Community Service Projects

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
Gandhi

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Goodness is uneventful. It does not flash, it glows.
David Grayson

A kindness spontaneously offered to him who needs it, is doubly gratifying.
 Jonathan Swift

Wherever there is a human being there is an opportunity for kindness.
Seneca

There is no better exercise for your heart than reaching down and helping to lift someone up.
Bernard Meltzer

Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.
Thomas Paine

Here are some community service projects you can help out with!

Hi, I just wanted to let everyone know that I, Jessica Borchardt,
Jr. Miss American Rose Minnesota State Queen, have begun to collect books
for ill children in our community hospitals. If you'd like to donate
to this drive, please send new or gently used books to:

Jessica Borchardt
26705 County Road 41
Willow River, Minnesota 55795

Thank you for always thinking others!
Sincerely,
Jessica Borchardt
 

Katy Bancroft-Brunow, 2006 Iowa American Rose State Queen has started a project with her daughter called Project Fort Foto. This is a project aimed at "deployed troop support" wherein Katy takes photos and Sami, her daughter, draws pictures the troops would like to hang in their bunk or see hanging in their buildings for morale lifters and we send them to the various troops' locations- especially to those troops who may not be getting much else from home. We also send copies of our photos of troops' special events to their local armories and to the soldiers' families.  To donate much-needed supplies and/or funds, please write to Katy at spcbrunowswife@cox.net

Hi everyone!
I am selling rubber band bracelets to benefit The Children's Tumor Foundation. They work to help find the cure for Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on the nervous system. They are royal blue bands, with "Solve the NF Puzzle" embossed into the band, bracketed by two puzzle pieces. If you are interested, I am selling them for $2.00 each. ALL the proceeds will be donated to The Children's Tumor Foundation. Fifty cents of that $2.00 will help out a six year old girl in my community who has been diagnosed with the disease.
Please, help researchers find the cure by purchasing a bracelet.
Please mail all inquiries to:
Dominique Baltzley
Attn: Solve the NF Puzzle
RR1 Box 127-4
Harveys Lake, PA 18618

Shantel's Dress for Success

It’s time to clean out all your closets!  I am participating in the “Dress for Success” drive this year.   After cleaning out your closets you find you have nice clothes that are no longer worn or that you no longer want, I can take them off of your hands.  I will be making a delivery on May 26^th.  For those who are not familiar with Dress for Success, please see a description below. 

The mission of Dress for Success is to advance low-income women's economic and social development and to encourage self-sufficiency through career development and employment retention. Dress for Success responds to the needs of our communities by providing programs that help economically disadvantaged women acquire jobs, retain their new positions and succeed in the mainstream workplace.

Dress for Success is a not-for-profit organization that offers services to help our clients enter the workforce and stay employed. Each Dress for Success client receives one suit when she has a job interview and a week's worth of separates when she gets the job. The Dress for Success Professional Women's Group program then provides ongoing support to help the client build a successful career.

Women are referred to Dress for Success by a continually expanding array of not-for-profit and government agencies including homeless shelters, immigration services, job training programs and domestic violence shelters.

Dress for Success relies on the financial contributions, in-kind donations and volunteer efforts of individuals and companies around the world who are committed to helping women take charge of their lives. Go to How to Donate to learn more.
You can send donations to:

African Orphans

Collection of items for African Orphans. We will be sending the items on to members of the military that are trying to help the local orphans where they are stationed in Africa for Operation Enduring Freedom. The poverty level is extremely high there and the AIDS rate is 90%. In particular the orphanages need baby items such as cloth or disposable diapers, pacifiers, teething rings, clothing, care products, pretty much everything. Please don't send anything perishable since it's around 120 degrees now, and it takes a few weeks to get there.
Please send items to 
Miss American Rose
19689 7th Ave. NE, PMB 323
Poulsbo, WA  98370
I will forward the items on. Also, if you send cash donations we will purchase items to be sent in your name. That way you don't need to worry about mailing the items. You may send checks or send a donation through www.PayPal.com  to account miss@americanrose.com
Thanks for helping!

Purse Pals
Founded by Kendra Strickland

This projects goal is to take under privileged girls shopping to help them 
buy extra things they could otherwise not get. Anyone can contribute to this 
great project by starting a chapter in your community or simply donating 
cute purses and stuff to fill the purse with like princess key chains and 
fake princess jewelry etc.. We would like each girl that goes on a shopping 
trip to have a special purse full of treasures that they will always 
remember. Everyone who donates to this project receives a personalized 
certificate.

Please mail all items to:
Kendra Strickland
705 Bradley
Pampa, Texas 79065

Caps for Cuties
Anyone who has had a new baby knows that hats are given by the hospital
to help keep them warm. This is especially important for premature
infants who can lose warmth more quickly. I am working on a project to
knit caps for these cuties! The handmade hats let Baby's family know
that someone cares about them. I can usually complete a hat in an
evening or two. If you would like to donate baby yarn, please send to:
Dawn Green
678 S. Saguaro Dr.
Apache Junction, AZ 85220
Or, if you would like to make hats for the hospital in your community,
email me and I will provide you the pattern.
msajrose@yahoo.com

Yogurt Lids

Erin Swift is collecting Yoplait
yogurt pink lids to help raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. For every lid that we collect, Yoplait will donate ten cents to the foundation. Please mail lids to:

Erin Swift
Teeny Miss American Rose Amory Queen
611 109th Street
Amory, Mississippi 38821

email at lmy@muw.edu 

Annabelle's Wish - Chinese Orphans

Here is a community service project we can all participate in and it won't cost anything to collect. Hollie is collecting the tabs off the top of pop cans, beer cans, etc. These tabs are then shipped off to a Ronald McDonald house here in Washington where these tabs are then traded for time on a dialysis machine. Each tab gets a child one minute of needed dialysis. Hollie has already collected over 300 tabs for these ill children. We would like to branch out and collect LOTS! Please join us! All it will cost you is the shipping fees to mail the tabs to me. Which isn't much because they are so small and light. We look forward to receiving all your tabs and helping these children!!! Thank you for your support. Please mail your tabs to Hollie Maples PO Box 1205 Port Hadlock, WA 98339.

Princess Parties
Elizabeth and Marian Weyer have founded The Princess Project--Tea Parties and Tiaras.  Similar to Queen for a Day, The Princess Project is designed to reach a wider range of girls in crisis. They would like to include girls facing the challenge of not only cancer, but congenital problems, long term illness or rehabilitation due to accident or disease, abuse, homelessness (due to domestic assault or to fire or other natural disaster). It can also be used as a reward for girls who have met a goal of rehabilitation. This allows those of us who do not live near a major children's hospital to participate in this type of a program. Our request is that if you have a Princess Party---please send us a picture!!! jmweyer@yahoo.com
Marian Weyer, Ms. American Rose Iowa State Queen 
and Elizabeth Weyer, Miss American Rose National Supreme Queen '02
Princess Project page
Princess Project web site www.princessproject-weyer.com

DONATE OLD TIARAS FOR PRINCESS PARTIES
A few of our royalty are involved in giving Princess Parties and are looking for tiaras. If you have a collection of old tiaras and wish to donate any, they may be sent to Miss American Rose and I will distribute them.
Miss American Rose
19689 7th Ave. NE, PMB 323
Poulsbo, WA 98370

"Cards for Kids" Program

This project is to help the kids in Childrens' Hospitals. Many are really sick and others have simple illnesses but they don't get many cards or anything. This will give kids a chance to know that someone cares about them. This also helps parents who can't afford cards for their kids. I hope to send these cards through out the United States to Childrens' hospitals. If you would like to start your own "Cards for Kids" program for your state please e-mail me. I will help distribute cards to anyone who wishes to start one. They can also make their own. I  hope to get lots of involvement in the program. Read the rules and lets start making "Cards for Kids".

1. Do not put glitter or any kind of confetti. This can be messy and we don't want the hospitals to have to clean up a big mess.

2. Do not make "Get Well" cards. This can make a child focus on their sickness. Make cards that are positive. (EX. Have a great day, You are special, you are great, have a great day, you are a king/queen, smiles cards etc.)

3. Don't talk about your life at all. This can make the children to dwell on their lives and yours too.

4. Simple cards with lots of color work best. These will be for all ages so don't make cards for one specific age group.

5. Home-made cards are best! Store bought ones are fun but they really love knowing that someone made the cards for them. Its your choice if you make or buy them. Either are great!

6. Don't put your last name on the cards. You can put your title if you wish. This is your choice. the major rule is NO LAST NAMES ON THE CARDS!

Please send cards to:
Ashley Patterson
1318 Colorado
Rawlins, Wy. 82301

If you have any questions about the project please e-mail me. AshleyPatterson@mail.weber.edu
I hope to make this a HUGE success. Lets make the life of a child a little bit better!
Ashley Patterson - Miss American Rose Rawlins City Queen