We've Done It Again!!!

I am very happy to announce that I am about to send ANOTHER $1,000 check to the Mario Lemieux Foundation!!

I say it a lot, but I never imagined this project would be so huge.....I was hoping to send *maybe* $500 when this all began. And now we're on our way to the next $1,000....amazing!!

But getting to write a big check every once in awhile is only one of the perks for me. Your e-mails and pictures truly make my day! I love how people have embraced the Roamers and you guys are really creative with your stories and places you take your penguins! And for those that think "well, there's nowhere really neat to take my Roamers", let me tell you....the pictures of them buckled into the front seat of the car, sitting in front of the tv watching a game, or hanging out at a restaurant are some of my faves :) Of course, I will admit, seeing the Penguin players with the yarn boys is a special thrill. It means so much to me that you guys take the time during your very brief interlude with the guys to get a Roamer in there for a picture. Keep up the good work!

I am also happy to announce that the waiting list is dwindling. Oh, I'm still getting orders every week, but it's slowed down just enough that I'm getting them out faster than orders are coming in. Right now the list is 37 penguins long (at one time it was 120!). It will be nice for me to be able to answer order e-mails with a "your penguin will be ready in about 2 days" instead of "you're going to have to be patient for about 6 months"!  I am almost to the 400 completed penguins mark.....all I can say is AMAZING!

So give yourselves a huge pat on the back! It's cliche, but this project and those checks would not exist without you! You guys ROCK!!!

THANK YOU!!!!

Letters and Banners and.....Snow??

As I mentioned, I talked to the wonderful folks at the MLF and last week I received my letter! Nancy included a copy of the original sent......I have to think maybe my mailman is a Mario fan and snagged the letter :) There will be more of these to come as we inch toward the next $1,000. I need to look over the financials.....I think we might be over $500 (in hand)....

Isn't it pretty??

I had almost forgotten that last night's game was the home opener with the raising of the banner....so glad I tuned in early! All the Roamers who are waiting to head toward their respective new homes wanted to watch the ceremony. There was a collective "Ahhhhhh" from the group...

There may have been some tears shed as well.... ;)

We have finally arrived at my favorite time of the year. Not only is hockey in full swing, but I just love fall in general (and Nashville's weather is pleasantly autumn-like this year!). It's the time of year where I start to wonder "will we get snow this winter?" (I love snow. Like, a lot.). So I thought I would share some pictures from Carlie from last winter in order to put the bug in Mother Nature's ear that I and Sidney Penguin sure would like to see the white stuff in a few months ;)

Here i go with my pictures again! Lol! I'm going to attach some pictures of S.P. and J.P. in the first snow in Buffalo.:) I didn't even think to do that and my mom is like,"Are you going to take pictures of the first snow with those. . .penguins?!" And i got a big smile and went out there!:) And the one is of my sign i made. In honor of the new commercial i made it say,"A Great Day For WOOOOOOOOO!!!" Lol! And i put next to the sign my puck that Cooke tossed me and this other puck with a picture of Sidney on it and an 87.:)

We love snow almost as much as Stephanie does!

I like this campaign much better than the current "Defy Ordinary"

Photos coming soon of a Roamer visiting Italy! They are well traveled, those Roamers :)

"They Are Super Cute!"

After a unanimous vote for me calling the MLF to see if they got the check, I finally got around to it today. And I am thrilled to report that, not only did they receive our check, they love the Roamers!

I spoke to Nancy, the Executive Director (aren't I special?). I simply told her that I had sent a check in March but hadn't gotten confirmation that they got it. She looked me up in their system and said "Oh wait! Are you the one that made the penguins?" Can I just tell you all that, at this point, she could have told me they hated them and I wouldn't have heard her cause I was just so thrilled that she made that connection!

But, don't worry, she went on to tell me that they passed the little guys all around the office and that they loved them! She proceeded to apologize a thousand times for me not getting a letter. Though, really, I was just so giddy that they thought the Roamers were "super cute"! She asked me for my address and we discovered that they had my street name misspelled in their database (Treutland is not exactly a common name...). I really do believe that's where the mix-up came in. My post office is very unforgiving. If you address something to "Treutland Street" instead of "Treutland Avenue", it will not get to me. Grrrr.....

Anyhow, I told her that I was still going strong and that one of our yarn boys was in the hands of Kris Letang only days earlier (pictures coming!!). And I did hint that everyone would just be thrilled if she could take some pics of the boys around their office. Hopefully we might see some soon!

So, I'm glad I called them and Nancy was extremely wonderful to talk to! I am just so excited that they really know about the project and I can't wait to send them another check!! (I think we're about halfway there :) )

Next up: Roamers are enjoying this preseason almost as much as the rest of us!

Hmmmmmm.....

So I'm writing this post to get your thoughts on the subject....

I sent the MLF a check back in March. It was cashed in April. I haven't heard anything from them. I even sent an e-mail back in July to just say "Hey. Just wanted to know if you got our donation". Nothing.

I am not looking for a parade in my honor or anything....I would just like to know that everything got to them ok (I sent three Roamers with the check as well). I worked for a non-profit and we were required to send thank you letters for tax purposes. They were mail merge form letters that our donation computer program just spit out...all I had to do was click "print".....

So, thoughts? Ideas? Comments? I don't want to keep bugging them. And, of course, I will continue sending checks because that's what this project is all about. I guess I'm just a little disappointed I haven't heard anything. Am I making too big of a deal out of this? Or should I book a flight to Pittsburgh and give them the what for? (hee!)