Autumn 2004

SPRING CAMPAIGN LETTER 2004

The season of spring represents a time of growth and rejuvenation. Over the past year, the Sweet Pea Foundation has experienced some exciting events that will help it grow and flourish:

501(c)(3)

In late March the Foundation officially qualified as a tax exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Service code 501(c)(3). We are very excited about the many opportunities this presents to the Foundation and its supporters. As a tax exempt organization, any monetary contributions received by the Foundation can be deducted from the donor’s federal taxes. At the end of each year, we will provide a receipt to our contributors verifying a donation and the amount that was received.

Blarney Bash

On March 17^th we hosted our first annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the Knights of Columbus in Elkhart. The event was a huge success with over 200 people in attendance to eat corned beef and cabbage. We want to give a special thanks to our sponsors: Wightman Petrie, Elkhart East Development Corporation, and Letco Development. We also want to thank Ken and Kim Jones for providing the music and Scott’s Pig Roast for preparing the delicious food. And finally, thanks to everyone that was able to celebrate St. Patty’s Day with us. Mark your calendars for next year (Thursday, March 17^th) – we hope you will be able to join us.

Rummage Sale

On April 17th, the Letherman family organized a super rummage sale and all the proceeds from the sale benefited the Sweet Pea Foundation. The sale was an incredible success – so much of a success that a second sale was held on May 22^nd. We would like to thank the following people for all their hard work and support: Dianne Letherman, Kim Jones, Paula Checkley, Elizabeth Letherman, Al and Karon Ludwig, Bonnie Penn, and Jim Letherman. We also want to thank the many people that donated items to the sale.

Autumn Campaign 2003

From the funds that were raised from the autumn campaign, the Foundation was able to purchase over 400 toys and deliver them to patients at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis and Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. An additional 150 toys have been purchased but not yet delivered. At the same time, our fund for the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana continues to grow.

The Foundation has had a very exciting year and we hope this coming year is even better. With your support of our spring campaign, the Foundation will continue to grow and provide much needed distractions for sick children as well as help the Foundation meet its goals. Prior to this mailing, we were informed that Riley Hospital is in need of bouncy seats and baby swings for the Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Units. With that in mind, the contributions we receive as a result of the spring campaign will be divided as follows:            

                                 70%                        Ronald McDonald House Perpetual Fund

                                15%                        Toys and Gifts

                                15%                        Bouncy Seats and Baby Swings

We want to remind you that 100 percent of your contribution will be directed toward programs that help sick children and their families. All marketing and overhead costs continue to be paid for by the Letherman and Power families. We also want to reaffirm to you that your mailing information will not be shared with anyone.

We greatly appreciate the incredible support we have received over the past year. We are so touched that the memory of our daughter Grace continues to thrive as a result of the Foundation. We are certain that she is very proud of our accomplishments as she looks down upon all of us. Thank your for your continued support of the Sweet Pea Foundation. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to email us at sweetpeafoundation@comcast.net.