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This week the JCI Reading Guide Dog 2012 campaign got well underway. 

Our as yet unborn puppy 'Jaycee' got a public face and made his first public appearance with me at my weekly BNI Oracle network meeting that I attend on behalf of the firm that I work for. I introduced 'Jaycee' to group and it was clear from the reaction that his 'puppy-dog' eyes had captured their hearts-he will soon be seen here on the JCI Reading website. The campaign was well received and much help with our fund raising was pledged. The reason for giving a public face to 'Jaycee' was that I felt it would be much easier for us as fundraisers and the giving public to be able to relate to soemthing that had an actual face. 

For JCI Reading to actually be able to name a Guide Dog puppy 'Jaycee' as we so want to be able to do, we need to raise £5,000 which will pay for his first year's keep and training. This then is the challenge for JCI Reading and it's members this year. 

It was with this challenge in mind that we all met together in the pub on Thursday evening for a Project Meeting. Excitingly we had all the results from our Research Director of her venue research for our planned JCI Reading Pub Quiz in aid of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Decisions were made and I'm excited that we have set the date for the quiz as Tuesday 28th February 2012 in Reading town centre. The venue is very shortly to be confirmed once we have the booking confirmation. So now it's on to the marketing campaign for the quiz, to whom teams from anywhere are welcome. Can't wait! 

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I've just totalled up the amount raised for Guide Dogs for the Blind from sales of my handmade Christmas cards in my place of work to my colleagues. £29! Not bad when the idea to sell Christmas cards for Guide Dogs for the Blind was quite literally last minute. I've made cards for a couple of years and have enjoyed it as a hobby-trouble is, I make more than cards than i can actually use! Friends and family have become accustommed to handmade cards and I began to offer the odd card for sale through work. 

A sudden idea struck me-maybe I could offer handmade Christmas cards for sale with the profit going to Guide Dogs for the Blind. I sent out the email to colleagues and within just a day, I had an order for 25 Christmas cards, as well as 2 larger personalised Christmas cards - one of a traditional street scene - and one one Christmas pandas - yes, pandas! 

The days of delivery soon came and nervously i delivered my orders - they were all delighted! I'll definitely prepare more cards for next Christmas, to add to JCI Reading's 2012 total raised for Guide Dogs for the Blind!

In the meantime, I could make cards for all occassions to be sold with profits being donated to Guide Dogs for the Blind.....hmmm! 

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