UPCOMING  EVENTS: 

READY OR NOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS CARD 2008

Ready or Not Foundation plans to have a holiday card to sell in the Coastal Bend area.  The holiday card will entitle the bearer to a certain discount with participating retailers during the busy holiday shopping season. The holiday card's effective dates will be time limited to a long weekend, but it should generate both holiday savings for the consumer and increased revenue for the participating retailers.  The holiday card will allow shoppers to give to a worthy cause, and still save money at the same time. Our goal is to raise $150,000 with this card. More details for this holiday card will be forthcoming.  For more information about becoming a participating merchant, volunteering or purchasing a card please visit the website www.readyornotfortheholidayscard.com .

CARS FOR A CAUSE

The Ready or Not Foundation has established a partnership with Porche and Volkswagen of Corpus Christi, TX.  Brad West, owner and president of Porche and Volkswagen of Corpus Christi, will generously donate $300 for every new Volkswagen and up to $1,000 for every new Porche sold.  One-hundred percent of all donations to  the Ready or Not Foundation go directly to fund pedriatic brain cancer research.  Please ask for Brad West and mention Ready or Not when visiting the showroom located at 4331 S. Staples, Corpus Christi, Texas.

PAST EVENTS: 

FASHION SHOW AND FUNDRAISER

Goosefeathers and G² Urban Menswear Go Green!

Fashion Show, held Friday, May 11th, 2007, 7 p.m. 

Beverages and Light Hors d'oeurves. 

Shopping all day on May 11^th and 12^th

Goosefeathers and G² Urban Menswear in Corpus Christi, Texas sponsored a fashion show benefiting the Ready or Not Foundation.  On a beautiful cool south Texas night, the audience was treated to fabulous outdoor summer men's and women's  fashions on a sixty (60) foot runway - - - fashions from designers such as Trina Turk,  Nannette Lepore, Nicole Miller,  Chase and Sully,  True Religion, Seven for all Mankind, Franklin Graham,  Seven Diamonds, and many others. Beer and Wine were donated by local businesses, Liquid Town and Andrews Distributing, respectively. Catering was donated by Bernards.  The fashion show and food was underwritten by the founder of the Ready or Not Foundation, Barbara Canales. As a backdrop to the fashion show, the guests were treated to great music and a slide show featuring Jackie and friends upon a twelve (12) foot outdoor screen.  Some of the slides also provided crucial information about brain cancer - - thus reminding everyone of why we had all come together.  Attendees were asked to donate $100 to receive a 20% discount on all Goosefeathers and/or G² Urban Menswear purchases for the weekend of shopping. The event proceeds were in excess of $25,000 (all costs were underwritten), and the evening was a great kickoff to launch the Ready or Not Foundation fundraising efforts.  The event was also the venue for unveiling the different styles of Ready or Not Foundation t-shirts and baseball (received as stylish and of high quality).  Additionally, Goosefeathers (Ben and Tiffany Foster) was able to prevail upon the owner/designer (Stephanie Wells) of ‘Double Happiness' to create an exclusive earring designed for (and raising money for) the Ready or Not Foundation, and this exquisite earring premiered at the fashion show.  Goosefeathers has been marketing the ‘Double Happiness' jewelry line for years, and maintains a great relationship with this hip Los Angeles based business - - thus allowing for the design of the beautiful earrings.  Stephanie Wells obliged with a spectacular chandelier earring containing Russian Amazonite, and 18K gold plate appropriately named "the Jackie."  To view a picture, of these earrings, please click on STORE on the home page), and please know that twenty-five percent (25%) of the proceeds from the sale of the earrings is contributed to Ready or Not Foundation. Dozens of earrings were ordered the night of the fashion show, and many more pairs of earrings have since been ordered.  Guests shopped until they dropped, and a great time was had by all. The Fosters have already agreed to host next year's grand fashion event (next May), and other tenants in the shopping center have expressed an interest in participating. Ready or Not Foundation wants to (again) express their appreciation for all of the volunteer models, and to Goosefeathers and G² Urban Menswear (of course).  For more information on next year's event, please feel free to email Stephanie Martinez (smart911@sbcglobal.net) or Matt Stevens (mstevens1@stx.rr.com).  Please view all photos and newspaper article under Media and News on this website.

BIG DOGS FOR A BIG CAUSE

The "Big Dogs for a Big Cause" event occurred on May 23^rd, 2007.  The event was hosted by Douglas Allison, Buddy Bell, and Hector Canales, at the Corpus Christi Yacht Club.  This unique collection of generous contributors reached deeply into their own pockets, and donations were in excess of $100,000.  Further, more than $50,000 was procured to specifically provide underwriting for the Ready or Not Foundation events (so that 100% of all other donations go directly to research). 

This gentlemen's group of donors gathered for fine dining and spirits.  After a fair amount of consuming, imbibing, and casual conversation, the mood turned to the heart of the matter. Every person at the table was intimately familiar with the reason for the assembly - - Jackie Black and her search for a cure for brain cancer.  Some of the guys were long time friends, some business associates, some fishing and hunting buddies, and all of them blessed with successful businesses and compassionate hearts. After being reminded of their own blessings in their lives, the group was asked to give the seed money to make the Ready or Not Foundation a viable charitable organization.  The group was told the mission was to change the grim statistics for children diagnosed with brain cancer.  The informal presentation emphasized that research was the key to unlocking the sciences that must eventually lead to a cure (thus benefitting both children and adults).  There was a lot of discussion about creating a movement that would endure long after Jackie emerged from her treatments.  These gentlemen answered the call.  These gentlemen have planted the seed of hope, and have laid a foundation so that Ready or Not Foundation's efforts must succeed.  I am in awe of their generosity.  They are true BIG DOGS and they are my heroes. 

The gentlemen's group decided to re-convene at a future date (the when and the where are yet to be decided).  At the next gathering, the Big Dog Trophy will be awarded to the guy with the best "Big Dog" story (whoever catches the biggest marlin, or turns up with the best trophy buck, or other worthy triumph/ story).  Of course, the re-assembly of the group will allow for the participants to be updated with respect to how their money has been funneled into pediatric brain cancer research.  Ready or Not Foundation hopes to duplicate this event in San Antonio, Houston, Austin, and the Rio Grande Valley, in 2008.   

PRINTED MAIL PIECE

In the first week of May 2007, Ready or Not Foundation generated a printed mail piece that was distributed to over four thousand (4000) homes. The printed piece included an open letter from Barbara Canales recalling her personal story with Jackie's pediatric brain cancer.  The letter made an appeal for others to give dollars to pediatric brain cancer research.  The mail piece included a copy of the a newspaper article that originally published in the Corpus Christi Caller Times, and picked up by the Associated Press (thus, carried all over Texas).  You may read this news article by clicking on "NEWS," on this website.  The article provides an overview with respect to the formation of the Ready or Not Foundation.  Moreover, the mail piece contained a fact sheet reciting the most vital brain cancer and pediatric cancer statistics, and this fact sheet was provided in an effort to promote awareness of the grave reality of malignant brain cancers with children.  Finally, a Ready or Not Foundation envelope was enclosed enabling recipients to make a donation.  To date, Ready or Not Foundation has received over $40,000 in donations as a result of the mail piece.  Some donations were smaller, and others were larger - - - and all are greatly appreciated.  One child emptied his piggy bank, and gave all that he had saved ($30).  Another friend to Jackie stepped up in a big way, and donated $5000 to help make a difference in this fight against pediatric brain cancer.  Since this mail piece was sent out (May, 2007), the Ready or Not Foundation has continued to receive donations every week (and this mode of fundraising to fight cancer will continue). 

As with most charitable organizations, the Ready or Not Foundation is limited in its ability to send out a mail piece.  There were budget constraints with the first mail piece.  At the same time, we have now learned that the mail is a perfect way for many people to contribute (in their own way, and in their own time, and without their feeling any pressure).  Further, we have now learned that the mail is a perfect way to built ‘grass roots' support of this fight against pediatric brain cancer (and Ready or Not must be, and will be, a grass roots effort).  The truth is: pediatric brain cancer is hard to talk about, and the use of the mail allows our telling of Jackie's story in a way that is personal and private.  I have been overwhelmed with the generous responses to the mail piece, and by the many personal notes of encouragement that often accompany the responses.  It is my hope that this internet site will provide the same refuge to potential donors.

Ready or Not will send future mail pieces, and hopes to continue growing the ‘grass roots' support for pediatric brain cancer research.  If you have a list of addresses that you think may be a great audience for this cause, then please feel free to share your list. Your list may be a neighborhood group, and church group, or a school or social club directory - - - and all are appreciated.  I fervently believe that there are so many wonderful and generous people out there, and that many potential donors will contribute as they learn that 100% of their tax deductible contribution will go directly to pediatric brain cancer research.  Also, what an incentive as every dollar contributed is matched by another dollar from an outside source.  (See "GOALS").  We will save lives.  We need to get the word out, and Ready or Not Foundation would love your help.   

BILLBOARDS

In late May 2007, Ready or Not Foundation launched its first billboard in south Texas. The billboard is a large 12 feet by 40 feet, and is easily visible from a major highway leading from the airport to Corpus Christi, Texas.  The billboard space has been generously donated by Cooper Advertising of Corpus Christi, for a period of three (3) months.  The billboard's graphics and design are the creation of an accomplished creative director in advertising, Rose Gomez (a friend since childhood).   Photography provided by Raymond Gray, of Gray Photography in Corpus Christi, Texas. The purpose of the billboard is to increase awareness;  that is, awareness of the reality of pediatric brain cancer, and awareness of our community's need to be involved in the effort to find a cure for pediatric brain cancer, and awareness of the Ready or Not Foundation.  This billboard is our first attempt at mass advertising, and Ready or Not Foundation is dedicated to having more billboards in other metropolitan areas.  The billboard will also help to promote the Ready or Not Foundation website, and allow people to associate our logo with brain cancer research.  

The billboard shows Jackie peeking around a tree and yelling, "Tag! You're It!  Are you Ready to Make A Difference."  Looking at Jackie on that billboard makes me believe that others will draw inspiration from Jackie's playful and courageous spirit. Billboards are a great means of reaching out to members of the community.  Billboards are also quite costly.  If you know anyone who might be willing to donate any corporate or other billboard space, then please let us know.  Ready or Not Foundation will continue to experiment with various billboard designs, and continue to reach out to communities through billboards (and other means).