Posts by category: Birthdays
October 21st, 2011 | Birthdays, Children, Giving, News, Volunteers
On Saturday, October 22, which was national Make A Difference Day, millions of Americans helped to change the world. 120 Cheerful Givers volunteers along with mentors and mentees with Kids ‘n Kinship got together to assemble 3,000 toy-filled birthday gift bags for less fortunate children.
Special guests Natalie Davis, Miss Minnesota 2011 and Haley Obrien, Miss Minnesota Collegiate, joined the efforts to help reach more of the 174,000 kids in Minnesota who are now living in poverty. The event was hosted by Thomson Reuters in Eagan. Many thanks to sponsors: AAA Minnesota/Iowa, Hands On Twin Cities, Northern Dakota and Southern Dakota/Scott County Chapters of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
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October 18th, 2011 | Birthdays, Children, Kids, Volunteers
The children and parents at Steppingstones Preschool
at St. John the Baptist in Savage, MN collected items and assembled birthday
bags for their service project.
“The kids really enjoyed this project and it was a great way for them to
help children in their community who are less fortunate” commented Shannon Martin, parent.
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September 16th, 2011 | Birthdays, Donations, Funding, Giving
Thanks to everyone who placed a bid on our auction which ended today. Proceeds will bring birthday joy to many children!
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August 29th, 2011 | Birthdays, Giving, Team Building, Volunteers
“For more than 100 years AAA has been involved in making our communities better places to live and thus this opportunity with Cheerful Givers is a wonderful way to reach out to children and ensure they all have a happy birthday.”- Randy Williams, Regional President, AAA Minnesota/Iowa.
As part of a recent meeting, employees and leaders at AAA Minnesota/Iowa assembled 500 toy-filled birthday gift bags at their Burnsville, Minnesota location. The event was described by those who participated as “fun, a real team-building activity and great way to give back.”
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August 26th, 2011 | Birthdays, Children, Schools, Volunteers
Vacation bible school students at St. John the Baptist School in Savage, MN spent a week helping others, and one of their projects was to create birthday joy for more than 100 less fortunate kids. Andi Little, Director of Faith Formation, said the group is anxious to do it again. 
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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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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 15th, 2011 | Birthdays, Giving, Volunteers
Seventy Faegre & Benson attorneys from across the USA and from London took time out of their meeting at the Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis to assemble toy-filled birthday bags.
As a result of their efforts, 1,000 less fortunate children will be having a Happy Birthday!
Thanks to all who participated.
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April 29th, 2011 | Birthdays, Volunteers
Students at the Next Step Transitions Program got together on April 27th to fill the 400,000th birthday bag since Cheerful Givers began in 1994. Because this fantastic group of volunteers take time out of their schedule every day to assemble birthday bags, we thought it fitting that they should also help us fill this milestone bag.
Program Coordinator, Hank Magnuson, noted “the excitement of our students was at an all-time high in filling this special bag. We are so pleased to be part of Cheerful Givers.”
