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Kim Miles Fundraiser

Thursday, August 28, 2008 - Brent Weaver

Kim Miles, world famous bead artist, has decided to create a very inspiring fundraiser to collect funds to travel to Ethiopia on the 2008 Cunningham Foundation trip. Here is an excerpt from her website:

I have some super exciting news!
Rick and I have been invited to go to Ethiopia in November, to teach beadmaking for the
HOPE Bracelet Project! This is so amazing to me, to finally be able to meet the people we've
been working with all this time. This year, for the first time ever, there will be bracelets available made with beads from the Yetebon Studio at Project Mercy.
This is huge, as it means our goal of helping the HOPE Bracelet Project to become
self-sufficient is becoming a reality. More than ever, teachers and mentors are
needed there to encourage the students and help them become awesome, creative beadmakers.
This is where I come in!

As you might imagine, a trip like this is not inexpensive.
We don't want funds for the project used for our travel expenses, and we're not
wealthy volunteers who can actually afford to do this on our own.
We're just simple beadmakers, making our living bead by bead.

So, I'm going to hold a fundraiser here, and ask for your help in making this important trip possible.
I'm going through my personal jewelry collection now, and choosing some wonderful pieces that I think you'll love as much as I do. Once I have it set up with the Cunningham Foundation,
you'll be able to make donations, earmarked for our trip, directly to them.
Then, when we've reached our goal, I'll hold a
Thank-You Drawing for all the donors, and will give away several gorgeous, favorite necklaces.
Sure, it stings a bit to part with my own personal jewelry,
but this means a lot to me, so I'm happy to do it!
Keep checking here to find out when the event actually starts.
For now, here's a little preview of some of the jewelry you could win!

Read more at Kim Miles website

Donate to Kim Miles 2008 Trip

The Kim Miles Fundraiser is over, thank you all so much for your love and support.

13 comments (Add your own)

1. Tammy Cunningham wrote:
You all have given so much in the past few years. We look forward to traveling with you two! 10% down! Yea!
Many blessings for all you do and have done.
Tammy & Noel

August 28, 2008 @ 12:01 PM

2. Michelle wrote:
Kim, I've made a donation for you ! Every little helps, as they say !
I HOPE (!! ha ha !) you have a good time and look forward to hearing all about it afterwards ! Everyone loves you and your beads !!!!
Much love, Michelle xoxo

August 29, 2008 @ 4:31 AM

3. Danne wrote:
Just want you to know that you are an inspiration ~ and not just in regards to the obvious, your creativity and beads! I enjoy your blog and look forward to reading all about it when you return from Ethiopia. Take loads of pictures!!! Peace & Blessings

August 29, 2008 @ 7:45 AM

4. merry wrote:
Kim!
I am so so happy for you and for all the people you will benefit. what a wonderful thing to have happened. And Ethiopia!!! one of Africa's most beautiful and diverse countries. I am envious! May this be a life change for the good of all. And don't forget to vote before you go!!!

August 29, 2008 @ 10:39 AM

5. Francoise wrote:
Hi Kim,
I promised to be there, it feels like I'm part of the trip too! I can't wait to see and hear all about your experience over there. It is a unique opportunity for you, Rick and also the Hope Project people.
Way to go! xoxo

August 29, 2008 @ 3:02 PM

6. Hazel wrote:
This certainly seems to be the season of Hope, so what better time to visit the people of the Hope Project in their Ethiopian home. I know it will be exciting, uplifting, emotional and memorable and I know you will tell the tale extremely well. You will teach; you will learn and you will come back with renewed energy to (as you like to say!) carry on.

August 29, 2008 @ 3:53 PM

7. Kim Miles wrote:
I want to thank the first wave of donors! I don't receive your email addresses, although I have many of them on my mailing list. I'm thrilled and humbled by the speedy support you've shown already, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We won't let you down! Rick and I are already starting our notes for this trip, and we will share it all! I want this to be as interesting and exciting for you as it is for us. Thank you again! Carry on! :o) xoxo Kim

August 30, 2008 @ 10:28 AM

8. Shauna Miller wrote:
Hi Kim and Rick!
Wow! what a great thing you guys are doing. Nothing like giving...Feels so good. You two will have a great adventure. Life is good.
Haven't talked with you much so glad to hear you're doing well.
Rick and I volunteer for Habitate for Humanity and with twenty others from our church we spent 10 days in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, building a Katrina relief home for a wonderful young women and her son, hard work but probably one of our best "vacations"...
Good luck Have fun Enjoy
Love, Shauna

September 3, 2008 @ 11:49 PM

9. Linda in MI wrote:
Godspeed and bless you for your generous and open heart.

September 15, 2008 @ 7:52 PM

10. Francoise wrote:
Hi Kim,
I decided to match every dollar I spend in your beadshop with a donation of equal value for your trip. I challenge other Kim customers to do the same ;+)
HOPE is in the air!
xo
Francoise

September 16, 2008 @ 2:21 PM

11. Diane wrote:
"Hope is the dream of a soul awake" (French Proverb)
I am celebrating my "oh" birthday with a donation for your trip...here's to life and the circle of humanity!

September 21, 2008 @ 4:13 PM

12. Jo R wrote:
Hi Kim,
I am so thrilled and excited for you and Rick...what a fabulous trip!! You really deserve this opportunity, because you have worked so hard for this project. I can't wait to read all about it and see all your pictures. Hope you are going to blog from Ethiopia. God bless and God speed. May you have a safe and most wonderful trip.

September 30, 2008 @ 7:10 AM

13. Kim Miles wrote:
Wow! Our wonderful Brent, the Web Guy, just told me there were lots of new comments here. I don't mean to be absent! I'm just used to getting messages and email directly to my own mailbox. I'll check in here more frequently now!

If you're not a regular reader of my personal blog, you may not know that we've extended the length of our trip from 10 days to 3 weeks! We feel that it's important to spend time with Marta and Deme, and the only way to do that is to go over earlier than the rest of the group. So we'll be in Denver for the First Pick Party at Strings Restaurant on Nov. 7th, and will fly off to Ethiopia on the 8th. We'll return with everyone else on the 28th. This means we'll be spending Thanksgiving as well as our 16th wedding anniversary in Africa! Very exciting!!!

My plan is to take my laptop along for the ride, and IF we can get internet, I'll make regular posts to my BLOG - http://greetingsfromtaos.blogspot.com/ . I want to "take you all along with us", and show you everything while it's fresh and happening. If that doesn't work out, I'll keep a good journal and take loads of pictures, so I can share it all when we get back.

Rick and I are so grateful to all of you for helping to make this trip happen. I've said it before, and I'll say it again and again... We could not do this without YOU!

Thank you all so much!!!

Big Love ~
Kim

September 30, 2008 @ 10:09 AM

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