Jessica Federico - Senior Project

My Goodness

SOOOOOOO.... I DID IT AGAIN! Completely forgot about the blog, and due to my illnesses this week I was unable to post a thorough blog about my event. BUT! I promise next week I will also upload pictures about it.

This week I have been focusing on my final research paper and this weekend I will putting a lot of work into it. I am hoping to get it done before the end of next week so I can give a copy to Mr. Humiston and Jody and Mrs. Parkes to edit for me. I cannot wait until the project is 100% complete. 

Next I have to apply to college! YAY! Hoping to get all my apps done before break as well. This weekend and next week will definitely be very very busy! 

SILLY!

Okay so I'm going to be honest and I completely forgot about this until now! I do not have enough time to submit a full blog about my event! I've been so busy with the event that I just haven't had any time. 

BUT! It was last night... and it was AMAZING! I raised $4623.25 just last night alone, and I have more checks coming in the mail. My presentation went great as well! I cried at the end though... was not expecting that. I will make a better blog this weekend! Just meeting the deadline =]

TWO WEEKS!!!!!!

HOLY MOLY ITS IN 2 WEEKS!! I can't believe it, time is just flying by. I am so excited to have the day steadily approaching and cannot wait until the day comes! I have been working very diligently this week. I started my research essay, am working on my powerpoint presentation for the event and I have done a breakdown of items to be included in the different auctions. I received a huge framed pencil sketch from Wallace Gallery and another painting by Nick Kastrati.We have definitely decided to add in a silent auction, yet the details of that (how we are doing it) I am still trying to figure out. I have $1, $5 and $10 chinese auction items. Dinner is coming together as well, I got more food donations from Blue Parrot and John Papa's Cafe, and I also should be getting tickets from the Stephen Talkhouse to one of their shows! All decorations have finally arrived! I got the butterfly floating candles and things are really rolling  now. All I need is December 3rd and I am ready! Next week I am hoping to make up itineraries and also maybe get a few more donations and definitely work on getting more food! Any suggestions on places to go are welcome! 

Turn around

This week was quite the whirlwind. I realized that just doing nothing would definitely not help me to get my project done and successfully. I finally finished my systems paperwork =]]]] and I am nearly finished with the paperwork for the organization. 

Budget approval came back and I was alloted $175 for my benefit. This definitely is not enough for everything I need so I am willing to pay out of pocket to make my benefit exactly what I want it to be.

I have gathered up most all my research for my paper/powerpoint. I started the powerpoint and have not tackled the paper yet but that will be coming ASAP as well. Preliminary approval to present is coming up next week, and I am pretty sure that I am on track. 

I am sending in my PR to Carey London tonight or tomorrow, which should get out tomorrow to the local papers and hamptons.com. I still need to make the posters to put everywhere around school, but I have save the dates ready so I will be hanging those up soon! 

Again, any suggestions?! Thanks!

Mind block

So these past two weeks I have found myself getting more and more frustrated at everything going on, especially my project. I have just been going going going and doing nothing but benefit stuff that the wall finally hit. I found myself just wishing it was my benefit already, and I still kind of feel that way. Stress with school was pretty hard too, and with my Grandpa in the hospital I was definitely scared. I am hoping that now that all my big projects/papers are handed in and Grandpa is home that things will get easier and better. 

I ended up going on a shopping adventure up the island to various stores to get decorations and such. We were able to pick up the glass bowls and stones for the centerpieces of the table, as well as more tickets, bags to put the tickets in for the chinese auction and my mom came up with an excellent idea for balloon weights. We also picked up miscellaneous things for the day. 

I am hoping to do the posters for advertising this coming week, as well as getting the press release sent in. I need to pick up a few more donations and get everything finalized.

Any suggestions for ANYTHING AT ALL would be appreciated. I feel like I am missing something huge...

I CANNOT WAIT FOR HARLEY'S EVENT! GOOD LUCK! <3

What to name this...

This weekend I am taking a trip up island to go to party stores and go shopping for the event.. I am hoping to get the helium tank issue finalized (for all the balloons!) and also I am talking with Bermuda Party Rentals to try to get a bunch of clear glass bowls for the floating candles. There's so much to do in a short period of time! 

The raffle tickets, balloons, ribbon, and butterflies finally came! I'm so excited! I still need to order confetti, the floating candles, and need to receive more donations as well as get more food! I have about 5 weeks left to pull this all together and boy is time flying by! 

I am meeting with Ms. London today 9th period about the Press Release and I am hoping to get that finalized ASAP! I hope that this can be sent out soon, and also I am keeping my eyes open for the section in the local papers from the Rotary Meeting. 

I have decided to add a 50/50 raffle into my event, seeing as that is another great way to receive even more money to help RSDSA and finding a cure! Every penny counts!

Any suggestions are always welcome! Any ideas where I could receive food donations would be wonderful, seeing as I do have an entire dinner to serve! Thanks!

Wings of Hope!

YAY I finally came up with a name, actually, my mom helped me! Considering that my benefit is mainly butterfly themed, we decided to name the benefit "Wings of Hope." Over the long weekend I got SO much accomplished. This whole process is starting to just fall into place and things are going surprisingly well. I have already received a bunch of donations, anywhere from candles to gift cards to a wind surfer! My chinese auction should hopefully be a huge success! 

So far I have also received generous food donations from Conca D'oro, Il Cappuccino, Cappalletti's, Panera, Twice Upon a Bagel, Espresso's, American Pie and Cromer's. I have more places to contact and send letters to as well so I hope I will be fortunate enough to receive more food donations, considering I have NO idea how many people will be here. On top of these businesses, this weekend ended up being a "dessert trying" event. I went to Aunt Karin's house, my grandparent's house, and she even brought in her new creations for me to try. I'm so glad she's doing my desserts, there SO good! =]

I went to Bamboo last night for the East Hampton Rotary Club Dinner, and wow was that an experience! I met Dr. Dillard, who is a pain specialist, and was fortunate enough to hear his presentation. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, he had to say about chronic pain was 100% true. He really welcomed me and even referred back to my presentation two to three times! I gave a little introduction as to what RSD is and told the rotarians about my benefit. After the dinner, everyone came up to me and commended me and that was an awesome feeling. The agenda last night should be put into the newspaper and as soon as I find out about that I will include the link in here! 

If you have ANY ideas about anything at all that could help with my process please fill me in! Thanks! 

Things are coming together!

This week has been excruciatingly long, and I felt like I got little to none accomplished. Well, that was until today when I met with Ms. Heneveld and we took steps in the right direction! We worked on getting paperwork filled out that had to be completed for the budget approval from RSDSA, as well as making an informal save the date announcement. We also started thinking up decorations that I could use as well as how I want it to appear when guests walk in. I have so much to do this long weekend!

 My mom has been a huge help during this process and I was just informed that I was put on the agenda to make a short presentation to promote my benefit for the East Hampton Rotary Club on October 19th. Dr. James Dillard, a pain specialist, will be the guest speaker at the dinner that evening. This is a huge milestone for me, considering this will also get my event out to the public! I cannot wait! 

I am still thinking up a name! If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I don't want it to just be RSD Awareness, I think that is too plain. Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks!

Time to get things Rolling!

    So I finally have a date for my benefit; Thursday, December 3rd, 2009. I am so excited!! This whole process is quite time consuming and I am going to have to work my butt off, considering it is already OCTOBER 2ND! Only 2 more months left until I need to pull this huge thing off! I emailed Katie from RSDSA and have been asking the silly questions that I have had. I also asked her to be my outside consultant and am waiting for her reply. I am in the process of filling out the forms for approval from RSDSA to use them as my beneficiary. 

    THE BRACELETS CAME LAST NIGHT! (OCTOBER 1ST) I am wearing one now as we speak and that really started putting things into perspective for me! This is so soon and I really have to get moving. This coming week I must work on my grading rubric and start drawing up some ideas for advertising. I need to put together a presentation for during the benefit for the awareness part of it, AND  I need to figure out a name! AHHH! I also have a lot I need to think about... Will I be selling tickets in advance? How will I advertise? When should I start handing out letters for donations? And, of course, I need to go shopping to get items I will need for the benefit , such as window paint. I am really excited to get things rolling, but I'm also nervous because this is the first event I have ever done and to mess it up would NOT be a good thing. 

    Ideas anyone? If you have any suggestions on how to make it successful please let me know! I am trying to decide how I want the benefit to run. I also would appreciate any suggestions for things to get for the Chinese Auction and places I could go to get items donated. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Off and Running

    This week, I have been focusing on getting my date for my benefit and working on the little things that need to be accomplished. I have met with my mentor numerous times, filled out the Systems Meeting paperwork and will be attending the meeting tomorrow morning (Friday, September 25). Picking a date has been a real challenge considering there are a few of us trying to plan benefits and we all want the same date. Were trying to come up with back up plans in case we cannot get the date we want. 

    I placed my first order for items for the benefit. I purchased 500 adult and 100 children silicone orange bracelets that say "RSD AWARENESS" on them. These will be given to those that come to the benefit and I will also be selling them and hopefully be sending a bunch to my friend in the Air Force. He is going to try to do an on base fundraiser for me by selling the bracelets. 

    As soon as I figure out my date, I will be emailing Katie from the 501(c)3 and giving her an update on my benefit. Hopefully I will be able to get everything I need from her soon so I can start distributing a letter around the towns to receive donations for my chinese auction at the benefit. I will also need to start advertising for my benefit.