I decided to take a little journey to find out what was really at the end of it and what I found was – you guessed it, a leprechaun! Bouncing up and down, this little leprechaun told me her name was Goldie and she was more excited to tell me what was in her pot of gold than the Grandies are at Revelations! Contrary to what legend says about her pot of gold, the coins that are filled in it are not made of physical gold but instead something priceless; the acts service she saw the members of California Rainbow for Girls create this year towards Megan’s Wings – the non-profit organization they have chosen to support for the 2019-20 year.

Goldie first explained to me what Megan’s Wing’s goal is and how it was founded. Megan’s Wings started in memory of Megan Savage, who lost her battle to leukemia at the age of nine in April of 2003. As a tribute to their daughter, the Savage family created Megan’s Wings. They named the organization Megan’s Wings because whenever they are lucky enough to see a butterfly it reminds them of her. Megan’s Wings is a non-profit is based in Upland, California. They help families navigate their journey with pediatric cancer by supporting their financial, emotional, and physical needs.

“The course of our lives can change in an instant. One simple action or short phrase can alter our life forever.” – Hannah H., Grand Worthy Advisor.

California Rainbow primarily supports their chosen non-profit by working hard throughout the year raising funds through fundraisers and drives. Each assembly comes up with their own special ways to do this. In just a short time, at Grand Assembly, they will present the funds they raised to the Megan’s Wings founders.

My green loving friend then told me about a few of the times California Rainbow had the luck of the Irish with them and were able to work hands on with Megan’s Wings:

Members of Citrus, Sunshine, and San Fernando Valley Assemblies volunteered with one of Megan’s Wings founders, Kim Savage to help clean up Megan’s Home. Their goal for the day was to make the house spotless before a little boy came home from his last day at chemotherapy. Megan’s Wings and California Rainbow worked together so that he would get to play freely in his home and yard without any worries.

For the 4th of July, Hannah H., Grand Worthy Advisor, Kaitlyn D., Grand Worthy Associate Advisor and Grand Historian, Kellianne B., Grand Choir Director and Representative to Ohio/Pennsylvania, and members from San Fernando Valley Assembly worked with Kim Savage, Co-Founder of Megan’s Wings at City of Hope Medical Center located in Duarte, California to make life a little more joyful. They held a party and spent the day doing hair and nails, playing games, and participating in arts and crafts with the families and children affected by pediatric cancer.

California Rainbow even teamed up with Megan’s Wiings for a fundraiser at San Manuel Stadium to see the Inland Empire 66ers play!

Goldie then told me that all of the assemblies and areas in California Rainbow were making an enormous impact on Megan’s Wings. Here are just a few examples of pure gold;  

Serena’s Bay Area Buddies

These seven Assemblies raised $6,981.46 for our Grand Service Project Megan’s Wings which they presented at their OV! The girls in the area went to the Oakland Observatory, held a sleepover, and then hosted a Service OV at the Masonic Home in Union City.

Marshall’s Martians

Natoma Assembly held a community service event at the Palladio Fall Festival. At the event they made sure to showcase a jar to help raise money for Megan’s Wings.

This little leprechaun’s pot of gold must have weighed a ton because these were only a few of the many, many gold coins she had in it.

Goldie didn’t only have a heart of service but she was full of puns! She wanted me to ask you to MARCH for Megan’s Wings by carrying the fundraising momentum throughout March until Grand Assembly. You can still help! One great suggestion is to make a Personal Pledge to the Grand Service Project. A Personal Pledge is a pledge to give up something or do something, in order to receive a donation – for example, to donate the cost of a cup of coffee instead of having that morning Joe one day! You can turn these pledges in at Grand Assembly. You can also donate any amount through the donate button on  www.gocarianbow.org or click the donate button on our March for Megan’s Wings Facebook post!

Make sure to take all your potatoes, lucky charms cereal, and four leaf clovers to Ontario, CA from April 6-9 2019 for Grand Assembly, The Winter Solstice: All That Glitters and Snows!

Hannah Williams
Public Relations Team

Marshall’s Martians took us to Sacramento to see The Greatest Show and boy oh, boy, did it start out with a bang!  Our ringmasters brought in Mrs. Marshall’s area which included the following assemblies, Natoma, Camellia, and Rose.  Not only was every Grand Officer and our Supreme Deputy inside of “The Big Top” but get this, the ringmasters brought 30 members from Natoma, Camellia and Rose assemblies to participate in the Last OV!

Our Grand Worthy Advisor, Hannah H., spoke about how a young boy named Diego had many struggles while going through his treatments with chemotherapy and although he had many battles to fight, he kept hope and his faith near to his heart.  While Diego was facing problems with transportation for his treatments, to help him no longer face this struggle Megan’s Wings were able to buy Diego and his family a car.  This is a prime example of how Megan’s Wings goes above and beyond when they find someone in need. “When faced with adversity people can do one of two things; they can either overcome it or succumb to it.” -Hannah H. Grand Worthy Advisor

To View Hannah’s Speech from the Last OV, Click Here!

Have you made your Personal Pledge to the Grand Service Project yet?  This is a new fundraising opportunity to raise money for our statewide service project, Megan’s Wings.  A Personal Pledge is a pledge to give up something or do something, in order to receive a donation.

The new Membership Team members were announced and will serve for one year.  The newest member from the south is Emily M. from Fullerton/Yorba Linda Assembly and from the north is Kaelyn S. from Marysville Assembly.

The new southern Leadership Team members will serve for two years.  The southern member is Katie S. from Visalia Assembly and the northern member is Megan L. from New Hope Assembly.

The new Grand Marshals (Vivacious Vans) for Grand Assembly 2019 are the following girls: 
Emily M. from Fullerton/Yorba Linda Assembly
Emily M. from San Jose Assembly
Abigail S. from Marysville Assembly
Makena M. from Oak Summit Assembly

The Pages for Grand Assembly are:
Supreme Deputy:  Isabella L. from Golden Star Assembly
Grand Directors: Cristina M. from Natoma Assembly
Grand Worthy Advisor: Cameron M. from Fidelity Assembly
Grand Executive Committee: Kamryn M. from Redding Assembly and Jordan M. from Rose Assembly
Pot of Gold: Ryanne G. from Woodland Assembly
Sound: Carshe’la B. from Concord Assembly and Angelina R. Buena Park Talent: Sami M. from San Fernando Valley Assembly and Destiny M. from Roseville DeReimer Assembly
Decorations: Alexandra H. from Natoma Assembly
Registration: Beth H. from Unity Assembly

See you at the next greatest show in Ontario, CA from April 6-9 2019 for Grand Assembly, The Winter Solstice: All That Glitters and Snows!

Hannah Williams
Assembly Resources Committee, Public Relations Team

Imagine being homeless. You are a mother with three kids. You and your kids are trying to make things work and pay bills and one day you lose your house. What would you do?

Amanda was facing this issue with her kids when she called Families Forward, an organization in southern California that helps homeless families.  After contacting Families Forward, she was paired with a caseworker that helped her find stable housing and a job. Her kids also benefited from Christmas and Back to School programs addressing the needs of her young family.  In 2018, Families Forward helped over 284 families like Amanda’s find this kind of stability with jobs and housing.

Amanda’s story was shared by Families Forward’s Director of Development Ms. Jen Granger during a presentation at California Rainbow’s annual Grand Sessions in Fresno in March 2018. Ms.Jen Granger was delighted and amazed to find out that California Rainbow had raised $61,341.80 dollars for Families Forward over the past year. Grand Worthy Advisor Alana presented Ms. Granger with a check representing the collective fundraising efforts of the members throughout the state.

A service report was also presented at the event in which it was announced that in addition to fundraising efforts, Rainbow members had donated backpacks, food and toys to many of the Families Forward programs throughout as well as volunteered at their headquarters sorting food and inventory. Additionally, the membership of California volunteered a grand total of 8,198 hours to various service projects and made “Hope in a Bag” homeless care kits they could pass out to homeless throughout the state.

Rainbow Girls of California can be proud of their contribution toward helping homeless families and other charities this past year.  Many children and parents have hope for the future and a stable lifestyle thanks to the generosity of California Rainbow.

Watch the video of the girls announcing the amount California Rainbow had raised throughout the year along with Ms. Jen Granger’s speech here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRZV0I8-6hM

Find out more about California Rainbow at www.GoCARainbow.org
Find out more about our 2017-18 Service Project, Families Forward at www.families-forward.org/