tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52438751215035974452024-02-19T00:13:41.554-08:00Sweetheart BallJewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-5440738905815305522014-02-14T15:14:00.000-08:002014-01-22T07:46:13.891-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIromZIRLCzc2OAKMS_eVBPCy5-XZL70X9dY4M-z_1LJl2Kpy8u3vyprhpXvQHUfgDRworOsR7CzjC_ifcSm-Ftxk7Q2F9829xyNdlCdCJdsuTQGbR_2E0X-V_YS2UV45LBwb16EvK64/s1600/FB+flier+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIromZIRLCzc2OAKMS_eVBPCy5-XZL70X9dY4M-z_1LJl2Kpy8u3vyprhpXvQHUfgDRworOsR7CzjC_ifcSm-Ftxk7Q2F9829xyNdlCdCJdsuTQGbR_2E0X-V_YS2UV45LBwb16EvK64/s1600/FB+flier+2.jpg" height="400" width="261" /></a></div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-65179987383932248822014-02-14T15:12:00.000-08:002013-08-06T13:10:53.347-07:00Sweetheart Ball 2014<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hi! Our names are Sierra, Wesley and Sabrina Allen. Thanks for stopping by! Sierra is a high school senior, Wesley is a sophomore and Sabrina is in 8th grade.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">l-r: Sabrina, Wesley and Sierra at the 2013 Sweetheart Ball</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You are invited to sponsor and/or attend the 3rd annual </span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sweetheart Ball</b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> on Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Tooele, Utah. We are organizing this fun dinner and dance as a fundraiser so Sierra and Wesley can go on a Rotary Mexico service trip and so Sabrina can go to Washington DC with her school.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The </span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sweetheart Ball</b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> was a great event in 2013 and we expect it to be even better in 2014. We'll be holding it at the beautiful Community Learning Center in Tooele. It will generate a lot of interest on Social Media like Facebook as well as on our event blog, and provide great exposure to our generous sponsors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Can we count on your support in helping those less-fortunate in Mexico, and helping a youth get an educational experience in the nation's capital, while also having a grand time at the Sweetheart Ball? Thank you in advance!</span>Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-8636900755414876152013-07-05T15:36:00.002-07:002013-07-05T15:52:30.566-07:00Mexico Service Trip<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMs4HGQCmz1LQOVzn2JmXsMXJHFg3YA5HM3388nUFhKp_0wg_NUaB9CtSsf-wA9lkksrpZhqfH9qtaVm10Z4sxZNrj3pNaqP6oDDTd4HY7cFapy6zRBKaOvKhFP2C0_oG_sBupDn_1Cvg/s1600/Mexico+photo+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMs4HGQCmz1LQOVzn2JmXsMXJHFg3YA5HM3388nUFhKp_0wg_NUaB9CtSsf-wA9lkksrpZhqfH9qtaVm10Z4sxZNrj3pNaqP6oDDTd4HY7cFapy6zRBKaOvKhFP2C0_oG_sBupDn_1Cvg/s320/Mexico+photo+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2013 Mexico service trip crew</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some e-mails from Rotary leader Brad Barber during the 2013 service trip:</span></div>
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June 9</span><br />
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<i>Have time for a quick email to let you know we're here, safe and ready to get to work. I'll try to email when I can but wifi is spotty. Just wanted you to know all is well!</i></span><br />
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June 11</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<i>Sorry for the limited notices. Wif is sporadic at best.</i></span><br />
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<i>Two fantastic days of hard work and some fun, too. We're staying on track and reaching our goals. The walls are up and ready for roof tomorrow. Sheves are built and ready to install at the schools. Playground equipment has been delivered and ready to install at the Rotary school.</i></span><br />
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<i>All is well and the youth are doing a great job!</i></span><br />
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<i>Thanks for letting them come and make a difference!</i></span><br />
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June 12</span><br />
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<i>Another hard, hot day at the site. It's been running about 103 to 105 each day. We're on track and a little ahead of what we had hoped to accomplish by the end of the third day. The room is ready for shingles and the interior walls to be framed and then we have completed what we came for. Bookshelves installed at two schools and a set of monkey bars at one school.</i></span><br />
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<i>Tomorrow we'll complete the house and have our interaction and presentation at the schools. Then a big fiesta dinner at Mar Blue on the beach.</i></span><br />
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<i>All is well and the kids are NOT excited about being done and coming home...for what it's worth. ;))</i></span></div>
Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-60325410891967688062013-02-14T08:40:00.000-08:002013-02-02T07:36:09.018-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Looking for a fun date on Valentine's Day?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Come to the Sweetheart Ball!</span><br />
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Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-24358100280190554022013-02-01T01:52:00.002-08:002013-02-01T01:52:33.372-08:00Fun Date #15<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/anthonysmainstreetgrill?fref=ts">Anthony's Main Street Grill</a>Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-82579197346001641882013-02-01T01:40:00.003-08:002013-02-01T01:40:56.159-08:00Fun Date #14<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGV62DFJekwQI2jGTx4DJxs4Qi8_coEf1MCLSMp4TnKEhhOy5FBRE89Bii27JNatBeHhpIWBh2FbDcBh6KiOOCbvT_VaVl1BSwy8ExZTwT3erN0J_8jJANzh2wI6pCLF2t87ABhTFf70/s1600/Fun+Date+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGV62DFJekwQI2jGTx4DJxs4Qi8_coEf1MCLSMp4TnKEhhOy5FBRE89Bii27JNatBeHhpIWBh2FbDcBh6KiOOCbvT_VaVl1BSwy8ExZTwT3erN0J_8jJANzh2wI6pCLF2t87ABhTFf70/s400/Fun+Date+14.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.richardsroundup.com/">Richard's Roundup BBQ</a></div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-34564621813880176202013-02-01T01:39:00.000-08:002013-02-01T01:41:42.426-08:00Fun Date #13<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnAW1swhnPtLeQuOveRWo_4ZOCJJgsrrIufySCsdyGmGSXrH03CvXFn0pxPx18el4BcJEU5Qkhoux-MbJCsY0B9yhgMeQ-TsmykMrXdxyzwd5pV8VYPzv08KfHLxgnUO49uPoNtJHxIg/s1600/Fun+Date+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnAW1swhnPtLeQuOveRWo_4ZOCJJgsrrIufySCsdyGmGSXrH03CvXFn0pxPx18el4BcJEU5Qkhoux-MbJCsY0B9yhgMeQ-TsmykMrXdxyzwd5pV8VYPzv08KfHLxgnUO49uPoNtJHxIg/s400/Fun+Date+13.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-tooele-utah-UT161">Comfort Inn & Suites, Lakepoint</a>Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-56096220585185644922013-02-01T01:35:00.000-08:002013-02-01T01:35:24.463-08:00Fun Date #12<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.hunanvillageut.com/">Hunan Village, Tooele</a>Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-33453520523867065212013-02-01T01:33:00.004-08:002013-02-01T01:33:51.713-08:00Fun Date #11<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJDxml3Ta3n1dGhim5rM-Xq61pEhdsA-zS310THK-_yMvV1dkoPt5d0LYNNQeorEcgX6akCQV6XWb3Nk2CK0ZsqQ6UUwECxLDhOvtyPmMfnnMMA18gxVx5tCqPl6bj-b3ENEMUNjL58s/s1600/Fun+Date+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJDxml3Ta3n1dGhim5rM-Xq61pEhdsA-zS310THK-_yMvV1dkoPt5d0LYNNQeorEcgX6akCQV6XWb3Nk2CK0ZsqQ6UUwECxLDhOvtyPmMfnnMMA18gxVx5tCqPl6bj-b3ENEMUNjL58s/s400/Fun+Date+11.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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Iso Vernon, professional guide & horse trainer</div>
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Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-50543818013052478272013-02-01T01:29:00.000-08:002013-02-01T01:29:03.134-08:00Fun Date #10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fred Carter, 40-year sailing veteran</div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-40232528484625016852013-02-01T01:27:00.002-08:002013-02-01T01:29:38.648-08:00Fun Date #9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.redbanjopizza.com/">Red Banjo Pizza, Park City</a></div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-92055725578735549222013-02-01T01:26:00.000-08:002013-02-01T01:29:50.017-08:00Fun Date #8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bruce & Marge Parker</div>
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<a href="http://www.fgmotel.com/">Brownings Motel & Cafe, Flaming Gorge</a></div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-14700574507905210152013-02-01T01:21:00.001-08:002013-02-01T01:30:09.522-08:00Fun Date #7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr2yMMan2mj70zNEgTkvPrseE03-HwMYw55Lfx6Xc21J9ghWOMv386tvbGw89uLKJxorfpkKJ670D9-gCDpnZYmrNT_AjHMQTtXcjRQmHVorOyyrBG4j0BnzSC4QyqLk37VbgW-INCkc/s1600/Fun+Date+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr2yMMan2mj70zNEgTkvPrseE03-HwMYw55Lfx6Xc21J9ghWOMv386tvbGw89uLKJxorfpkKJ670D9-gCDpnZYmrNT_AjHMQTtXcjRQmHVorOyyrBG4j0BnzSC4QyqLk37VbgW-INCkc/s400/Fun+Date+7.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.osf.com/">The Old Spaghetti Factory</a></div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-45056053585846333152013-02-01T01:19:00.001-08:002013-02-01T01:30:19.258-08:00Fun Date #6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUWt08sIgbTmBGnjEHufff7eLsbSHZwB055-0Uf-UTEwqg04AoMSn2vmKoV8u7OslpOnt4YeT1MNXCC5c8Fi_D3Cmgz1_ocy_UT8FVHLhr7OFOAEm4f0352Pdkt1OGr7NAVYm-RSrtqM/s1600/Fun+Date+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUWt08sIgbTmBGnjEHufff7eLsbSHZwB055-0Uf-UTEwqg04AoMSn2vmKoV8u7OslpOnt4YeT1MNXCC5c8Fi_D3Cmgz1_ocy_UT8FVHLhr7OFOAEm4f0352Pdkt1OGr7NAVYm-RSrtqM/s400/Fun+Date+6.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rio-Grande-Cafe/153057384713981">Rio Grande</a></div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-71004388441861495182013-02-01T01:18:00.002-08:002013-02-01T01:30:51.467-08:00Fun Date #5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAIjaEKPSex4JSUuhHVfIWFZ2R7bdAa1K7HotsX0oPwqsrq71iBXroxQrj4KPz8jYU6b5upP6AFw7jL6j-U6q_bC3Ritz05SQmuEB-otF74NSiE6IRdOZ0oZZmcpsGpY2VQ6iE7YXD-E/s1600/Fun+Date+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAIjaEKPSex4JSUuhHVfIWFZ2R7bdAa1K7HotsX0oPwqsrq71iBXroxQrj4KPz8jYU6b5upP6AFw7jL6j-U6q_bC3Ritz05SQmuEB-otF74NSiE6IRdOZ0oZZmcpsGpY2VQ6iE7YXD-E/s400/Fun+Date+5.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ticaboo.com/">Ticaboo Resort</a></div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-52997936472355234072013-02-01T01:02:00.003-08:002013-02-01T01:30:56.782-08:00Fun Date #4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiD7Tg6yeL-wpTNSfWEzO_kBVPk-Owqs3dkGMeiMCyALuGVX_RSyHK7RY3fuIuh7I0Bu2ht9stsJMyWerbFatTouPIZVdu5Cji6Fgj_FKSRPRzfQiGbJ7PCyEUIyetqtjxKQm-chZ8Yw/s1600/Fun+Date+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiD7Tg6yeL-wpTNSfWEzO_kBVPk-Owqs3dkGMeiMCyALuGVX_RSyHK7RY3fuIuh7I0Bu2ht9stsJMyWerbFatTouPIZVdu5Cji6Fgj_FKSRPRzfQiGbJ7PCyEUIyetqtjxKQm-chZ8Yw/s400/Fun+Date+4.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Casa-Del-Rey/199532786737235">Casa del Rey - on Facebook</a></div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-70593546145265324112013-02-01T01:02:00.000-08:002013-02-01T01:31:22.404-08:00Fun Date #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeoSIyYtyds2JQVVyiUYpTMAhqsBkN0wplQMiQ4dl-PekbYO0FPKeORuifptKJdo5haswU_bJKUir8afAQBC1XFanKD77mTEPfPfEk5Z8Gh09pn78bVYPY8wgKjkmyl5mA4Fp3qWNDjg/s1600/Fun+Date+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeoSIyYtyds2JQVVyiUYpTMAhqsBkN0wplQMiQ4dl-PekbYO0FPKeORuifptKJdo5haswU_bJKUir8afAQBC1XFanKD77mTEPfPfEk5Z8Gh09pn78bVYPY8wgKjkmyl5mA4Fp3qWNDjg/s400/Fun+Date+3.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/boidt-springhill-suites-boise-parkcenter/">Springhill Suites, Boise</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.murphysboise.com/">Murphy's Seafood & Steakhouse, Boise</a></div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-4664916660516219302013-02-01T00:59:00.000-08:002013-02-01T01:31:43.317-08:00Fun Date #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxTi16rE0uQepqepGmpP9Ozgncg2_eDbamGA1WTY-cyO73Zo2NjL5LnHnlOmgDtb7mFShFHDG-AvB3llTNs7OK4YY6II2rg51PoR0j0zWLZ7nMo3lt4TCxWIvuH1-KD8mnd9-Fwb3fQE/s1600/Fun+Date+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxTi16rE0uQepqepGmpP9Ozgncg2_eDbamGA1WTY-cyO73Zo2NjL5LnHnlOmgDtb7mFShFHDG-AvB3llTNs7OK4YY6II2rg51PoR0j0zWLZ7nMo3lt4TCxWIvuH1-KD8mnd9-Fwb3fQE/s400/Fun+Date+2.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/boicy-courtyard-boise-downtown/">Courtyard Marriott, Boise</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.boisefrycompany.com/">Boise Fry Co.</a></div>
<br />Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-40658345458546467082013-01-31T20:56:00.001-08:002013-02-01T01:31:32.398-08:00Fun Date #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTOH5jlZTtkakMtW3MOENPBaEBJVoOU8giwq2-s0iXQdF0XLpeDuUUowfuzDCDaYBPEmKkt4xjwE5pzgtPN27Tni01rd8A1_a2mrvF3id1nAG2jGpEwNm3qIC3cOn32xEFlK8YGtrJ7Q/s1600/Fun+Date+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTOH5jlZTtkakMtW3MOENPBaEBJVoOU8giwq2-s0iXQdF0XLpeDuUUowfuzDCDaYBPEmKkt4xjwE5pzgtPN27Tni01rd8A1_a2mrvF3id1nAG2jGpEwNm3qIC3cOn32xEFlK8YGtrJ7Q/s400/Fun+Date+1.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.redcliffslodge.com/">Red Cliffs Lodge</a><br />
<a href="http://www.themoabbrewery.com/">The Moab Brewery</a></div>
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Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-5326634561271156792012-02-06T06:26:00.000-08:002012-02-06T21:51:48.660-08:00Sweetheart Ball Recap“Always dream big. You can make it happen.” – Sarah Burke<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Z2GbY2-SpB7uqLyCjjyGt3t2HqrrBXEoc7Vhz3ZzJr6Pr0lCxP_O2mBW4B1ZnIWXAQL2zejN7Zrp4PlKb08GITWGB_B85PlkLaUnAGG_SoaEsegsC0cU4z9NIiVNRzP97tXO9FR1vKs/s1600/Blog+header.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 130px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706095916179199602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Z2GbY2-SpB7uqLyCjjyGt3t2HqrrBXEoc7Vhz3ZzJr6Pr0lCxP_O2mBW4B1ZnIWXAQL2zejN7Zrp4PlKb08GITWGB_B85PlkLaUnAGG_SoaEsegsC0cU4z9NIiVNRzP97tXO9FR1vKs/s320/Blog+header.png" /></a><br />by Jewel Allen<br /><br />On about four hours of sleep, I got up on Feb. 4 bleary-eyed. It was a little stressful to have a full morning, then go to our youngest’s Junior Jazz game, and finally, tie up any loose ends before the Sweetheart Ball. But we managed.<br /><br />At four o’clock p.m., we arrived at the museum where the DJ was already waiting. Our museum contact opened the doors, and we got to work.<br /><br />While setting up the silent auction items, I realized I hadn’t printed three of the bid sheets. That’s what happens when you print things at three a.m. I rushed home, leaving my husband to be in charge. When I returned, crossing my fingers I hadn’t forgotten anything else, the tables were already dressed up with black triangle cloths on white linen, the pinwheel posies were set up, and the table numbers on. Very classy.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSRrruLLnOwihC9Tqko-WIZLD0Y2yssE_5D4nq2-4j2zykn2W3IgFpKGb7ExsKH7rLW47HplGz55Xdq-nXD6wzu1R1c_7KQrQXS1INMh61OI892jGSUohIVWAfD4pe1Z7fZGmbmF4e7U/s1600/table+setting.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706042979701382178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSRrruLLnOwihC9Tqko-WIZLD0Y2yssE_5D4nq2-4j2zykn2W3IgFpKGb7ExsKH7rLW47HplGz55Xdq-nXD6wzu1R1c_7KQrQXS1INMh61OI892jGSUohIVWAfD4pe1Z7fZGmbmF4e7U/s320/table+setting.jpg" /></a><br />I had the kids blow up red balloons for the dance floor, which was a fun suggestion by a neighbor. The food was set up and the photo backdrops were ready. Bring on the guests!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnH_X6axMDwM1WIcJ3ZPbUr5Ixh_24VN2Abepw327wgOW_ogS6pTEMvddrQWJnymfSbe2igY9UenuPChbf3wcFSL1AQgRtrYWrEHv640kI4jdRmw8aJnnZhG2Rpyto_e8ZQlo0hoCjGM/s1600/Welcome+to+the+Ball.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706046258321917714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnH_X6axMDwM1WIcJ3ZPbUr5Ixh_24VN2Abepw327wgOW_ogS6pTEMvddrQWJnymfSbe2igY9UenuPChbf3wcFSL1AQgRtrYWrEHv640kI4jdRmw8aJnnZhG2Rpyto_e8ZQlo0hoCjGM/s320/Welcome+to+the+Ball.jpg" /></a><br />After a little trickle, most people arrived a few minutes after six. Some dressed in jaw-dropping, glittering finery, some in simpler dresses, some in jeans, but all looked wonderful and ready for a good time. Many of them browsed through the museum and the silent auction, and then had their photos taken by our amazing friend Colleen Walch, who really should open her own photo studio, she’s that good.<br /><br />Instead of having people dish up by table, we just had them get up when they were ready, and that seemed to work well. I loved having a buffet line. People could get what they want, and their food was steaming hot when they were ready to eat. Ultimate Catering prepared a savory beef roast that was wonderfully tender, whipped flavorful potatoes, candied carrots, a baby spinach salad and cheesecake. Natalie Ashby, a talented neighbor, serenaded us on the violin.<br /><br />Partway through dinner, Wesley stood up and announced the sponsors. Over the last few years, Wesley has not only grown physically, but also has matured socially. In the past, he would have been petrified and maybe refused to do the honors. But maybe with student government experience and after having to sell tickets and ask sponsors for donations the last couple months, he’s really shed a lot of his shyness. I sat there, with heart bursting with pride over a wonderful boy who proved that “If there’s a will, there’s a way.”<br /><br />We closed the “Fun Dates” silent auction at 7:30. Some of the most popular items were the dinner & movie packages, the getaways, horse trail ride and the day sail on the Great Salt Lake. As expected, some people hung out by their last bids, looking ready to tackle someone. I’m happy to report there were no serious injuries.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpwoI0DtdKUVBu5NAM7fbOpxPo0Ru1SQ_ZS3nB9a9x9cc19MeBB1LFEgj7JQ0fumNFN6dybmrwxt55aMkT0hejSoQF76593ERCGAnuUYfJ3tNIzarKvQT092b-iar3_2b-_t9yebeQ4o/s1600/Silent+Auction.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706147641619079394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpwoI0DtdKUVBu5NAM7fbOpxPo0Ru1SQ_ZS3nB9a9x9cc19MeBB1LFEgj7JQ0fumNFN6dybmrwxt55aMkT0hejSoQF76593ERCGAnuUYfJ3tNIzarKvQT092b-iar3_2b-_t9yebeQ4o/s320/Silent+Auction.jpg" /></a><br />Finally, it was time for dancing. Unfortunately, we could only turn off half of the lights – there were only two switches for the entire building – but no matter, I pulled Drew onto the dance floor to start the dancing officially.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZawc4Xger0t08q9jC40hYicGoKBZU5FTK6JjScJou-nNPkZR7mwPRYV0VyvnIOg3b74wsmA_KsLXaGY-ixUC6eXYDdcFwY57raBI03FLjjgK-s5NhyphenhyphenPLCe10AeKeZaogTSei1h8rzR3E/s1600/IMG_4484.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZawc4Xger0t08q9jC40hYicGoKBZU5FTK6JjScJou-nNPkZR7mwPRYV0VyvnIOg3b74wsmA_KsLXaGY-ixUC6eXYDdcFwY57raBI03FLjjgK-s5NhyphenhyphenPLCe10AeKeZaogTSei1h8rzR3E/s320/IMG_4484.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706267170683530562" /></a><br />Some of the popular dances were the line dances. It was fun to see normally reserved couples dancing with goofy abandon. We kicked the balloons up in the air, and laughed during YMCA (Which I finally nailed! After all these years!), made friends, went back for more cheesecake and refreshing lemon water.<br /><br />Our deejay, who used to be a breakdancer, treated us to a dance to Michael Jackson’s “Beat it”. His 16 year old daughter convinced Wesley to dance to “Tonight”, to cheers from the audience.<br /><br />All in all, a fabulous night! Thanks to everyone; seriously, we couldn’t have done it without you.<br /><br />P.S. Some people joked, “Hey, maybe your son could go to DC again next year, so we could do this again.” Also, my daughter seemed amazed at the glamorous evening (come to think of it, she’d never really attended any of my fundraisers before), and said maybe it’d be fun to put on a similar fundraiser for a trip she wants to do next year.<br /><br />I put my fingers in my ears and said, “I can’t hear you!” Okay, not really. I smiled and said, ha ha, we’ll have to see. And yes, we’ll have to see. Right now I’m just glad the event is finally over. No more pinwheels and name cards and three o’clock a.m. bedtimes for a while.<br /><br />But hey, I’m always up for a fun party.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click </span><a href="http://sweetheart-ball.blogspot.com/2012/02/story-behind-sweetheart-ball.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">HERE</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> for the story behind the Sweetheart Ball.</span></div>Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-3711958861279163842012-02-06T06:20:00.000-08:002012-02-06T14:20:54.160-08:00Story behind the Sweetheart Ball<strong>Reality Check</strong><br /><br />When my son Wesley decided this past November he wanted to go to Washington DC in June with his 8th grade class, part of our reality-check discussion was that we were very supportive of him, but he would have to raise the money. We had four months from sign-up until end of March to raise $2000.<br /><br />There are the conventional ways in life to do a fundraiser, when you are a 14 year old kid. Car washes. Lawn mowing. Bake sales. So Wesley, who is in student government and who once said he wanted to run for office because the campaigning looked like fun, thought up unique ways to raise money.<br /><br />I helped him make a Handyman service flier which got him some babysitting, yard work, and odd jobs, but they were few and far between. (I have to say though, I am amazed at and grateful for the generosity of our neighbors who have hired him and continue to hire him to do jobs.) He thought up a weekly wacky short story subscription. Bless his heart, it was certainly unique and his stories were very funny, but it didn’t take off as big as he’d hoped.<br /><br />It was time to think of a Big Idea. A fundraiser that we could put on between Thanksgiving, a busy Christmas, the doldrums of January, and before sports started getting busy again. So I said, how about a dinner & dance in February? I’ve always helped other causes, why not use my special event know-how to help my son?<br /><br />For the last two decades, I’ve been involved in fundraising, mostly as volunteer, sometimes as paid staff. Telethons, door to door, special events, triathlons. Most people hate asking people for donations, but I thrive in it. As in, I like giving people the opportunity to put their money and time behind a cause we both believe in. Does that sound fakey? Well, it’s not. I would never, for instance, do fundraisers for a cause I don’t believe in, even if you paid me a million dollars because it would not sit well on my conscience.<br /><br />Wesley liked the idea of a dinner & dance. Since I am from the Philippines, I suggested a Philippine fiesta, but after some thought, we decided it would have too narrow of an appeal. So we decided to do a couples dinner & dance, The Sweetheart Ball. It would have things I personally would want in a couples event: semi-formal attire, a string serenade, a keepsake photo, a nice sit-down dinner, and a DJ’d dance. (I’ve always loved dancing, since I almost won a freeze-dance contest against my uncle in second grade. In college, I put on student dances as a student spouse and was almost elected to office because of it.)<br /><br />We picked a February day, one that didn’t have school/church dances scheduled so that we could have Wesley, his sister and a couple of their friends help. I lined up Ultimate Catering, whom I’ve worked with before on events and who’s always done a fabulous job. I happened to meet Anthony Johnson of Magic Mimer Entertainment at a Christmas party and was able to book him to DJ. We looked at doing the Ball at the schools, but were told we would have to take out event insurance which would come to the hundreds. Finally, we zoned in on the Utah Fire Museum. Luckily, they agreed to host us in exchange for a nominal fee, and the event was on.<br /><br /><strong>If you don’t ask…<br /><br /></strong>One of the things we wanted to include was a silent auction. I’ve learned over the years that silent auctions are a good way to raise extra income with a captive audience who understandably (though not ideally) is looking for a bargain.<br /><br />A few Sweetheart Ball guests seemed really surprised that Wesley was able to get a lot of big getaway packages donated for the silent auction. “What, did he call them on the phone?” someone asked. “Yeah,” I said. “But most of them, he actually went into the business to ask them personally.”<br /><br />I remember the first time he did this. We were in Cedar City the third week of December for a basketball invitational. Between my daughter’s basketball games, I took Wesley down to ask two restaurants, a hotel and a B&B for donations. The first restaurant said yes. Wesley looked so floored and grateful, it was cute. The hotel said they would get back to us, but was very encouraging. The second restaurant said no. The B&B said she would mail the certificate.<br /><br />All in all, we had a good response rate. Many businesses liked the thought of being promoted to our audience. But many also just wanted to help out a 14 year old who was hustling for sponsorship. One business even said, “Nobody ever asks us to help. Sure, we’d love to.” That response really surprised me. My family soon knew that after we ate dinner at a restaurant, I would whip out a flier asking them to donate a dinner for two.<br /><br /><strong>Pull on your bootstraps<br /></strong><br />To show how optimistic we were about how successful this thing was going to be, the first thing I did was to design 200 tickets (the maximum guests we could have in the space), and have them printed. I even worried that if we got 200 tickets sold, how were we going to fit everyone in the space without having to push tables back for the dance?<br /><br />I made fliers, posters, ads, a Facebook event page, cute little teaser FB photos, and then we waited for the phone to ring. Many people said, it sounded really good, but it was too pricey. They had something else that night. They didn’t like to dance. They were on a diet (nobody really said this, but I half-expected it, it was getting a bit discouraging).<br /><br />Three weeks before the RSVP deadline, I told Wesley to pull on his bootstraps. It was time for him to pound the pavement. Wesley was nervous, but he has a good enough head on his shoulders to recognize when he needed to put in some sweat equity. He went around our neighborhood. He emailed friends and family. We mailed invitations and he followed up. Some said to come back and he did. Some people said they couldn’t come but they would buy tickets anyway. Some people who couldn’t come donated instead. A few responded from the ads. I’m sure he felt like he talked to a gazillion people for a handful of yeses.<br /><br />One miserably cold day, after being shredded by hurricane-force winds, he asked if he had to keep going around selling tickets. I looked in his eyes and recognized that worn-out expression. I almost didn’t want to keep doing this as much as he did. But I knew we needed to keep the faith. “Just a few more,” I cajoled. He squared his shoulders and did just that.<br /><br />He might not have enjoyed those days, but maybe he’ll remember them when he is on an LDS church mission someday, going door to door, and doing “just a few more” for maybe another yes. In all, he sold 80 tickets, which I think is a good number for a first-time event during hard economic times, and a perfect number for logistics.<br /><br />Wesley helped as much as his schedule allowed. For a kid with instrument practice, church, scouts and homework, it was tough to find time. But he helped when he could, making pinwheels, cutting out name cards, doing what needed to be done. The family also pitched in generously. Finally, finally, February 4 was here.<br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click <a href="http://sweetheart-ball.blogspot.com/2012/02/sweetheart-ball-recap.html">HERE</a> for play-by-play account of the Sweetheart Ball.</span></div>Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-67447452539917188762012-02-05T07:57:00.001-08:002012-02-05T08:02:13.856-08:00Oh what a Night!Great success! Thanks to everyone for supporting Wesley, and for making the Sweetheart Ball an amazing night.<div><br /></div><div>Just a quick note with highlights: yummy Savory Roast dinner topped with cheesecake, fun bidding war on silent auction items, line dancing, crazy dancing, romantic dancing, beautiful couples decked out in their best. The museum was just perfect for all this.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2292670615832.87630.1821048214&type=3&l=13d678267b">HERE</a> for our Facebook photo album. More recap to follow.</div></div>Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-77301172850507915732012-02-02T07:10:00.000-08:002012-10-08T07:12:27.376-07:002012 "Fun Dates" Silent AuctionHere's a sampling of the 2012 "Fun Dates":<br />
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Casa del Rey & Movie<br />
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Costa Vida & Movie<br />
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Custom Cake by Stefanie Orgill<br />
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Day Sail<br />
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Maverik gas cards<br />
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Red Robin & Movie<br />
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Trail RideJewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-62097674750086288962012-02-01T07:04:00.000-08:002012-10-08T07:05:18.061-07:00St. George Getaway<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">One Night's Stay in </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://ahbella.com/">Ah Bella</a></span><span style="font-size: large;">, St. George</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Honeymoon Suite, Full breakfast</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Value: $99</span></div>
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Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5243875121503597445.post-48525993530631622372012-02-01T07:03:00.000-08:002012-10-08T07:04:22.914-07:00Maverik Gas Cards<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: large;">Three $40 Maverik gift cards</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Donated by </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grantsville Maverik</span></div>
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Jewel Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.com0