Extra Special People

The last charity we will be featuring is Extra Special People! Sound familiar? Extra Special People hosts a Big Hearts Pageant every year that gives disabled children the chance to shine and truly feel like a star for the night! Many of the UGA football players, Miss Georgia and other big members of the student body participate in this life changing night and since the last pageant was in early February it may be something you've heard of! ESP is near and dear to our hearts at Entourage because of all the amazing work they do for children with disabilities around the area! Not only is their staff amazing, but their message and heart felt connection with the children is out of this world! Interested? Read a little bit more....

1.) What inspired you to start Extra Special People?

Extra Special People (ESP) was founded by Martha Wyllie in 1986 as a way to offer children with disabilities recreation opportunities during the summer. Martha had a passion for serving special-needs kids, but when she looked around, she realized that once these children got out of school for the summer, they had few opportunities for stimulation. Just like any other young person, kids with disabilities deserve the chance to have fun, get exercise, and grow socially during the summer months. Martha passed away in 2004, but her legacy lives on in ESP, where our programs have expanded from a few weeks during the summer to a seven-week summer camp with a full complement of year-round weekend and after-school activities.

2.) What is the one thing you would want the public to know about your organization if you could say nothing else?

ESP is not just a place for kids with disabilities to exist. At ESP, they THRIVE. They are welcomed as entirely special, but not singled out for being different. At ESP, kids, young adults, and families find a sense of community, love, and support that is critical to helping them live full lives. Young people viewed as having "limitations" are doing extraordinary things at ESP!

3.) If someone wants to donate or contribute to your cause, what is the best way or the thing you need to most?

ESP just launched its first-ever capital campaign, with the goal to raise $5.8 million over three years. That money will help fund a new building and ensure the future of our programs and summer camp. Beyond money, though, which just about every nonprofit needs, ESP needs dedicated volunteers who have the patience and love to commit to our children and young adults. No experience with special-needs populations is necessary. Email Samantha@extraspecialpeople.com or visit extraspecialpeople.com to learn more about volunteer opportunities.

4.) National organization or charity that inspires you the most?

Special Olympics, which provides an opportunity for special needs children and adults to compete a couple of times a year. Inspired by that example, ESP is supplementing the work of Special Olympics by providing continuous opportunities for practice and competition, showing every child and young person that they can be winners regardless of their level of ability. Our Extra Special Piranhas, the ESP swim team, practice year-round so that when they go compete at Special Olympics, they are ready to win! The Special Olympics organization has grown tremendously over the past five years, and the fact that they're letting organizations like us become Special Olympics certified is a really cool thing.

5.) How can students or members of the community get involved with your cause?

We are currently hiring summer camp counselors -- and students make great counselors, whether or not they have a history of or intentions to work with special-needs populations. Students have the enthusiasm necessary to make camp fun for our kids and young adults, who really look up to their counselors. We also have many weekend and after-school activities that are greatly enriched by the presence of dedicated volunteers.

Leftover Pets

Our next featured charity is Leftover Pets! Leftover Pets was established in 2005 to reduce the high euthanasia rate in Georgia shelters. In an effort to save as many lives as possible, we provide low cost spay/neuter clinics in three counties, as well as only offer pets for adoption that have been spayed or neutered.

We spoke with Corinna from Leftover Pets, and she answered the following questions for us to help our customers get informed about this great local charity!

1. What inspired you to start Leftover Pets?

Georgia has a severe pet overpopulation problem, and affordable spaying and neutering is needed to address the problem. The shelters will never be big enough to house the unwanted animals until they are adopted. Many people will keep a stray animal, but will not spend a large amount of money for basic veterinary care, such as spaying and neutering, and rabies vaccinations. We help these good samaritans ensure that their good deed doesn't produce more unwanted litters.

2. What is the one thing you would want the public to know about your organization?

Spaying and neutering saves LIVES, and our goal is to help everyone afford to have their pets fixed.

3. If someone wants to donate or contribute to your cause, what is the best way to do this?

Our website (http://www.leftoverpets.org) has a DONATE button, which gives you options about how we spend monetary donations. Sponsoring a cat will directly save a life. Our goal is to save 20 cats per month from shelters in 2012. Barrow County Animal Control is our first priority as our clinic is situated right next door. The shelter needs a perimeter privacy fence, so donations of materials and/or labor for the project would help make this a reality.

4. What is the national organization or charity that inspires you the most?

Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, UT.

5. How can students or members of the community get involved with your cause?

If anyone would like to volunteer, you can request an application by emailing volunteer@leftoverpets.org. We have many opportunities available: adoption events, spay/neuter education, fundraising, receptionists, cat/dog caretaker, landscape maintenance, painting and special event help, such as helping at festivals.

Athens Canine Rescue

Our next featured charity is Athens Canine Rescue! Athens Canine Rescue is a non-profit organization of foster homes in Athens, Georgia. They have no other facility, and rely upon a network of foster homes to house the dogs until they are placed in permanent happy homes of their own. As rescue dogs, ACR pups have often been neglected by previous owners, and rarely arrive impeccably trained; however, they are very trainable! Whether young or adult, ACR dogs are invariably loving, willing to please and incredibly grateful.

Their foster homes give the dogs a safe place where they can receive all needed medical care, enjoy a healthy diet, work on training and learn what it means to be loved. In 2011, we were able to help 80 deserving dogs find their forever homes.

Leslie, from Athens Canine Rescue, was nice enough to answer some of our questions about the organization to help spread the word and inform our shoppers!

1. What inspired you to start Athens Canine Rescue?

None of the current board members were actually around when Athens Canine Rescue was founded in 1989. However, we know that the organization was formed due to the fact that a lot of good dogs in the area were never making it out of the pound, due to the overpopulation problem and a lack of any sort of temporary placement options for them.

2. What is the one thing you would want the public to know about your organization if you could ay nothing else?

While we love the work we do, everyone involved with Athens Canine Rescue would love to see a day when we can shut down our operations. Wouldn't it be great if there were no more animals without good homes? That will not happen until the overpopulation problem is under control. So, our message is the same as Bob Barker's: Have your pet spayed or neutered!

3. If someone wants to donate or contribute to your cause, what is the best way, or the thing you need the most?

To be blunt, we can always use cash. In 2011, our average expenses per dog was slightly over $300. We rely on donations for that. If anyone is interested in making a monetary donation, those can be mailed to us (P.O. Box 7064, Athens, GA 30604) or can be made through the PayPal link on our website (www.athenscaninerescue.com). All donations are tax deductible.

4. National organization or charity that inspires you the most?

We really appreciate how, in the past few years, the American Red Cross has also considered displaced or injured animals in their disaster relief efforts. It's nice to see them considered as being "part of the family," too. We also appreciate that they have added a Pet CPR/First Aid course to their course offerings and they annually present an award to a community member who has made a significant effort to save the life of an animal.

5. How can students or members of the community get involved with your cause?

Obviously, we can always use good foster homes, but that is a big commitment that needs to be carefully considered. If people want to get involved on a smaller scale, we can always use a few volunteers at our monthly Adopt-A-Pet Day, or our fundraisers. Participating in some of our fundraisers, such as our annual 5K and our annual bike ride is also a great way to help us. If people are interested in any of these opportunities, just take a look around on our website and then contact us if you have any questions. Of course, you can also indirectly help us by (again) making sure any pets you have are spayed or neutered and microchipped, and by considering a shelter or rescue animal the next time you are considering bringing home a new furry friend!

The Red Cross: East Georgia

Our next featured charity is the East Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross! This chapter is comprised of fourteen counties in Northeast Georgia. Their mission is to prepare for, prevent and respond to natural disasters that occur in the area. Even more than that, they believe in fostering relationships with the citizens of East Georgia and building community. We spoke with Bree Hill, the Public Relations Intern at the East Georgia chapter, and she told us all about what makes the American Red Cross such a great charity to support!

1. What inspired you to start The American Red Cross?

In 1917, Mrs. George C. Thomas applied for a charter to start the First Athens Red Cross during World War I. In 1981, the Athens Chapter merged with seven other chapters in the Northeast Georgia area, which is now known as the East Georgia Chapter.

2. What is the one thing you would want the public to know about your organization if you could say nothing else?

Every year we respond to anywhere between 230-270 single-family fires a year with a staff of three and a volunteer team of over 400. We don't receive any federal funding for our efforts, so we rely on donations to aid us in serving our clients.

3. If someone wants to donate or contribute to your cause, what is the best way, or the thing you need the most?

Volunteer or donate money, which can be done through the following website:

http://eastgeorgia.redcross.org/index.html

Or, any of the fundraisers we have year-round, including this one that we are so honored to be a part of.

4. What national organization or charity inspires you the most?

We have really great relationships with Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army, and support their causes as well.

5. How can students or members of the community get involved with your cause?

Feel free to check out the East Georgia website mentioned above to sign up to volunteer. You can also "like" our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/redcrossega) and read our blog for upcoming events and fundraisers (www.redcrossresults.wordpress.com).

Our Featured Charity: The Cottage

The first charity that we are featuring in our "Share the Love" Donation Contest is one that is near and dear to our hearts. We worked with The Cottage during our last fashion show and were really impressed by all of the work they do throughout Athens!

Want to know a little more information? Here is some information The Cottage directly gave us about the wonderful work they do with females and families around the area:

1.) What inspired you to start The Cottage?

In 1974, the Athens Rape Crisis Line was established in reaction to

the Holman-Sunset rapist by a group of female activist within the

Athens community. The Athens Rape Crisis Line was the first

anti-sexual assault organization formed in Georgia and was a founding

member of the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault (GNESA).

Later, in 1990, the Rape Crisis Line received funding to hire staff

and open an office serving Clarke, Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene,

Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oglethorpe, Oconee, and Walton counties. The

organization's name was changed to the Rape Crisis Center of Northeast

Georgia (RCC). Five years later the Rape Crisis Center relocated to

its current location behind the Athens Clarke County Police

Department. In addition, the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE)

program began a partnership, the RCC, to provide forensic exams

on-site. Soon after, the Child Advocacy Program was added to

specifically serve child victims and their families.

In 1998, the RCC changed its name to the Sexual Assault Center of

Northeast Georgia, Inc. in an effort to encompass all survivors of

sexual violence. A few years later, the Center received a grant to

expand the Athens office to what it is today. In addition, The Family

Protection Center opened in 2005 in Clarke County to provide a single

location for the collaboration of many agencies that work with adult,

child and elderly victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and

child and elderly victims of neglect, or physical or sexual abuse. The

Cottage participates in this collaboration by conducting many services

to the victims of sexual assault and child sexual abuse at the Family

Protection Center.

The Cottage has undergone many expansions and contractions in the

staff and services in the past eight years. Recently, The Cottage

almost closed its doors to the community and other agencies it serves.

Thanks to the efforts of many committed community members The Cottage

was not closed, but has gained all new staff or Board of Directors in

the middle of the year 2007.

The Sexual Assault Center of Northeast Georgia changed it's name to

The Cottage, Sexual Assault Center and Children's Advocacy Center in

October of 2008. This was in celebration and commitment to continued

service to the community members of Clarke, Oconee, Madison and

Oglethrope Counties. The Cottage continues to have a 24/7 crisis

hotline. The Cottage works within the community with child abuse and

sexual assault prevention efforts. The Cottage also is involved in

fundraising and community awareness events.

The Cottage has evolved over the years and will continue to do so as

long as the Center exists. As long as there are individuals,

organizations, and agencies committed to ending violence in our

society and sexual violence in particular, The Cottage will be along

leading the fight against these injustices to our community.

2.) What is the one thing you would want the public to know about your

organization if you could say nothing else?

We hope to make the lessen the trauma associated with

the reporting of a sexual assault or child abuse. Our job is to help

the survivor and their loved ones begin the healing process.

3.) If someone wants to donate or contribute to your cause, what is

the best way or the thing you need to most?

• Snacks for child and adult clients, such as juice boxes,

bottles of water, non-perishable foods such as crackers, cookies,

individual macaroni and cheese, or cups of soup, etc.

• New stuffed animals for child clients of our center.

• Crafts, crayons, markers, etc. for children

participating in group activities at the center.

• Magazine subscriptions mailed to the

center for clients.

• Diaries for teen and adult clients in group therapy

through our center.

• Household items, such as toilet paper, paper towels,

hand soap, cleaning products, etc.

• House plants for the center.

• Plants and mulch for the gardens at the center.

• Fire Ant Killer for the children’s playground.

• Gas cards or bus passes are helpful for the center to

distribute to clients that are having difficulty going to therapy

appointments due to transportation issues.

Monetary Donations:

The Cottage pays approximately $55 per therapy session for each

client. $550 will pay for a victim of sexual abuse or assault to

receive 10 sessions of therapy.

$250 will pay for a week of an accompaniment advocate to be with a

client through a sexual assault examination during on nights and

weekends.

$500 will assist The Cottage in providing training to other agencies

involved in sexual assault, such as the District Attorney’s office,

Law Enforcement or the Department of Family and Children Services.

$250 will assist The Cottage in providing education and community

awareness of sexual assault to parent’s and teens within our service

area.

The Cottage is a non-profit agency and has 501 © 3 status. This means

that you may count monetary donations to the center as deductions on

your tax forms. Please ask a tax professional about further questions

on tax filing matters.

4.) National organization or charity that inspires you the most?

RAINN: Rape and Incest National Network: The national

coalition of sexual assault centers for the United States.

5.) How can students or members of the community get involved with your cause?

Hotline Volunteer: The Cottage is recruiting dedicated folks

searching for an opportunity to offer immediate help to those affected

by sexual assault. The Cottage has positions available for hotline

volunteers. A hotline volunteer would be required to participate in

specialized training and a criminal history check. A hotline

volunteer would need to be able to commit to nights and weekends of

their choice to be on call. The hotline volunteer will be able to

answer the hotline wherever they may be with a cell phone provided

from The Cottage to use while they are on call. Hotline volunteers

may expect calls relating to sexual assault information and referrals

along with the occasional crisis call. Hotline volunteers will be

trained in how to handle these situations with confidence. If you

feel that you are a person that can handle these issues and you have a

desire to work with those affected by sexual assault then this is an

opportunity for you.

$2,500 Donation Contest for Local Organizations

Our most recent contest is a little different than those of the past. Valentine's Day has inspired us to "Share the Love" with local charities and organizations and show them some appreciation for all of their hard work instead of focusing on free gift cards, outfits or money for our customers. We love giving away goodies to our fabulous shoppers but thought that it was important to give back to the community that has helped us to succeed as well. We are giving away $2,500 to the charity or organization with the most votes... want to help your favorite charity win the money? Read below for some more information on how it is all possible!

Our contest is running through the first of March and is available via Facebook. All you have to do is visit one of our Facebook Pages for Clemson, SC or Athens, GA and "LIKE" our page. Then you can simply fill out the entry form listed under "$2,500 Giveaway" and enter your favorite charity's name when placing your vote. Easy as 1,2,3 and now they are one step closer to a $2,500 donation.

Follow this link to check out our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/entourageathens

Our Spring Closet

The weather may not know what mood it is in, but we do (and in case you are wondering... we are in FULL SPRING MODE!) We want warm weather and we want it now, but until we get our wish we are shopping for the future! On our last shopping trip for the stores, we were overwhelmed with all of the geometric patterns, neon colors and flash back to the 80's and 90's that we were seeing in the stores! This most recent shopping trip has been no exception but we've seen some change ups in the upcoming style and want YOUR opinion on what we should buy and what has just got to go! Comment on our blog or hop on over to Facebook "Entourage Clothing & Gifts" to help us vote! All of the items you vote "yes" for will hit stores in the next few weeks!

YES OR NO?