It Felt Right... February 2010

Eliza with Dr. Jeff Randle, founder and Chair of the
Governance Committee for Healing Hands for Haiti ( February 2010)

Friends, Carrie and Suzanna Miner, choosing their favorite bags for purchase for Valentine's gifts ( February 2010)

In January 2010, I kept telling my mom I really, really wanted to have my own business.  She was hesitant because I wanted to have a store out of our house and she told me that wasn't possible.  I decided to make a pretend store called Valentines in my bedroom and then my mom and I decided I could make something for people to give as Valentine gifts.  As we talked, my mom explained that I would have to pay for the things that I sell, just like a real business.  We also talked about how neat it would be to help Haiti because they had just experienced a very destructive earthquake.  We had a friend who knew about a local organization called Healing Hands for Haiti where doctors volunteer and travel from America to Haiti to help people there.  This organization had been around for several years, but the earthquake had destroyed one of it's clinics that helped so many people.  We decided I could sell my bags that I put together with a heart-shaped homemade cake inside and then I would give part of the money to this amazing organization.  It was A LOT of work.  My mom and I baked over 100 cakes!!  I had to buy lots of bags and goodies to go inside them.  I took orders and filled bags and tried to do a good job.  It was fun to be making something special for people to give to those that they love and then to have money to give to the people who are loving the people in Haiti!  Our friend said she was going to a special presentation where the founder of Healing Hands for Haiti would be and she wanted to arrange for me to personally hand him my "Haiti Jar" with the money I had raised and one of my treat bags.  It was pretty neat.  Dr. Randle even cried when I gave it to him.  He was very surprised I guess.  And for some reason lots of other people were crying too.  I realized that this was a good kind of crying and I could spread lots of love at Valentine's Day if I keep it up!  So this year I hope to make double the amount of money to donate to Healing Hands for Haiti. My mom and I are working on new recipes and I've saved up my money to fill bags.  Stay tuned to see what we come up with :)