~~ These updates are always written by Jenny herself ~~
*IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO VIEW THE "MEET OUR HEROES" PAGE, YOU JUST NEED TO REFRESH YOUR BROWSER OR CLEAR YOUR CACHE. SIMPLY CLOSE DOWN AND RE-OPEN YOUR BROWSER. (the link was updated yesterday)
May 14, 2008
Damon rented a truck this morning, then he and Denis drove to Jackie's house to pick up all the gifts for Childrens Hospital. They also stopped at Best Buy to pick up some TVs since there was no room in Jackie's home to store them. It's a big truckload of stuff! But what happened was they drove from our house to the truck rental, left the car there, got the truck, and headed out. On the way back, they were supposed to swing by the rental place to get the car and bring both the truck and the car back to the house. They forgot and left the car there! So they just left in another car to go get the first car. It was pretty funny. We're all getting ready for the big delivery tomorrow.
May 13, 2008
News from Bozeman, Montana: We heard from Cailtin in the dental office who says they have already received some of their equipment (such as the masks, gloves, and sealant material), and more is still arriving. They have re-scheduled their free sealant day to June 2nd for the children of two Bozeman elementary schools: Whittier and Monforton. And in Slatington, Pennsylvania, we hear they are planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony soon for the new computer lab that Daniel installed.
May 12, 2008
Here's another update from 'Officer Daniel Buglio' who's been working on the computer lab for almost three months and is finally seeing the fruits of his efforts... "Hi Damon & Jenny. Well, the computer lab is set up! It looks awesome. I stopped at the library over the weekend and they said after school, most computers are being used. It really looks like a state of the art operation! I will send you some pictures of the library staff and the Geek Squad setting some things up. Of course, I was helping too, but I was also taking the photos. I provided Donuts and coffee to the staff and Geek Squad for the morning and pizza and soda for lunch. It was about a 10 hour day, it was awesome." I am so proud of Daniel for seeing this huge project through. And treating the whole gang to breakfast and lunch! What a class act he is. I can't wait for the pictures!
May 11, 2008
It's going to be an exciting week. We are delivering $25,000 worth of toys, games, DVDs, electronics, flight suits and more to Childrens Hospital here in Los Angeles. Since I live here too, I'll get to be there when Jackie brings a truck load of presents. We'll post lots of pictures of our big day, this Thursday. Check out Jackie's page to read the touching story of how her newborn daughter's life was saved at Childrens Hospital.
May 8, 2008
This morning I called our newest hero, Julie Alston, who's as social worker in Charleston, West Virginia. She and her husband are doing a fantastic thing - building a new center for homeless veterans. She asked for $25,000 to furnish the center which we are thrilled to be able to do, from beds, night stands, sofas, kitchen & game tables, chairs, to bunk beds and more. Julie's husband, Alex, helped us surprise Julie at their office (they are co-CEO's of the project) and there was supposed to be a news crew there but we got bumped for someone else... guess who? Hillary Clinton was in town! I guess if your story has to get bumped, it should be for a presidential candidate. The
Veterans Transitional Living Center won't open until this fall, but whenever it's ready, the furniture will be there.
May 7, 2008
Great News! The computer/research lab at the library is in! Daniel, our cop in Slatingon wrote to say things went really well. There are still a few small bugs to work out but he says it's really great. "Believe it or not, everything worked out with no issues!" he said.
And more good news from Terry at the shelter: "The gates are in, the last load of brush is in the dump and WOW, it looks so wonderful," said Terry. "I know it will be secure for all those who seek refuge here." She is more excited than anything with the fence and security system, and loving all the calls she's been getting complimenting the new look. One of their neighbors now wants to get involved in volunteering there. The kitchen with its new appliances is looking great and the security system is next.
Even more good news from Fire Chief James Robinson in Moody, Alabama. The smoke alarms finally arrived! Chief Robinson said it was a little bit intimidating to look at the two large plastic-wrapped pallets of alarms. There's a lot of work to be done. They will finish training the installers on May 18th, and the plan is to do a door-to-door installation blitz on May 31. The installers will work in more than 10 neighborhoods that day to install as many alarms as possible, all for free to the community. The chief says, "While one life saved will justify all of our efforts, this project will provide a blanket of protection over dozens of families for the next 10 years."
And news from me: we are working on some design changes on this website which are coming soon. And I've changed the way I do each hero's updates. I'm flipping the order so the newest update will always be first. It's the same way I do my personal diary on jennyjones.com. I think it's better.
May 6, 2008
Some sad news to report. We just got this email from Terry at the shelter...
"I am saddened to inform you of the passing of Pastor's mother early this morning. She was pleased with the foundation's donation to the shelter. She was a great supporter to the shelter from the day the planning started."
Our thoughts and prayers are with Pastor Sherry Sweetman, the shelter's Executive Director.
May 5, 2008
Here's an update from Terry who runs the shelter:
"FANTASTIC! the new washers are in and working, the stoves are all in and working. They are beautiful! The new chain link in the front is up, the gates will be installed tomorrow there. The work on the back has been started, the cleanup crew is clearing the brush, and the temp is being placed there. The next and final project is the security cameras and DVD.
Thanks again for such a wonderful experience. This has truly made life nicer and has taken a big burden from me and my son. I have taken something that was was broken, thrown away, or scrapped and made it work for all the years I have been here. Now I can move on with ease to other things to help the shelter. The bad shape of the shelter when I came to do a volunteer project was one of the reasons I made the decision to stay here. The rewards were not money but seeing people's lives change. I have never been more blessed and had a true feeling of worth than in the years I have spent here. (there's more from Terry on her page)
Now, an update about Lani, our destist in Bozeman. A bit of bad luck - the portable sealant equipment is on backorder so Lani had to re-schedule their first sealant day from May 12 to a day in early June. It was a bit of a setback, but they are still very excited to get going on this program. They have two schools lined up that have a high percentage of children on free and reduced lunches (41 and 32%), and the whole school staff is thrilled that they were chosen!
May 1, 2008
Things are moving quickly at the shelter. The fence company was there yesterday, the gates are being built, the temp fence is going in, the old one gets torn out, the poles go in and then the new wire goes up. Wow, Terry means business!
April 29, 2008
I got to call our newest hero this morning, Jeannette Batton, a CHP Officer from Perris, California who requested $25,000 to help a battered women's shelter in Riverside. What a fun phone call it was. Pastor Sherry Sweetman, the Executive Director of the shelter, helped get Jeannette ("BJ") over there this morning and she made sure that the caretaker, Terry DeBord, would be there. We also had a newspaper reporter show up so it was hard to keep my phone call a secret. But as soon as I called, they put me on the speaker phone and it was so good to hear their laughter. "I've been had!" said Jeannette, never expecting a phone call from me. Terry said, "You pulled a good one," expecting the police to show up since something was clearly going on. Jeannette and Terry were very excited about all the things the shelter would be receiving: a new 6-foot security fence, cameras with a 16-channel digital video recorder,
six commercial washing machines, three moveable broilers, a new stove, and a swamp cooler for the kitchen. And to make the day even more special, right after my call, they received another donation of $1,000 from a woman who had a birthday party and in lieu of gifts, asked for donations for the shelter. What a great idea! What a great day!
April 25, 2008
We got a great update from Daniel Buglio, the police officer who's providing the computer/research lab in the Slatington library. All the equipment is in! They have received all the computer tables and chairs. Daniel and some library members will be putting the chairs together. Last week, Daniel and another Officer picked up all the computer towers at Best Buy and brought them back to the Police Station, where everything is being stored. They’re making one more trip to pick up all the monitors, printers, scanners and everything else. The staff and the library have rearranged some books around and cleared a big open area for the new computers. Also, an electrician was contacted to install outlets in that area for the computers and equipment. Next week, Daniel, the Best Buy rep, and the "Geek Squad" will be spending all day at the library to install everything and get the computer lab up and running.
“Everyone is excited! This is awesome!” says Daniel. “A dream is coming true! I can never thank you enough for everything you did. The reality of this is finally setting in and the Borough residents are thrilled!” So are we, Daniel!
April 23, 2008
Our newest hero, Lorri, sent an update on all the excitement in Harlem with the new playground coming in. "Damon, Thanks so much for all you have done, and are doing to make this project happen. I've been getting prices on the ground covering for the playground today. Don Coffman, one of the city employees measured and marked the park this afternoon for the safety zone around the structure. Things are moving along a lot more quickly than I ever thought possible. People in town are so excited about the project. All three radio stations in the area have been announcing the project the last two days. I think this is the best thing that has happened in Harlem for a number of years. It is so exciting. I still tear up every time I think about how Jenny surprised me last Friday. I'll keep you informed of our progress on this end.
Thanks,
Lorri"
April 22, 2008
It's the kind of news we love to hear.
Remember Teddy, the retired coal miner from Turkey Creek who provided his volunteer fire department with new equipment? His wife Ruby just emailed me the following news:
"The fire dept had a forest fire near some residents and the deck gun was a real asset. They were able to put the fires out from 200 yards without having to stretch hoses and jeopordize the safety of personell by fighting the fire from up close. The fire dept is very impressed with the operation of the deck gun. It has already saved thousands in property loss alone. The residents also are astounded at the reach and volume of water delivered by the new deck gun. THANKS AGAIN. Ruby & Ted."
April 21, 2008
We just placed the order for the playground in Harlem, Montana and were told that it would be ready in 5 to 6 weeks. That's sooner than any of us expected. I was so excited I tried to call Lorri with the good news but her line was busy so I called Jeremy at the bank. He was surprised too and went to tell Lorri right away. He said there would be a dedication ceremony once it's installed with Joshua's family members attending. There are also plans for a memorial plaque to be placed in the park.
And the smoke detectors are paid for and on the way to Moody, Alabama. Fire Chief James "Doogie" Robinson says it's been a whirlwind since we called and they're looking forward to proceeding with the free installations once the units arrive.
April 18, 2008
We have a new hero today and what a meaningful this day was. Lorri Williams had contacted us from Landusky, Montana, requesting $25,000 to build a playground in memory of Deputy Joshua Rutherford. Joshua was an American Indian who was killed in 2003, responding to a domestic disturbance call in Harlem, Montana, which borders the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. We contacted the Harlem mayor, Jeremy Kinyon, to help us make the surprise phone call to Lorri. With Jeremy's help, it became much more than just a surprise call from a donor. Jeremy went to visit Maxine, the fallen officer's mother, to give her the good news in advance and to invite her to be there for today's surprise phone call. He did not want to shock her too much so it was better to let her know in advance. So Maxine was there but that's not all. Joshua's sons Thomas and Joshua, Jr., ages 16 and 11 respectively were there. In fact Joshua, Jr. drove 200 miles from Billings with his grandmother just to be there today. Lorri was also joined by two city aldermen, John Chandler and Dale Cornell, as well as Lorri's co-worker, Robin. Also there was the boys' grandmother, whose name is Bea Kill Eagle as well as Joshua's aunt, Jill Plumage. Marilyn, a Fort Belknap Council Person came, as well as Gros Ventre Tribe Spiritual Leader, Fred Gone.
I spoke to everyone on the phone and at the end, Lorri put me on the speaker phone so I could listen as Fred led a prayer and burned some sweetgrass, which has a purification element. He spoke mostly in his native Gros Ventre language and it truly touched my heart. I cried and savored the moment, knowing that I was doing something really good.
April 17, 2008
Things are busier than ever because every time we add a new hero, there's more follow-up work to do with invoices for things we're buying and sometimes Damon makes purchases online. Then there's constant website updates with each hero's page but we love doing it. It's more and more exciting to see how many good things are happening and how much joy is being spread because of our heroes. And there are many more to come. To me, these people are not just selected and we move on, they are life-long relationships and some day, I hope to pay a visit to each one.
April 14, 2008
We received a nice update today from Stacie in Gainesville, Florida, who is buying softball equipment. She tells us things are going great. They have started passing out the new gear to all the teams, and are now working on the bull pens for the fields.. All of the girls are getting back from Spring break and they expect all the age groups will have games this weekend. She says it's exciting to see the girls in the catching gear, helmets, and using all of the new gear. We'll have photos soon.
April 10, 2008
Our newest hero, James, sure got a lot of great messages today and it's clear that he's appreciated and respected in his community. Speaking of being appreciated, our police officer, Daniel, was honored yesterday by the students at the Slatington Elementary School. They put on a special program and made him a beautiful banner which you can see in Daniel's photos. Not only that, the students raised $275 for the Slatington Library. It's a terrific ripple effect of Daniels' generosity.
April 9, 2008 (Morning)
There's no better way to start the day than with making a phone call to someone like James D. Robinson, who I found out this morning is better known as "Doogie." His grant will be used to purchase 1,500 smoke detectors which his team will install for free in homes in his community. With a little help from Doogie's co-worker, Joe E. Nobles, Sr., who is Moody, Alabama's Fire Marshal/Captain, we were able to get the local papers and news cameras to the station just in time for my phone call to James. We timed it just perfectly - James had a mouthful of food when I called. James told me about the lives lost in their community, saying that one of the people who died in a fire was a close friend, so this means a lot to him and the department. He estimated that once the smoke alarms are installed, 1,500 to 2,000 people will be protected. This is a truly outstanding project and I hope everyone lets James know what a hero he truly is.
April 8, 2008 (Afternoon)
It's time for some updates. First of all, we're almost 1/5 of the way there (to a million). We've committed almost $200,000 in grants
so far. I say committed because we still don't have invoices for everything being purchased but they are continuing to come in. And here are more updates on our current heroes:
Teddy Rubinette (retired coal miner from Turkey Creek, KY) -Teddy just emailed this morning to let us know that all the equipment has arrived at the volunteer fire department. Teddy is our first hero to have his project completed. You can see a photo of the new equipment on Teddy's page. Here's Teddy's email.... "dear jenny this is teddy robinette I'm writing to let you know that we took
delivery of the equipment you purchased for the turkey creek volunteer fire
department today and wish to thank you again for making my dream come true
also on behalf of the fire department and the entire community THANK YOU!"
Daniel Buglio (police officer in Slatington, PA) - Daniel may be our hardest working hero. He took on a big responsibility installing the video/research lab at the library and he's managing the entire project himself. He has already purchased the computers, furniture, and installation services so it won't be long before it's up and running. By the way, Daniel has two jobs: police officer and forensic investigator so we appreciate the hands on work he is doing for his community.
Jackie (bakery/deli shift leader from Ventura County, CA) - Jackie has spent a lot of time on her project because it's so personal for her. She has already purchased computers, flight suits & helmets, notebooks, blankets, books, and video games for the Children's Hospital. All of her purchases were customized by Jackie and we truly appreciate the time she has put in, as well as coordinating with the hospital to make sure they get exactly what they need.
Lani McLane (community dentist in Bozeman, MT) - Lani is moving quickly to get her free sealant program started for 1,000 low income children in her community. Equipment has already been ordered and her first trip is already scheduled for May 12th at two local elementary schools. She has done this before and is really organized. She promised to take lots of pictures of the children she'll be treating for us to share.
April 4, 2008 (Lunchtime)
We're getting ready to reveal our newest feature: "Mini-Grant" Heroes. These are requests that come in asking for $5,000 or less and we are announcing our first group of four. In fact, two of them have been in the works for several weeks (Susan and Debbie) and the other two (Beverly and Alana) just got the good news today. Beverly's husband, Brian, was a big help in setting up our surprise phone call. Since a newspaper reporter wanted to be there, he invited the reporter in saying she was with the fire department. I heard Beverly was getting a little suspicious but then I called to give her the good news. I'm not sure if she was laughing or crying but she was definitely excited, and surprised. The reporter, Sarah, drove an hour and a half to get there and said there were no house numbers but a neighbor helped locate Brenda's house. Brenda will use her $2,000 to buy robes and music equipment for her church drama team.
Then I called Alana at work in Baltimore. Her co-worker, Karen, works at the same law firm and made sure Alana was at her desk. Karen's daughter,, Shelley, was standing by with a camera so this mom and daughter team was a big help. Well let me tell you, when Alana got the news, she was screaming into the phone. I had to pull the phone away from my ear. It was such a fun call for me to make. I called Alana later on and she told me that the Pastor's wife was "floored" at the news. I also learned that 30 members of the church prayed for 30 days for a blessing and that this was it. Alana will use her $5,000 to set up a school at her church.
We also heard from Christy in Suffolk, Virginia who tells us they will be ordering their wrestling gear next week and the boys on the team are very happy. She also received a call from the principal, thanking her for everything she has done and for thinking of the school and team. He said they were going to recognize her at the spring athletic awards ceremony. Christy says, "I'm still pinching myself!"
April 2nd, 2008 (Dinnertime)
Things are moving along with Joyce Johnson's football team in Louisville. Here's an update she sent today on her purchase of uniforms: "So far, we have selected helmets for the Senior squad. They will be gold and match the high school. I also selected the uniform pants. I always
wanted the shiney kind and now we have them. We'll be selecting the shoulder pads soon..."
April 1, 2008 (Afternoon)
We heard from our newest hero, Lani, today who says she's very grateteful for this opportunity and she's already working on her plan to provide dental sealant to the local children. She was on the NBC news in Bozeman last night and we posted a great story that ran today in her local paper. Lani also said, "The NBC news crew was so excited about the idea of providing sealants to children in need that they asked to be notified when we would start as they would love to be on hand to film it...all great news!"
March 31, 2008 (Morning)
Maybe one day things will go smoothly when it's time to call our newest hero! We planned to call Lani McLane, the community dentist in Bozeman, Montana last Thursday. But when we called her office on Wednesday, we found out she would not be in. Okay, on to Plan B. We switched it to today. Monday, and with help from Caitlin in the dental office, we were able to get a reporter from the Bozeman Chronicle and a crew from NBC News to be there when I made the call. What a great thing Dr. McLane will be doing for so many children. It's a pleasure to call her one of "Jenny's Heroes."
March 28, 2008 (Afternoon)
It's hard to type with tears in my eyes but I am so touched by a photo that I just received from Tammy in North Chicago. It's on her page - a photo of Tammy and fellow staff members holding a sign they made for me. Honestly, there is no way to decribe how much this touched me. It was accompanied by the letter below...
"Hi Jenny & Damon,
WOW! what an exciting week. I have sat down several times to write and thank you both; however, with the constant phone calls and people stopping by with well wishes I seem to always be interrupted. On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, residents, staff, and North Chicago community, I would like to express my heart felt gratitude for your generous gift. While the renovation of the community rooms may seem to be a small thing to many, it is truly appreciated by NCHA. This grant will not only allow us to renovate a community but in so doing, it will also change the lives of the seniors in the buildings. I have never seen the residents so excited or work together so diligently. I know this is only the beginning of both buildings forming cohesive relationships for the betterment of all. Again, thank you Jenny! You are truly a hero.
Tammy Sawyers"
March 28, 2008 (Morning)
Our police officer hero, Daniel, tells us that
the computer lab is scheduled to be installed in the Slatington library around the 3rd week of April. Also, Daniel's Police Chief got a call from the Principal of the Northern Lehigh School District and they want to present Daniel with an award at a special assembly. The whole town is starting to get excited and so are we!
March 27, 2008 (Evening)
We jut added a new feature to the site which is a place for people to tell us how they have personally benefited by one of our heroes' gifts. It may take a while since most of our heroes are still shopping, but we will post them on a special page once we start receiving. It will do my heart good to hear some stories of people whose lives were impacted by one of our heroes. We also redid the calendar to allow us some flexibility on when to announce recipients. The next one is coming in the next few days.
March 25, 2008 (Evening)
Tammy has had a busy day. I spoke to her this afternoon and she said the phone's been ringing all day with well-wishers. And Tammy might just hold a record for the number of congratulations received! She's already scheduled her meeting with the residents for this Friday so it looks like things will get done quickly. Plus, the Lake County News Sun ran a fantastic story today. You can see it on Tammy's page. And Jackie, who is giving to the Children's Hospital, has been shopping around for the best prices on her gifts. We always appreciate bargain shopping with this money. Who doesn't?
Chief Cline from Turkey Creek emailed us to say the rest of the firefighters' equipment is coming in any day now. So it looks like Turkey Creek will be the first grant to be finalized, delivered and paid for. You can see it on Teddy Rubinette's page. Damon is constantly working on our photo gallery so feel free to take a look. There are tons of pictures.
March 24, 2008 (Afternoon)
I hope everyone had a good Easter weekend.
I certainly had a good day today. I got to make a phone call to Tammy Sawyers in North Chicago, Illinois to let her know she could start shopping for her $25,000 remodel of two community rooms in the North Chicago Housing Authority where she is the executive director. The two hi-rise buildings in this public housing project serve mostly elderly and disabled residents and it's where they gather to have coffee, watch TV, play games and enjoy fellowship. The staff and other social service agencies also use the rooms to host weekly bingo games and events for the seniors. Tammy is planning to get new furniture for the sitting areas, new flooring, new kitchen appliances, a new TV, and window treatments. Tammy came up with a great idea on how best to spend this money. She will hold a meeting with all of the residents from both buildings, and let them tell her what they need most. What a thoughtful thing to do. This way, the community rooms will have exactly what's needed. Tammy will be sending some before and after pictures of both community rooms, and we also look forward to some photos of the residents. Meantime, please take a minute to send our new hero a note of congratulations.
March 20, 2008 (Dinnertime)
Too busy to remember that
it's Easter weekend? I guess so. We are postponing our next hero until next week.
March 20, 2008 (Morning)
Things are busier than ever with eight different projects in the works and a ninth about to be added. I received a really nice personal thank you from Coach Tripp of the wrestling team in Suffolk, telling me how much this would mean to him and the team. It made me feel really good. He emailed me through the "Jenny" website. And then Daniel told me that he received a letter of commendation from the mayor of Slatington and the City Council, thanking him for the computer/research lab that's about to get installed in the library.
March 18, 2008 (Afternoon)
I had a chance to call our sports ladies today just to catch up. Guess what? They're getting recognized on the street! Christy said she's been stopped on the street by people saying, "Aren't you the one who was crying on TV?" Stacie and Ann also said they're getting recognized by strangers on the street. Joyce told me the football coaches have already been in touch with sporting goods stores about buying equipment. I also spoke to Daniel Buglio and he's just three weeks away from having all the computer equipment installed in the Slatington Library. Daniel's been working hard to get the library's new system together. He's been to Office Depot looking for desks and chairs, but there's still lots to do. He admitted it was more complicated than he expected but said he'd stick with it no matter how long it takes and would not let the ladies at the library down. They are ecstatic at the library, especially since their local school district has cut out their own library funding. Daniel says he's received thank you notes mailed to the police station from strangers, just saying how much they appreciate what he is doing. Believe it or not, Daniel says he almost didn't send in the application. He was about to shut down his computer after a long day, but changed his mind and decided to write in. We are so glad he did.
March 17, 2008 (Evening)
Jackie has been working hard putting her massive gift package together for the Children's Hospital. She's already been to the hospital, met with the Starlight Foundation, ordered books from Amazon, bargain shopped at Best Buy, and she even has flight suits already. It won't be long before it's all ready to be delivered to the hospital. If you look up "pro-active" in the dictionary, you just might see Jackie's picture. We think that's terrific!
March 16, 2008 (Afternoon)
Teddy and Ruby are expecting their second grandchild in November! Teddy is our second hero from Turkey Creek, Kentucky. Check out his page.
March 15, 2008 (Afternoon)
Emails of congratulations have been coming in all day and it's my favorite part of everyone's page. My thanks to everyone for acknowledging these generous people, and please encourage friends and co-workers to also send a note. Thanks for letting our heroes know how much they are appreciated.
March 15, 2008 (Morning)
We have some great news about Travis Wiersma. Yesterday, Madison Area Technical College held their Health Division meeting and Travis was presented with a recognition plaque by their Dean of Health, Dr. Sido. Susan Worth introduced Travis and talked about his contribution to their programs. The Vice President of Instruction, Terry Webb, presented the plaque and Travis recieved a standing ovation from the faculty & staff of about 150 people. What a gratifying experience this must have been for Travis. We will post pictures of the event on Travis's page on Monday.
March 14, 2008 (Early)
What a crazy morning it was yesterday! I was calling our next hero, Christy in Suffolk, Virginia while whe was at work and just before my call I found out that her local TV news crew wanted to be there. So I decided to call the company where she works and pretend I needed a quote so I could talk to a co-worker to help coordinate the TV crew. But Christy answered the phone! So I said, "Who could I speak to for a quote?" She said, "Commercial or residential?" What? I wasn't prepared for the 3rd degree. I said residential and she said, "We don't do residential." I panicked and pretended I got another call and "accidently" disconnected her. Okay, it's time for plan B. I called the news crew who was already parked outside, out of view. While we were discussing what to do, he saw someone leaving out the front door, an employee, who showed him the best way to go in and surprise Christy. We agreed that I would call him one minute before my call. I did, he went in, I called, and Christy cried. She was so happy and so am I. The first call she's going to make is to the coach of her son's wrestling team.
Then it was time to call Stacie in Gainesville who was also at work. There was also a TV crew that wanted to be there when I made the call so I had to get someone there to help. I called her boss, Kelly, who already knew about Stacie's application and was very excited about my call. There was only one problem. Stacie wasn't there. She was filling in for someone at another location. What? This can't be! We have a news crew on the way! I needed time to think and said I'd call Kelly back. I decided the best thing to do was send the crew to the other location and I called Kelly back. Before I could tell her my plan, she told me Stacie just got back. One would think things would have gone smoothly from here. Not exacly. I told Kelly I would call her again to touch base, but when I did, there was no answer. Why is this happening? I finally got her and she had been in the elevator with the reporter but now they were ready and in place. Finally, things were going my way. Or so I thought. I called Kelly to say I was ready to make the call, but the reporter left to get tape out of her car. Give me a break here! A few minutes later, we were set to go. They walked in just as I called Stacie with the good news. Stacie said she was stunned and very happy, and was going to send an email to all the girls in the league.
Now this morning, it was time to call the second two "sports" heroes. First up was Joyce in Louisville. She was also at work at a high school where she is an instructor. Luckily, we had the assistant principal, Matt Kingsley, in on our secret. So Matt and I coordinated that he would call Joyce into the main office for a phone call and I would already be on the phone waiting for her to walk in. While he and Joyce were walking over there, I called ahead and so I'd already be on the phone. Matt told me that a woman named Mary would answer the phone, or it might be Lorissa, but not to worry because they would know what was going on. But when I called, somebody else answered the phone and I said, "Hi, this is Jenny Jones calling from California for Joyce." She said, "I'm sorry there are no personal calls allowed in the office. I'll have to take a message." Com'on! Why am I being punished like this?! Why couldn't this be easy? Just then, Joyce walked in and took the phone. Finally, I got to give her the news that she'd be helping her little league football team. There's no question that she's a hero to the kids on the team, but she also told me that she was a foster mom and now has adopted four special needs children, ages 12, 11, 11, and 9. Now that makes her an even bigger super-hero. God bless you, Joyce.
Finally, it was Ann's turn to receive some good news and after everything else, this would go without a hitch. Who am I kidding? Oh, the plan was nicely in place...
--we checked to make sure Ann would be home
--I was going to call her at 12 noon
--the center's director, Aaron, was going to be there
--the Ann Arbor News was going to call her at 12:30
--the Ann Arbor News photographer was coming shortly after to take Ann's photo
I had a few minutes before placing the call so I decided to check our emails. Nothing special, just Ann who had emailed early this morning to say she forgot she had a doctor's appointment and wouldn't be home until after 3:00. Gadzooks! I didn't know what to do first. I called Aaron and told him we are on hold. Then we had to reach the newspaper reporter, hoping she could reschedule and that it wasn't too late for her deadline. As it turned out, we managed to reschedule her newspaper interview and photos and I will call Ann at 3:00 (I hope she's back by then). Meantime, we needed to post all of our new heroes, so we went ahead and posted the new group, including Ann but we figure she's either at the doctor's or in her car and won't see it. For the first time, we have announced a hero before she even knows she 's been selected.
I hope everyone will take a minute to send our new heroes a note of congratulations.
March 12, 2008 (Lunchtime)
It's getting harder but Damon and I are still managing to keep up. We heard from the fire chief in Turkey Creek and they are already using their new laptop for training. They had an awards ceremony for Teddy, awarding him a bronze statue of a firefighter and he was also proclaimed “Outstanding Citizen. ” Then he was given a Life Member Card for the Turkey Creek Volunteer Fire Department. And news came in from the nursing program in Madison. We hear that some of the equipment has already arrived, including manikins and "other body parts" (yikes!) for training. Pictures will be coming soon to be posted on Travis's page.
March 9, 2008 (Evening)
We heard from Jackie who went to the Childrens Hospital on Friday with her daughter, Hannah, and they were given the red carpet treatment. They got a tour of the hospital and even toured the helipad which few people get to see. They also visited Dr. Hofstra, the one who treated Hannah, and discussed some of the needs at the hospital so we're expecting Jackie's gift list to change a bit. Jackie is sending us photos of the VIP visit which will be posted on her page asap. This coming Friday we will be announcing the next heroes, yes it's heroes with an "s" so it's going to be a busy week. Applications continue to come in every day and I'm still able to read them all myself. I had time this past week to review some of the first ones that came in and they are still being considered.
March 5, 2008 (Dinnertime)
It's an exciting time because as we are choosing our next recipients, invoices are coming in for the current heroes' purchases. We've already sent cheques (I'm from Canada and that's how we spell it) for the fire fighting equipment in Turkey Creek. The chief called to say the new equipment is expected next week and he will take pictures to share with us. We also heard from Daniel in Pennsylvania who says he spent 3 1/2 hours at Best Buy today picking out computers and accessories for the library. That cheque will go out tomorrow. He faxed us the two-page list of items he picked out for the library. Here's what he got:
~14 computers
~14 wide screen monitors
~4 laser printers
~1 color laser jet printer
~Microsoft Office software
~anti-virus software
~print cartridges
~toner
~cables
~Geek Squad installation
I got goose bumps when I saw this list knowing what this will mean to the community. A funny note: Daniel faxed us the invoice, requesting a cheque payable to "Best But" - an accidental typo? I think not. :-)
It's really a thrill to see the first of our heroes' gifts about to be delivered. And everyone will be taking photos which we will, of course, post on each hero's page.
March 3, 2008 (Evening)
We received a fax today from Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin and all of the new nursing equipment has been ordered. By purchasing in volume, Susan Worth, the Nursing Assistant Program Director, was able to get a discount of $1,362.40 so she was able to buy even more equipment than planned. The total came to $24,999.60 and the check is on the way. Susan says the staff is really excited about the new equipment coming. Here are just some of the items they are receiving:
*Electric beds
*Blood pressure units
*Digital thermometers
*Privacy curtains
*Digital scale with BMI calculation
*Computer operated training manikins.
*Software to operate the manikins. Besides nursing students, the training manikins will also be used by respiratory therapy, medical assistant, dental assistant, paramedic & emergency medical technician students. Susan promises to take photos when everything arrives and will share them with us. Damon and I are also excited to see the final list and to know their equipment will soon be on the way. And it's all because of Travis Wiersma, our very first hero. We will have an update soon on the fire fighting equipment in Turkey Creek. I think some has already been delivered but I'll check tomorrow. And Daniel in Slatington is still putting together his list of computers with the library ladies. More updates will come soon.
March 1, 2008 (Evening)
In checking our newest hero, Jackie's page, I see she is blessed with many friends. I have a feeling that list of friends will soon grow larger. She just emailed me to say she will pay a personal visit to the Childrens Hospital next week, with her daughter, to see for herself what's needed the most. It would have been easy for her to stick with her first list but she's taking the time to drive almost an hour each way to the hospital to make sure her gift will be exactly what they need. This just validates my choice of this caring, giving woman as one of our Heroes. We (Jackie, her daughter Hannah, and myself) will be on the radio at 8:30 Monday morning with "Bo in the Morning" on B95.1 in Ventura County.
February 29, 2008 (Afternoon)
What an exciting day! We were able to surprise our next recipient since she lives in the Los Angeles area so here's how it went down: Damon and I drove to Ventura County and did a clandestine drive-by just to see where the house was. Then we drove to a nearby Rite-Aid to meet up with a reporter and photographer from the Ventura County Star who are covering the story. We caravaned back to the house, parked down the street so we couldn't be seen, reviewed our plan and then walked to the house. I was so nervous. The plan was to call Jackie from outside and tell her to open the door and I'd be right there. I hit "send" on the phone but it didn't work. After a brief moment of panic, afraid they would see me, I hit it again and it went through. It rang once, twice, three times and I thought it must be the wrong number or maybe they weren't home. We had secretly contacted her husband yeterday and he said he'd make sure Jackie was home. Well finally, Jackie answered and I told her to open the door and I think Arnie was more surprised than Jackie, but the whole family was there and I gave them all the news, that Jackie was getting $25,000 to spend on gifts for the Childrens Hopital where her infant daughter's life was saved. They invited us all in and we had a chance to talk about the things we'd be doing, we took more photos, and they we all looked at Jackie's photo and story on this website. What a great experience. Jackie told me how much it means to her to be able to do this, and then I started crying. That's what this is about for me - sharing the joy of giving with others. And I must mention how beautiful Jackie and Arnie's three children are.
Damon is off until Tuesday so we won't post today's video until then. Sorry, but I'm not skilled enough to do it. I have a feeling Jackie's page is going to get very full. It's always nice when people send notes of congratulations so please share your thoughts with Jackie. We are taking the next week to review our applications so the next hero will be announced on March 14th.
February 26, 2008 (Lunchtime)
I called the Slatington Police Station at 8 this morning which was 11 am there. There was a news crew there from the TV station, a photographer, a newspaper reporter, and the police chief was also standing by. It was such a joy to tell him that he would be able to make this huge contribution to the community. After my call, they all headed to the library and surprised the librarians with the good news that they are about to receive a brand new computer-research lab. Daniel promises to take lots of photos to share with us. Please take a minute to send Daniel a note of congratulations. And now, on to our next hero which will be announced Friday. It's non-stop around here.
February 25, 2008 (Dinnertime)
Our excitement always builds when it's time to announce another recipient. I will be making that phone call tomorrow morning and can't wait to share the good news. And there is other news. Unfortunately, we have to suspend our Allies program. There simply is not enough time for either one of us to do the research and communication needed with each inquiry. The number of applications continues to increase day by day and it's simply all Damon and I can do to keep up with the weekly grants and details, as well as all the website additions. I would love to bring it (Allies) back later in the year if it is manageable, but in the meantime we will keep the door open for any large, single donations by a corporation or a company. I'm excited about the new photo gallery that's coming. We'll have lots of pictures to share very soon and everyone will be able to see the final results that all of our heroes have made possible. We'll also post James and Leeane's photos there. Well that's it for now. Be sure to send a note to our next hero.
February 23, 2008 (Evening)
I expected to be in New York by now
but there's been a change of plans. The Early Show on CBS where I was scheduled to appear on Tuesday with our next hero will be rescheduled. We will still announce the next hero on Tuesday as planned on this website.
February 20, 2008 (Bedtime)
I just added a bunch more requests to the Allies list. Good night.
February 19, 2008 (LateNight)
I apologize for not updating for so long but boy, it's just been busy. The good news is that our allies are really coming through. I wasn't sure if anyone would go to the trouble but listen to this: A wonderful woman named Leeanne saw the posting for glucose monitors needed by someone in Texas trying to save diabetics' lives and she is sending a hundred of them! As soon as we receive her photo, we'll post her whole story in our Allies section. There's more. We received a request for more information on playground equipment listed in the postings. As soon as I know more, I'll write it here. The reason this is so exciting for me is that I was feeling so sad for all the requests that we couldn't possibly fulfill and now the goodwill is spreading and help is on the way! It's a joyful thing. I haven't had time to count the applications as thoroughly as before, but it's around 3,000 this week. The logistics of keeping all the communications organized is challenging. Damon is the go-between for all of our allies and recipients as well as researching every potential recipient, and communicating with each of them. I review applications, do my own research, post all of the listing in the allies section, do promotion and interviews, we both do website changes & additions, and he and I meet almost every hour trying to keep each other up to speed. We're also working on creating a plaque to send each of our heroes. We still have not made the final decision on Friday's recipient but we will tomorrow morning. There are still lots more posting coming to the Allies page for others to help, as soon as I get some time. My thanks to everyone who sent, and continue to send, notes of congratulations to our heroes.
February 15, 2008 (Early Morning)
It's Friday morning and I just got off the phone with Teddy Robinette, our second Hero! He and his wife of 35 years, Ruby, live in a very rural part of Kentucky, Turkey Creek to be exact. Teddy is a retired coal miner who wanted the money spent on the Turkey Creek Volunteer Fire Department who were in dire need of some life-saving equipment. We asked Teddy to be by the phone this morning at 10 am (7 am for me). Before I called, a news crew showed up at his house so I guess he knew something was up. Then while I was talking to him and Ruby, a newspaper reporter showed up to interview him. There was lots of excitement at the Robinette house today. He'll have another newspaper interview later today. I can't even describe my joy in making a phone call like this. Teddy's desire to help his community could mean more lives saved and the volunteer fire fighters will be better equiped to serve the 1,000+ people who live in the area. Speaking of heroes, we just got the footage of Travis Wiersma on his local news which will be posted on his page today, along with a wonderful letter from the school he helped telling us how Travis' gift just got even bigger. It will be on Travis' page today.
February 13, 2008 (Dinnertime)
CHANGE OF PLANS! We've decided not to restrict the application period to just the first week of every month. It was just too many hours at the computer. So we are now open to receive at any time which should be much more manageable. We'll still take the first week of the month to review and will continue to announce recipients on the following Fridays, just like on the calendar. I didn't expect our process to be so last minute, but it seems by the time we contact the applicants, hear back, get more details, investigate what's needed, get pricing, check backgrounds, all of a sudden we're last minute. This new system should help us stay caught up, and probably get more sleep... The next hero we have in mind has a wonderful cause he wants to provide for, with very little chance they could get assistance from any other source. That will be posted Friday morning.
February 11, 2008 (Morning)
My alarm woke me up at 5 am and so I could be on the radio with Travis, on Fletch and Dana's morning show in Madison. It was early for both of us but it was great to share Travis's story with his community. Today we are contacting more people in search of the best choice for this Friday's hero. We still have not heard back from a few people we contacted almost two weeks ago, but maybe they didn't want to get invovlved after all. No problem, Damon and I are continuing with this labor of love. This has become a full time job for me but it's the best one I've ever had.
February 10, 2008 (Morning)
I woke up feeling so good this morning. So far, this program is off to a fantastic start. The first choice, Travis Wiersma, was the perfect choice to start us off. He is the perfect example of what my vision was all about which is helping your community, impacting a number of people, having long lasting benefits, and also important to me is we can see exactly where the money is going. Travis was thrust into the limelight and did us proud. I hope to have video of his television appearance on his page next week. And how wonderful that people are continuing to send him messages of congratulations. I couldn't feel any more affirmed about Jenny's Heroes. Well, I finally got through all the applications that have come in, around 2500, and the application process is closed until March 1st. Otherwise, we could never get caught up. There are three more heroes to come this month and on the last Friday, we may split the $25,000 between 3 or 4 people who have made smaller requests. I wish I could express how difficult it is to make these decisions. It's been emotionally draining to see how much need there is and to know that I can't even come close to helping all who have asked. I take these decisions very seriously and I'm hoping that some allies will come forward to help those that we are posting. Speaking of allies, my assistant Damon is a godsend! I don't know how I could have done this without him. Here he is working on three computers, never missing a beat.
February 8, 2008 (Morning)
What an exciting day! We are finally underway and our first hero is here! I just got off the phone with Travis, giving him the news that he's been selected. He was so nervous he said he could barely breathe. He's been invited to appear on his local evening news today at 5 pm (WMTV) and the Wisconsin State Journal is doing a story for the Sunday paper. As if that's not enough, Travis and I will both be on the radio Monday morning at 7:35 with Fletch & Dana in the Morning (94.9 WOLX). I may be more excited than he is. And what a nice man he turned out to be. I hope everyone sends him as note of congratulations. Now on to our next hero. Our process so far is to contact those being considered by email for more information, then phone calls for even more detail and for background check permission, and then a final decision and phone call. Just to be clear, no one will be announced on this website without having been contacted first. Congratulations again to Travis!
February 7, 2008 (Dinnertime)
So much to do. So little time. The day started with my visit to KOST103FM radio on the air with Mark Wallengren in the morning. Here we are in the studio. He was such a gracious host and by the time I got home, we had over a hundred new applications. It's now close to 2500! Things are really picking up and it's still very challenging but I believe we will catch up in the next couple of weeks and be able to respond to more people. Thank you, everyone, for your patience. We are learning as we go and are doing our very best. Tomorrow is a big day. Our first recipient will finally be announced and I hope everyone sends him/her a note of congratulations. Our new website will also be up tomorrow morning and there will be new videos coming very soon. What a joy it will be to watch this million dollars ripple across the country. If things work out, Canada will be next.
February 6, 2008 (Lunchtime)
I'm so nervous. We're just two days away from announcing our first winner! Now that the launch is underway, we will only be receiving applications during the first week of every month. That's a good thing so we can really get caught up, but because I'll be on the radio here in Los Angeles tomorrow morning (KOST 103 - around 8 am) we're going to extend an extra day, through Feb. 8th. So midnight on Friday night will be the new cutoff, and after that, we'll go back to the planned schedule. It's all on the calendar. Also, we're redesigning our main page which will be up on Friday. The new page will allow anyone to send a congratulations note to our hero of the week. This is so exciting!
February 5, 2008 (Bedtime)
I was up at 5:30 am to go on the radio live in Miami at 6 am, which was 9 am there. I spent an hour doing radio, talking about Jenny's Heroes. Naturally, we got quite a few more applications (total is over 2200 now) but still manageable. We finally heard back from a few more people but not everyone we contacted has emailed back. I think some people are a bit suspicious, wondering, "What's the catch?' There is no catch. This is just about trying to do as much good as possible with this money. And I can see that it will happen. If you have sent an application in and have not been contacted, please know that since this program will run all year, we are holding all the applications for continual review. Once we know for sure that we can't provide a particular request, we will let you know but we will also post some of those needs on our new, almost-ready, Jenny's Allies page. So please be patient, we are doing our best to keep up. My biggest fear is that someone will be upset with me for not receiving a grant or for being dissatisfied with this process. Hey, if you're in the Los Angeles area, I'll be on the air live on Thursday morning with Mark Wallengren on KOST-103 fm radio.
February 4, 2008 (Lunchtime)
Where is everybody? We sent out at least a dozen emails to our "first draft" potential recipients and have only heard back from two so far. There's a lot of detail work involved and Friday is coming fast.
Febraury 3, 2008 (Evening)
I finally got caught up and have read all the applications that came in. I know there will be more by morning but I think it will be easier to keep up now that I'm better organized. I put them into categories, and then do my best to choose ones that best fit our guidelines. My back was sore from sitting at the computer for longer than I'm used to, so I've been doing it standing up, too. I have one of those mac screens that swivels and tilts, so I tilt it up and work standing up part of the time. I'm excited that we're just days away from our first recipient but a little scared, too, because they'll just keep coming every week after that. It's just a little fear of the unknown but that's overshadowed by my excitement and joy. I'll be on the radio again Tuesday morning. Here is the schedule:
