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)

$15 to 15 Charities for 15 Years Gone....

I was unable to follow last year's $14 to 14 charities in March, on the anniversary of Steve's death, but plan to catch up before the end of the year, charity by charity, for this year's donations of $15.00.

Friends of Acadia (instead of $15, purchased a membership at $35)  website

Beads of Courage
I sponsored 3 beads for $15.00 (and requested they go to Maine)
website

Project Linus
Entered Mystery Quilt Challenge for $15 plus handling fee
Total $15.45
Will make and donate this in Steve's honor.
website

The Magic Yarn Project
They make gorgeous yarn wigs for little girls with cancer !
Donated $15.00 and will also make and donate 4 crocheted caps (in honor of Steve's four grandchildren).
website

Habitat for Humanity
Steve and I visited the headquarters in Americus, GA many years ago.  My now-second-favorite president Jimmy Carter is such an inspiration, and one of my all-time favorite THA families benefited from a Habitat house.
Donated $15.00
website

$14 to 14 Charities

Facebook post on March 26, 2015

I cannot believe it's been 14 years since I lost my husband and Brian and Laura lost their dad. The anniversary of the day he died is a tough day for us, but it is definitely a time to remember him - to celebrate his life, his energy, and his legacy. I wanted to do something a little different and special to honor him today, so I sat down and wrote 14 checks for $14 each to 14 different charities that he would've approved of, in his memory. If anyone would like to join me and donate $14 to the charity of their choice in his memory, I would be truly grateful. I'd love it if you'd let me know so that I can create some sort of memorial. 14 years ago I promised him he would not be forgotten. He hasn't been. And he won't be. (And thanks so much for reading this to the end.)

Here's where I gave:

Northeast Harbor Library - website
Camp Beech Cliff - website
UCC - Northeast Harbor, ME - website
Friends of Acadia - website
Ronald McDonald House - Bangor - website
Ronald McDonald House - Tucson - website
Pima County Public Library - website (asked them to put it towards a good mystery...)
Hermitage No Kill Cat Shelter - Tucson - website
Ben's Bells - Tucson - website
Heifer Project International (donated through Ella's GS Troop #10552) - Heifer website
JDRF - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation - website
Project Linus - website
Soles4Soles - website
Donors Choose.org - website (this donation went to a 3-5 art classroom in Fort Smith, AR for quality scissors - Steve and I visited here on one of the hottest days in his life - 108 degrees - it was unforgettable)

That's 14!