THE SUNSHINE NETWORK - RAISING CHILDREN'S SPIRITS

RAISING CHILDRENS SPIRITS............ONE BLANKET AT A TIME

DO YOU KNOW A CHILD WHO NEEDS THEIR SPIRITS LIFTED?
READ ON AND LEARN HOW I CAN HELP

The SUNSHINE NETWORK began providing blankets in 2002 and was formally founded in 2004 for the sole purpose of providing personalized custom blankets to children facing life-threatening illnesses. The Sunshine Network operates under Fed Tax ID. #91-6087183 with special permission from the Lind Lion's Club, Lind, WA.

Each blanket is uniquely created with the child's name, their favorite color and includes such things as their favorite pet, sport, or other areas of interests.

The blankets are provided in hopes of comforting each child by "raising their spirits" during their time of need and healing. They are manufactured on industrial knitting machines by USA Blanket & Scarf in NYC.

My goal is to provide as many blankets to as many children that needs their "Spirits Raised".

If you know of a child who has been diagnosed with a life-threatenting illness or is handicapped please contact me about a special "Sunshine" blanket designed just for them. There is no charge for the blanket.

HERE IS MY STORY OF HOW THE SUNSHINE NETWORK CAME TO BE:

ONE DAY IN THE FALL OF 2002 AS I SAT IN A MEETING I OVERHEARD SOME TEAM MEMBERS TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER EMPLOYEE FROM A DIFFERENT DIVISION WHO WAS DEALING WITH THE FEAR OF LOSING THEIR DAUGHTER WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA EARLIER THAT YEAR. I HEARD HER NAME WAS SAMANTHA WHO WAS NICKNAMED "SUNSHINE SAMMIE" BECAUSE OF HER BRIGHT SMILE AND CHEERFUL ATTITUDE. THE STORY OF HER ILLNESS REALLY BOTHERED ME AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THAT I SHOULD DO SOMETHING FOR HER THAT MIGHT BRING A SMILE TO HER FACE OR BRING HER COMFORT IN SOME WAY. SO……I WENT HOME THAT NIGHT WITH A HEAVY HEART WONDERING WHAT I WOULD DO IF I HAD TO FACE THE SITUATION OF LOOSING ONE OF MY CHILDREN. IT WOULD BE UN-IMAGINABLE. AFTER A LOT OF THOUGHT, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A BLANKET MADE FOR THIS LITTLE GIRL SO I STARTED RESEARCHING THE INTERNET CHECKING OUT ALL THE BLANKET MANUFACTURERS IN THE WORLD. I SENT OUT EMAILS TO ABOUT 60 COMPANIES TELLING THEM SAMMIE’S STORY AND THAT I WOULD LIKE THEIR HELP IN CREATING A WARM BLANKET WITH SOMETHING SPECIAL WRITTEN ON IT THAT WOULD SOMEHOW OFFER THIS CHILD A LITTLE COMFORT. I ONLY RECEIVED ONE EMAIL BACK THAT OFFERED SUBSTANTIAL HOPE THAT I COULD MAKE THIS HAPPEN. IT WAS A BLANKET MANUFACTURE IN NEW YORK AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS SO MOVED BY THE STORY THAT HE WANTED TO HELP ME IN CREATING THIS BLANKET. SO.........WE DID!
TOGETHER WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO USE SAMANTHA’S NICKNAME “SUNSHINE SAMMIE” AND CREATE A SUNSHINE BLANKET ESPECIALLY FOR HER. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL BLANKET AND WAS GIVEN TO SAMMIE ONLY ONE MONTH BEFORE SHE LOST HER BATTLE WITH LEUKEMIA. I NEVER MET SUNSHINE SAMMIE BUT SHE LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK IN MY HEART. I FELT AS THOUGH MY MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND IT FELT GOOD TO GIVE BLANKET TO SOMEONE IN HOPES OR RAISING THEIR SPIRITS IN SOME SMALL WAY. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT MY MISSION WAS ONLY BEGINNING, AS I HAVE BEEN MAKING BLANKET’S EVER SINCE AND THE NEED IS STILL GROWING.I NOW KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WAS MEANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE.

I STARTED THIS NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION NAMED IN HONOR OF SUNSHINE SAMMIE OPERATING UNDER THE FED. TAX ID. OF THE LIND LIONS CLUB CALLED “THE SUNSHINE NETWORK” IN HOPES TO BENEFIT AS MANY OTHER CHILDREN AS POSSIBLE. THE REWARD HAS BEEN AMAZING AND I HAVE MET SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE.

SINCERELY,
REBECCA HENRICKS
THE SUNSHINE NETWORK
www.thesunshinenetwork.org
6812 PLAZA ST SE
OTHELLO WA 99344

(509) 346-1533 - PHONE
(509) 346=9669 - FAX
henricks@donobi.net

October 27, 2007 - Mark you calendars to attend this years Sunshine Network Halloween Harvest Party. In recognition of Make A Differene Day. Fun games, prizes, horserides, police car tour, tractor-pulled hay rides, auction, raffle and most importantly blanket presentations at 1:00p.m. Please join us as we continue to raise the spirits of children facing medical challenges. Click on Gallery/Party Flyer for party flyer for more information. Hope to see you there. Rebecca

April, 2007 - GREAT NEWS - THE SUNSHINE NETWORK was chosen as a national honoree for the 2006 Make a Difference Day event sponsored by USA Today/Paul Newman Foundation. This was quite an honor. We will continue to serve the children of our nation by raising their spirits...one blanket at a time.

October 28, 2006 - Wow, what a turnout at the Make a Difference Day event today. We estimated the crowd to be about 550 people and blankets were presented to some special children. There weren't many dry eyes once they hear about these children and then see the blankets. The Mayor of Moses Lake stopped by and said a few words about the importance of volunteering on this very special day. The ML Police Chief braved the cold weather and sat in our dunk tank to the delight of the children. I send out a big thank you to all 45 volunteers who gave of themselves for this event and are now dubbed "Sunshine Angels". The blankets are now added in the Sunshine blanket gallery.

September 5, 2006 - In recognition of 2006 National Make a Differenc Day, A Sunshine Party will take place on Saturday, October 28, 2006 at the Penhalluricks True Value parking lot, Moses Lake WA. Great food, great fun, Sunshine bags for all the children, blanket presentations to some special children, horse rides, tractor-pulled hay rides, live auction and much much more. Stay tuned to KDRM and local newspapers for event date and time. Please join me as I continue to Raise the Spirits of Children...One Blanket At A Time.

10/16/05 Well, the 4th annaul Pop's Punkin Patch Party was a huge success. I would like to personally thank Mary and Don, again, for hosting this community party to benefit the Sunshine Network. It brightens my heart to know that so many people of our community helped to put this event together. Mitch...your pancakes rule and I hope you cook again next year. Four blankets were presented today to some very special children and I am honored to have met them and truly hope that their special "Sunshine" blanket raised their spirits and those blankets are now posted in the blanket gallery. Please visit my website throughout the year to see new blankets as they are made. Again, I thank all of you volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this happen.

10/30/04 - A fundraiser was held in Moses Lake, WA at Pop's In and Out Drive-In at their 3rd annual Pop's Pumpkin Patch Party. Blankets were presented to two very special children and their blankets can be viewed in the "blanket gallery" by clicking that link on the home page. The community of Moses Lake truely came together and donated their time to make this a very special day for the children. Don and Mary; you two are the greatest.

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