From Just cause
Share your favorite Non-Profit and help them Win Big
Community. It’s a Half-Pint Resale theme! It’s what buying local is all about.
But it’s also that time of year where we all are thinking about giving back to our communities through our local non-profits. It’s what keeps us going over here at Half-Pint. Our Motto is always DO GOOD.
We’ve been honored to support Kindred Kids through the donation of items post each sale. Kindred Kids, located in Columbus, WI, is a free resource to families that have children with special needs. Kindred Kids provides a lending library, complete with toys, books, games, and therapy equipment, as well as wheelchairs and communication devices.
The Goodman Community Center is also top on our lists of non-profits we love and personally support. As they say, “We help children learn to read, be leaders, handle life’s ups and downs, get through school, and see a future full of opportunities. When we help an older adult feel less isolated and more connected to her community in the company of friends, we know the strength of our community. When we see a food pantry customer finally get that job and get back on his feet, and then volunteer or donate, we see the resilience of our community.” Perhaps you’ve been to their café, used their amazing community space (or shopped the sale in their gym in our earlier years of the sale!)
Read the stories on this page (I dare you not to get tears in your eyes…) They even have opportunities to give to youth in their programs or directly TO their youth programs through donations of specific gifts through their Holiday Gift Giving Program (ModPodge or Acrylic paints anyone?) Stop in and follow the snowflake trail!
We also love Middleton Outreach Ministry (MOM), serving the West Madison, Middleton and Cross Plains areas. They have a wonderful program during the holiday season called “Sharing Christmas”. Through this program, you can be matched with a family and receive their holiday wish list, so you can shop for gifts that they might not otherwise receive. Read this personal story written by a Half-Pint volunteer who participated in the program last year and how it changed her life.
You can see the other non-profits that we’ve been proud to support here, including Mikayla’s Grace, the Rape Crisis Center, Community Justice Inc., and Mother and Child Resources.
We also asked our volunteer coordinators to share one of their favorite local Non-Profits:
HEIDI
Angel’s Wish in Verona. It’s a no kill pet rescue that stops at nothing to find loving homes for mostly cats, but also dogs. They are amazing and tireless in their efforts to help animals and match them with wonderful families.
SUSAN
Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) is near and dear to my heart. They provide much needed support, advocacy and safety to women, children and men. Currently they are raising funds to build a much-needed facility do they can provide more emergency shelter and better individual and group support opportunities.
My newest favorite charity is the Lussier Community Education Center. This 30 year old west side community center is steeped in grassroots community organizing as it provides after-school care for all ages, employment resources and support for adults, meals and companionship for seniors and much needed emergency food for families. Their welcoming and open facility offers a great place for community members to come together.
So, now it’s your turn.
So, Half-Pinters, what are your favorite non-profits in the area? Comment on our blog or on our facebook page – Tell us who they are, and why you support them, and we’ll pick one person’s charity at random and give the non-profit a $100 donation before years end.
Deadline: Monday, December 10
We thank you for being a part of this amazing community!
This is What Community Looks Like!
As the days pass on from last weekend, the final details get worked out one by one. We get closer to finishing calculating consignor totals (yeah!). We get final counts of how much schtuff is sold (19,000 items!). We know how many people bought fabulous deals at the sale (1,500!)
But what makes my heart happy is seeing posts like this:
THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE!
As Lisa and I layed on the [empty] Goodman Center floor last Sunday morning, all that could come to mind was how thankful we were for the Community that Half-Pint has created. From the joy and energy filled volunteers, to the patient and excited consignors and giddy and caring shoppers, Half-Pint Resale is what it is because you make it that way.
On Friday morning, a volunteer who had waited for 45 minutes to check-out finally got to the register. When I asked her how the wait was, she said, “well, it didn’t feel so long, because I got to talk to other parents and I got the Total Lowdown on breast pumps.” Other folks told us in the past that they met new friends at Half-Pint and they enjoyed reconnecting with them at the sale. We saw a few folks exchanging phone numbers and email addresses. Others told us that Half-Pint feels like a mini reunion, or even a weekend party because of the fun, and most importantly, the people.
And while I was at the Cash Registers on Saturday, a young couple with their little babe came to pay and realized that they didn’t have enough cash with them. They asked if we would hold their items so they could go and get money and come back. Sure! Not a problem! I took the bag, and put it on hold behind the register. Then, when the next shopper came up to pay, she said to me, “How much was their purchase? If you give me a minute, I will go and stop them from leaving, and will pay for their total”. She was concerned that they literally didn’t have enough money, and was going to buy their items for them. I was struck by how generous the offer was – but even more than that, I was struck with how amazing it was to be part of something that allows us all to help each other out. It reminded me of the crowd of people around the Baby Carriers, asking questions of our volunteer, but also talking to each other about their needs, about their wishes. About parenting!
So thankful that you are all out there, being a community together. So thankful for all of the businesses who supported us this past sale, who allowed this crazy goodness to happen. You ALL make Half-Pint what it is!
-EC and LS
Win Ice Cream for a Year
Many thanks to Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream for sponsoring this great giveaway. Don’t forget to add baby food to your grocery list this week!
-EC
Gomer Kiddy-Oke, the best in Great Kid Fun!
Come support a local school – but mostly, come and experience the Gomers Kiddy-oke!! The Gomers are AMAZING with the kids and the kids super dig being on stage and having the band rock them out to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
So whether or you are looking to make a star out of your child or just for an awesome evening of entertainment that you and your kids will enjoy, come on out!
What is it?
Lowellpalooza is Lowell’s 6th annual fundraising benefit for the school in a non-school space. The Harmony Bar & Grill, a long-established neighborhood eatery and music venue, has graciously offered to let Lowell accept 100% of the cover charge for this event. Lowellpalooza will merge parents and teachers and caregivers and staff and community supporters into one large, music-happy crowd. It’s a great, fun event. See what the Isthmus had to say about previous Lowellpaloozas!
Who’s Playing?
Seven Stone Weaklings (4:30 – 5:30)
Seven Stone Weaklings are a new Madison super-group that plays covers of late 1970s punk rock with some original music thrown in for good measure. They include members of Aniv de la Rev, The Escapists, So Dang Yang, Sunshine for the Blind, Otis and the Alligators, The Lollards and Shanghai Party Boss. They’re thrilled to play the Harmony for the first time. Check them out at: http://www.myspace.com/sevenstoneweaklings
The Gomers Kiddy-Oke (6:00 – 7:30)
Here is a chance for our kids to be rock stars! Join the Gomers on stage and sing your favorite songs to a crowd of adoring fans! You’ve never seen karaoke like this before!
What’s the cost?
Adult tickets are $10 if you buy them before the event on Sunday, or $12 at the door. Children under fifteen are $5 in advance and at the door. Children under 5 are free.
How do I get tickets?
Nab one at one of these locations:
School OfficeThe Harmony Bar
Capitol Kids
Bongo Video
Half-Pint Tagging Party!
I know, tagging can sometimes feel like a drag. But add some wine, some friends, and some super funny stories, you’ve got yourself a party. I just got back from such a party that an awesome friend of mine organized. She has the right idea -you could do this stuff on your own (with wine and TV, mind you), but friends make everything great. If nothing else, grab your partner! They make good pinners! (and half the work and twice the fun).
And just think, the little bit of work in the end is SO WORTH IT when you have less bins in your basement and a check in your pocket.
-Ellen
Half-Pint Tees are here!
You have been asking for them, so we jumped through many-a-hoop to make it happen. Original designed, hand screen-printed T-SHIRTS ARE HERE! (We can’t help ourselves, we have to do it Right.)
Let me tell you, though, it was a lot of fun.
First, we searched high and low and these two awesome guys, Drew Garza and Scott Pauli, took up our cause to design some original and graphic Half-Pint Tees (see below for their information). SUCH NICE GUYS to work with, and holy cats, as creative as all get out. After a few email chats, they set to work, and came up with designs that are beyond cool, beyond perfect.
They then set us up with Screen Door Studio, this great shop on Williamson Street that prints everything by hand. They ordered us samples, gave us a lot of direction (since we had never done this before) and even let us come in to watch them print the tees (they called it a Press Check – which seemed all official from a customer point of view – but as a creative type, I was thrilled that they let me observe them in action!)
And between Scott and Drew, and Dorla and Scott and their crew at Screen Door, we are THRILLED to show you the results of the work.
Tees will be on sale at Half-Pint in just three weeks – we had contemplated doing presales, and pickups, and web orders, and so and so and so, but we have so much to do to get ready for the sale we gave up that Ghost. But we’re confident you are going to luuuuuvvvvv them so much you will still remember to tack one on to your purchase.
We also want to tell you that we are selling the tee’s at (basically) our cost. Good, quality shirts, and good quality artistic efforts require Good Quality pricing. We hope you’ll agree! After seeing them meticulously print each shirt, We’re even more convinced that we got a steal and that you’ll adore the product. We did a small print run on these, so they are limited edition!
Treat yourself! (and since so many of you asked for these, here is hoping you really WILL want to buy them!)
– Paprika short sleeved tone-on-tone shirts (Gildan soft-spun) are in Adult (general Sizing) – S, M, L, and XL – $12
– Grey on Black long sleeved (Bella) are in Women’s sizing, Small and Large (but trust us, these shirts STRETCH so they fit a WIDE range of sizes) – $15
– Two-Toned trike on Black long sleeved (Baby Bella) are in baby/kid sizes, 3-6 month, 6-12 month, 2T, 3T and 4T – $10
Scott and Drew are people you want to hire. I know the shirts speak for themselves, but they got DIRECTLY at the essence of what we were looking for. And on top of that, why would you not want to work with folks who would donate their time to the Half-Pint Cause? You can contact them at paulidesign at gmail dot com.
And Screen Door Studios – oh, how we love thee! We can’t wait to take them another project. To be able to work with a printer who would give us that kind of personal attention and let us do several small print runs without batting an eye… Unheard of. Give them a try! A Madison original.
-Ellen and Lisa
Clever Parenting.
Clever parenting is a gift. It’s one I don’t have – but I’m a great copier of clever parenting. You can be, too – check out this solution to traveling-with-toddlers blues! We saw this at the Goodman Community Center while we were meeting with the sale’s Volunteer Coordinator’s yesterday!
-Ellen and Lisa
Your 2010 Olympics Buttoned-Up!
Oh, YES! It’s a pretty printable one-page summary of the 2010 Olympics schedule thanks to Buttoned-Up. Now you won’t get into a pickle like I did yesterday. Told my kiddo we could watch ski jumpin, but uh, it wasn’t on. It’s very important – he’s going to be a ski-jumper, you know.
Seriously, I should know better by now than to promise a four year old something I know nothing about. And yes, I could have gone online and looked it up, but now I’ll just consult the fridge.
-Ellen
Celebrate the Boy
Don’t know if you are crafty (we’re a mixed bag over here), but even if you aren’t, we had to share this link for a couple of reasons. It’s Celebrate the Boy month over on the Made by Rae Blog, and for one, boys deserve to be celebrated as much as the ladies (who seem to get more attention in the fashion and overall kiddo world), and two, we LOVE this graphic. It’s reason enough to share.
-Ellen
Free Olympic Fun
I’m an olympics junkie, and I’m planning on turning my kids into ones, too. And now I have help from Dover. Check out their free samples today – Anywhere from learning about ancient games
to Sports wordfinds and other activities.
And if you know me, you know that this won’t be the last time I post about free Olympic fun.
Happy Weekend!
Ellen