Smiles From Austin

Hey everyone!  I am really excited to let you know that Oceanside Bank here in Jacksonville is having an Elmo drive this Sat the 21st of March at the Kernan branch.  There will be hotdogs, hamburgers, and even a jumpy thing for the children.  I am hoping to see all of my Jax people there.  Should be a fun time.  The drive is from 9-1 pm. :)

I just wanted to thank who ever left an Elmo at our door on Wed.  It was very nice of you and a wonderful surprise to come home to!!

ON Wed 2/11/09 Tina and I produced a lot of smiles at Wolfson's Childrens hospital.  We delivered well over 50 Elmos, books, and DVD's to the sick children.  One girl was being treated by her doctor when we came in and she would not respond to what he was saying.  She took one look at the Elmo and a big smile came across her face.  The Dr said he had been trying to get her to smile and couldnot.  I am glad Elmo is doing his job!!!  I also brought 8 bags of Elmo goodies to the peds Care part of Hospice.  This was a Valentines gift from Austin!  Thank you to Jessica and Shannon for donating the gift cards to Outback and Olive Garden.  They were given to some couples that really needed to "Have a night out"!!  I just heard that I am going to get another shipment in March from my High School, thanks guys!!! 

If you have not seen the article in the paper, I posted it on the News page.  Once again The Florida Times Union did a wonderful job!  Thank you Lauren.  I contacted the childrens hospital in Sarasota and am going to bring some Elmos to the children there also.  Hopefully next month.  I also contacted St Judes in Tenn, to see in  the summer if Bryan and I can take a vacation and deliver to them. 

Thanks again to everyone who has donated, helped and just prayed for us and this foundation.  I think Elmo is doing what he was sent out to do!!  Bring smiles to a childs face!

I just received a clipping from the news paper in Swainsboro Ga(Bryan's parents live there).  A local school in raising Elmos.  How wonderful.  I can't begin to Thank everyone who has helped start this foundation.  There is a local Brownie troop here in Jacksonville that brought me tons of Elmos and coloring books, and they even gave us about 50 Christmas Elmo books that I handed out to the children at Nemours and Hospice during our Christmas delivery.  Terryville High in CT, where I graduated from is using Smiles From Austin as their fundraiser for the quarter, and has already received about 50 Elmos.  Bryan and I recently went up to NJ for Christmas and went to a Christmas Eve party(only knowing the people that hosted it), and everyone that was invited brought an Elmo with them!  I have a friend in Ohio(who I have never met) who sends me Elmos on a regular basis, also I have a group of women in NY who send every once in a while(Have never met them either). My friend in CT, Jessica, sends me about 3-4 boxes filled with Elmo stuff about every couple of months from here collecting up there.  My cousin in PA is collecting up there also.   Everytime I see someone they give me an Elmo to put in my collection.  I really can't begin to thank everyone.  I know Austin is smiling down on each and every one of you.  It is so wonderful to have friends that care so much(even friends I have never met)!

Our next delivery is going to be sometime this month or early Feb.  My friend Tina is going to bring along a girl who dresses up like Elmo to hand the toys out.  Can't wait for that!   The photographer who took our family pic that is posted under pictures on the other page is going to write a story about the foundation in her magazine that she writes for.  She is going to also ask for an Elmo instead of a sitting fee when familys come to get their picture made.  I know there is a lot more people out there to mention, I just can't think right now.  I am batteling a cold, or sinus infection, or what ever it is.  Don't like going to the Dr!  Anyway this is what has been going on the past month.  I will update again after our next delivery.  If anyone wants to go, please let me know.  I would love to have more help.  I hope you all have a wonderful New Year!!

On December 15th, Tina and I delivered some Elmos to the Childrens Clinic and to Peds Care(hospice).  This was a wonderful delivery.  We didn't see many children at the clinic, but the ones we did were so excited.  I want to share a little story.  I went to Toys R Us a couple weeks ago in hope of getting more Elmos for this delivery.  Most were sold out, but I did find this Lego set that was Elmo.  I thought to my self, should I get this even though this is not a soft and cushie Elmo.  I just had pictures in my head of a little boy getting so excited about the Legos.  Well when we were at the clinic there was a little boy, prob around 2-3 years old.  He came up to me and I said would you like this Lego set.  He was so excited and couldn't wait to open the box.  This brought tears to my face.  He was so happy, and I though to my self.  This is what its all about.  Bringing a smile to a sick childs face.  I am so happy I could do this. 

We also went to Hospice and dropped off 10 bags full of Elmo goodies for the nurses to bring to their patients. 

Thank you to all who have donated.  We couldn't have done it with out you!!  I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday and a very happy New Year!  Bryan and I will be in NJ celebrating with my Aunt Nancy.  Can't wait. 

Okay, I don't know what is going on, maybe just Christmas, but I have gone on to Toys R Us .com numerous times the past couple of weeks to order more Elmos and everything is out of stock.  I am going to go on Thursday to Toys R Us in hopes that they will have some.  We are going to go to Nemours Children's Clinic on Monday the 15th to make a delivery before Christmas, then its off to Community Hospice to drop some off there.  I have enough here, but I  am amazed on the amount of Elmos that are out of stock.  Its wonderful!!

The Jacksonville Times Union did a wonderful story on Smiles From Austin.  I have posted the link under the news category.  Hopefully this will generate more donations.  Thank you to everyone who has made a donation.  Next delivery will be in January.  Let me know if you are interested in going.   

Today my friends Tina and Carol went with me to Wolfson's children's hospital here in Jacksonville to deliver some Elmo's to the children.  What a wonderful time we had.  If you could see their faces when they received them, it was priceless!  I can't wait to go back.  We did sent up a time in January to do it again, so like I said before I can only have about 5 people with me so if anyone wants to come let me know.  The  smiles are very contagious!!!  What a good feeling!  Also if anyone was wanting to donate some more Elmo's for our next delivery.  We are in need of "My First ELmo", for babies  and some more of the large Elmo's that can lay on the ground.  Those were a big hit!  We also need some coloring books and reading books that have Elmo in them.  Tina and I were thinking about what to give to the parents.  We were thinking about maybe if anyone wants to donate  giftcards.  I know from experience that eating dinner out every night becomes a little expensive, or the gas going to and from the hos.  Just a thought.