Warren Buffett Lunch Auction Brings In $3.46 Million for Glide Foundation

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Warren Buffett’s week-long charity lunch auction raised $3.46 million for the Glide Foundation of San Francisco this year. The online bidding nearly tripled the price during the last thirty seconds of the event, bringing the price up from $1.23 million, Ebay revealed.

Glide is an organization that provides meals for those in need, and runs a church in Tenderloin district as well. Proceeds from the auction are donated to the foundation each year, while the winning bidder and seven companions join Buffett for lunch at the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse in NY.

Since its inception 13 years ago, the lunch auction has raised over $14.6 million.

Buffett, a self-made billionaire and the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., has pledged a great portion of his wealth to charity. He was introduced to Glide by his first wife Susan Buffett, who passed away eight years ago.

“I was suspicious when I heard my wife raving about this place in San Francisco,” Buffett shares. “What I witnessed was an institution and an individual that really gave up on nobody,” he said, referring to Rev. Cecil Williams, the founder of the organization.

“They took the people that the rest of the world had forgotten, people who’d given up on themselves, and they felt that every human being had a potential,” he added.”

 

Lady Antebellum Visits Small, Tornado-Stricken Indiana Town

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On March 2nd, a devastating tornado struck a small southern Indiana town, damaging homes and buildings and destroying the local school.

Led by senior Ty Griffin, students from the Henryville Junior-Senior High School participated in an online contest to bring Lady Antebellum to play at the town. Not expecting to win a real visit from the Grammy Award-winning band, the teens were thrilled when the act arrived to surprise them with a private, prom-style show at the downtown arena in Louisville.

According to singer Hillary Scott, numerous high schools applied on behalf of Henryville, including several from Northern Wisconsin and even Henryville rival Silver Creek High School from Sellersburg, Indiana. She added that Silver Creek was the band’s original pick, but the students there gave up the win in support of Henryville’s bid.

“That was just such, honestly, an encouraging thing to think that those high schoolers, that generation, they’re that helpless, they want to help each other that much,” Scott said. “It was definitely an easy decision.”

 

Fill the World with Books Says James Owens

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Business professor James Owens, founder of the non-profit organization The World is Just a Book Away, is changing lives.  Deciding to share his love of reading with those who are less fortunate, he is helping to build libraries and to encourage reading in Indonesia.

Since 2009, The World is just a Book Away has built dozens of libraries in Indonesia in Padang, Sidoarjo and Bali. As Owens explained his inspiration,

“They go to school, they learn and they are very smart.  They do not have access to books, history and fables and stories and science, that can really spark their imagination and let them dream.”

Fundraising efforts include many approaches for the organization.  Executive Director Robert Lucas helps to connect donors with the various projects that the charity finances.  Some of the libraries have even been named for their donors, including Cher, Liam Neeson, Jane Goodall and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Owens, a professor at the University of Southern California, has created a five-kilometer charity run to raise money for the cause.

Each library costs between $5000 and $10,000, and one charity event can pave the way for a new library.

Headmaster at one school in Padang, Amril Lasmana, explains how important the library can be to students in Padang. Lasmana said, “The enthusiasm, interest, and motivation of our students in learning increased.  The library building has been renewed.  And now, it is in good and clean condition, so it motivates our students to study.”

So far, The World is Just a Book Away has built a total of 49 libraries for children in Indonesia and 26 for their parents.

The Damon Brooks Charity Game

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Damon Brooks Charity Game

Damon Brooks Charity Game

You never know where life will take you. In April, former Springbrook High basketball player Damon Brooks, was playing around with his friend. Lifting his friend off the ground, Brooks’ knees buckled and the two boys fell to the ground, where Brooks hit his head and broke his neck.

Two surgeries later, Brooks is at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. Rather than asking, “Why Me?” he is trying to put his energies towards his rehabilitation and towards getting back to Goucher College.

Darnell Myers, the Springbrook assistant coach, decided to do something to lift Brooks’ spirits and to help pay for his medical expenses. He organized what he hopes will now be an annual Damon Brooks Charity Game between Goucher players and Springbrook alumni.  They had t-shirts and wrist bands printed for sale and they hosted two games. There was a bake sale and concessions and a large donation box.

Over 400 tickets were sold to the event, and Brooks’ and his mom were certainly touched. As he mom, Latre’ Zankli said, “I didn’t know how many people’s lives he touched until his tragedy. I knew he was a good person, but the outpouring has just been overwhelming.”

While Brooks wasn’t able to attend the charity game, he watched it on an iPad loaned to him.

As one observer, Anoko, wrote on a blog, “So ofcourse, the Springbrook All-Stars won the game and the rest is history! My family was so touched by the outpouring of support from everyone including the Coaches (Past and Present), Staff, Friends, and Family that came out to donate to Damone’s recovery expenses.”

Redlands Symphony Dancing with the Stars Gala Raises $40,000 for Charity

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The 27th annual Redlands Symphony Dancing with the Stars gala just drew to a close, with over 400 supporters participating in the charity auctions and numerous other activities. Organizers have shared that the event raised around $40, 000, which will be used to support the Redlands Symphony Orchestra’s music education programs, as well as the regular season.

“Music changes lives,” explained Paul V. Ideker, President and CEO of Redlands Symphony. “We put on professional concerts for kids to teach them all about music.”

He continued, “We have paid for school buses to bring in students to teach them about the beauty of music. Seeing children that respond to a full orchestra playing classical music is breathtaking.”

The gala, held this past Saturday night, began with two auctions; one silent and one live. A charity dinner and a ballroom dance contest were also highlights of the evening, both supporting the charity as well.

The auctions include items ranging from tires to restaurant gift cards, beauty and spa treatments and tickets to various events. There was a stay at the Mauna Kea Hotel in Hawaii; a trip to New York for two, including flights, hotel stays and several meals; a first class rail trip through Italy and tickets to a David Letterman show.

Dr. Jim Bennett, Cheryl Evans, Fire Chief Jeff Frzier, Kathy T. Maiberger, Shelli Stockton and Erik Laudenslager were all present at the Dancing with the Stars gala, much to their fans’ delight. The contestants’ families and friends all voted in the competition, donating one dollar per vote.

“In the last three years we’ve collected over $150,000 for the symphony’s causes,” Ideker revealed. “That’s just from the $1 votes.”

“It was a profitable night for music, kids and the Redlands Symphony,” said Dave VanLannen, a supporter. “It’s all about the kids.”

5th Annual Fire Charity Fishing Tournament Supports Child Burn Victims

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A Fire Charity Fishing Tournament was held in support of the Children’s Burn Camp several years ago in Bradenton, and has returned annually ever since.

Founder Erik Nicholson, an engineer for the East Manatee Fire District, makes sure that all of the event’s proceeds go to the charity, which supports child burn victims and allows them to forget about their appearances and form strong relationships with others like them. Since its inception, the tournament has raised more than $25,000.

He explained, “You spend most of your life trying to keep your head above water. For me, life was good and I wanted to do something to benefit others.

“It is so important for children who have been hurt by fires to have the opportunity to rebuild their lives and regain self-confidence. The burn camp provides those services and I’m proud our tournament provides money for their program.”

This year’s tournament caters to children as well, allowing supervised kids aged 5-12 to fish from the Bradenton Yacht Club seawall for only $10. The price also includes lunch on the scene from Chick-Fil-A, music, entertainment, free face paint, a bouncy house and arts and crafts. As for the tournament, “if it swims- it counts” and the biggest fish catcher gets a prize. All fish are released alive.

Committee Member Erin Craft explained the unique advantages of the event. “It’s an affordable way to promote outdoor activities and helping others,” she said. “We expect to see a lot of catfish, but any species is fun for the kids to reel in.”

Here are some highlights from last year’s event:

 

A Night at the Park with Ryan Zimmerman

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By JohnPosted In: Charity Activity, HealthTagged: , , , ,

For a special night on the baseball field, nothing beat’s Ryan Zimmerman’s “A Night at the Park” charity. His third annual “A Night at the Park” event is coming soon on June 14th.  The event includes music, entertainment, food, drink and auctions and all proceeds benefit the ziMS Foundation, founded by Zimmerman in 2006.

In 1995, Ryan’s mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system and impacts nearly 400,000 Americans.  Understanding the impact of the disease in his own personal situation, Ryan founded the ziMS Foundation. Today, through public appearances and generous giving, he has worked tirelessly to “bring home a cure” for MS and to raise over $500,000 since 2006.

The “A Night at the Park” event includes a stage set-up behind home plate and a performance by Guster. Enjoy a great night for a great cause on June 14th from 6-10 pm at Nationals Park.

8th Annual Charity Dog Wash

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It’s a great idea. You get a clean dog, and needy people get the help they deserve.  For the eighth year in a row, the Lou Bachrodt Auto Mall will be hosting its charity dog wash on June 9th in Rockford, Illinois.

The way that it works is as follows. You bring your dog and enjoy a day of grooming for your four legged friend.  It costs $15 for small dogs, $17 for medium ones and $20 for the larger pooches.  They’ll be using warm water and they even offer nail trimmings for another $5.

In addition to the doggie baths, dog owners can enjoy a cookout, pet vendors who will be selling all sorts of wares, and rescue organizations.  The Kibble Korner Pet Food Pantry will also be on hand, taking in donations of dog and cat food and litter.

All money raised with the charity dog wash will be divided amongst three worthy causes. These include the Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, the PAWS Humane Society and the vet tech program which is at Rockford Career College.

It’s a great idea, benefiting dog owners and those in need, while offering a fun afternoon of sun, food and animal products!  For more information, be in touch with junedogwash@gmail.com.

Penn State Coach’s Family to Donate $1.5 of Pension to Charity

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Joe Paterno coached at Penn State for 61 years, earning a state pension of $13.4 million. His widow, Sue, recently revealed that she will receive a bit more than $10 million, while the rest of the fund will be paid out over the next few years.

Spokesman Dan McGinn also revealed the family’s plans to donate $1.5 million to charities associated with Penn State or State College areas.

Paterno, a Hall of Famer, became Penn State’s top earner when he received a compensation package of $1.02 million from the university last year. The family explained, however, that the formula used to calculate the pension could not account for more than a $240,000 salary.

Though Paterno led Penn State to two national titles, the coach’s compensation was nowhere near as impressive as those of other famous college football coaches. Nick Saban of Alabama makes over $4.6 million a year, for example.

“Financial gain was never Coach Paterno’s top priority,” said McGinn. “He believed he was fortunate to work with great young men at one of the country’s premier academic institutions.”

He added that the Paternos have donated more than $9 million to Penn State, as well as to various non-profits.

“A commitment to give back to the community that had welcomed and supported them so fully was always a priority for Joe and Sue Paterno,” he said.

Charity Wine to Water Making a Difference

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Doc Hendley

Doc Hendley

People’s individual stories can be incredibly inspirational. Doc Hendley was raised by Christian missionaries and soon became a rebel and party-goer.  As he said, “Everything was just about me and what I was doing that night.”

Then, a close friend pushed him to do something meaningful with his life, and he came upon the idea for a charity in 2004.  Wine to Water.org was started in Boone, North Carolina and today has a budget of $500,000 with programs that repair wells and offer water filtration in countries like Uganda, India, Cambodia, Peru and Haiti.

He’s recently published a book called “Wine to Water: A Bartender’s Quest to Bring Clean Water to the World.”

After visiting the Sudan’s Darfur region and seeing how emaciated the women and children were, Hendley enrolled in a well-repair training program that was run by the United Nations Children’s Fund.

As Hendley explained, “That began the evolution of my nonprofit. I want all the projects I do to have local involvement, to have the local people getting their hands dirty and doing the work. That way, it’s more sustainable.”

While he faces many uphill battles, Hendley feels good about the nonprofit he’s created and the work that he is doing.  As he said, “I kept asking: ‘Is this work worth it? And I said, ‘Yes.’ To see what happens when you give mothers an opportunity to give their children clean water so that they don’t have to bury any more of their babies from diarrheal disease, is so life-changing to me.”