Up and running for 2009!

What a great community we have here in Grand Rapids! I have to admit with I was a little worried with all the news reports that 2009 will be the toughest year that we would have a hard time getting this ball rolling for 2009. However we are blessed with great Landscaping companies that are participating this year. Many have returned for a 2nd year and we also have some new Landscapers.

We will have at least 10 – 12 yards for 2009 and will be drawing name May 7th.

Also on May 7th we will be have a “smile and dial” campaign, to seek out donations from the community. Many who contributed last year are giving this year as well!

It is time to either get you application in for your yard to be submitted for the random drawing or phone/mail in your donation!

The new sponsor list will be published for 2009 after May 7th on the F.L.O.W. website.

Spring is in the air in Michigan, so get with FLOW and help make our neighborhoods bloom!

Press coverage September 2008

Good morning my fellow WCR members and readers! I wanted to share with you an article on this project we have been working on all year!

We are celebrating our first years success on September 27th! It has been a very busy this year getting this project up and running..........but we did it and we are proud!

Our local Chapter made the on line news paper, and we have claims from other media that they will cover as well...............so I share with you the 1st of many (I hope)!

http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/developmentnews/flow0918.aspx

There is a post of mine currently featured on active rain that refers to the Habitat home that our local chapter participated in............. this was funded through this foundation and labor came from WCR members.

Our local chapter is making a difference in our committy..................I am very proud to be be a member of WCR and connected with such wonderful woman!

A BIG thank you to my senior volunteers!

Collating and book making was the plan for the day yesterday. ICCF who has partnered with us for the F.L.O.W. foundation, called in their senior volunteers. We had fun and they worked hard to get it all done. I got to learn how to use a binding machine! The books look great.........Mary Mishler made the lay out and Brendan O'Driscoll printed the pages for us. Which has been wonderful, as everything needed to get this foundation up and running has been donated! So thus far............every penny donated has been used for the foundation. Not ONE admin cost as of yet!
This foundation was meant to be a community project and it really has turned out that way. People from all over have pitched in to help!
I so enjoy all the new people I get to meet. Here is a pic of my senior volunteers hard at work:

F.L.O.W. Garden Party and Garden Tickets - Ready for your order!

We are excited! September 27, 2008 will be the Garden Tour and Garden Party to celebrate F.L.O.W.'s first years success!

Yes, we have a commitment for 10 yards to be transformed..........and a great party planned! For those of you that have been to a WCR party, you know we can throw a great party!

Here are the details:
Garden Tour Saturday September 27th, 10am till 4pm
Garden Tour books with maps of the homes cost $10.00

Garden Party - Saturday 27th 5pm - 8pm Tickets Cost 20.00 Ticket price includes:
Entrance to Garden Party at Republic on South Division

(Rockwell's and Republic NEW Restaurant)
Vallet Parking
Appetizers
Door Prizes
Auction Art (book mark this blog, as will be adding pics of the art to be auctioned) All local artist!
Meet our Sponsors and Landscapers
A fun time had by all!

Buy both - Garden Tour Book and a Garden Party ticket at a reduced price of $25.00

To order your tickets please e-mail Dannielle Rowland - Danielle.Rowland@flagstar.com
www.flowgr.com

F.L.O.W. Update - Landscaping the Habitat Home “Woman Built”

Well, the landscaping of the Woman Built Habitat Home was great fun! We got VERY dirty, and I probably have never worked this hard ever in my life! I was sore from head to toe and perspired in places that I had no idea there were sweat glands! It was the hottest day of the year so far! However we worked hard and got it all done. What a great sense of accomplishment it was!

WCR members, Mary Mishler (WCR President), Shelly Abbott, Michelle Gordon, and Kathy Thayer were there, along with friends and family members.

September is just around the corner, and will be here before we know it. The members of the F.L.O.W. committee have been working hard to get as much money raised as we can and have done a fantastic job bringing this whole project together. There was much to work to out…..details, details and more details! Might I say next year will be much easier as the play book has now been written!

We currently have 10 Landscapers on board with the project who are going to volunteer their time and plants.

Romance Gardens has already committed to donating some plants for the project. (Susan Pastoor (Metropolitan Title) is working on all the other retail nurseries in the area)

We just got a donation of $500.00 from Huntington Bank to the project. Which now covers the rest of the cost of the Woman built – Habitat Home. So as I wipe the sweat off my brow, we have raised enough money to support this wonderful project. A JOB WELL DONE!

Have you considered donating to F.L.O.W?

If you have been meaning to donate and just have not done it yet, or if you were waiting to see if we could really get this project up and running. Wait no longer………..
This project is really going to happen, we are up and running, we are going to landscape 10 homes this fall! More if possible, we will not stop till we have to!

You can very easily donate by using pay pal on our blog site……..look tothe right, there is the PayPal button, go a head use it, I dare you!

If every realtor/lender in Kent County gave $10.00, we would have enough money for 3 or 4 homes! How wonderful it would be if I could advertise how all the Kent County Realtors and Lenders supported the movement of F.L.O.W. and how WE as a group of Realtors and Lenders were able to fund 3 or 4 of the homes!

$10.00 = 3 grande Star Bucks coffee, 2 cocktails at the bar, 1 lunch out with friends, maybe ¼ tank of gas, money wasted on lotto tickets, school lunch for a week (the kids are out now), found change in the bottom of purse and/or floor board of our cars. However this $10.00 for F.L.O.W. will be a tax deductible donation, none of the others listed are!

A reminder to save the date:

September 27th is the Garden Tour and Garden Party. Some details are on the website now and will be updated as we get more activities finalized, but I am guessing you will not want to miss the party of the summer! So block out that date on your calendar NOW!

And then there was more help!

Another person went out on their own to work on the “Woman Built” Habitat home for humanity. Linda Pell a member of WCR, went out on her own and worked at this home. Linda called me after working on the home yesterday, as she had a great experience, she said she was pleased with how many people came out to help after they worked their “full time jobs” . If felt like an Amish committee that is working together to build a new home. Linda has signed up for 2 more days. Linda worked on making trellises and feels so good about the work she did that it makes the muscle pain she has not feel so bad!!!

The home Shelly(see post below) and Linda went out to work on is the home WCR is supporting for Landscaping as part of our F.L.O.W. foundation.

Thank you Linda!!!!

The date set aside for WCR to work on the landscaping portion is June 7th, however if you do not want to do physical work, there is still room to support the landscaping project financially. See sponsorship section of the F.L.O.W. website.

Also visit our blog site often for more info and to keep up on the updates as they become available.

Above are pictures of the home courtesy of Linda Pell.

Thank you Shelly Abbott - Greenridge Realty

Shelly took it upon herself to be the first to assist with the "Woman Built" habitat for humanity home, here is what they had to say about Shelly:

I had the pleasure of meeting Shelly Abbott from Greenridge Realty on Saturday who was a part of the first day of construction! Shelly decided to help out as a general volunteer and is excited about returning to work on the landscaping with the Women’s Council of Realtors. Shelly will be a great asset to your team in helping with the landscaping!

Kathy M. Forzley
Habitat for Humanity of Kent County

Good Job Shelly!!!!! and Thank you!

We are still looking for cash donations for this project. If you are interested in joining the day of landscaping please e-mail michellegordon@grar.com

Thank you!!!!

F.L.O.W. Fundraiser at Olive's in EGR

We have 8 home shopping representatives all in one place for your enjoyment and convenience. Each rep is going to donate a percentage of their proceeds to F.L.O.W.

Olives Restaurant is going to open their doors for our “private” party. The bar will be open (cash bar) and a special appetizer menu will be provided. From 1 p.m. till 4 p.m. 10 PERCENT OF ALL BAR SALES WILL BE DONATED TO F.L.O.W. so at the very least come AND HAVE A COCKTAIL!

Below is a list of who will be there and their website. If you can not attend, but want to order something you may do so on line.

If you would like to attend but do not have an e-vite, please email me so I can keep count of how many are coming, we do not want to run out of food or drinks! thegordons1450@comcast.net

Table 1. GOLD SWAP – Mike Wagner - You are able to make money with your old gold jewelry and then go shopping! Bring in your broken, missing earring, herringbone, unwanted gold jewelry and swap in for cash!

Mary Kay - Rep is Diane K Smith website is http://www.marykay.com/dianeksmith/default.aspx

Pampered Chef – Rep Cindy Qualmann - COLDWELL BANKER AJS http://www.pamperedchef.biz/cindyQ The new spring catalogue is out!

Silpada – Laura VanRavenswaay www.mysilpada.com/laurie.van

Purses – http://www.beijobags.com/
Marylyn Wagner – RE/MAX SUNQUEST REALTY

Jewels by Park Lane – Melissa Maxson http://www.jewelsbyparklane.com/

Southern Living at Home - Joni Korb - https://www.southernlivingathome.com/Corp/index.aspx

Essential Oils, Clara Vanderzouwen http://www.naturalhealth4today.com/