Giving Back Via The Summer Fun Fair

The 1st Annual North Penn Summer Fun Fair is coming up soon!

In addition to helping you gather helpful information, collect fun freebies, possibly win a fabulous door prize, take in some quality entertainment and just have a super fun FREE time...the Summer Fun Fair will also offer you an opportunity to help others in our community...and beyond!

*Some* of the goods donated
at January's Preschool Expo.

Following the successful collections that took place at the North Penn Under Ten Preschool Expo in January (for Stepping Stones Nursery School and the Stories for Seniors program), it was our desire to, once again, see how we might come together as a community to do something more this Saturday at the Summer Fun Fair.

After contacting the North Penn United Way, we learned about three terrific opportunities to help others that all seemed like a great fit for our event. One of these became our North Penn Under Ten Adopted Family project (see below) and the other two will likely be supported via the next big event in June (No spoiler here! You'll have to wait to find out what that is!).

Without further ado, we hope that you will be able to help us support these two wonderful groups of people...

THE GIVING TREE
Is your family's book collection in need of some pruning or purging? Bring your books to the Summer Fun Fair!

The Giving Tree is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that was founded in 2009 by Bridget Leary, a North Wales mother of three, with the goal of "teaching our children the spirit of giving through charitable projects and hands-on helping." Volunteers from The Giving Tree promote children's literacy through events such as used book drives and read-a-thons and also organize hands-on service projects for children to assemble snacks and gifts for those in need.

It is our great pleasure to provide The Giving Tree with a table at the Summer Fun Fair so that they may collect donations of new or used books for children in grades K through 12. (Preschool books can also be put to good use, but are in lesser demand.) The books collected at the Summer Fun Fair will be distributed to two elementary schools in Center City Philadelphia so that teachers may send the books home with students to encourage at-home reading.

The Giving Tree will also have some crafting materials available for children to create bookmarks to be donated along with the books!



Children helping other children. What a wonderful program!


NORTH PENN UNDER TEN ADOPTED FAMILY
This past December, a hard-working North Penn area husband and father suffered serious injuries after falling into a holding tank on which he was working. He was flown by MedEvac helicopter to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he spent about a month undergoing treatment for his injuries. Recently, he was released to the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program at Bryn Mawr Hospital, where he will continue to be treated for his injuries.

With two broken arms and a brain injury that necessitates four to five trips to Bryn Mawr Brain Rehab every week, this local father is a walking, talking miracle and his family is beyond grateful that his life was not taken that on that crisp winter day.

As you might imagine, brain injuries affect not only the patient's life, but also the lives of the people who love and support that person. This local couple has a one-year-old daughter and another baby, a boy, on the way, plus two elementary-aged daughters. Because of the accident, neither mom nor dad is able to work and, given the circumstances at hand, it is likely that it will be some time before this couple can return to their normal way of life.

When I first learned about this family and their story, there was no question in my mind that other North Penn families would want to help support them, to offer them some sunshine in this trying time.

*Some* of the "Stories for Seniors" donations.
Think we can out-do ourselves??

Would you like to help?

Practical gifts such as diapers, wipes, formula, grocery store or gas gift cards to ease the strain of multiple trips to Bryn Mawr each week will be put to good use. Maybe a gift certificate for a restaurant that offers takeout or even an encouraging handwritten note would help give them strength for this difficult time.

A collection area will be designated for the North Penn Under Ten Adopted Family at the Summer Fun Fair and we invite you to join us in bringing some sunlight into this family's life.

Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation to the family may do so through family friend, Chari Richardson. You may reach her at 215.799.1300 or you may email Chari directly.


We look forward to a terrific, community-building event! See you soon!