Good News!

Well friends, I have happy news to report- we are approved for the grant that I've been waiting anxiously for! This was the same Foundation that had emailed a couple of weeks ago to ask for our W-9 certificate (request for taxpayer ID number). Of course that is a good sign that you're going to get funded, but I wasn't totally sure and then I didn't hear anything, so I was getting disappointed and was checking my email dreading to see an envelope that would have a letter of rejection. This afternoon, I was sitting in the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel in Boston waiting for someone to arrive for a meeting- I checked my email and there was an email from the Foundation with a form to fill out to send over my bank information for direct deposit. I was elated- it was the one of those moments where everything slows down and you get that rush of pure joy- mixed with some relief. Sometimes, all you have to do is hold on- I feel like that's a good part of the reason that Project Smile is successful- because I dig in and hold on and don't give up. When good things happen like this today it is also a little surreal. Even though it has been 9 years of full time work with Project Smile, I still can't believe that I've been able to make it work. I can't believe all the good things that have happened.

In all our years of receiving grants, this was the most unusual way to find out that you're actually receiving a grant- to be asked for your bank deposit info without anyone directly telling you that you've been confirmed. Since it asked for such sensitive info, I wanted to double check that it was a legitimate email, so I called the Foundation and spoke with the person who had emailed- just to make sure that it wasn't spam-  it definitely looked legitimate. The woman was very nice. I asked her if that meant that we were definitely approved and she said yes. She said the process was a little out of order this time and I would be getting the official notification next week. She didn't know the amount that we are receiving. Hopefully, they are funding the entire amount, but even if they only fund it partially, it is still good. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for full funding!

In other good news- we're getting some great bachelors signed up for the Date Auction including our first fire fighters. I'm really happy about that. Calendar photos are coming along well, although the weather caused today's photo shoot to be rescheduled. We're also making progress with calendar ads- getting more sponsors recommitted.

So that's the latest friends. Lets keep the good news rolling in! I'm off to clean up some more- I'm having a big party on Saturday for my Meet Up group which I am really looking forward to. I'm taking most of the day off tomorrow just to get ready! Until next time friends...