(Sara)Girl's Night Out for Common Hope

Last night, a fantastic group of women came together for a Girl's Night Out fundraiser for Common Hope. Unlike the other fundraisers that team GuatemAll-In has done, this one was a little bit smaller and it was coordinated by me and a Best Buy co-worker who's part of a different Vision Team. Amy and I have been work friends for a few years, and were pleasantly surprised to find out that we're both working with Common Hope. Her team is headed to Guatemala in February, about a month before Team GuatemAll-In goes.

Amy came up with the great idea of co-hosting a dinner party at a terrific Minneapolis restaurant called Citizen Cafe. Citizen Cafe is is a neighborhood restaurant that prepares fresh food daily. Every item on their menu is prepared from scratch. And with a 52-person capacity, it was the perfect spot for Amy and I to bring together our friends for an evening of girl talk, networking and great food!

We had a terrific turnout - including Jodi, Julie and Amanda - which was really gratifying.  Friends from all over the city and as far away as Waseca (hi, Ann!) mixed and mingled, helping raise funds for Amy and me to contribute to our Vision Teams. 

As a way to get the conversation going for the evening, Amy and I asked our friends to answer three questions: Where do you like to shop? What's your favorite restaurant?  Can you recommend a bottle of wine that's $15 or less?  We pulled the answers together and gave them to each of the attendees.  I'm definitely going to toss the "Drink This" card in my purse for handy reference the next time I'm staring down an aisle full of wine bottles at the wine shop! 

(Sara) The Heart of the Hope

This morning, I was tasked with heading over to the Common Hope offices to pick up textiles, artifacts and pictures that our team can use to stage our educational lounge area at the Best Buy Hidden Talents Art Show & Auction. We're lucky enough to be included in one of the most iconic events at Best Buy's headquarters; auction winners have the option to choose that their donation go toward our Common Hope trip.

The Common Hope offices are located in one of the warehouse districts of St. Paul; not exactly what I was expecting! Situated behind a large warehouse, up three flights of wooden steps and through a beige hallway, I entered their headquarters. It doesn't necessarily look like much...tan cubicles, just like any other office. But it practically radiates with warmth - due entirely to the fantastic people who work there. The receptionist greeted me enthusiastically by name. Our team coordinator, Brianna, introduced me to everyone who walked by us in the storage room - and each of them shook my hand, again enthusiastically.

I walked out of the Common Hope offices with two armloads of beautiful items direct from Guatemala; pieces that I know will help inspire the Hidden Talents Art Show winners to consider Common Hope as the recipient of their donations. Even more, I walked out with an appreciation of all the people who work tirelessly on behalf of this organization, day in and day out all year long. They really are the heart of the hope that is fueling change in Guatemala.

(Sara) Major Milestone Hit!

As our fundraising efforts have increased over the past few weeks, with Give to the Max Day and our Chili Cook-Off, it's been so gratifying to watch that needle move on our donation tracker. Our fundraising goal is $20,000, and today we exceeded the halfway mark!

The team has worked hard to educate friends, family and co-workers on the mission of Common Hope and the work we're going to do for them. We're so lucky to have the support of so many people in our lives. Everyone works hard to earn their money, and I don't take for granted a single donation. Every dollar really does make a difference...$20,000, here we come!

(Sara) Knocking Out Poverty

As Jodi mentioned, our first official fundraising effort felt like a success. We raised a few bucks, got to bond a little as a Vision Team, and (for most of us) were exposed to a new, interesting sport: boxing!

From the owners and staff to the patrons, everyone at the Uppercut Gym was so nice.

Ben and Amanda practice sparring, in the name of fundraising.

Fighters of all ages participated in this event. Everyone really came out swinging hard!

The female fighters put on a great match - they were so fast in the ring, I couldn't get an action shot.

(From L-R) Ben, Sara, Jodi, Amanda, Mark & Andy pose with a young fighter.

Fundraising and boxing aside, I really enjoyed the opportunity to see one of our Vision Team members in his "element." Andy is an instructor at the Uppercut Gym, and it was interesting to see him in a different light than as co-worker at the office. I hope to see other sides of the rest of our team, too, over the coming months.

(Sara) Oh, The Possibilities

Last week, my husband and I each applied for our very first passport. That might not be a big deal to many people, but he and I were so excited. Neither one of us grew up in families where travel was a regular thing. Unless you count road trips to Nebraska. (Which I don't. )

I've been to Mexico, Canada and Jamaica - but at the time of my travel, a passport was not required. Now, though, one needs a passport to go pretty much anywhere outside the borders of our country. And I couldn't be more grateful. Because this trip to Guatemala is the impetus for me to do something I've always wanted to...obtain a passport. I don't know if I'll become a serious traveler, but with a passport in hand the the possibility is at least there.

One of the biggest reasons I want to go on this trip to Guatemala is to get a new perspective on what is real, what is necessary in life. I know there's no better way to open up one's mind than to travel. I'm equal parts excited and worried that this trip to Guatemala will change my life. Change it in a way that I won't be able to slip back into the life I lead right now. Oh, the possibilities...

(Sara) - Common Hope Kick Off

Today our Vision Team got together with our Common Hope coordinator, Brianna. I think it was exactly what we needed to get us mobilized after the initial excitement of being chosen to go to Guatemala on this mission trip. You know how it goes - summer wound down and then there was Labor Day...time passed and it was definitely time to "get the band back together" (as my teammate Julie would say).

We spent an hour learning more about Common Hope and how the organization operates to improve life for the citizens of Guatemala. I learned a lot in those 60 minutes:

Guatemala is a country whose land is half the size of Minnesota

There are 14 million people crammed into that space; by comparison we have about 5 million people in MN. Wow.

Guatemala endured a 36-year civil war that just ended in 1996.

The legal age to begin working full time in Guatemala is 12. WOW.

I can't help but think what I was doing at the age of 12...I was in 7th grade and my time was consumed by homework, talking on the phone with my friends, after-school sports, and creating choreographed dance routines in my bedroom to C+C Music Factory songs. You know - being a normal kid. Well, normal by American standards. This trip is definitely going to recalibrate my standards for normal.