KEYE-TV (CBS-42) “We Are Austin” segment with the minis

Visit the YouTube link to see our “We Are Austin” segment with the minis. Don’t miss it to see what the minis do when they are working in the community!

Pluckers gives a hand (wing) to Minis and Friends

Pluckers Gives a Hand (wing) through September

 

For the month of September if you go to the Pluckers Restaurant at 3909 South Lamar, 20% of your food and non-alcoholic purchases will be donated to help Minis and Friends continue our work in the community. If you have never been to Pluckers and you like to eat Chicken Wings, this is the place to go. Best wings in town by far. They also have a full menu of other items for those of you that do not care for wings that much.

The important thing is to tell all your friends and take the family out for dinner one night or two and help out our Organization. 20% of all our purchases is a huge gift if we all contribute to this deal they are offering us.

Thank you to the Pluckers ownership for giving us this opportunity to raise money for our totally Non-profit organization. Once again, it’s businesses like this that keep us ticking.

So what are you doing still reading this…. Get on over to Pluckers and spend, spend, spend.

Mini’s and Friends hits it big at Sam’s Club

Sherry hold check from Sam's Club.

Bonnie Barrington happened to be in the right place at the right time when she went to Sam’s Club to buy supplies for last weeks Mini play day at Paul & Sherry’s house. While there, she happened to speak to a Club Manager (Randy Wright) about a Turtle Cheese Cake she had seen while shopping that was calling her name. While talking to the Manager, Bonnie mentioned that she was part of a Non-Profit Organization and gave him a brief description on some of the things that we did. Randy thought that maybe Sam’s Club could help us out in some kind of way so he gave Bonnie a business card and told her to give them a call. Bonnie passed the business card on to Sherry who is our Fund Raising GURU and that started the ball rolling. Sherry contacted Marie Flenoy who is Sam’s Club’s Marketing Director and gave her all our info needed to check us out and to see if we qualify to receive funds from Sam’s Club.Marie contacted Sherry a few days later and gave us the good news. We were eligible to get these funds and we had to show up at Sam’s Club on I-35 north in Austin on Friday 8/28 to give a presentation and to receive a check.

We set up a display table with our brochures for all the other Non-Profit groups help them selves to. It was great to meet with some of these other groups and to see how much people really do care for the well being others as we do. Sherry and Sally gave the Presentation to explain what we are all about, Rocky and Bravo represented the herd and Paul was on scooper detail. Sounds like a winning team to me. Rocky and Bravo were a big hit with the Sam’s Club shoppers and their children. Sherry and Sally gave a great Presentation and Paul scooped like he never scooped before.

Sam’s Club presented Sherry with a check for $1000.00. They have no idea how much that amount of a check helps us out. Sam’s Club is forever in my heart and I pray for good thing to happen to all those involved. Good thing happen to good people. A special thanks to Randy Wright & Marie Flenoy.

Randy- Thank you for taking an interest in what your customers have to say. Without that, this wouldn’t be possible.

Marie- Thank you for taking our call and taking time to check us out and having the confidence that we were worthy to receive such a great gift.

If our Mini’s could talk, they would be speechless.

From all the Mini owners- God Bless you all.

Helping those who help us.

On Sunday August 23, 2009 we were asked to help out one of the many businesses that reached out to us in times of need. Hooters donated Chicken Wings to us to help us out for our most recent Fund Raiser. Thanks to Hooters and many other companies like them our Fund Raiser was a huge success. So of course when they ask us for a helping hand, we were fast to do whatever we could to help them out. They were having a company party at their location on 183 north (just south on Lakeline Mall). Their party theme was Country/ Western. They thought it would be a good idea to have the Mini’s there to add to their theme and to have as an added attraction for the kids. We brought Mastercard, Sean, Rocky, Stardust and Bravo to meet the Hooters girls. The Hooters girls LOVED our boys and so did the kids. If I were single, I would take a Mini out with me at night. They are absolutely babe magnets. You have to love these little guy’s.

There was a good handful of little one to enjoy the Mini’s. All of the Horses were so sweet with the kids. There was even a couple that had 2 big white dogs that were great with the horses. I think Sean wanted to play with them. He was so cute.

We would like to thank the Manager of Hooters (Paul) for including us for their party and we look forward to a long lasting relationship with him and Hooters. Paul is a special person. They had bails of hay around the parking lot they used to add theme to their party that he let us take with us when we left. We all would like to thank Paul once again and wish him luck with whatever he does in the future. It’s people and businesses like that that help us survive.

Minis and Friends thanks you all,

Secret Hide-away for Snoozing Minis at OCR (~ Lin Sutherland)

Onion Creek Ranch, is our south Austin Mini Central where 6 of our minis live – (www.minisandfriends.org/meetminis).  On Saturday March 28, we had a wonderfully well turn out of new volunteers who wore out the little minis before their return to the ranch.

Lin wrote this great story that we wanted to share —

“Hey today I took two ladies down to see the minis who were visiting OCR. When we got down to the hay area where they usually are…. no minis. So I said, oh, they’re probably napping and drove to the “cave entrance”. 

Looked in and there were ALL of them, SeanMonet lying down and Bravo lying down, and all the others sleeping shoulder to shoulder to tail. I wish I had my camera! It was like the bunkhouse of a little summer camp for boys — all sleeping in a row. The women gasped and exclaimed “I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE!”  They couldn’t stop talking about it.

It’s really adorable to see them all in there, comfy as a lil group. They really like the quiet privacy of their basement!

Stay tuned for pictures of the minis in their Secret Hide-Away!

 

Volunteer Training, March 28, 2009

Visit our website at www.minisandfriends.org to learn about the upcoming Volunteer Training in Austin, Texas. This training is for Virtual Volunteers, Mini Handlers, Mini Walkers, and anyone interested in working with Minis and Friends.

Join us!

Saturday, March 28th from 11-1

• Church of Latter Day Saints at 2111 Parker Lane

Bring your Used Laserjet and Inkjet Cartridges and Old, Unwanted Cell Phones with you!

• We will be collecting your old cartridges and cell phones to recycle with FundingFactory
• Bring the kids to watch the Minis work and train and stay afterwards for a picture with a mini for a donation

To subscribe to our “New” Volunteer Newsletter, email us at volunteer@minisandfriends.org to stay up-to-date on the latest opportunities, training and information for Minis and Friends.

Valentine’s Day Visit at Marbridge Villa

 (by: Braydin M, Mini Cub Reporter)

SeanMonet and New Friend

My trip to Marbridge Farms was my first visit with Minis & Friends, and I have to say, it was one of, if not the most, inspiring and influential experiences of my life.  I was very nervous coming into it, as we had to train Bravo to get into our mini-van, and also I was going to be around people I didn’t understand. And of course, that makes anybody nervous. When we first got out of the car, someone in a wheelchair immediately approached us. After talking with him for a little bit, I  realized that the people here are different, but in a good way. 

 

 

 

Even now, 2 weeks later, it still confuses me how people with mental disabilities have such a nice, happy outlook on life, while people with absolutely nothing wrong with them are always so depressed.

  Maybe I’ll find the answer on future visits   

Milli getting her shoes on to go indoors

 

PS.  3 minis decided to go indoors to those folks who couldn’t come out – pretty cool… here’s Bandit and Jess with people indoors – And MasterCard with Roger and Nicole indoors.

Bandit and JessMarbridge Villa Visit Indoors

     

 

Getting into the Giving Spirit

IT’S ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!

Once a year families all over this nation get together to celebrate life, love, and laughter.  Commercials are suddenly filled with holiday jingles and gift-giving ideas.  This year, my favorites include the Progressive Santa Claus commercial,  and the Lexus Christmas commercials (yeah, it’s because I want one too).  Kids start thumbing through the Toys’R'Us catalog and circling everything on the page that they want (which is everything on the page)

Maximum energy is spent trying to decorate the house, the tree, the cookies, the kids, and anything that you’ve been meaning to hide throughout the year.  Nothing is more fun than watching the good old Christmas movies like the classic Dr Seuss’s “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, and “It’s a Wonderful Life”.  We all get excited about “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown.”  This year, albeit not much different from other years on the surface, things are going to be a little less bright.

We may spend less money on a real tree with fancy trimmings, cut back on the five gifts per kid shopping spree we’re used to, and we may have to sacrifice the elaborate holiday parties for more intimate family affairs.  But in spite of everything that is happening in the world around us, we cannot forget the reason for the season.

This year remember to make Christmas less about the gifts and more about what you give.  Give your time, your energy, your expertise and your talents to those around you with special needs. 

1. Minis and Friends will be at the Town Lake YMCA from 1:00 – 3:00 pm on Saturday, December 13th.  Join us for a chance to make a child smile this season. 
2. Donate your used ink and laserjet cartridges and your old phones at Onion Creek Ranch when you stop by on December 14th to help us Spruce up for our Christmas Benefit starting at 10:00 am.

Get into the Giving Spirit this holiday and find other ways to give this season.   

Visit www.minisandfriends.org to learn more about our Minis and Friends Christmas Benefit on December 21st at 3:00 pm at Onion Creek Ranch.  Check the website for a list of Silent Auction items for you to bid on to pick up last minute gifts without wasting time in mall.  Enjoy good food, food fun, and good folks while listening to music, taking pictures at the Minis and Me photo booth, and chowing down on a BBQ dinner.

Email us at savethedate@minisandfriends.org for mkore information, directions, or to donate to Help Keep Hay in the Minis’ Manger.

Happy Thanksgiving

Minis and Friends reaches hundreds of individuals a year because of the support and friendship of our volunteers and mini owners.  On a day when the whole nation briefly stops to give thanks, I wanted to take a moment and recognize those who give freely of their time, energy and money to help our “mini herd” touch the lives of those with special physical, mental, and emotional needs in our community.

This year has been full of blessings.  Eletrobraid has provided the minis with a wonderful gift of protection with the electric fence at Onion Creek Ranch. They are now able to move about the ranch with the other horses and we can rest easy that they are unable to escape and predators are unable to get in.  LCRA blessed part of our mini herd in North Austin with a new mini barn and two sponsored visits, one of which went towards the Good Friends visit in September.

Our volunteers base has grown to include new volunteers with different skills and abilities that have allowed us to grow and expand our outreach capabilities.  Minis and Friends would not be able to operate without your continual support and attendance at our events and visits.  Mini Handlers keep our minis safe in a crowd.  Think Tank volunteers keep our mangers and gas tanks full with creative fundraising ideas to support our mini interactions.  Business supporters and individual donors help us take care of the necessary medical care, liability insurance, and operational costs for running Minis and Friends.

So while gobbling turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie, take a moment and give thanks for the many gifts you have been given.  Today, our minis will be able to give th

Help Keep Hay in the Minis’ Manger!

Join us for a Bale of a Good Time with Food, Fun, Music and Laughter at our 1st ANNUAL MINIS CHRISTMAS BENEFIT!

WHEN: December 21st, 2008

TIME: 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM

WHERE: Onion Creek Ranch (www.onioncreekranch.net)

Live Music

Silent Auction

Raffle Drawing

Dinner & Dessert

“Minis and Me” Photo Booth

Donations Accepted: Visit our website to learn how you can donate items for the Silent Auction, Decorations, Food and Beverages

Volunteers Welcome: Email us to find out how you can help with the Asking For and Picking Up Donations, Set Up and Clean Up at the Ranch, or the MIni Photo Booth and Raffle Sales

The More the Merrier: Want invitations sent to your friends, family and co-workers?  Just send us an email with their email addresses and we’ll send them an invitataion

Email us at info@minisandfriends.org or visit us a www.minisandfriends.org for more information