever witnessed it. I went home for lunch that day and felt like someone kicked me in the stomach. To see a seemingly normal kid do that to themselves, when you provide them so much assistance and caring, really hit me hard. I would like to set up a small fund for these kids that often go un-noticed to get some counseling. Often times, the parents do not have the resources to handle this on their own. I just cannot bear the thought of having a kid get so low that they cut or even worse... commit suicide. As vigilant as we try to be, these signs often go un-noticed by parents and teachers. I'm sure that if we think back to when we were going through middle and high school, you may have known someone or even perhaps been one yourself that felt the sting of low self-esteem and not knowing where to turn. I hope you all will join me in this endeavor.
Ok, so enough of the gloominess of life... Let's bring some light to the world and do what we do best!!! As many of you know... I collect during November. When the end of the month comes, I gather names of kids and families that need help, and in the middle of December we buy the gifts. Last year, I had the Seniors at the High school help with the wrapping, and we deliver the gifts before Christmas Eve. We provide the kids with necessities such as clothes, a new good pair of shoes, and of course a wish gift. I think every kid should have a wish gift and all the families we have dealt with in the past have been very modest in their requests.
Each year, I never know if we will receive a large amount of donations or none at all. This program is as much yours as it is mine and I've always tried to be a good steward for your trust.
Once again, I have a paypal account set up for easy donation. I also am happy to receive personal checks or money orders though the regular mail (PM for my address). I saw where someone also asked about sending along a coin or something to help for those who are out of the U.S.. That would be fine!
[size=1t]Click on the link below to donate!!!!
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/websc...=Z5498VVBTE8VY
(Don't forget to add your name on the donation, so you know I received it!!!)
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Z5498VVBTE8VY][/URL]
[size=20pt]2012 Running Total - $1,193.71!!!
***Attention Donors*** As many of you know, we did hit a bit of a speed bump last year with the program's name. ONLY DONATE TO A SITE WHERE YOU SEE THE OFFICIAL CLAD FOR KIDS LOGO IN THIS POST. The Clad for kids program DOES NOT have a website and is not affiliated with any other person but me. You will only see donation posts within threads on Metal Detecting related forums started by me (Beefcake). Thanks for all your support this year during the turmoil... The program wouldn't have survived without all of you!
Donor List: I only put first name to confirm that I received it...Thank You!!!
Jamie
Dale K
Dale B
Gwen
Stephen
Terry
Warren
Joe
Scott
Alan
Robert A
Mike H
William W
Jason
Scottie
Curt S
Ethan
John C
Donald
V.
David M
Chris R
Keith R
Curtis R
Curt
Dalton
James B
Frank
Gil
Frank
Tony
Rodney
Alan G
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