Hello Friends

   As many of you already know, I have a special place in my heart for children who suffer with disabilities. Now that the elections are over I plan on spending more time trying to find ways to help our children have a better life. When I think about the amount of money that was spent on campaignes and other things like the war, I can't help but wonder how many children"s lives could have been made better had some of that money been spent differently. We need more research. More access to care and treatment and affordable healthcare for all of our children.

   The following is a message from a good friend who truly understands children with special needs. Here is an opportunity for you to save some money and also help some special kids at the same time. Please do what you can to help. Spread the word and do something special for some really special children.

Thank you, Bill. Boy, you've made my day!

Feel free to paste it everywhere you feel it will help. I appreciate it.

Here is the corrected blurb. Feel free to edit it if you need to:

As most of you know by now, my son, Christopher was born with a moderately severe clefting of the lip, gums and hard and soft palates. Sending him into surgery was the hardest thing I’ve done in my life, including the time that I almost left this world forever.

When Chris was about 3 ½, I found this support/informational group on the web called Wide Smiles (www.widesmiles.org). This non-profit organization, run by Joanne Green, herself an adoptive mother of three cleft-affected children, empowered me as my son’s advocate in such a way as to be immeasurable. Because of this, I volunteered to be their fund raising coordinator.

We have a fund raiser going on now that I want to introduce to you for two reasons. One; it will save you all money and two; it will help this organization out. Keep in mind that I am a VOLUNTEER fund raising coordinator, so I get nothing out of this.

The new fund raiser is Magic Kids. They sell children’s clothing from sizes infant to 16 Girls and 20 Boys: Gap, Baby Gap, Target’s, Sam’s Club, Gymboree are just some of the brands. These are sold at incredible discounts.

So, I thought I would pass this on. If you go to www.widesmiles.org and click on the Magic Kids logo, you can take advantage of this. Please use the code MK 28081 SM 123 (it is case sensitive so use caps) so that Wide Smiles will be able to benefit.

Thank you so much.

Debra Shiveley Welch

http://www.ryze.com/view.php?who=Merribuck

Debra-Author of "A Very Special Child"; co-author "Jesus Gandhi Oma Mae Adams"