Blog
August 2nd, 2011 | Volunteers
By Janice
I was really ecstatic when I ran across your site. Because in April, I had a dream of making birthday gifts for needy children. This has been heavy on my heart because as a child I grew up never really celebrating my birthday. My parents divorced and my mom was always sickly and money was scarce, so birthdays were something we never talked about. I never told anyone but I felt like I was not important, forgotten, and like no one cared because I never got to celebrate my special day. No one ever made my birthday a big deal, so I learned to not make it one either. Still to this day, I don’t celebrate my birthday.
So, now here I am in my forties, and I ran across your website. Seeing your site, a tingly feeling came all over me like oh, wow this is it! This has really inspired me. I take it as a sign that I should work on Birthday Bags. I was thinking maybe I can do 10 bags a month until I am able to do more.
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July 18th, 2011 | Birthdays, Giving, Volunteers
After winning a hot baseball game on Sunday afternoon, several Minnesota Twins players joined their wives at Target Field to assemble 230 toy-filled birthday gift bags. Claudia & Michael Cuddyer led the effort and were joined by couples including the Morneaus, Pavanos, Repkos, Bakers, Blackburns as well as others.
Many thanks to this great baseball family for all they do to support others!
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July 15th, 2011 | Birthdays, Giving, Kids, Schools
Jennifer Hetland, Assistant Director of Special Education/Principal Intermediate School District 917 in Rosemount, Minnesota, is always looking for ways for her students to give back to the community. So she was pleased when Cheerful Givers was able to sponsor her
group by providing 1,000 birthday bags and toys which students are currently assembling.
Because some of these kids have had similiar experiences in growing up without birthday celebrations, it is especially meaningful for them to be able to help others.
“We are a Positive Behaviors & Support School” commented Hetland, “and Cheerful Givers symbolizes that idea. We are excited to expand our involvement in the fall to our Idea/Sun satellite programs.”
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July 5th, 2011 | Donations, Giving
Congratulations to Michael Cuddyer of the Minnesota Twins who was just named as a member of the 2011 American League All-Star Team!
We are pleased to offer a limited number of t-shirts (size XL) which are autographed by Michael Cuddyer in support of Cheerful Givers. Please make an online donation of $60 or more and send email to karen@cheerfulgivers.org with mailing address.
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July 3rd, 2011 | Events
Our online auction is going on now from September 1-16, 2011. As with past auctions, we’ll have a variety of unique sports and entertainment-related items. Proceeds will help provide toy-filled birthday gift bags for less fortunate children.
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July 1st, 2011 | Giving, Volunteers
Kelly Hoag, MP Manager at Target in Minneapolis got creative with her team in preparing to create birthday bags.
“We actually went to Target and shopped as a team and then came back to the office and put all of the bags together. We also gave each team a $75 budget and gave points to the team that could get closest to their budget without going over; all teams came within .49 of their budget.
The teams had a blast!!!”
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June 23rd, 2011 | Family, Volunteers
I’ve been involved with Cheerful Givers since the mid-90s. My introduction to the organization was through an early redesign of their website. I was invited to be a board member a few years later and have been honored to serve in that capacity ever since.Currently, I co-chair the communications committee, help update the website and newsletter and coordinate Cheerful Givers’ social media efforts. I make my living designing things like websites and blogs. I feel fortunate to be able to share these skills as a board member.
Though Cheerful Givers, my daughters have been exposed to the experience of giving to others in need. Seeing them finally “get it” during a family bag blitz is one of my fondest memories. They’ve learned that small actions can make a big difference and eagerly look forward to the next volunteer event.
I’m incredibly thankful to be part of Cheerful Givers.
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June 13th, 2011 | Donations, Funding, Volunteers
Thanks to the 20 Cheerful Givers volunteers who helped at Target Field on Saturday with the Minnesota Twins “split the pot raffle.” As a result of these efforts, $1,700 is being donated to Cheerful Givers.
Congratulations also to Debra Price, the lucky Twins fan, who also receives $1,700.
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June 9th, 2011 | Birthdays, Children, Donations
A big thank you to Mindware, who offer “brainy toys for kids of all ages” for a very large donation of fun and creative booklets for our birthday bags. This donation will allow us to include these great booklets in the majority of our birthday bags throughout the next year.
Michael Majerus, Controller, MindWare Holdings, Inc. commented “You guys do great work! We wish you every success in achieving your mission which is so important to the parents and children you serve.”
Note from Cheerful Givers: We are now looking for donations of thousands of pencils to include in birthday bags along with these great booklets.
Contact karen@cheerfulgivers.org
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May 29th, 2011 | Giving, News, Press, Volunteers
Minnesota Twins Michael Cuddyer, Glen Perkins & Jim Thome were special guests featured at our Cheerful Givers Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on May 28th at the Chart House Restaurant in Lakeville.
218 attendees learned more about our Cheerful Givers mission and had a chance to ask questions of the players. The Twins generously donated 20 prizes, including autographed shirts, hats, homer hankies, Twins tickets and even a wind-up Michael Cuddyer. Players announced the winners during the event.
A live auction was also conducted by Michael Cuddyer for a bat he had signed by all team members, a framed photo and baseball cards autographed by Harmon Killebrew, and use of the Mauer/Morneau suite for 16 guests.
The event concluded with VIP ticket holders getting their items autographed by these great players. Fox Sports covered the event and there’s a great slideshow now appearing on Thisweek — “Breakfast With Champions and many photos at http://michaelcuddyer.com/photos/?album=2&gallery=2
Thanks to all who attended as well as the Chart House for hosting, Bremer Bank and Thrivent Financial (S. Dakota, SW Hennepin & S. Ramsey Chapters) for sponsoring, and ten great volunteers for helping. Special thanks to Claudia Cuddyer and the players who graced us with their presence. 
