march of dimes auction

Happy April 1st!  Do you know what day it is?  Aside from April Fool's Day, that is?  Today is the start of the Auction over at Team Ella & Johnny's March of Dimes Facebook Page.  I'm so excited because there are tons of cute things to bid on.  And, most of them are handmade!  But, the best part is that everything up for bid has been donated to the cause, so 100% of your money will go to support the March of Dimes.  Another plus... it's all tax-deductible!  The auction will close on April 10th, so let's start the bidding!

Over the course of the next ten days, I'm going to feature some of the items up for sale here.  Why?  Because I think that all of the things are just great and I want to showcase the generous mamas who donated their time, talent, and supplies to this important cause.

The March of Dimes is an organization that helps moms have full-term pregnancies and researches the problems that threaten the health of babies.  But, they do so much more than that.  They work to prevent birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.  They fund research, support NICUs, and educate women about the importance of folic acid and good nutrition.  The organization, which was originally founded to fund research for polio and support those who had suffered from the disease, now focuses solely on helping babies receive the best start possible.  Who wouldn't want to support that?

Specifically, this auction is a fundraising attempt by two women whose lives have been personally touched by the devastation of infant illness and mortality.  Shannon and Katie are two of the strongest women that I will ever have the privilege of knowing.  Shannon's daughter, Ella, was born premature in the fall of 2008.  Since that time, she has had a very difficult time.  Katie's son, Johnny, was also born in the fall of 2008.  Sadly, he earned his angel wings shortly after birth.  Shannon and Katie have turned their struggles into a mission to help others by participating in the May 1 March for Babies in Erie, Pennsylvania.  Please consider helping them to reach their goal of $1000 in donations.  If you choose not to bid, or lose the item for which you are bidding, you may choose to make a donation in the amount of your choice.  Details can be found on the auction's facebook page, here.