2009 Preemie Project... and March for Babies

I registered for the annual March for Babies walk, I'd like to raise $200 this year which is right around what I raised last year, slightly less than the year before - but I only have 21 days and those 21 days are going to be packed. We're actually flying to England the day AFTER the walk, and my husband will be out of town for 2 weeks PRIOR to the walk, so I'll sort of be lucky if I'm not insane by the time I step foot in London!

My fundraising page is here: http://www.marchforbabies.com/saranunn

When I get back from England, I'll be launching into the Preemie Project once again. Lat year I reached out and asked for help casually, and at the last minute. I was astonished by how many people wanted to help, but struggled to keep it all organized - this year will be different. Here are a few highlights...

• Donations are going to be logged in a much more organized fashion, that way everyone can get thanks yous, and the recognition they deserve.
• I'm going ask for handmade donations to be started earlier. By beginning in March, that gives crafters 6 full months to either make the few items that they can or to make more than they'd have been able to last year.
• 6 months of planning and receiving donations.
• I'll be asking for corporate donations this year. Getting on that earlier - in those 6 months - hopefully means I'll find some success.
• I'll be widening my internet requests, finding more small internet stores who might be willing to help with advertising, word of mouth, or extra stock.
• Gifts will be donated to 2 hospitals the week before Thanksgiving. There will be enough gifts to last through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Because it covers more than 1 holiday, they will be non-specifically decorated. These bags will all have the same contents.
• For Christmas, a different kind of gift will be given. I'll be giving gifts to the nurses, but the donation of goods will be given in "bulk". Items for the micro-preemies, regular preemie clothes, and some of the items from gift bags that were "left over" and didn't fit into the gift bags.
• I'll be making an effort to get donations of non-preemie infant items as well, specifically developmental toys, diapers, and newborn clothes. Preemies have different needs than full term babies. They need smaller clothes, more medical care, and more developmental encouragement - and a lot of the parents just aren't able to give that little bit extra that a preemie needs. So maybe I can collect some items to send home to those parents that need extra help, at the nurses discretion.

So that's the plan, stan! Nice and.... ambitious. :D