I just want to give a big shout out to some beautiful souls who chose our Sammie's Bundles of Hope as their "giving Tuesday" recipient of generosity. I had an ACEs Connection member from a university in California reach out to offer donating wish-list items. How cool is that? And a treasured friend who manages a Starbucks who is going to set out a box to collect donations. Amazing. Another long-time friend filled up a bag with bubbles, squishables, and gel pens. So sweet.
Last year I opened for the keynote speaker at The Tristate Trauma Network fall conference and during a break I stopped at a table to talk about ACEs with a representative at a booth. I commented on the ACEs squeezable brains (like a stress ball) she had in a basket, so she reached under the table and pulled out two boxes and handed them to me as a gift for our Sammie project.
We have had so many kind hearts give us small bags filled with a few markers and coloring books to huge bags filled with bubbles and fidget spinners and stuffed animals. There have been people who have sewn little hearts of hope made out of colorful fabric or hand-painted little cards with inspirational sayings and pictures on them. We had an entire sixth grade paint calming rocks with inspirational words like, "hope" and "faith". We had drawstring bags donated by the hundreds. And another whole grade at a local school collected books and fidget items, filling boxes upon boxes. I have two huge bins of fidgets from another friend. Therapist friends have donated stress balls, pens, pencils, writing pads, and more. Insurance agencies, non-profit agencies, and other companies have given us boxes of sunglasses, clappers, balls, and more bags.
All with the beautiful intention of helping kiddos who need a sprinkling of Sammie hope in their lives. As a child who experienced ACEs and the resulting anxiety, it can feel overwhelming and scary. I am so very happy our Sammie's Bundles of Hope can help alleviate a little bit of that scariness and bring a smile to those kiddos needing hope the most.
Thank you to all of those who have considered supporting our project. Peace and love to all of you!
Love,
Sammie Doodle & Teri
P.S. Sammie has been working one morning a week at Terrace Park Elementary School in the Cincinnati area. We received wonderful progress reports yesterday in regards to the children she has been serving. This sweet, sweet therapy dog, a wise old soul in a labradoodle body, is making such a beautiful difference in the lives of children and that makes my heart smile. I am blessed to be a part of her journey.
P.P.S. We include a signed copy of our children's book, The Doodle with the Noodle. inspired by Sammie's puppy antics. It was written and illustrated by my daughter (who was nine years old at the time) and myself. All proceeds from the sales of that book go toward our Sammie's Bundles of Hope project. Another dream come true that makes my heart smile. Madison and I have started on our second Sammie-inspired book - a book about counteracting bullying, starring our little bully of a puppy, Max, and, of course, Sammie Doodle.
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