The Angel Pin Fundraiser

ANGEL-PIN
FUNDRAISER

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December 1st to December 10th 2010.

This is a Berner Angel Pin.
It's the nicest bit of Berner stuff that you never want to get.
Angels come in many forms ~ there are:
Our sometimes angelic Berners who live with us now
Our very special Berner Angels at the Rainbow Bridge.
Karen Connors, who started the Angel Pin Project, sending Angel Pins and cards to people whose Berners go to the Bridge
Carol Ganz who has been lovingly, creating and printing all the beautiful Rainbow Bridge Cards that are sent out with each Pin.
Renee Jacquier who has been so kindly helping Karen mail out the cards and Angel pins for over 2 years now.

There have been many individuals who have been helping Karen with her Angel Pin project throughout this past 10 years plus. Each and every one of them are ALL Angels!

Karen Connor's first Berner, Britney Mae of Kokanell, died at age 6 years from malignant histiocytosis on July 1, 1999. Karen was devastated, but she found a way to give Britt a legacy so that she would be remembered. Karen found a small dog angel pin, and had a friend paint it so it looked like a Berner. She began mailing Berner Angel Pins in Britt's name to anyone that she knew who had a Berner die. When she started sending out these pins, she sent about 5 pins each month, but soon it grew so that now more than 60 pins are sent out each month to people all over the world. Karen paints the pins herself, and she and Renee Jacquier mail the pins and cards. In the past 2 years almost 2000 pins have been mailed.

When the package arrives with the Berner Angel Pin, it is a bittersweet time and most people cry tears of sorrow and tears of joy for the lives of the Berners they lost and the pin that represents the love they still have for their Berners at the Bridge. At any Berner gathering or specialty, you will spot many people proudly wearing their special Berner Angel Pins.

A lot of time and love goes into creating and sending each pin and this fundraiser is to help alleviate some of the costs associated with these cherished pins.

I maintain this Berner Angel Pin Fund because this caring project has grown so big that one person can't support it anymore. My fund is getting low so we need to replenish it so we can continue this beautiful tradition.

Tickets for the fundraiser cost:

1 for $3.00

4 for $10.00

10 for $20.00

40 for $50

Make your checks and cheques payable to:

Joye M. Neff and mail to me at:

Joye Neff
1182 Firwood Drive
Pittsburgh,
PA 15243-1881
joye.neff@gmail.com

My bank does not charge me a fee to convert foreign cheques to US dollars, so all of your money will support the Angel Pin Fund.

Fundraiser Challenge!

I just got a message from a Berner Lover Angel (Pat Tackett) who is sending $50 to the fundraiser and she told me to use the tickets as a challenge. SO.....the first 10 people who send in a check will get 4 extra tickets for the fundraiser!!

Thank you Pat!!

RESULTS!

The Angel Pin Fundraiser was a MINI-fundraiser. It was MINI in length of time and in the number of items in the fundraiser. However, it was MAXI in the amount of money we raised during these past fifteen days - $6,915.95!!

We had donations from 142 people during that short time with donations from 32 of the 50 states, 3 Canadian Provinces and three other countries!

Here are the donations by state and country:

Pennsylvania leads the pack with 12 donations, followed closely by California with 11 donations. There was a two way tie for third place with 9 donations each from New York and Washington, and a two way tie for fourth place with 8 donations each from Australia and Illinois. Thank you, Annie Bell, who promoted the Angel Pin Fundraiser in Australia with excellent results!

We were also fortunate to receive a most generous $2,000 donation from Italy. In 2006, the Società Italiana Bovaro del Bernese (SIBB) decided to honor and to preserve the memory of their club president, Alberto Vittone, among the Berner community. Alberto passed away in June 2006 at an early age and the club created an annual award to support studies and research concerning the health of the Bernese Mountain Dog, the breed that Alberto loved so much. Antonio Indrizzi, president of SIBB informed me this month that the Alberto Vittone Award was being given to the Angel Pin Fund and wired $2,000 to me for our fundraiser. We are most grateful to SIBB for their donation to our Angel Pin Fundrasiser. This very generous donation will help support the gift of Berner Angel Pins to those people whose Berner cross to The Rainbow Bridge. THANK YOU, Antonio, for helping to finance this caring project. We are honored to be the recipient of the 2010 Alberto Vittone Award.

Now to the information that you are all waiting for

~ 2010 ANGEL PIN FUNDRAISER WINNERS

#1 An "Angelic Clock" - it is chock full of beautiful Berners. Designed, made and donated by Pat and Ray Burgett www.goodbernerfood.com WINNER: NELL WARD
#2 Lladro "Angel Wondering" in glossy finish Donated by Sharon Hasenauer "In Memory of my almost 11 year old Berner Angel, Frenchie, who left us in July this year" Frenchie's Tribute Page WINNER: MICHELE DOMINY
#3 Lladro "Angel Thinking" in matte finish Donated by Sharon Hasenauer "In Memory of my almost 11 year old Berner Angel, Frenchie, who left us in July this year" Frenchie's Tribute Page WINNER: RENEE MERIAUX
#4 Flying "Bernese Mountain Dog Angel" by Vermont Artist, Stephen Huneck Approx. 8 x 6" Donated by Bill and Barbie Wilczek WINNER: RITA REINING
#5 Watercolor "Angel" Print by artist Cindi Lynch Framed 5 x 7 Donated by Renee Jacquier (Karen's Right Hand Angel who helps her mail out the pins and cards) <click here> for the framed pic. enlarged WINNER: CAROL STEPHENSON
#6 Berner with Angel Wings Pin (the photo doesn't do it justice, much nicer in person, there are sparkles in the wings) Donated by Renee Jacquier WINNER: CAROL STEPHENSON	<click to enlarge>
'#7 Angel car chimes that hang from rear view mirror Donated by Pat Tackett WINNER: CINDI FALCONE
#8 Angelic charm Donated by Pat Tackett WINNER: MARSHA SCHAUBLIN
#9 Whispers from Heaven™ Wind Chimes Every time the wind blows, these wind chimes play a soothing melody. A touching reminder that a loved one is at peace, while love and memories remain. Accompanied by a touching laminated poem: Donated by Pat Tackett The Winner will contact Pat and the wind chime will be personalized and sent to them. WINNER: JONI PAYNE
#10 2 "Angelic Scarves" Donated by Jackie Ingram In honor of Kenai who lost his fight with Histio on November 17th 2010 Kenai's Tribute Page WINNER: PAULA SEGALE WINNER: ROSE TIERNEY
#11 A set of 4 17oz. glass tumblers "Toast the sweet Berner Angels at the Rainbow Bridge." Hand Etched and Donated by Patti Finley http://www.etsy.com/shop/BMDmemories WINNER: BETSY SIMON
#12 A "heavenly" Berner Carving approx 11 x 3" It is on an antique kraut stomper Carved, painted and donated by Shirley Parkin In Memory of our beloved Echo, Bernie, Bailey, and Cleo Berners at the Bridge <click here> to enlarge the detail of this amazing carving even before it was painted! WINNER: SUSAN KOWITZ
#13 A Berner tiled serving tray 12" x 18" (This isn't the exact tray - the one ordered is going to be mahogany with the bmd tiles in it) Donated by Renee & Richard Jacquier In Loving Memory of our Berner Angel Mammoet who we lost in August Mammoet's Tribute Page WINNER: DEB POST
#14 "The Bernese Mountain Dog" by Diana Cochrane http://bernese.biz/bernershopdi.htm One of the earliest books about the breed and with always the hope for the long lived future of our Angelic Berners Donated by Jean Cheesman WINNER: ANNIE BELL
#15 The Bernese Mountain Dog a Dog of Destiny by Bernd Guenter Donated by Joye Neff WINNER: FRAN JONES
#16 The Bernese Mountain Dog Yesterday and Today by Silvana Vogel Tedeschi English Text by Lindy Kunz http://bernese.biz/bernerbook.htm Donated and autographed by the author WINNER: PAULA SEGALE
#17 Silver angel slide for a necklace It's made from a silver spoon approx 2 1/4" long by 1 3/4 ""wide (at the widest point...the angel's wings). Donated by Deb Schaeffer WINNER: HELEN HOLLANDER	P.S. The face on the angel appears black in this photo, but it's not. It's silver, like the rest of the angel.
#18 Hand painted wooden Bernese placque 11 l/2 high by 11 inches wide. Painted by Aileen Blackburn of England. Donated by Coral and David Denis In Memory of all the Alpenblick gang we have lost to cancer WINNER: ROSE TIERNEY
#19 Berner Paw Print Pendant Series II - #15 The Berner Paw is a "Very Limited Edition Series" designed and custom made to raise money for Berners. These are hand made by a silversmith, using inlaid gemstones and surrounded by mother of pearl to resemble snow. The stones are set in heavy sterling silver. This one is Series II # 15. It measures approximately 1"x1"in size. The photo does not come close to showing it's real beauty. It comes with a sterling silver twisted rope chain and gift boxed. Designed and Donated by Brenda Broome www.nantahalatradingpost.com (Brenda also sells these necklaces and 100% of the money goes back to BEHAF or some other Berner cause. The money is either donated or used to have more of these made to donate) WINNER: ROBIN KOROTKI
#20 Framed print "Imprinted on our hearts" 5 x 7 Donated by Renee Jacquier <click here> for the framed pic. enlarged WINNER: LOU TUCKER