February 23, 2012
How You Can Help


Volunteering:

We are so grateful to all the wonderful friends, family, and strangers that have unselfishly given of their time, talent, and love to support us from the beginning of our journey. We know we could never do it alone and we greatly appreciate all the volunteers who have helped us get this far. If you would like to volunteer, please contact us and let us know what you would like to do or how you can help.

Thanks again!

iGive:
iGive is a great way to help Smiles For Sophie Forever by doing something that you already do – shopping online! iGive is a network of members, worthy causes, online merchants, and Web sites, brought together to enable shoppers to list and support their favorite worthy causes through online shopping. Right now, over 200,000 members are raising money for over 30,000 organizations in the U.S. and Canada - just by shopping at over 680 brand-name participating online stores! Up to 26% of each purchase is donated to the member's designated cause!

Please join iGive and help Smiles For Sophie Forever in its mission to find a cure for pediatric brain cancer and to help other families fighting this battle.

Cure Childhood Cancer – Raise Awareness and Funding:
People Against Childhood Cancer and CureSearch are sponsoring this petition to the news media to create a major media event and/or TV special to raise awareness and funding for childhood cancer. Their goal is 1 million signatures. Please take a moment to visit the site and sign the petition – it only takes a few minutes but could someday help millions of kids.

Barefoot Books:
Lori (Hawkins) Hachenski has so graciously volunteered to host an ongoing fundraiser through Barefoot Books. Lori currently resides in Riverview, MI but grew up in Trenton and graduated from high school with Emily’s sister, Sarah. After starting a family and coming across Barefoot Books, Lori decided to become a representative for their wonderful products and has offered to donate 15% of sales to Smiles For Sophie Forever.

In order for your purchase to qualify, you must purchase the books by following this link to Lori’s site. If you choose to purchase the books locally from Lori, please mention you are doing so to help support Smiles For Sophie Forever, as she will keep track of local sales as well.

To browse through available products, get information on events or contact Lori, please visit her site at: http://lorihachenski.barefootbooks.com.

Silpada:
Amy Cashman, an independent representative for Silpada Designs Jewelry, was "touched" by the story of Faith Pruden, a seven-year-old Ohio girl, who battled a brain stem glioma, but lost her valiant fight on August 7, 2010. While following Faith's story in her mom's on-line journal, Amy "came across other incredible stories of bravery, hope, and faith," among them Sophie's, on Smiles For Sophie Forever. Wanting desperately to help, Amy is offering 50% of the proceeds of Silpada Jewelry sales, ordered through her, to Smiles For Sophie Forever. Anyone who schedules a catalog or home show through Amy will also be helping Smiles For Sophie Forever, plus be earning some jewelry for herself. See the jewelry catalog by visiting www.silpada.com. Contact Amy, on that site, by clicking on the "Contact Silpada," box and typing "Amy," "Cashman," and "Ohio" in the appropriate boxes or email Amy at amycashman@insight.rr.com and she will send the link.

Four-B Vending LLC:
Bobi and David Biederman and Aaron and Debbie Biederman, of Four-B Vending LLC, a newly established vending machine company, have also graciously volunteered to support Smiles For Sophie Forever. Bobi and David, and their two children, are from Avon Lake and learned about Sophie’s story through flyers at National City Bank in the Avon Lake Giant Eagle. Bobi was then again reminded of Sophie’s story at the Avon Lake Early Childhood PTA, as she signed up to bake for an event. Aaron is David’s brother, and he and his wife, Debbie, live in Bedford, Ohio with their three children. In creating their company, they “believe that any caring and successful business should give back to the community and to charitable organizations.” They chose Smiles For Sophie Forever as one of the charitable organizations to support and we are grateful for their generosity.

They are a new company and at this time have five vending machines in the local area:

Avon Family Barber
2525 Nagel Road 
Avon, OH 44011

 

Shop Avon Import Auto Clinic
32120 Detroit Road, Bldg C
Avon, OH 44011

Avon School of Music
37190 Colorado Avenue #103
Avon, OH 44011
 

John Kim Martial Arts
21531 Lorain Road
Cleveland, OH 44126

Strongsville School of Music
13500 Pearl Rd #137
Strongsville, OH 44136

If you happen to be at any of these locations, please stop by for a drink or a snack, knowing that a percentage of sales will benefit Smiles For Sophie Forever.

Uppercase Living:
Amy Wilson, a friend of Emily's and an Uppercase Living rep, is holding a fundraiser for SFSF from February through March. As February was the month that Sophie was diagnosed with brain cancer, Amy chose this month to donate proceeds to SFSF, and has graciously agreed to extend through March. Please visit her website to shop around and and if you purchase anything, be sure on the shopping cart page to click on the "Associate with open house" button (select the Smiles For Sophie Fundraiser from the drop down menu) in order for SFSF to get the credit. Anyone who places an order will be entered into a drawing to win the hostess rewards for this open house. Thanks Amy and happy home decorating!!