Gretchen Barron

WOW -- what a Week!!!

Hello everyone! I apologize for the sparse blog posts this past week. I'm just home from a week of Stampin' Up! Convention and pre-convention activities in Salt Lake City, Utah! All I can say, is What a week!!! There are so many new ideas and products to bring to you in the coming weeks and months! Please stop by on a regular basis and I'll do my best to keep you informed and full of inspiration!

By far, the high point of my week in Salt Lake City was Friday morning when Shelly Gardner, the co-founder and CEO of Stampin' Up! announced that Selene Kempton and I had been named the Heart of Stampin' Up! Award Recipients for this past year! This is such an incredible honor and nothing that Selene and I expected to receive. Both of us were shaking so badly as we made our way onto the stage that we literally had to hold each other up! The award is normally given to one person each year that reaches-out to help others through their Stampin' Up! business. This year, Selene and I were the recipients for the work that we've done with the SUDDEN_response network. You can read previous articles I've written about SUDDEN_response by clicking HERE. SUDDEN_response is a group of almost 300 demonstrators who stand ready to reach out and help other Stampin' Up! Demonstrators who've had major damage and loss to their stamping spaces and supplies following disasters (fires, hurricanes, floods, tornado's, etc.).  Selene and I founded this group a year ago and now the group stands ready, with the organization and network in place, to lift someone up in their darkest days. When demonstrators reach out through SUDDEN_response to help those in need, it's not so much about the supplies that we send, but about the solidarity and support that we show to each other in times of trial.

Selene and I both feel that this award and recognition was really given to each and every member of SUDDEN_response. We were the lucky ones that got to trip our way onto the stage (literally), but it is really the entire network of caring, compassionate and generous demonstrators who deserve this award. We wish that each and every one of you could have been on that stage wit us!

If you would like to join SUDDEN_response, please click HERE! Membership is limited to current, active, Stampin' Up! Demonstrators and we will ask for some information to confirm your standing as a demonstrator. Once in the group, we stand ready to help the next person in need, when that time arises, and to respond in a timely way to let others know they are not alone when disaster strikes!

Thank you, everyone ... for your support, encouragement, congratulations, and compassion for others! I feel so fortunate to be part of such a special group of people!

Blessings, Gretchen

Have You Missed Me?

Hi everyone! No new creations to share with you today, at least not any of my own. I'm taking a few days off to recover from Strep Throat and Ear Infections - Yucky Stuff! I'll be back stamping and posting soon, I promise. I did want to share with you this adorable thank-you card that I received in the mail yesterday from Melissa Kaufman of Vancouver, Washington. Melissa was one of our SUDDEN_response recipients last December after she and her husband had a fire in their home. SUDDEN_response (Stampin' Up! Demonstrators Disaster Emergency Network) is a network of demonstrators that Selene Kempton, Cathy Chono-Herring and I operate. We are organized and mobilized to quickly and efficiently respond to the needs of sister demonstrators when they experience a disaster in their lives -- hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, etc. We send love and hope in the form of cardstock, stamps and supplies, to help them get back on their feet and get their business up and running again quickly following a disaster.

Melissa not only sent me this beautiful card with a very touching note inside, she also sent this wonderful set of cards for me to use that have the Stampin' Up! Statement of the Heart on them. You can click on the photo to see them larger or check out Melissa's blog post HERE. I'm so happy to know that Melissa is doing well and her business is back up and running. I wish I could send one of these beautiful cards to every member of SUDDEN_response who have helped Melissa and other demonstrators since we began last fall. You are truly the ones who deserved to be thanked!

To learn more of the history and story of SUDDEN_response, click HERE to read my previous posts. if you are a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and would like to become part of our group, organized for action when a need arises, go to our Yahoo site and click "join now". We would love to welcome you to the SUDDEN_response network! We are currently assisting two demonstrators who recently suffered major fire damage to their homes and businesses.

I'll be back soon with some great new creations for you!

Blessings, Gretchen

Why We Do What We Do!

Is this the most wonderful photo you've ever seen? Meet Sharon Armstrong, a Stampin' Up! demonstrator in Texas who lost her home and all her belongings in a tragic fire on November 1st of this year. Although they lost one pet in the fire, miraculously Sharon and her husband and children all escaped without injury as they awoke to the fire and fled their burning home early that morning. As morning dawned, the grim reality of their situation set in as they discovered everything had been lost in the fire. Sharon has been a demonstrator for 11 years and in that time has built quite a business and customer base. So this fire also meant that Sharon would need to rebuild her supplies and equipment before her business could continue. I am so honored to be a part of the SUDDEN_response network (Stampin' Up! Demonstrators Disaster Emergency network). I helped to begin this organization this past September after flooding in my basement destroyed many of my supplies and business records. Selene Kempton heard of my situation and within days sent me a huge box of cardstock, business supplies, card samples and more. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed by her generosity and together with Selene and Kathy Chono-Herring, the SUDDEN_response network was born. You can read that original post here. The concept for SUDDEN_response is simple -- we provide organization and coordination for Stampin' Up! demonstrators to reach out and help our stamping sisters in times of disaster and need. Look at this photo of Sharon! Just one month after her tragic fire, Sharon is surrounded by all the boxes and supplies (and love and hope) that have been sent to her by her sister demonstrators. Here is what Sharon wrote when she sent her photos last night: "The day I lost my home to a fire was one month ago. I have not looked back I have only looked forward. And it is because of all of the support and help from people like you that not only have I been able to rebuild my stamp business but my family has been able to rebuild our lives and a new home as well. One month ago we had nothing but each other, Today one month later we have a home, furniture, clothes, STAMPS!, food And A LOT OF FRIENDS!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HELPING THIS STAMPIN' SISTER!!!"

Sharon is one of 6 demonstrators that have been assisted by SUDDEN_response since September and have been able to continue their lives and resume their businesses following unimaginable loss and heartache. I know that I speak for Selene and Kathy when I say "thank you" to all of the demonstrators who are a part of this relief effort and who respond to the needs of sister demonstrators with compassion and love and a desire to make a difference. This is why we do what we do!

If you know of Stampin' Up! Demonstrators that are struggling to recover from tragedy and disaster, please let me know so that we can contact them to determine if SUDDEN_response members might be able to help. If you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like to become part of this caring group of Sisters-in-spirit, you may apply for membership by visiting our group site. To protect the information of those we serve and maintain the integrity of the group, you will be asked to provide proof that you are an active Stampin' Up! demonstrator.

Thank you for letting me share this joyous story with you today! Blessings, Gretchen

Stampin' Up! Demos Disaster Emergency Network -- Update!

Hello, everyone! I wanted to get you an update of where we stand with helping demonstrators who've been affected by recent storms and flooding. For the most part, all of the identified needs are met at this time. However, we know there are many more demonstrators who have lost their homes and Stampin' Up! supplies (which for many is a major source of income). We are working to identify these demonstrators and their needs and as soon as we have more information, we will let you know how you can help and what you can send them!

Within a few days, we are launching a new Yahoo Group site -- SUDDEN_response (Stampin' Up! Demos Disaster Emergency Network) which will enable us to handle the requests from demos in need in a much more efficient manor. Keep checking here and as soon as the site is operational, we will give you a link which will allow you to become a member of the group and to respond to the needs of our Stampin' sisters. If you know of demonstrators whose lives and homes have been disrupted by the recent hurricanes and floods or any disaster, please contact us so that we can bring them into this network to receive the care and support of sister demonstrators.

I want to thank everyone who has been so willing to pledge and send gifts to our friends in need. If you click on the links below, you will see the list of thousands of items that are already being sent across the country to those affected. For each person that has already given, I probably have at least one more ready to respond when needed. Your response has been OVERWHELMING! Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. When we pull together like this, we are truly embodying the Stampin' Up! Statement of the Heart ...

To love what we do and share what we love,

as we help others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments

. . .in this we make a difference!

I want to also thank Selene Kempton and Kathy Chono-Herring who have joined me as moderators of the SUDDEN_response group. I value their input and their commitment to this journey we share together. I will be updating here on my blog frequently, so please check back often!

Blessings, Gretchen

So far, we've been able to help the following Demonstrators in need. Click on their name for their story and update:

• Marilyn Dollar
• Kara Traylor
• Donna Kirk Smith
• Courtney Fowler

WOW! What a Day! The Stampin' Up! Demonstrators Disaster Response Network is born!

09-20-08 Group Update

Gifts Pledged for Marilyn

Gifts Pledge for Donna

It's 10 p.m. and this is the first chance I've had to get to my blog all day! Today I've been touched dozens, even hundreds of times by the love and caring of Stampin' Up! demonstrators from the US and Canada who have reached out to help sister demonstrators affected by the recent hurricanes and flooding. It all began yesterday (was it only yesterday) when I unexpectedly received this box of stamping supplies from Selene Kempton, a demonstrator and new friend from Dracut, Massachusetts. Selene had heard of my flooding and the supplies and SWAPS that I lost and decided to send me this wonderful box of goodies to help out! I was overwhelmed, to say the least. Inside were packs of cardstock, beautiful hand-made SWAP cards, catalogs and a DVD filled with even more photos of cards and projects. I couldn't have been more surprised and touched by her generosity and compassion. I wanted to publicly thank Selene for her kindness and posted a note on a couple of demonstrator message boards that I belong to. Within an hour, I received dozens of e-mails asking if I needed help or knew of others who did. The idea kept working on me all night and when I woke up this morning, I knew that I needed to do something. So, I developed a quick plan for the SU Demonstrators Disaster Response Network and sent the message out to everyone I could think of to see how people would respond! All I can say is, WOW. Within minutes I was receiving e-mails and phone calls from people wanting to help. As of this evening, we've identified 3 demonstrators who've had most or all of their stamping supplies and spaces destroyed by floods and winds, I've answered 300+ e-mails from demonstrators wanting to help, and we've assembled quite an impressive list of supplies that are on their way across the country to help these sisters rebuild their businesses. I am overwhelmed and in awe of the generous and caring spirit that exists in our Stampin' Up! community. WOW!

Here's how you can help:

• If you or someone you know of has been a victim of a disaster (now or in the future) which wipes out some or all of their supplies, contact me (gbarron56@comcast.net) and give me their contact information
• I will contact them to get their permission, find out what their needs are, where we should send things, and (this is important) when they will be ready to begin receiving gifts of love from other demonstrators.
• Once we know that, I will publish a list (kind of like a SWAP list but we won't be SWAPPING, we'll be GIFTING) of what is needed to every demonstrator discussion group that I'm on and people can sign up for what they would like to donate. They will mail the supplies directly to the person in need (please don't send them to me), but not before they are ready to receive the supplies. I will coordinate the effort so that we don't send duplicates of things that can't be used and so that ALL demonstrators recovering from disasters of all kinds, can receive this outpouring of love and support from our caring family of demonstrators.
• Items can be sent directly from you, using overstock or things that you would like to donate or you can place a CDO (customer direct order) and have the items shipped to them directly from Stampin' Up!.

Please, if you know of anyone who has been affected by the recent hurricanes, flooding and storms, e-mail me as soon as possible so I can begin contacting them to see how we can help. In some cases, it may be difficult to contact the people, at least in the immediate aftermath of the destruction, but we will do our best!

 

Good night, everyone! It's been a long but rewarding day! Blessings, Gretchen