FRTM - We need some help...

Friends,

Last night Ray and I attended the Simply Speaking club and had the opportunity to hear a speech by Ian Humphries.  Some of you may know Ian Humphries, most likely not.  Ian won the District 26 International Speech Contest and is now going to the International Convention to compete for grand champion.

Ian is a relatively young man with a wife and does not have the resources to afford the trip.  In his speech he talks about his mother falling down stairs when she was pregnant with him and going into premature labor at 7 months.  His birth mother could not take care of him and he wound up in a foster home where they mentally and physically abused him and put him in a closet.  As a young man he got involved with crime and wound up in prison for a time.  He's reached out to Toastmasters as he's trying to right his life.

The Simply Speaking club is trying to amass $1,800 to afford to sponsor his way to the contest with his wife.  They are putting together a number of fund raisers including a pancake breakfast, has a used gold jewelery fundraiser, and is putting together several baskets to be raffled off at TLI.

I suggested that the FRTM club could donate a basket to be raffled off to help Ian make it to the contest in August.  Ray said that he likely has a lead on two club level seats at a Rockies game and a VIP parking pass - worth $100?.  I have two signed and hockey pucks sealed in plastic boxes in pristine condition.  We're thinking that this can be a sports oriented center and theme of the basket.  Anyone got ideas?  Anyone got a nice basket to donate to the cause?  Anyone have any professional sports stuff that they would like to donate?  Should we seek a $5 donation from anyone who wants to contribute to this cause and purchase some other Rockies stuff to add?  Any other ideas?

Sure could use your help here...

Thanks a million!

Dirk

303-868-5094