HI Trisha Fans!
I have received a few emails, so I thought I'd better post something about this! YES I am kicking off this years Donation to Honor Trisha! I am right now waiting to hear back from the Trisha camp about where she would like us to donate the money this year. As soon as I hear that, I will let you know and be asking you to send any amount that you can! I'd Really LOVE to make this a Huge Year, to show her our Fan support for her and her New Album/Single! So Save, Save, Save!

Also, I have been struggling with what we can give her again this year--I thought of having everyone send a Short video clip that I could piece together into 1 thing, but i"m not sure how that would work! I also thought how cool it would be to have everyone do 1 or 2 squares of material to send to me to have made into a quilt--this is my favorite, but I'm not sure how many could do it?? What are your thoughts? Let me know! This is from all of us, so I'll take your ideas into consideration! EMAIL ME!
tsperr@comcast.net
And Please, Help me spread the word once we get started!! I'm hoping to hear something in the next week or 2! Then I'll take donations until June or something...
Thanks to All of you that have contributed in the past, and hopefully all the Newbies that will contribute this year!

Tammy

Awesome!

But... a square? Really? That just turns my brain to mush, and not in a good way!

GREAT Tammy! Can't wait to join in!

and, hmm?, don't know what the gift should be either? I'm not that crafty, but for Trisha I'll try!

Let's donate to a cause in Jasper County/Monticello. There is a display of Trisha material in the City complex that could be updated with either financial or material donations from her fans.

Well, the fans don't pick the charity--Trisha does. And for 8 years it's been a pretty good success, and we've all enjoyed giving something back to Trisha for ALL that she does for us, and helping others at the same time!
Sandi, LOL, yes, a square! And I know, it sorta turns my brain to mush to(I can't sew a stitch!) however, how hard can it be to find a couple squares of material for a quilt and do something with it?, iron on a small pic, or an applique, or something?...--but, it would be Very cool to give to her to keep, like with a quilt stand or something...
but I'm open to suggestions!

I think this is a great idea! I'm not good at sewing either, but the idea of giving her something that we all made - and she could keep somewhere in her home - sounds wonderful! Thanks Tammy for doing this again - this year! It has been fun to do different things for Trisha each year. So whatever you choose, count me in!

Hey Tammy! So great to hear that you are doing this again this year....I really want to try and help out again as always, and i'll see what i can pull together. As for the quilt idea. It sounds great....even though i can't sew either. LOL. I'm crafty in some areas....but not that.

Thanks, Tammy. I like the quilt idea, but I'm not your sewing person either!

Sounds great Tammy! Only, I also am sewing-impaired. LOL! But whatever is decided, I'm on board. I'm willing to give anything a try to support our girl!!

I'm a newbie but I am definitely ready to help out. I have a little quilting experience, but it is from years ago! LOL! I have already begun saving. Will there be a theme to the quilt or particular colors? It may be too early to talk about but was just wondering.

Robin

Hey Tammy: Glad to see you're hard at it. Count me in. Thanks, Jane

Hey Tammy, You go girl! Is the quilt thing set in stone? Or are you still considering other ideas? I ask because I am somewhat of a beginner in quiltmaking and I can fill you in on a few things. If everyone was to send a "square" to someone to sew together, it probably would be very difficult. Quilts are made based on cutting long strips of fabric together and sewing. Sewing single squares would be very time consuming and probably not look as good. I loved the idea though! I do have an idea that may work in the same way you were thinking about the quilt, as far as everyone personalizing one.
What if everyone that wanted too sent a single sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 paper, hand written or off a computer, with a note or whatever they wanted to say or share with Trisha. This could include scanned pictures of themselves and their families, pets ect. to give Trisha an idea of "who" is writing to her. These could be collected and put into sheet protectors and compiled into an album. I did this when my husbands grandmother turned 80. The whole family contributed 1 sheet and it turned out great. The whole family loved it. Just a thought. and with so many TY fans out there who would love to contribute, it may be a little easier to get it done.
Just an idea.
Stay well !
Carrie

Thanks everyone for commenting on this-hopefully I'll hear soon and we'll know where the money will be donated!

And Carrie, it's funny that you posted this, because I've spend the last week or so talking to other people that quilt, and they basically told me to forget it-a couple quilters I found said to that it would be VERY Expensive to have this sort of quilt put together!...
Bummer!

As for your idea, yeah, last year we each did a scrapbook page and I put it into a really nice scrapbook for her-she seemed to really like it!

Ok Trisha fans, I'm looking for ideas! We've done postcards, pics, scrapbooks...does anyone have an idea for something we can each give to Trisha? We could each send a pic again-writing on the back...what do YOU all think? Post or email me at
tsperr@comcast.net and let me know your ideas-I need to decide what it will be and post it SOON!!!!

Save, save SAVE!! Thanks, Tammy

OK, I Meant to include this in the above post-and forgot--but here is an idea with a similiar concept-giving Trisha something from all of us that she can possibly use....
One idea is that I find a quilt, (we can agree on a color scheme or something) andI find someone to stitch in each of our names onto the quilt...along with a saying..and give that to Trisha. One thing I thought of after talking to a few quilters was if it's possible to print on pictures--sorta like pics on a tshirt but instead on quilt... I like this idea, but we'd obviously want to do more so you can each send her a message, maybe pics again, or something--see below...what do you think?

Hi Trisha Fans!
Ok, I Heard back that Trisha would like us to collect money and Donate it to the
National Guard Youth Foundation. This is a very impressive Foundation, and I’m thrilled to be donating to such a worthy cause! I hope the rest of you agree!
For those of you that don’t know about it, please visit this website:
http://ngyouthfoundation.org/foundation/index.html

From their website: The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program is an intervention program for at-risk youth consisting of a 22-week Residential Phase followed by a 12-month Post-Residential Mentoring Phase.
The Residential Phase, set in a quasi-military environment, focuses on basic lifestyle changes approached through a rigorous program of education, training and service to the community.
During the Post-Residential Phase, graduates are mentored by a caring adult who is a consistent and positive role model who works with the graduate to sustain his or her new positive lifestyle changes.
ChalleNGe is administered by the National Guard Bureau (NGB) on behalf of the Department of Defense (DoD).

I thought this was interesting: Each year, ChalleNGe saves the government an average of $109 million by educating young people instead of incarcerating them. Program graduates also contribute $16.2 million in service to community and as much as $39 million in additional tax revenue by entering the workforce.

I also love their slogan: DREAM, BELIEVE, ACHIEVE!

Let’s come together as Trisha Fans and help Achieve their Dreams! Let’s make Trisha Proud!

So, SAVE those dimes, quarters, dollars, etc.. And send me your donation!

Now, as our personal Gift to Trisha…How about everyone sending me a picture of themselves or something/someone important in their life, and I will work on putting them all into collage scrapbook pages for her to add to the scrapbook we gave her last year. Along with that, feel free to send a short letter, nothing bigger than 5x7 size-we don’t want to kill her with a flood of reading material! Remember, this is our Gift to Thank Her for being Trisha, and not to ask her for favors and things etc… Lol

In addition to that, I think I’ve found someone that can stitch the names of all of us Fans that make a donation, onto a quilt (I was thinking something with a southwestern color scheme), and I would also like to come up with a verse or quote to be stitched into the quilt along with our names….what do you all think?

Ok, it’s heading into March. So I will collect money through May. So Please, PLEASE Join in the fun of this Donation/Gift for Trisha!

Remember, every amount helps! Send your money and your picture/personal message to me by June 1. That way we can hopefully get it to her during her summer tour~!

Thank You so much to Everyone that helps make this such a Great Success! Let’s do what we can to make another Great Donation/Gift! Spread the word!

Email me! tsperr@comcast.net
Tammy

Sounds great Tammy! Love the quilt idea:D Now to start thinking of ideas for my contribution to the project. I am soo not good at that. LOL!! Thanks for the update! And thanks again for spearheading this.

found this about trisha and the youth challenge

Senior Military Officials and Members of Congress Join Trisha Yearwood and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for Third Annual Challenge Champions Gala

WASHINGTON, Feb 27, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Event honored Senator Elizabeth Dole and Congressman Norm Dicks for their strong support of Youth Challenge

The National Guard Youth Foundation hosted its third annual Challenge Champions Dinner and Awards Ceremony on Feb. 26, 2008 at the J.W. Marriott Hotel to honor advocates of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program, a 17-month voluntary intervention program established to provide training and education for high school dropouts interested in pursuing higher education, attaining employment or joining the military. The Youth Challenge program operates 35 programs in 29 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia and has graduated over 77,000 former high school dropouts since being founded in 1993.

The event, emceed by Kerri Turner of JAG, honored the advocacy efforts of Senator Elizabeth Dole and Congressman Norm Dicks on behalf of Youth Challenge. Three-time Grammy winner and country music superstar Trisha Yearwood performed at the event that also featured NASCAR fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr., the new driver of the #88 National Guard car. Other awardees included Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, The Honorable Thomas Hall; the Adjutants General of West Virginia, Major General Allen Tackett and Curt Kolcun from Microsoft, who have contributed grants of over $7 million to the Youth Challenge program.

"This event was an opportunity to gather and honor the exemplary efforts of those around the country who have championed the Youth Challenge program and pledged their unwavering support to ending the high school dropout crisis that has become a silent epidemic in this nation," said Greg Sharp, president of the National Guard Youth Foundation. "It was also an opportunity for supporters of the program to meet with young cadets and hear their transformational stories first-hand."

The event was attended by over 1,000 guests, including Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England; the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen; Director National Guard Bureau, Lieutenant General H. Steven Blum; Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake; former Secretary of the Veterans Affairs Tony Principi; Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne; Director, Army National Guard, Lieutenant General Clyde Vaughn; Chairman of the Board of the National Guard Association of the United States and the Adjutant General of the state of Indiana, Major General Marty Umbarger; Senator Mary Landrieu (LA); Senator Ted Stevens (AK); Governor and Mrs. Brad Henry (OK); Governor Linda Lingle (HI) and Governor Jim Gibbons (NV), as well as other senior DOD officials and members of Congress. 100 Youth Challenge Cadets from across the country were also in attendance.

About the National Guard Youth Challenge Program: The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program is a 17-month, co-ed program for 16- to 18-year-old high school dropouts that offers them the opportunity to enhance their life skills, earn their GED, pursue higher education, improve their employment potential and broaden their chances at success. Since being founded in 1993, the Youth Challenge has grown to 35 programs in 29 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia and has graduated over 77,000 former high school dropouts. For more information about the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, go to http://www.ngycp.org.

About the National Guard Youth Foundation: The National Guard Youth Foundation is a non-profit 501©(3) organization formed to support the work of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program through public awareness, scholarships, higher education assistance, mentoring and job development programs for graduates. The Foundation works to expand the number of states and sites per state to accommodate growing demand for the program. The Honorary Board of Directors is co-chaired by Former President George H. W. Bush and Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-La). For more information about the National Guard Youth Foundation, please visit www.ngyouthfoundation.org.

SOURCE National Guard Youth Foundation


http://www.foxbusiness.com/article/senior-...t_498465_1.html

Great Article, thanks! Obviously this is something that Trisha feels strongly about, so hopefully we can support her in that.

I want to clarify something, I'm going to buy a quilt, we are not going to make one. I've spoken to many quilters/seamstress people who say this is just Not a good idea for many reasons-and is very expensive. So, instead, I'll find a quilt, and I will take it to some people I know who will then stitch the names of us that donate onto the quilt. That way, we are still giving Trisha something sentimental from all of us that she can hopefully use or display, but will be easier than trying to coordinate the actual making of a quilt. I hope you all are ok with this idea...I still want you to send pics/message with your donation though!
Thanks,
Tammy
tsperr@comcast.net

There are pictures on Wireimage from the benefit Trisha attended this week for this charity.

Tammy, great idea, and probably a bit easier to accomplish. Unless it will be done by hand, the stiching of names would be best done by someone who has a machine with a embroidery option . Although you may have to talk to someone that has one, as I'm not sure if a quilt already put together will fit (thickness) under the feet of the machine??
I wish I had more answers and could help more (sigh). As far as the pic/message thing, what if everyone was asked the same question and they put their answer on the paper? Just thinking outloud, sort of...
Stay well
Carrie

What a fantastic idea tammy! I will be joining in this year again and i' gotta try come up with something for my contribution before i'm finished school. Again great idea!

hi
i had an idea... what about a digital picture frame, everyone could send in pics of their
meet and greets, if there was a way to put titles on the pics of who/where they where taken. i am sure there is a program out there that can do that,maybe some one else
knows?? any one have thoughts on this??
rachel

sorry, forgot this in my last post... how do we get info abouth the donations
tammy- I emailed you last week for some info as well. I definitely want to participate!
my email is pinbust@aol.com

I Rachel, I just sent you an email...thanks for your interest in participating!

A digital picture frame is a cool idea-maybe we can do that next year...for this year I've already said I'd be making pages to add to the scrapbook we did last year.

Which brings me to an idea--what if You All send me your Favorite Picture of Trisha-one you've taken from a concert, meet and greet-whatever, and we'll create scrapbook pages Of The Best of Trisha...if people have some "old" Trisha pics< you could do both-a Favorite Recent pic along with a favorite"from the past" type pic...and I'll scrapbook them onto pages to fit into her book from last year. I think she'd get a laugh out of this...
Then, Write your personal message ON A SEPERATE piece of paper-please keep it to 1/2 a page or so, and I'll include those in the book.

Now, just save, save save so you can send in a good donation!
Thanks,
Tammy
tsperr@comcast.net

Which brings me to an idea--what if You All send me your Favorite Picture of Trisha-one you've taken from a concert, meet and greet-whatever, and we'll create scrapbook pages Of The Best of Trisha...if people have some "old" Trisha pics< you could do both-a Favorite Recent pic along with a favorite"from the past" type pic...and I'll scrapbook them onto pages to fit into her book from last year. I think she'd get a laugh out of this...
Then, Write your personal message ON A SEPERATE piece of paper-please keep it to 1/2 a page or so, and I'll include those in the book.



Tammy, that is quite different! sort of "this is your (professional) life!" in a scrapbook.
I think that's a great idea!
Stay well
Carrie

Hi Everyone! I'm starting to receive donations and pictures! Hopefully ALOT more of you will be participating in the near future! I just want to remind everyone to please put the year the picture is from if possible-so I can scrapbook them in some sorta of order. Also, don't forget to include your donation to the National Guard Youth Foundation!

Thanks So Much Everyone! By the way, I have started the search for the quilt, The lady that will emboirder it for me is helping! However with the 15 inches of snow we just got, I'm staying INSIDE More these days! Where is Spring?!

Hi Tammy! What a great idea! I will do my best to get you some pictures and also my donation. I think I need to go through my collection tote to find the pictures though! lol!

You always do a great job Tammy! Thanks so much for doing this!

Are you serious? I'm in so much trouble!!

Hi Tammy. I havn't been on the board for a while. I got on because of the "Fan Club Party" I cant wait for that.

I'm so glad to see you are, again working work for Trisha. You can count on myself & Carol for a donation for the NGYF. It sounds like a great cause.

I'll send the donation and pic asap.

Nice talking to you,

Rich

I just now read this and I hope I'm not too late. Tammy, I just now sent you an email.
Count me in definitely, I haven't missed one yet.

Mindy from connecticut

Hi Guys,
Rich, Great to Hear from you! Don't worry, I would have bugged you via email if I hadn't heard from you! Also, I KNOW You, so I'm counting on you for some of you "older" Trisha pics as well as recent ones!
Mindy, Definately not to late! Glad to Hear from you!
Hopefully many others will be joining in the fun!
Sandi, You'll Do Great-You ALways Do!

I think I am in more trouble than you Sandi! I have a whole tote with older pictures and stuff that I have saved through the years. But I haven't even gone through it yet! ugh! Tammy, I promise I will get something to you next week. OK????

Hay Tammy, I just ordered tickets to the Fan Club Party I'm not sure I have them or not. After giving my credit card, a screen came up with three warnings. Has anyone have that happened to them?
Will there be some kind of conformation coming?

Rich

Hi Rich! YEA! You're coming, I was hoping I'd get to see you and Carol! Yes, you should get a confirmation--2 actually. 1 that says *you're payment* and another that says your receipt. You should be able to check your account through the Fans section-it'll say that you purchased tickets and how many just as it does that you have the Fanclub membership... If you don't, I'd email Johanna at the Fanclub to be sure, you may have to reorder the tickets!

As for the charity, I'm in the process now of looking at all the fabulous quilts at shows and such, hopefully I find one the perfect one for Trisha soon!!-
Please let me know if you are planning to participate in the Charity Donation, and get your donation, your pictures and your short letter to Trisha in the mail to me soon, so I can include your names on the quilt!

Thanks! Tammy

Hi Tammy. I did get a conformation of the tickets I was just worried about the "Warning Signs"

Thanks

Rich

Hi Trisha Fans! I just wanted to remind everyone that today is May 1st, and I'd Really LOVE To GET More donations and pictures! If you haven't sent anything in yet, there is still plenty of time, but Please, SEND me your DONATIONS and YOUR PICTURES of TRISHA! Remember it does'nt matter what the charity is, just that we are honoring Trisha by donating to a charity of her choosing, to help others! And we'll give her a great momento of picutres from all her years of giving us her music! I'm especially looking for any pictures of Trisha from early in her career-I went to alot of her concerts starting in 91, but that was my pre camera obsession days, and my "sit in the nosebleed seats" days...So, Come On Trisha fans, Let's get this moving!
THANKS!
Tammy

OK TRISHA FANS! Last Reminder--If you plan to participate in this donation and gift, I NEED IT NOW! Please email me and let me know. The quilt is already with the lady who is going to emboirder on it-but I need to get the final list of names to her! So PLEASE Send me your donations and your pictures! I'd like to have it completed by June 15th or so--I haven't started the scrapbook pages and that will take some time!
I want to get as many people to join in on this as possible, so please, get your donations and pics in the mail As Soon As You Can!
And Thanks to Everyone who has already sent in their donation/pictures!!
Thanks,
Tammy
tsperr@comcast.net