fundraising

I've sent out a letter to friends and family to ask for donations for my upcoming year, but I like planning parties and things, so I've finally starting to organize a fundraising EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

So, I'm planning a car wash and garage sale on Saturday, July 16th in the morning. I'm hoping to have my youth group help me wash cars, and have called around to friends in the Goshen area to ask for donations for the garage sale. I don't have a lot of stuff on my own to make a garage sale, and people are definitely excited to contribute! I'm going to go pick everything up next week, and can't wait to see what all comes in!

Also that same day (crazy me!) I'm having an evening picnic. I love fresh food and seasonal produce (in part mainly b/c of my job at Rachel's Bread for the past two years), and so the picnic is going to use lots of summer vegetables, things from the market in Goshen, and also homemade ice cream! I've been looking at different recipes online and have found some interesting flavors I might try - raspberry basil, avocado, or carrot ginger. I guess I can make some regular flavors too....

I'm pretty excited about these fundraisers, and surprisingly not too stressed about having them all on the same day. I will have lots of help, and am hoping the events will have a low-key feeling to them - I want to be able to talk with those that come to support me, and share about what I'm doing, and keep building relationships along the way.

This week I'm heading out with my youth group to the Mennonite convention in Pittsburgh, PA, so I won't be thinking about Lithuania a whole lot. I'm very excited, though, to spend this one last week with them. I'm praying for lots of things for our week together - safety, fun, open hearts to God's voice, a positive experience of the broader church family, and much much more!