Matthew and I were very honored to be invited to the Saturday, September 27th ground breaking of the new Open Arms of Minnesota kitchens at 25th and Bloomington Avenue South in Minneapolis. Over 400 friends of the Open Arms community gathered for this wonderful occasion. Minneapolis Mayor Rybak, Councilman Gary Schiff, and long time client/volunteer Bill Kimker were among just a few of the speakers who moved the audience with passionate comments. There were many times when you could just see the tears welling up in people’s eyes. I know there were times when speakers would have to stop speaking because it became so emotional for them and then you would just think to yourself, “Oh God don’t let me start crying.”
As you may or may not know funds from our Love Is A Cure – Breast Cancer benefit are given to Open Arms of Minnesota who provide home meal delivery to women who are living with or battling their war against breast cancer. The new kitchen facility will position Open Arms to enhance the services they currently offer their clients who suffer from AIDS, Breast Cancer, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), and multiple sclerosis. The Wedding Guys were key initiators in funding the beginning phase of home meal delivery through Open Arms of Minnesota for women living with Breast Cancer.
The Love Is A Cure event which will take place on February 22, 2009 will be our 4th Annual Love Is A Cure event. Money is raised by our clients/members giving of their time and talent to donate auction items for the silent auction. The items are those a bride will need to complete and plan her wedding….so as we say in the office, “If you are already going to pay for the service how about buying it from the auction and having the money go to a great cause. In the three years we have raised just shy of $100,000. We could not thank our clients and the brides who shop the auction enough.
So as we left the event we said good by and gave hugs to our friends at Open Arms of MN – Kevin Winge, Jennifer Van Wyk and Nancy Benedict. As we were leaving Nancy told us about a new event coming up called DUSK 2 DAWN which will take place on the weekend of September 26, 2009. It’s so cool and and about raising HIV awareness and funding for the Twin Cities and South Africa. It’s a 12 mile walk starting at DUSK 6:00PM and Ending at 12:01AM DAWN of a new day. With our creative heads we asked Nancy if they could get South Africa to walk the same time we walk – how cool would that be! So I guess Matthew and I are volunteering to help out for the event. If you want to walk with us contact us at 763-529-1900.
Way to go Open Arms of MN! You all have your heart and head in the right place! Everyone loves and appreciate what you do for so many, Thank you!
