As a result of the event, 5 Phoenix Valley groups had new websites, customer management systems and more designed or fixed by these people. I estimate that with off-set development cost alone, they contributed $170,000 worth of skill on their projects.

Lots of companies including the one I work for gave to help underwrite the cost and supply food. The City of Chandler also donated work space for the weekend. The venue was less than a mile from my house, so it was easy to take a batch of Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting to the group.

If you want to learn more about the developer’s efforts you can go to their website: AZGiveCamp.org.

Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes from Cook’s Illustrated

3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa

3/4 cup hot coffee

3/4 cup bread flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 t table salt

1/2 t baking soda

6 T vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2 t white vinegar

1 t vanilla extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 d. Line standard-size muffin pan with baking cup liners. Place chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl. Pour hot coffee over mixture and whisk until smooth. Set in refrigerator to cool completely. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla into cooled chocolate cocoa mixture until smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups.

Bake until cupcakes are set and just firm to touch, 17-19 minutes. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature before frosting.

Kathleen’s Peanut Butter Icing:

* 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

* 1 cup creamy peanut butter

* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

* 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

* 1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

via Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing Recipe : Ina Garten : Food Network.

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As a member of The Junior League of Phoenix, I am selling Care Cards for $50 each, you will enjoy shopping for a ten-day period, October 17th through October 26th and you will enjoy 20 % off regularly priced merchandise at all participating stores across the Valley – unlimited shopping, unlimited savings, it is a dream come true!
Here’s why this fundraiser works!
All expenses related to Care Card are underwritten by our generous sponsors, so 100% of the $50 cost of the card goes to fund amazing community programs such as Ryan House (Ryan House will open its doors in 2009 to provide respite, palliative and hospice care, for children facing life-limiting illnesses) and other community programs benefiting women and children.  You can feel great about your donation and shopping for a great cause!  Care Card is beneficial for everyone involved!

We have 375 retailers participating in Care Card this year!   Some of the fabulous participating retailers are:  Anthropologie, philosophy, Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware.  New retailers include The Container Store and Banana Republic. Also participating is a number of unique boutiques in every part of town.  You will be relieved to finish your holiday shopping before Halloween and you will save money too!

Think of all the money you can save on holiday shopping, furniture, big household purchases . . . even jewelry!  If you spend $250 during the week, the card will pay for itself.

To order your Care Card today use the Order Form attached. You can view the complete list of retailers and also purchase card(s) online, please visit:

1. www.thecarecard.org
2. Under the Activity Questionnaire, please choose “Affiliate-Junior League.”
3. When asked, “How did you hear about Care Card?” please enter Keesha Sutherland in the following box. This will help us accurately keep track of our sales.

Thank you for your support of Care Card, The Junior League of Phoenix and ME!!

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My job was to tell the kids to walk, enjoy, don’t run. There were three different types of Noodle Forest explorers:

1. The ones who would look at it, look at me, look at their mom, look at the forest and cautiously enter.
2. The ones who would look at it, look at me, look at their mom, look at the forest and kamikaze in.
3. The ones who would look at it, look at their kids, look at me, shrug their shoulders and head in.

But all had the same look on their faces when they would come out, these huge big smiles. It was awesome. I had so much fun and like I said, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I bet there were lots of kids who slept really well that night. I know I did!

My passion for volunteer work has swelled over this past year and it makes me happy that for the small little audience I have here on this blog, that I have a supportive place to share my stories. Another blog I found by way of Geggie is Mike Lawson’s Benevolent Blogger Project. I love that he’s working to build supportive community. To show solidarity in his mission, I also made a donation to two charities this month, the new expansion of Ronald McDonald House and Gift for Gavin.

Some of my other volunteer experiences this year:

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