Sunday, March 26, 2017

16 Years Now, I Can't Believe It!

Here's the post I put onto Facebook today:

     16 years ago today the world lost Steve Graves, a particularly good human being. To continue my commitment to making sure he isn't forgotten, I will continue my quest to make a difference in the world   on his behalf. Three years ago I decided to donate $14 to 14 different nonprofits in his memory. For the third year in a row I will do this – give $16 to 16 different nonprofits in his memory. And again, I'm asking anyone who might have known him or anyone who cares about me to take a moment in the next few days to give $16 to someone or somewhere that you think it will do good. And, I'd love to know what you decided to do!
     I miss him. I think of him a lot. I still cry a bit. But I look at the joy and reality of our two children and four grandchildren and continue to feel totally amazed. And grateful.
     If you've read this far, thanks so much for listening to my ramblings. Long live the memory of Steven T. Graves!


People who joined me:
Tamar Kugler (yay, Mika is deciding where!)
Kirstie Dunbar-Kari - a church near her who feeds and shelters the homeless (CA)
Cyra Sadowl - she'll let me know where when she decides
Rebecca Mann - Crohns and Colitis Foundation (go, Sarah!)
Mallory Linscott - New Horizons, Manchester, NH
Ann & Bill Paine - Thomas Promise Fdtn. (FL) Operation Backpack (no child will go hungry over the weekends)
Joan Preble - Ellsworth (ME) Backpack program (feeding kids over the weekend)
Lisa deMuro - Home Cooked Healing, Bar Harbor, ME (feeding cancer patients)
Iris Eichenlaub - Serve-a-Thon - service projects in the Rockland-Camden (ME) area
Chris Coose - He's IN!!!
Jan Ordway - She's in, too!

So let's start donating!

JDRF - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation - website (in honor of Ashley)
Friends of Acadia - website (Steve loved the carriage paths for running)
Mount Desert Island YMCA - website (where Brendan spends half his life in the pool)
Home Cooked Healing (through Beth C. Wright Cancer Ctr) - website
Ben's Bells, Tucson AZ - website
Heifer International - website
Project Linus - website
Donors Choose - website (I chose to help a middle school reading class in Belfast, ME needing graphic novels)
Donors Choose (a second donation, this time to my friend, Cyra Sadowl, and her school library in Tucson, more books to keep those middle schoolers reading!!)
Days for Girls - website
Planned Parenthood - website
American Red Cross - website (Steve always donated blood - lots of it)
10 books through PaperBackSwap to donate to needy schools ($26.30)
PSA - Science Olympiad Club (Ridvan's Daughter, a branch of SSA) $25.00 (through GoFundMe)
National Foundation for Cancer Research (2017 Carlisle Area Annual Fund Drive) website
Crohns & Colitis Fdtn (through Sara Mann) (25.00) on 5/9
Children's Hospital Los Angeles (through the Ellen Show & Prizeo) (10.00) on 5/30
The Good Cemeterian (through Go Fund Me - "A Labor of Love") (16.00) on 5/31 Facebook page
Comfort Cases/Foster Care (16.00) on 6/24 website
AARP Medicare Fight (16.00) 9/25 (our anniversary)
Habitat for Humanity (16.00) also on 9/25 (our anniversary)
YMCA, BarHarbor, ME - Sharks Swim Team (30.00) in March
THA 8th Grade Trip (through Risa's Go Fund Me) (18.00)
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) TO STOP TRUMP's attack on the Environment!  (16.00) on 12/5/17
Susan G. Komen - in memory this time of Tammy White, who passed on 12/21/17 (16.00)
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 12/27/17 (16.00)


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