Thank you to all who got engaged Nov 14!

I had a great time at TUTA’s season kick-off at The Spot in Chicago. Between the event and online donations, we helped TUTA Theatre raise more than $800. This was a great success for the first-time casual barnight event. Attendees at the event included Company and Board members, old friends and a bunch of people new to TUTA. You can check out the fun in pics from the event. I’m sure the party seems like a long time ago to the cast and crew members in the upcoming production of  The Wedding as this wedding requires rehearsals nightly — gift certificates make a great holiday gift. Performances will run  January 14-Feb 14.

The Making of a Lemon-aid Stand

In last Thursday’s “Real-World Super Heroes” class, we reinforced the idea that kids absolutely have the power to make a big difference. We shared some amazing real-life examples. Such as: Ryan Hreljac was in the first grade when he learned in class that people were dying because they didn’t have clean water to drink. He decided to do chores to raise $70 and build a well for a Ugandan village. Today, 10 years later, Ryan’s Well Foundation has contributed more than 480 wells in 16 countries serving more than 600,000 people.  Similarly, Janine Licare was 9 when she and her friend starting selling art to raise money for the rain forest, eventually creating Kids Saving the Rainforest. 

The key message: you don’t have to think big from the start, you just have to get started. This week our young Heroes got started on part 1 of a 2-part session on running a Lemonade Stand. Our group decided our Stand will sell lemonade and cookies, as well as tattoos. We discussed how to advertise our event – signs!  And how to help customers pass on the word – stickers! We also talked about prices, which we are 90% agreed on, but left ourselves a little wiggle room. Our heroes then got to work making cookies, signs and stickers.

The Real-World Super Heroes Lemonade Stand will be raising money for another group of neighborhood heroes: our firefighters. Our young Heroes will have the opportunity to present the money they raise to the brave members of the Firehouse at 145 W. 100^th Street. The firefighters will provide the money to the Burn Center, which helps injured firefighters and civilians, and will thank us with a firehouse tour.

On May 28, with the weather suitably warm, we will take the cookies out of the freezer, mix up our lemonade and open for business. One day only. $1 for a drink and a cookie.  One more way to be a Super Hero.

3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer for my 40

I’m celebrating my 40th birthday this year by participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk in Boston July 24-26. Proceeds go to Susan G. Komen.