I am now very pleased to announce the winners of our Special Delivery art raffle. Together we have raised over $5000 for children’s literacy campaigns worldwide (and a few dollars for The Elephant Sanctuary, too)! Over a dozen non-profits received unexpected donations this month thanks to your generosity. These non-profits ranged from Hawaii to Rwanda and pretty much everywhere else in between. I think I can speak for everyone here when I say, inscrutably, “Chugga, chugga, chugga…beans, beans, beans!”

I’ve been overwhelmed by the number of people that have chosen to participate by making a donation this month. I sincerely wish that we could send an original piece of art to every one of you. Please know, though, that even if your name has not been drawn you have still made an impact—both on me, and more importantly in the life of a child that you may never meet.

And now, drumroll please.

The first pick from the hat is…

1. KAREN ZARUBA who made a donation to my local non-profit, 826Michigan. Congratulations Karen!

The second pick from the hat is…

2. SARA HUDSON who took it upon herself to raise money from friends and colleagues in support of An Open Book and The Elephant Sanctuary. Congratulations Sara!

The third pick from the hat is…

3. CAROLYN VINSON BOU who made a donation to An Open Book which was, by the way, our top earning non-profit. Congratulations to both Carolyn and An Open Book.

The fourth pick from the hat is…

4. DARA LAPORTE who made a donation to An Open Book. Congratulations Dara!

And the fifth and final pick from the hat is…

5. LIZ FITHIAN who made a donation to First Book.

A NOTE TO THE WINNERS: We will be contacting you in the order that your names were drawn. Pick #1 will have first choice of artwork, Pick #2 will have second choice of artwork, and so on, and so forth.

And thus concludes our Special Delivery art raffle. Sigh.

Matt and I would like to thank all of you from the bottoms of our hearts for helping to make this fund drive so successful. Let’s all get together and do it again sometime!

Sincerely Yours,

Philip