Santa's Sleigh.org

Update 12/14 — $4000+ Collected for Santa’s Sleigh

Jeff Westover, My Merry Christmas.com — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:37:09 +0000

We’re pleased to announce that a combination of online and offline efforts have pushed contributions to Santa’s Sleigh 2009 to greater than $4000. Can we make $5000 before Christmas?

It has been an uphill battle. A down economy and an increase in charitable fund raising activity have made it difficult. We have numerous small efforts that have added up to the success we have seen so far. For example, from an 8-year-old New Jersey girl came her Christmas spending money — all $7.33 of it — who felt it was better used in supporting Santa’s Sleigh. At My Merry Christmas.com, for the 2nd year in a row, a faithful community member sponsored a guessing game rallying other site members to the cause, resulting in a $200 donation — and countless other donations — that we have tracked to total more than $800.

In Utah, a Mom and six of her children braved winter weather selling candy to support the cause. In a little over four days they sold more than $700 in candy.

We have also attracted the help of some of our sponsors who have given generously.

As we stated when this began in September, we had no expectation of meeting the entire need for Drew. Other efforts are underway now and scheduled for later in 2010 to continue the work to raise the added funds. But we are humbled by the support we have and the combined total we will be able to add as coming from Santa’s Sleigh.

Our efforts continue. We thank you and wish you a Merry Christmas.

Update 9/28 — $480 Collected for Santa’s Sleigh

Jeff Westover, My Merry Christmas.com — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:13:55 +0000

Our donation tally so far this year is $480. For the waning weeks of summer, we’re happy with that total so far.

We’re even more happy about the activity we have seen in the past week to help publicize our efforts. In addition to sites of the Merry Network we are working on strategic partnerships with non-seasonal sites to help spread the word. In coming weeks, we will begin a campaign for corporate donations that we feel will help pick up some momentum.

Update 9/21/09 — $300 Collected for Santa’s Sleigh ‘09

Jeff Westover, My Merry Christmas.com — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:24:36 +0000

We’re pleased to announced that just one full week into our 2009 campaign we have already collected $300 so far for Santa’s Sleigh. That sounds like very little when compared against our lofty goals (Drew’s needs could be in excess of $50,000) but that total is far ahead of our first year of operation. Also, we have the following good news to report of other activity:

1. A fund raiser has been scheduled around Thanksgiving in Utah.
2. A fund raiser is being organized in California.
3. We have now more than 40 websites pointing back to Santa’s Sleigh and/or taking contributions on behalf of Santa’s Sleigh.
4. Forum contests are being organized in our Christmas communities online — these keep the focus on Santa’s Sleigh and makes the effort fun.

Announcing Santa’s Sleigh 2009

Jeff Westover, My Merry Christmas.com — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:31:27 +0000

Meet Andrew — or, Drew, as he is affectionately known by family and friends. He is a 13-year-old California boy with special needs who has defied the odds through years of surgeries and lots of love. He is the sole focus of our efforts for Santa’s Sleigh 2009.

As a growing boy with ongoing medical needs Drew requires updated equipment to help transport him. Specifically, he needs a van with a wheel chair lift. These outfits typically cost greater than $50,000.

We have no expectations of meeting this need completely through our efforts here. We are working with a variety of organizations to see if we can raise the necessary funds before Christmas 2009 so this can happen for Drew and his family.

Here is a brief biographical information of Drew provided by his mother, Jill:

We have been blessed to have an angel live with us.

A child with special needs has many challenges for us as a family. It is hard and it affects everything about how we live and what we can or can’t do.

But when he smiles or looks at you with his loving eyes there are no cares or worries in this world and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to try and make his life, however long or short it may be, as happy and wonderful as I can.

Andrew has many medical challenges and is followed by many doctors. Needless to say, we spend quite a bit of time going to and from doctor visits and hospital stays. He goes to school and loves his friends and teachers.

We are working on building better communication with him as he is non-verbal. Andrew is non-ambulatory and has a wheelchair that we lift in and out of our 16 year old van. He is a soon-to-be-big 14-year-old boy and we lift him in and out of the van as well. His two older brothers are very helpful when they are here to help but they can’t always be around when Drew needs to go somewhere. We need a new van with a ramp to transport Drew to and from school, appointments, and other activities.

I have recently had surgery for a torn rotator cuff due to the repetitive lifting and I am starting to have other complications as well. These needs have added greater urgency to providing Drew with better and safer transportation equipment.

We adore our angel and want to help make his life as happy as we can. Andrew has so many medical and physical challenges that you may think he is different, but he loves what most people love. He loves, music, being outside, swimming, Disneyland, the ocean, going to the theatre, basically he loves going anywhere with his family. We want to make it possible for us to do the things he loves and bring him as much joy as we can, because he has filled our life with joy that is immeasurable.

Santa himself is leading the charge with this project. He will deliver for Drew before Christmas 2009 with your help.