Blessing for Midland Fair Havens

As y'all know, we all just participated in Blogging For Fair Havens. Recently, I received confirmation that a donation had been sent to Midland Fair Havens by the St. Mary Land and Exploration - Permian Region. The amount of the donation blew me away.

I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited, and humbled, and amazed! I called Jimmy the P right away. I doubted he would answer; it was 9:45 p.m. I just had to let him know.

JP: Hello?

Janie: JP. This is Janie. I don’t care if you’re awake or asleep, I have to tell you what happened.

JP: (He started laughing, but I can tell he’s trying to be polite – and he sounds exhausted, as well he should be – he just came off a 24 hour blogathon! But, nothing really fazes him, plus, Jimmy’s used to me doing crazy stuff like calling him at all hours of the night.)What happened, Janie? (I told him.)

JP: Pardon me?

Janie: (In a nutshell, I told him that the Midland office of St. Mary Land and Exploration donated $5000 to Midland Fair Havens.)

JP: Janie, that’s amazing!

JP’s laughing, but you can tell he’s way blessed and humbled, as well. We talk all through it, and JP opens up the Just Give.org Midland Fair Havens website. Including the St. Mary Land and Exploration donation, the donation figure is just over $17000. What’s so cool about this is that other local bloggers, through their beautiful wives, are also associated with St. Mary Land and Exploration...and if I know these wives, they had a hand in deciding their company's charities for the year. They are going to be so blessed.

What an awesome thing for St. Mary Land and Exploration to support Midland Fair Havens in this manner and with this generous donation – and what a great show of support for our local community!

So, right here, right now, I’m going to say to the good people of the St. Mary Land and Exploration Permian Region – thank you, from the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of all the lives that will be changed for the better because of your donation to Midland Fair Havens – thank you. Godspeed.

Janie's BfFH gig has come to an end...

I’m home now, and...Lordy! It was hot out there! I've decided Jimmy should be elevated to some high saint status - he's a trooper.

This was my view while blogging from the scissorlift.As the sun starts to set, the total funds raised are growing every minute.

While I was there, some of my friends and cohorts in the oilpatch came by or called, as well as bloggers pledging, so I’m going to go ahead and recognize them. I appreciate you all.

Shawn Savage, Midland, Texas - cash donation
Rick and Beverly Armstrong, Midland, Texas - Pledge, + $20 cash donation

This is a shot of Beverly and her beautiful little granddaughter!
Matt and Pam Swierc, Midland, Texas - Pledge
Seafaring New Grandmother Gwynne - Pledge
Scott Emerson (my brother!), Big Spring, Texas - Pledge


Meet one of the cuties hanging around today. His mom serves on the board of Midland Fair Havens.


And lest you think photo-bombing is an acquired art - see how big brother totally gives little sister her due share of the limelight! Aren't they beautiful children?

And here come Zack and Zoie! Of course,Zack and Zoie are diligent citizens of Midland, and had to do their civic duty!
Here they are, putting their cash donation into the little house donation box.


If you gave today, or pledged, I thank you. Your money will be put to great use. There’s still plenty of time to give, today, tonight, or tomorrow, or you can give anytime! We'll take your money, and it’s for a great cause! It's as easy as donating some funds to Fair Havens by clicking on the link, or mailing a check!

If you're going to mail a check, here's the address:

Midland Fair Havens
2400 Whitmire Blvd, Suite 100
Midland, Texas 79705

BfFH Post #2

We're at $9295 and that's not even counting the silent auction bid for the motorcycle...which right now is holding at $3500!!!

Zack and Zoie (and MLH!) just arrived, so I'll get some pix up in a bit. They're out schmoozing the crowd.

I'm here and posting at the BfFH!!!

Well, I’m here (though we've had some technical difficulties)…and I can prove it! Here's Jimmy the P and Father Sosa up on the scissor-lift.

I’ve never been as tall as the HEB sign before… but I think I might be as tall as Jimmy. Check out his hat - it was signed and donated by Michael LeMonica, he of the local "Black Gold" TV Series fame. I think he wore it on the show. (Well, Mr, Lemonica's a well-known around town good ol' oilman, too!) Do you like that necklace around Jimmy's neck? We were trying to cool him down. He's doing good for his, what, 14-15th hour up on that manlift?And the Starbucks…so close, yet so far away. To be honest, it's a little hot for my favorite tazo chai right now!

Dr. Boren is a local orthodontist here in Midland. This is Dr. Boren, with his beautiful family.When I first arrived, Dr. Boren was up on the scissorlift with a microphone, hawking people to come by and get free (value $4) toothbrushes! Well, it worked…there’s been a steady stream of people coming by and giving money…so far, a total of $9170…and that’s only halfway through the blogathon!!!

Here's one of the Boren boys, drawing out the name of the lucky $100 gas card winner!

MLH will be bringing Zack and Zoie by for a special appearance later…well, you know my dogs have to love fundraising, too!!

And it's Ready....Set....Go for BfFH!!!

In about 25 minutes, I will start my stint for Blogging for Fair Havens. I think (I'm not sure!) that I'll be blogging from my blog. You'll be able to see what's going on minute by minute HERE today ... And come see us at the H-E-B parking lot ...

But until then, I'd like to say thanks to the people thus far that have committed pledges to me and/or given donations...

And they are:

DONOR NAME(S)

Dave and Joyce Myers, Midland, Texas (pledge)
Arnold and Susan Nall, Plano, Texas (pledge)
Paul Callaway, Midland, Texas (cash when I saw him at the shoot yesterday! Yeehah!)
Mark Adkins, Midland, Texas (hey, I saw him in Petsmart and he threw $100 at me! Woohoo!)
Inspired of Munday, Texas (pledge)
Lone Chatelaine (pledge)
Gymbrat and her beautiful daughter Rachel, who dropped by and gave cash and hugs!
Terri Anderson (Grandma to Zoie the Wonder Pup!), Goodland, Kansas (pledge)
Snooty Primadona of Midland, Texas (pledge)
Dan Bohannon, Midland, Texas (pledge)

You can give anytime, while I'm on the scissor lift, or if you read this next week. We'll take your money a year from now! It's as easy as donating some funds to Fair Havens by clicking on the link, or mailing a check!

If you're going to mail a check, here's the address:

Midland Fair Havens
2400 Whitmire Blvd, Suite 100
Midland, Texas 79705

Blogging For Fair Havens Reminder

I’m participating in the Oilman’s Shoot after lunch out at Windwalker, and that will take up the rest of the day. Just wanted to give y’all the lineup on Blogging for Fair Havens, which starts tomorrow morning. Jimmy’s done a great job getting everything lined up, and he is to be commended. Now, if I can just do my part - and with your help, I can! Remember, any amount counts and will be greatly appreciated! My time, again, is from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday.

Some of y’all asked for a reminder – well, this is it!

You can go ahead and give now, if you’re going to be busy this weekend. I will warn you, Blogging for Fair Havens was one of the things that got me hooked on blogging, so watch out! In advance, I thank you for your support – whether by blogging, donations, or both!

Saturday
7-8 a.m. -- ARCHAEOTEXTURE, with Jeff McDonald.
8-9 a.m. -- WEST TEXAS MISSIONER, with Jeff McDonald
1-2 p.m. -- STREAMS, with Wallace Craig
4-5 p.m. -- SLEEPLESS IN MIDLAND, with George Johns
6-8 p.m. -- SOUNDING FORTH, with Janie Snelson
11 p.m.-midnight -- JESSICA'S WELL, with Ospurt

Related web sites:
JustGive.org's Fair Havens' donor page (where you make your online donations to Midland Fair Havens; be sure to designate Blogging for Fair havens in the Designate Donation area):

Midland Fair Havens' mission: Midland FairHavens.

Saturday's Blogging for Fair Havens web site, where the marathon event will unfold all day online.

Ways to Donate:

Use the Just Give.org site above or here

Drop me an email, jsnelson@newtecheng.com, with your pledge

Come by and see me on Saturday from 6-8 p.m. at the Midland HEB.

Yep, I’ll be up on the scissorlift. Scary, huh? See ya then!

Blogging For Fair Havens

Looks like I might have been roped in…and I’m hoping I can count on your help.



This weekend, Jimmy the P from the blog Sticky Doorknobs will be blogging for Fair Havens and has asked me to join him for an hour of blogging and help him raise money. What is Midland Fair Havens , you ask? The following is an excerpt from their information sheet at their website.


"The Apostle Paul took temporary shelter at a place named Fair Havens when he was faced with adverse conditions while traveling to Rome (Acts 27:8). The harbor at Fair Havens provided sanctuary for Paul as he prepared for the rest of his journey. In a similar way, Midland Fair Havens serves as a place of refuge and restoration for single mothers as they prepare to make a better life for themselves and their children.

The mission of Midland Fair Havens is to equip single mothers and their children for self-sufficient living by addressing their educational, vocational, spiritual, and emotional needs in residential and non-residential settings."

I personally know many of the board at Midland Fair Havens, and also know some of the house parents. They’re all good people, giving their time and support to help these mothers get on their feet. On top of that, I was a single mom - and I wish this facility had been available then. I totally believe in this cause. Midland Fair Havens is a cause worthy of our support. You can come join us online, or physically, we'll up on the scissorlift at the HEB Grocery Store parking lot by the Starbucks...in most likely 108 degree heat. (Y'all already knew I was crazy!)

Ah, well, it's for a good cause!

Due to other commitments, I won’t be able to join Jimmy’s Blogging For Fair Havens blogfest until Saturday evening, but I was wondering…will y’all support me? It's as easy as donating some funds to Fair Havens by clicking on the link, or mailing a check!

If you're going to mail a check, here's the address:

Midland Fair Havens
2400 Whitmire Blvd, Suite 100
Midland, Texas 79705

So, blogfriends, best buddies, pals, can I count on you?