Issue: December 2014

2505 Cedarwood Ave. Ste 2, Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone 360.756.6710 • www.blueskiesforchildren.org

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Our 2014 Winter Warm Up Program

Want to help keep a local child warm this winter? Homeless, low-income and foster families are scheduled to come in to our office every 20 minutes throughout November and December to pick up coats, hats, gloves, scarves and blankets. If you would you like to help a family this season, we are in the greatest need of new or gently used coats and blankets. COATS: We would love some brightly colored coats! We are in great need of youth sized coats, especially size 8/9 for both girls and boys. Both new and gently used (clean and zipper must work) are welcome. BLANKETS: We are in need of warm quilts and fleece blankets. New and very gently used clean blankets are welcome.

Thank you to our greater community for donating items in support of our local homeless, low-income and foster children.

Blue Skies would like to thank Soles4Souls for their support the last six years!

We could not conduct our Shoe Give without YOU!

Thank you to our community for supporting our local

homeless, low- income and foster children:

Alcoa

Computers for Kids in Need

Lenny’s Bike Shop

Sleep Country USA

Smith Gardens

Village Books

Dear Friends of Blue Skies:

We wish to thank you for your devoted support of Blue Skies. With your help, we will provide enrichment activities and other essentials for about 1,000 children this year. Thank you for donating, sponsoring, volunteer-ing and attending our fundraisers. We are excited to go into 2015 with You! Through 2014, we have continued to increase our service levels in response to demand, while continuing to reinforce financial stability.

As an organization that solely exists on donations, grants and fundrais-ing, we are pleased to tell you that 124 people turned out to support Blue Skies 14th Annual Dinner and Charity Auction on October 11, 2014, and raised over $60,000 net. This event is the key to our ability to provide support in the upcoming year.

As we approach the end of the year, we hope you will keep Blue Skies in mind when you plan your year-end giving, and invite you to sponsor a child, donate a gently used coat or a brand new pair of shoes. If you have a musical instrument collecting dust in your closet, please consider donating it to Blue Skies Instrument Loaner Program. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season. With Gratitude,

Julie Guay, Executive Director

Thank you to our music

store partners for their

support of our musical

instrument loaner program:

MOJO Music

Quist Violins WindWorks

*******

A standing ovation is due to

George Mustoe for his keen

ability to find and donate so

many great instruments to

our instrument loaner

program.

Thank you to the following businesses

who donated toward the purchase of

a much needed sax for our instrument

loaner program:

Blythe Plumbing & Heating Inc.

Mills Electric

Mistras Group

MOJO Music

Ram Construction

Recycling & Disposal Services

Major Event Sponsors

BrambleBerry Inc &

Otion, Inc.

Haskell Corporation

Mt. Baker Rotary

Stoneway Electric

14th Annual Blue Skies Dinner & Charity Auction

Blue Skies for Children held its 14th annual dinner and charity auction at the Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn on Saturday October 11th 2014. The event was

well supported by the community raising $62,000 net. Major sponsors included Brambleberry Inc. and Otion Inc., Mt. Bakery Rotary, Stoneway

Electric Supply, and Haskell Corporation.

We wish to also thank our the many people that make our annual auction a success each year - to our tireless Board of Directors, and our staff - Julie Guay, Maya Green and Samantha Stanley for all of their hard work. To our volunteers - Pam Needham, Trudy Shuravaloff, Cameron and Caitlin Winkler, Cathy Campbell, Nicole Burdick, Amy Hoover, Suzanne Bair, and Lizzy - Miss Whatcom County. Thank you to Deanna Kangas,

owner of Simple Start Designs for her beautiful graphic design work.

Additionally, our heartfelt thanks goes to Dan Johnson of Johnson’s Towing for volunteering his time as auctioneer, and Bob Hagadorn, of Snapper

Shuler Kenner, for emceeing our event. A big thanks to Drew Graham, owner of Wanna Dance Mobile DJ for providing DJ services for the event.

The amazing event theme “Days of Wine & Roses” decorations were created and donated by Karen Trezise, and our appreciation also goes to M&M

Floral for their donation of a floral centerpieces for the head table.

Our deepest gratitude goes out to over (290) NW Washington businesses that generously donated auction items, our many incredible sponsors, and our

amazing and committed donors who came to the event and bid in support of helping our homeless, low-income and foster children. Because of YOUR

support we will be able to serve local children, in need, in 2015.

$500 Level

Ershigs, Inc.

Kloke Financial Services, Inc.

Moncrieff Construction, Inc.

Moss Adams, LLP / North Coast Electric

Samuels Furniture

VECA Electric & Technologies

$250 Level

CH2MHill

Gateway Controls

Gladys Hyatt, CPA PS

Judd & Black

Kevalena Properties LLC

Morgan Real Estate Management

NW Safety Signs &

NW Custom Signs & Graphics

Northwest Propane, LLC

Rice Insurance, Keith Wallace

Seth Carson Agency

American Family Insurance

The Little Red Wagon The HUB / Unity Group

Volonta Corporation

Auction Inkind Sponsors

Alaska Airlines

4th Corner Communications - Video

Bellingham Herald - Advertising

Bob Hagado - Emcee

/ Snapper Shuler Kenner

Dan Johnson, Auctioneer

/ Johnson’s Towing

Drew Graham - WannaDance Mobile DJ

Karen Trezise - Decorations

Kathy & Randy Cross

/ Laserpoint Awards & Promotions

M&M Floral - Floral Design

Simple Start Designs - Graphic Design

Thank You to our 14th Annual Dinner & Charity Auction Sponsors

A Special Thank You to the following wineries that

donated to our Auction’s Wine Tasting table:

Le Chateau

Lost River Winery

Vin du Lac of Chelan

Page 2

A Big Thank You to our

Delicious Dessert Dash Donors

Albertson’s Bakery

Alice’s Pies

Bellingham Flatbread & Bakery

Barkley Haggen

Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn

Community Food Co-Op

Cupcakes Like it Sweet

Kelly’s O’Deli

Mad Batter Cupcakes & Confections

Mount Bakery

Nancy Shogren

Pure Bliss Desserts

Rhonda Van Nus

Shari’s Restaurant

Steakhouse 9

Silver Reef Casino, Hotel & Spa

Swinomish Casino & Lodge

The Cliff House

The Hotel Bellwether

Thank you to Dr. Prager’s dental office for

generously collecting pajamas for our kids in need! Thank you to our WWU Comm 224, Alcoa and

the YMCA for conducting a coat drive!

Blue Skies continues to be the

ONLY non-profit organization in

Whatcom County

to hold the

Better Business Bureau (BBB)

Charity Seal Accreditation, meeting all

(20) requirements of the BBB.

Be A Secret A Santa!

Page 3

Thank You Wild Whatcom Explorers Club!

Thirteen-13yo Girls helped Blue Skies

stamp and address our newsletter

mailing!

Our volunteers are very important

to us!!

Our Little Wishes Enrichment Program grants little Wishes for ongoing support of lessons and activities

including, but not limited to, martial arts, team sports such as baseball, ice hockey, soccer, swim team, or foot-

ball. It also supports individual activities such as swim lessons, dance, ballet, gymnastics, ice skating, or horse-

back riding, art lessons, or music lessons such as piano, violin or guitar.

Our One-Time Little Wishes Program grants Little Wishes in support of school trip fees, summer camp

enrollment fees, bicycle & helmet, special needs equipment, tutoring, computers, school related supplies such

as scientific calculator, or an ASB card (required to participate in school sports), sports fees and/or uniforms,

cleats, and other items. The Little Wish requests we receive are as unique to the needs of each child.

Our Little Wishes Instrument Loaner Program loans musical instruments to children who wish to

participate in their school band or orchestra, but find they are unable to afford the monthly rental cost of an

instrument.

Our Little Wishes Shoe Give-Away Program provides brand new shoes and socks for children in need

each Spring.

Our Winter Warm Up Program provides children in need with coats, hats, gloves, scarves, and blankets.

Driver’s Education Scholarship Program provides scholarships twice per year for up to three students

ages 15 to 17 in need of taking Driver’s Education courses and can not otherwise afford the cost. For more

information or to donate to any one of our programs, please call 360.756.6710.

Blue Skies also administers:

The Josh Fueston Swim to Live Program provides support for swimming lessons, swim team fees, and

swim therapy for children with developmental disabilities.

Thank You to Our 2014 BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

President: Giang Ha

Assistant Controller Haskell Corporation

Vice President: Cecelia Carson

Real Estate Broker MacDonough Real Estate

& WordCrafters NW, Owner

Treasurer: Gladys Hyatt, CPA

Retired, Moss Adams LLP

Secretary: Lisa Recht

Retired

Directors: Tony Criscuola Project Manager VECA Electric

Ray Pierce Corporate Safety Mgr. Haskell Corporation

Seth Carson Owner, Agent

American Family Insurance

Shari Skinner Accounts Receivable, Haskell Corporation

Sheila Connors Catering Sales Manager

Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn

************

Interested in joining Blue Skies for Children’s

Board of Director’s? Meetings are held the third Wed of each month. Call 756.6710.

Blue Skies for Children offers much needed programs

Page 5

Blue Skies celebrates Five Years of administering the

The Josh Fueston Swim To Live (JFSTL) Fund!

The JFSTL Fund currently supports swim lessons, swim

therapy and swim team fees for (13) thirteen homeless,

low-income and foster children.

In memory of Seargent First Class Daniel Metz, a donation

from the Josh Fueston Swim to Live Foundation has been

made to Blue Skies for Children to provide funding for a

child to attend one week of summer camp.

In memory of CPL Jamie McMullin, of the Canadian Armed

Forces, a donation from the Josh Fueston Swim to Live

Foundation has been made to provide funding for a child to

participate in a 10-Week session of Ice Hockey.

Josh Fueston Swim to Live Program

The Sleep Country USA Toy Drive for Foster

Kids and “Be a Secret Santa” Facebook Photo

Contest is on now! Sleep Country USA is working to help ease the transition for the

Northwest’s nearly 20,000 foster kids who may be entering into a new home during the holiday season. To ensure every foster child wakes up on Christmas morning to a gift, Sleep

Country USA is asking its community to donate new, un-wrapped gifts to any Sleep Country store through December 14th. Anyone making a donation is also encouraged to snap a

photo of themselves while donating or shopping for a gift and share it in the Sleep Country “Be a Secret Santa” Facebook photo contest to showcase the spirit of giving. One lucky

winner will be chosen on 12/14 and shipped the gift of Santa’s

favorite sleep essentials, including an iPad Mini!

Did You Know?

14 year old Sam is in the 8th

Grade. He has four sisters and

one brother. Sam loves to play

soccer at school with his

friends. When he grows up he

would like to be a Computer

Programmer. Sam is hoping

you will grant his little wish to

take guitar lessons!

Will you help sponsor Sam’s

guitar lessons?

Ana is 6 years old and in the

first grade. She LOVES to draw

and color. She dreams of being

an artist, and wants to be an

art teacher when she grows up.

She also likes to create and

share her poems. Ana is the

oldest of three and has made a

Little Wish request for

Art Lessons.

Annie is 9 years old and in the

fourth grade. She is one of

four children. She loves her

dolls and would love to learn

how to play the piano. Annie

likes school and her favorite

subject is math. She likes to go

swimming with friends and play

volleyball in P.E.. When she

grows up she wants to be a hairstylist. Annie has made a

Little Wish for piano lessons.

Sylvia is 7 years old and in the

second grade. She is one of

four children. Sylvia loves PE

class, and enjoys singing and

swimming. Sylvia has made a

Little Wish request to take

dance lessons.

Jess is a 12 year old boy that

loves to play soccer. He would

like to play in the Whatcom

County Youth Soccer league

that offers both indoor and

outdoor seasonal soccer. Jess

lives with his mom and two

siblings. Jess would like to be

able to play his favorite sport

with his friends, and has made a

Little Wish for Soccer.

Little Wish Requests

Can You Help Grant a Little Wish?

Will You Sponsor A Child?

Ari is 8 years old and in the

third grade. She is one of four

children. Ari loves horses and

playing with her stuffed animal

horses. Her favorite time in

school is Library time. She

loves to pick out a new book

to read. Ari says she is good at

handwriting and riding a bike.

When she grows up, Ari wants to be a Farmer. Ari has made a

Little Wish request for horse-

back riding lessons. She

wants to learn to ride and to

care for animals.

Rusty is a sweet 7 year old boy

who lives with his mom. He

has had behavioral issues, lacks

self control and displays disrup-

tive behaviors. Rusty has made

a Little Wish for Taekwondo

and would greatly benefit

from martial arts.

Thank you to all who are

Sponsoring-A-Child:

Andi Elliott

Anne-Marie Faiola

Ben & Chris Sutton

Bill Dodge

Billie Ershig

Bonnie Rice

Brian Miller

Caden Stoane

Erin Baker

Gerrit Loman

Gladys Hyatt

Gloria Zhou

Hardware Sales

Jackie Dressel

Jamie & Lynne Henifin

Jan Bowman

Jim & Kristi Gruett

Jolene Hanson

Jon & Kerry Syre

Karen Barlean

Karla Roper

Kathy & Randy Cross

Kim Guadalupe

Carol “Kit” Hardan

Leslie Ellis

Margi Fox

Marie Hamro

Mary Ellen Shields

Matt Everson

Mayor Kelli Linville

Norm & Meg Vigre

Patrice & Ryan Valentine

Patrice Clark & Bill Wright

United Rentals

Ray Pierce

Sandra Massey

Sandy & Jeff McClain

Sarah Rothenbuhler

Seth & Cecelia Carson

Shari Skinner

Sherriden & Dimi Hartman

Steve & Julie Guay

Terry VanDenBerg

Toni Taft & Janice Ward

Tony Criscuola

Vinnie Muscatell

Page 3 Newsletter Title

Nina is 12 years old and in the

7th Grade. She has three sisters

and two brothers. She enjoys

her PE class at school and likes

to do cartwheels and the splits

at recess. She also enjoys playing

catch with the football and loves

watching football games with her

family. Nina wishes to take

Gymnastics. She says it would

make her more healthy and fit.

Lilly is 8 years old an in the third

grade. She lives with her mom.

Her favorite subject in school is

science. She likes to play volley-

ball and loves to sing. Lilly is very

energetic and loves to jump and tumble. Lilly’s Little Wish is to

take Gymnastics.

Blue Skies welcomes Shari Skinner as a

new board member as of May 2014.

Shari works in Accounts Receivable at Haskell Corp.

Shari says “Extracurricular activities such as band, sports,

and clubs are such a critical, but often neglected, aspect

of a child’s formative years. When a child participates in

these activities, they learn to be a part of something

bigger than themselves, and they learn to work together

for a common goal. These experiences enhance a child’s

self-esteem and provide important skill development for

their adult years. I love that supporting access to

these types of experiences is a big part of

Blue Skies for Children’s mission.

Blue Skies welcomes Sheila Connors

to the Blue Skies board of directors

as of May 2014. Sheila works at The

Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn as a

Catering Sales Manager.

Sheila says “: was looking for an

organization that is committed to

serving local children, but what I am

getting from Blue Skies is so much

more! I love that Blue Skies is an

organization with local roots, devoted

to helping low-income children have

the same advantages as their peers.

Welcome Shari Skinner, New Board Member

Welcome Sheila Connors, New Board Member

Bellingham Sea Hawkers Club!

Local Bellingham Sea Hawkers Club

collected and donated 130 backpacks

filled with school supplies for our local

homeless, low-income and foster children.

Thank You so much for choosing

Blue Skies for Children as your charity of

choice for August!

Go Seahawks!!

Thank you to

our local

Fred Meyer

Employees for

choosing

Blue Skies for

Children to

receive a $1,000

donation.

Page 4 Volume 1, Issue 1

Thank you to our

media friends for

their support

throughout 2014:

BBJ The Bellingham

Herald

Bellingham Alive Cascade Radio

Group

Thank you to GO Big

Paintball for hosting an

all day paintball event

in support of Blue Skies

for Children. To Christ

the King church, thank

you for your volunteer

support, and to Totally

Epic Events, and Kris

Countryman for your

coordination of the

event and the bands

that came out to play.

THANK YOU!!

32 Kids are Awaiting a Sponsor

Are you interested in sponsoring a child’s Violin or Guitar Lessons? Piano Lessons? Martial Arts?

Sports? Ballet? Art Lessons? Swimming Lessons? Many members of our community have stepped in to

help us reduce our waiting list. We currently have 32 kids awaiting sponsorship.

You can help a child right here in Whatcom County!

Just let us know where your interest lies, and you can help make a homeless, low-income or foster child’s

Little Wish come true! Call 360.756.6710 or mail in the form below.

Blue Skies for Children’s Sponsor-A-Child program continues to grow each and every month. We are thrilled to have individuals and businesses

support our kids through our Sponsor-A-Child Donor Program! The program supports our Little Wishes Enrichment program offering children who are homeless, low-income and living in foster care, an opportunity to participate year round in an educational enrichment activity.

Our Little Wishes Enrichment program supports up to 65 children in ongoing enrichment activities every month. Children enjoy learning horse-back riding, art, ballet, piano, violin, martial arts, swim team, voice lessons, baseball, ice skating, and many other activities that their family may not otherwise be able to afford. Enrichment activities keep children healthy and active. Enrichment programs keep kids off the street and involved with their peers in positive and fulfilling activities that help build long lasting self confidence.

How the Program Works: The Sponsor-A-Child program ties a sponsor and a Little Wish Enrichment program applicant together, and although the two shall never meet in person, the sponsor may receive a photo of the child, their age, a brief story about the child, and quarterly progress reports updating the Spon-sor on the child’s progress in their enrichment activity.

We are actively seeking sponsorship for our Sponsor-A-Child Little Wishes Enrichment and One-Time Little Wishes programs. Can you please help us meet the needs of our homeless, low-income and foster children, and Sponsor-A-child for $50/mo? If you are interested in sponsoring a child, or obtaining more information about this program, please call 360.756.6710.

Yes, I want to Sponsor-A-Child in 2014/2015! Name ________________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________

City, St, Zip ________________________________________________________________

Phone _____________________________ Email _____________________________

Select One: _____ I wish to Sponsor A Child on a monthly basis. I understand the cost is $50/month. _____ I wish to make a MONTHLY donation $___________

_____ I wish to make a ONE TIME donation $___________

Select One: ____ Please use as needed ____ Please designate funds to the following program: _____ Little Wishes Enrichment (Preferred activity _____________________) _____ One Time Little Wishes _____ Instrument Loaner Program _____ Shoe Program _____ Winter Warm Up Program

Select One: _____ Check Enclosed _____ Please charge my card (debit, VA, MC, Amex)

Card # _______________________________________________________ Expires _____ / _____

Card V-code ________(3 digits VA or MC / 4 digits Amex) Card Zip Code _______________

I understand I can discontinue any ongoing support at any time.

Signature _____________________________________________________ Date ______________

Sponsor A Child Program - How it Works!