Rainbow Drives: Around the Southwest
		The Kimballs, Phoenix, AZ. Here’s little Emma Kimball, Lily’s big sister, with the Rainbox Box she decorated for our kids. For Lily’s 2nd birthday party, her mom Megan asked, instead of gifts, that people donate money for school supplies. The kids decorated and shipped 12 beautiful boxes of supplies. Emma loved making hers and Megan said, “...my daughter got a lesson in helping others. And I know everyone at the party had fun doing it.” Thanks so much, Megan, Emma, Lily, and all the kids!
		The Claycombs, Yucca Valley, CA. Pat Claycomb gathered a group of youngsters (ages 7 through 14) who volunteered to help set up a stand in the local Wal-Mart parking lot and sell peacock feathers and cold sodas to collect donations for school supplies. They also set up a “petting zoo” of sorts with rabbits and their blue & gold Macaw, Buddy, to attract attention. Pat said, “What a blessing to receive beautiful new backpacks and school supplies given with love and smiles from members of the community who stopped to donate. Sharing God's love is always rewarding!” 26 backpacks and supplies were collected. Thanks, Pat.
		Santa Barbara, CA. Our annually stalwart group led by board member Terre Sanitate, her husband Frank, and friend Rose Pizzorno, collected 260 backpacks full of supplies. It all started 11 years ago when Rose asked her friends for school supplies instead of birthday presents. That first party generated 50 “Rainbow Bags.” Eleven years later, Rose and her friends are still creating “Rainbow Bags” with the number of filled packs increasing every year. Here, volunteers worked together on a Sunday afternoon to pack the backpacks and then celebrated with a potluck.
		Terre Sanitate stands in front of their rented U-Haul full of backpacks. This year the Santa Barbara work was completed with the help of Trinity Episcopal Church, the Unitarian Society, and other Santa Barbara friends. Trinity Episcopal and the Unitarian Society announced the event over a 3-week period and members brought in school supplies and cash. The kids are smiling....
		St. Michael and All Angels Church, Corona del Mar, CA. And let’s not forget al the angels. Led by Frances Haynes, the angels at St. Michael’s gathered over 300 sets of school supplies. That is, enough school supplies to fill 300 backpacks! Then, as if that wasn’t enough, this group deivered over a metric ton of food to our dining rooms in the colonias on Sept 1, as they have every year for the past several years. Frances and her people are always looking for new ways to help the kids--thank you!