sharing creativity & caring for your business ... - Stampin' Up!

Make aDifference
Holding a World Card Making Day event will
not only build your business, it will also make
a difference in someone’s life!
with
World Card Making Day
The first Saturday in October is a special day set aside each year
to celebrate the art of card making, the “creativity of handmade cards,
and the personal connection that they create between friends and
family” (www.worldcardmakingday.com). But World Card Making Day
isn’t just about making cards, it’s also an excellent opportunity to make
a difference in someone’s (or many someones’) life!
Shannon Seneczko, a manager, and Jillian Bass, a senior associate,
both from Plainfield, Illinois, used the 2010 World Card Making Day
to support Operation Write Home, an organization whose mission
is to help soldiers serving overseas keep in touch with their families
and loved ones.
Shannon knew she wanted to hold a World Card Making Day event.
She had also been “kicking around” the idea of doing something for
Operation Write Home. Why not do them together? After researching
the organization’s guidelines, Shannon set a high goal for her event:
1,000 cards to send to Operation Write Home, as well as 100 “any
hero” cards—a card with an encouraging message addressed to any
service man or woman.
Shannon had a new downline member, Jillian Bass, who worked as
a DJ at a local radio station. Shannon contacted Jillian to find out if
she could use the radio station to advertise her event. When Jillian
heard Shannon’s idea, she did more than make an announcement on
the radio—she jumped on board!
To prepare, Shannon and her husband cut and prepared 1,100 card
bases. In addition, Shannon recruited customers, other downline
members, and even sidelines, to work with Jillian as her “stamping
angels” and help prepare the embellishments and accessories for the
event, as well as assist at the event. Some local businesses donated
items for a raffle, while others donated money to cover some of the
costs of the card materials.
Shannon and Jillian had a great turnout! After advertising on the
radio and putting up signs around town and at local businesses, they
had over 150 people come make cards for the troops! With the town’s
help, they easily met their goal of 1,100 cards. When asked what
the best part of the event was, Shannon replied, “We got it done!”
She continued, “I didn’t know if the goal was attainable, so it was
very exciting to reach our goal and have so many people come out to
support it. Even men came to support the troops!”
Shannon received a few other payoffs from holding her World Card
Making Day event—some new customers and even a couple new
downline members!
The greatest payoff, though, was how good Shannon and Jillian felt
when the event was over. “There’s another man or woman who just got
in contact with their family back home,” Shannon shared. And isn’t
that personal connection the whole point of World Card Making Day?
To learn more about Operation Write Home, visit
www.operationwritehome.org.
There are many ways you can use card making and papercrafting
to make a difference in others’ lives. Recently, Shannon held a
stamping fundraiser for a friend with Stage 4 breast cancer. The
women who stamped paid a $40 entrance fee, which included
seven stamping projects. The men paid to enter a 50/50 raffle.
People also donated items for a silent auction, raffles, and
refreshments. When all was said and done, Shannon was able to
raise $12,000 for her friend’s medical expenses!
my thoughts are happiest card (4" x 4")
Field Flowers Set; Dot, Dot, Dot Background Stamp; More Mustard,
River Rock, and Very Vanilla Card Stock; Baja Breeze, Basic Black,
and Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Pads; Very Vanilla 1/2” Seam Binding;
Stampin’ Dimensionals; Dotted Scallop Ribbon Punch
september 2011 23