2011.06.16 Vigil Info *bump*

[RevCrim]

My plan on June 16th is to donate to a child's abuse charity, in my home state, and to write a letter to my congressman, to keep the Amber Alert alive. So many children's lives depend on it.

 

[yeknomaras]

I am going to donate to TES again on that day.

 

[newuser]

The Ronald McDonald House charities would be a good place to make a donation in honor of Caylee. They are certainly reputable, and have houses in most large cities, so donations could be made near your own home, but in honor of Caylee. They certainly help children and families.

I think it's important to remember families of injured and exploited children. It's easy to become jaded because of this case and cynically dismiss the suffering of "the family". I have to remind myself that the A family is NOT the norm and that other families are deserving of sympathy.

 

[star444]

On June 16th, 2008 I picked up my daughter from work. With my two granddaughters in tow we went to lunch to celebrate. It was my daughter's birthday. It was a beautiful day; we took pictures of the girls as they laughed and played.
Now, almost a year later, I remember that day in another way. While we were having fun and celebrating, little Caylee lost her life. This memory is indelibly etched in my mind. I will never again celebrate the birth of my daughter without remembering the loss of a beautiful child. Her special day will become Caylee's as well.
Every year, on that day, I plan to make a donation in Caylee's name to an organization involved with child abuse. Any suggestions on a worthy cause would be appreciated. I'm so jaded after the kidfinders network thing and I want to put my money where it will be most effective. There are so many Caylees out there. I think this is the best way I can commemorate her life.

I know it is sad that some "less than reputable" charities make us leary to make donations. But it is a valid concern. You want to feel like the money you donate will be used to help make a difference.

Mark Klaas set up Klaas Kids Foundation after his tragic loss. He seems to be a man with great integrity, so I would feel comfortable making donations there.

 

[miabellamoure]

My plans for 6/16/09 will be to send a handmade card to Yuri Mellich & John Allen expressing my gratitude for all of their dedication in bringing lil' Caylee home...

 

[travelgal]

What fantastic ideas you all have suggested! :akation033: Thank you!

 

[bookworm474]

I hate to digress, but in New Deli in the last two years 6000 children have gone missing and only 10 were found. Check the BBC.

 

[miabellamoure]

I hate to digress, but in New Deli in the last two years 6000 children have gone missing and only 10 were found. Check the BBC.

Off topic but, couldn't resist adding...

According to the BBC, Delhi Notebook - Agony of Missing Children :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7926263.stm

To even imagine these abductions are for "organ theft" or "prostitution" is just too much to fathom, let alone imagine the horror these poor children are enduring....sigh.

 

[BondJamesBond]

I hate to digress, but in New Deli in the last two years 6000 children have gone missing and only 10 were found. Check the BBC.

Wow. Daunting, isn't it.

I just keeping thinking about the 'starfish' principle...making a difference to one...makes a HUGE difference to THAT one.

Some great ideas popping up here! Cards to OCSO team members hadn't even dawned on me! :thumb:

 

[TURBOTHINK]

On June 16th, 2008 I picked up my daughter from work. With my two granddaughters in tow we went to lunch to celebrate. It was my daughter's birthday. It was a beautiful day; we took pictures of the girls as they laughed and played.
Now, almost a year later, I remember that day in another way. While we were having fun and celebrating, little Caylee lost her life. This memory is indelibly etched in my mind. I will never again celebrate the birth of my daughter without remembering the loss of a beautiful child. Her special day will become Caylee's as well.
Every year, on that day, I plan to make a donation in Caylee's name to an organization involved with child abuse. Any suggestions on a worthy cause would be appreciated. I'm so jaded after the kidfinders network thing and I want to put my money where it will be most effective. There are so many Caylees out there. I think this is the best way I can commemorate her life.

I am SO partial to St. Judes Hospital for Children. They are just unbelievable in the cures they find for children. They never charge a family a dime but what their insurance pays, and if they have no insurance it does not matter, they still get the best care and never send them a bill.

 

[BondJamesBond]

I am SO partial to St. Judes Hospital for Children. They are just unbelievable in the cures they find for children. They never charge a family a dime but what their insurance pays, and if they have no insurance it does not matter, they still get the best care and never send them a bill.

...actually, Turbo, that's the charity I'm researching for a memorial site. I didn't wanna name them yet 'cause I haven't figured out if their memorial site tool would allow being set-up for Caylee if any of the Anthony family objected her image being used, etc. etc.

If that fails, I did find a "Plan B" option for St. Jude Children's Hospital that allows a Memorial donation to be made with a simple "write in" honoree. It also includes the acknowledgement card feature. See the "Sympathy/Memorial" link here.

Their website states, "During the past three years, 84 cents of every dollar received has supported the research and treatment at St. Jude."

 

[BondJamesBond]

Also FYI.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) states that 94% of donations go to support services.

Their online donation site is here.

 

[Ripley007]

Wow. This thread bummed me out with the statistics of missing kids from India. I'm marking June 16th on my current calender as a day to take my daughter out to lunch and celebrate our mother/child relationship. Will not buy or release balloons unless they a "virtual" balloons. RIP dear Caylee.

 

[leemarie85]

My plans for 6/16/09 will be to send a handmade card to Yuri Mellich & John Allen expressing my gratitude for all of their dedication in bringing lil' Caylee home...

What a great idea! I've often suspected that OCSO personnel fell in love with little Caylee, just as all of us here have, and have probably spent many a sleepless night wondering and worrying about her...I'll bet they will get cards from all over the world!IMO they certainly deserve them!

 

[Ripley007]

It would, in my opinion, make a greater difference in the world, if 6/16 was a day where parents celebrated their daughters (children) rather than a day of mourning where plastic balloons were released into our already polluted atmosphere. JMHO.

 

[Trailerparkgirl]

a few months ago i was looking to buy a cell phone charm
there were so many cute ones, but one stuck out, it was Mickey Mouse
i bought it because i thought of caylee...
june 16th, i'll most likely be at the beach with my daughter, her and caylee were one month apart...so i'll definately be thinking about her that day.....

 

[snow_walker]

I have nothing against any of the charities mentioned, but I would wish for one which is worldwide in scope, not just American. Missing/murdered children are everywhere, thousands and thousands of them... and who knows what happens to most of the street children of the world? I would bet that most of them don't live to become adults. Somehow, someway, I wish we could help in some small way to turn things around for the children of the world. It would be a gift that would truly honour Caylee's memory.

Meanwhile, just remembering Caylee.. I think I shall place a single pink rose in a silver vase on June 16th, and put it near my computer where I can look at it frequently. Not a big thing, or a very novel idea, but it would speak to me.

 

[TigerTiger]

Not meaning to be presumptious here, but after reading about some folk pondering the donation of money in Caylee's honor, I got to thinking that maybe some WSers might be interested in donating time -- and I'd like to point out that CASA volunteers are in short supply across the country. These are regular people, not trained social workers or lawyers, who act as advocates for children in foster care.

Now, I know that Caylee was never in foster care so that's not the same thing. But she was definitely abused and neglected by her mother, and this case did start out as a child neglect case until the bigger charges were brought against KC.

Again, not meaning to be pushy or anything.

It's just that I advocate for kids and I know there are lots of little ones out there who would be greatly helped if some of the big hearted people who post in here were to become a part of their lives.

If you're curious about CASA, you can visit there site at http://www.nationalcasa.org/.

God bless everyone here!

 

[Bobbisangel]

Wow. This thread bummed me out with the statistics of missing kids from India. I'm marking June 16th on my current calender as a day to take my daughter out to lunch and celebrate our mother/child relationship. Will not buy or release balloons unless they a "virtual" balloons. RIP dear Caylee.

What are virtual balloons?

 

[BondJamesBond]

I have nothing against any of the charities mentioned, but I would wish for one which is worldwide in scope, not just American. Missing/murdered children are everywhere, thousands and thousands of them... and who knows what happens to most of the street children of the world? I would bet that most of them don't live to become adults. Somehow, someway, I wish we could help in some small way to turn things around for the children of the world. It would be a gift that would truly honour Caylee's memory.

Meanwhile, just remembering Caylee.. I think I shall place a single pink rose in a silver vase on June 16th, and put it near my computer where I can look at it frequently. Not a big thing, or a very novel idea, but it would speak to me.

IKWYM, Snow. More than one time during this case I've been reminded of the verse in Neil Young's "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World"

"I see a woman in the night
With a baby in her hand
Under an old street light
Near a garbage can
Now she puts the kid away,
and she's gone to get a hit
She hates her life,
and what she's done to it
There's one more kid
that will never go to school
Never get to fall in love,
never get to be cool."​

Still...IKWYM. On the practical side, though, the larger/broader-reach a charity gets, generally speaking, the more administrative overhead they have to have in order to deal with all of the different goverments, regulations, etc., etc. I can't speak to their operation, but, on a global scale UNICEF is one that comes to mind that has been around awhile...with longevity saying something about their integrity...

Just doing something...anything...that'll benefit one child...in the spirit & rememberance of Caylee...is kinda the point. If you don't do something global...do something local...make a little extra donation to your church...your local domestic violence shelter...give blood...volunteer. IMHO, many times the local outfits that don't have the advertising dollars are the ones that really need the help, and really know the individuals that need the help better than anyone.

I'm encouraged to hear all of the creative ideas being posted. Keep'em coming! :thumb: