Part of the bigger update

I have been trying to get some homework done, so I have not updated like I wanted to, but I did want to toss out some key stuff that's happened.

1. Dave will definitely be here for the tournament! I'm really excited, and so is everyone else.

2. We received a very large donation of food from P.O. Newsstand and Cafe in conjunction with Food Services of America. We'll have plenty of food for the tournament. Bino's and Albertson's also donated food.

3. Also, we have gotten a weekend package to Deadwood arranged! Actually Stacie Boehm got the night at the Silverado Casino for us and Avis Car Rental is donating a weekend car rental. The winner must be 21 to receive this prize.

4. I will be on Public Pulse 930 AM on Thursday at around 8:20 or so to talk about the tournament.

5. A note for the volunteers. All volunteers who are volunteering at the beginning of the tournament need to be at the Dome by 10:30. Also, many of the volunteers are going to wear white shirts and black pants, but this isn't mandatory. I'm going to have name tags for everyone who is volunteering, so that people know who you are and can ask questions, such as "Where is the bathroom, auction room, etc..."

Tournament fees are as follows:
$20 for students and $30 for community with the option of a $10 add-in at the registration table. Raffle tickets are $1 for 1, $5 for 6, $10 for 12, and $20 for 25. It begins at 7 p.m. and is need be present to win, except for the staff and faculty going to Gillette. They may mark their tickets, and if we pull one of those, we know to write the number down. A note about the raffle: We do have alcohol in our raffle. If your ticket is pulled and you are underage or have no ID, we will award you an alternate prize. Sheridan College PD will check ID. So, if you're of age and like wine, scotch, or tequila, bring your ID with you for a chance to win those prizes. Our dance begins at 9 p.m. Cover charge is $5 for students and staff that went to Gillette and $10 for community members unless you play poker. If so, you get in free. The food will be available all day by donation.

I picked up our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place plaques from the Trophy Case and they look great. They'll look great on your wall, so enter the tourney!

Well, that's about it for now. I'm beat and I need sleep. Tomorrow, I'll try to get more up on the site.

-Meg

Massages for Dave!

So I didn't hear about this until just now, but the Massage Therapy Club at Sheridan College is doing "Massages for Dave" until 1:45 p.m. today, but they may do another day as well. It's awesome, trust me. I just got a wonderful chair massage. So, if you're stiff and on campus, you've got 45 minutes to get a wonderfully relaxing massage. You should. They're rock stars.

-Meg

Chili lunch info & car wash pics

I'll post our chili lunch pics when I get them, but we managed to raise almost $350! The group did an awesome job and I'm so proud of all of them.

We held our car wash today and I'm very pleased to announce that we raised $605.25! That's almost $960 in one week! Our volunteers are so incredible; I'm amazed at all that we've done and with what's coming up.

Check out the pics from our car wash here and I'll post a big, huge fat update on Monday.

-Meg

Update

Okay, so here's the rundown for today:

I just spoke with Jamie Summers and our chili lunch is coming off without a hitch tomorrow! It starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. They'll be cinnamon rolls, punch, and of course, homemade chili! I'm not kidding when I say it's homemade. Cinnamon rolls will be available for $2 each if you don't want any chili. I would like to thank Jaime Summers, Stefanie Helling, Lisa Lunbeck, Monica Williams and the Williams Family, Tammy Bock, and Sally McGary for getting this together. Arby's and Wal-Mart also donated to the chili lunch.

We're really seeing things come together. On Tuesday, I'll be on 94.9 KZWY to talk about the tournament at 8:30. I'll also be on Public Pulse on 930 AM KROE on May 1st at about 9:30. The Sheridan Press has our information, so the media blitz is beginning.

Don't forget, the tickets are on sale now!!! Pick yours up soon. Also, check out our donor list for some more changes. Patronize our donors to thank them for what they have done for Dave!

I'll update everyone again later. Our dealer's meeting is tonight at 6 p.m.

-Meg

Quick note!

We have a dealer's meeting tonight at 6 p.m. in W167 at Sheridan College. Also, our volunteer's organizational meeting will be tomorrow at 5 p.m. in W167. I'll have sign up sheets for volunteering at the tournament. More in a bit...

-Meg

More News...

I talked to epokerdeals again today and we'll have our proof for our customized poker chips tomorrow. Also, they are generously going to donate a poker bracelet to be awarded to the first place winner. They are very similar to what the World Series of Poker awards its champions. Ours will be gold. Here's what they will look like:

Ours will say "Poker Champion" like the one on the right. The bracelet is gold plated with Swavorkian crystals on the face. It's definitely something to show off!

-Meg

The pearls

Click here for a photo of the absolutely stunning pearls donated by Kraft's Fine Jewelry. Now, my little Nikon digital camera doesn't quite do them justice, but you can get a general idea of how beautiful they are. Click on the picture when it comes up to see it larger.

-Meg

Huge news!

Okay, first off, we added new donors, and we had one very special donation today. Of course, all donations are special, but this one really knocked my socks off. Kraft's Fine Jewelry has generously donated a beautiful 37" inch strand of rose pearls for the tournament. These will be one of our options for first prize. If the first prize winner does not take the pearls and chooses the tuition, the pearls will go up for auction. I will post a picture of them later, but they are gorgeous. Of course, these would make a lovely gift for a wife or girlfriend. Mother's Day is coming up, as is wedding season (hint hint) so these would be perfect for any occasion. Also, Rooster's Bookstore donated a wonderful gift basket and the Sheridan College Bookstore donated a huge gift basket. There's some great stuff in the works.

Posters and fliers will be printed tomorrow but here's the big news: Tickets go on sale tomorrow at noon!!!!!! They are available for purchase at the Sheridan College information desk or by calling me at 307-752-7460. If I don't answer, leave a message. If anyone from out of town would like to play, please call me or email me at meglanker@hotmail.com as soon as possible so I can save you a ticket. Our buy-ins are as follows: $20 for students & $30 for community. We are discussing the logistics of a one-time, $10 add-in as well. Everyone who enters will receive a custom "Poker for Dave" poker chip designed by epokerdeals. Entering the tournament will also get you into the dance afterwards for free. The cover charge for the dance is $5 for students and $10 for community, unless you play poker.

Our tournament dealers will be meeting on April 22nd at 6 p.m. at Sheridan College. I will announce the room as soon as it is reserved. Also, our organizational meeting for volunteers will have to get pushed to next week due to the Criminal Justice club's field trip. I contacted a few volunteers who were gone for a week and they told me they're so swamped with homework, they can't even remember their own names. It will most likely be April 23rd in the evening.

Also, on April 23rd, we will be holding a chili and cinnamon rolls lunch at the college to help raise money. Five bucks will get you a bowl of homemade chili, a cinnamon roll, & some punch. I would like to publicly thank Jamie Summers & her team of volunteers for putting this chili lunch together. If you see Jamie, give her a pat on the back for me.

Finally, another item we will have for bid is dinner for 4 at Dr. Kevin Drumm's house. For those who don't know, Dr. Drumm is the president of Sheridan College, and from what I understand, he and his wife, Bonnie, are fantastic cooks. I think I'd like to have the president of the college cook me dinner, especially because that means I don't have to cook. Well, I have homework to do, so I'll sign off. Things are taking shape and that's really exciting!

-Meg

Letter from Dave

Dear Gang:

Just when everything is going great, along comes a bump in the road. That’s what happened last Wednesday when I met with my cancer doctor. The cancerous white blood cells were coming down and the chemo was working well. That was the good news. The bad news was that the kidneys were stressed and needed some time to rest. So, off all meds and we will re-evaluate on next Wednesday. As near as I can figure, we have had a minor setback of about a week in the overall state of things. In the meantime, since I am off chemo, I can taste food again and I actually feel better.

I want to thank you all for the cards and emails. Your prayers, concerns, and well wishes are the stuff that makes my day. I did not realize that so many people were out there and were concerned. It is indeed humbling, this cancer thing. I have heard good things about the classes from Valerie and from the students. It is a great thing when someone drops out of action and the entire staff, faculty, and student body rally around and learning continues. I am sure that Valerie brings to the table knowledge beyond my limited area. Your support of Valerie means that you have reached a level of maturity and understanding that makes me proud of you guys. You know this business of criminal justice demands flexibility and the ability to adjust to change and you guys have shown that you can do that.

My tentative schedule remains the same despite the bump in the road, and that is to return to Sheridan for the last week or two in April and remain until after graduation. That’s just down the road; I will be seeing you in a few weeks. Take care and we will weather this storm.

Dave Marquith

Good news about the event!

We have a DJ for the dance! Even though just about every school has a prom that weekend, I snagged a DJ! Carol Garcia recommended Jared Martin of 2 Partyhounds and he's going to do the dance for us very cheaply. We'll also be ordering some customized poker chips as souvenirs for those who enter the tournament.

We've added some new donors and I'm excited to announce that I have the tickets and posters designed for the event. We'll have the tickets on sale next week and I'll post on here when they are ready. They still need to be printed. Also, I'm hoping to hold an organizational meeting next week and a meeting for the dealers for the tournament the week after. I'll post that info as soon as I get it.

I'm putting up a new letter from Dave in a little bit. He's hit a little bump in the road, but I'll let him explain it. It's not too major, so hopefully we'll see him soon.

-Meg

Keep your fingers crossed...

I spoke with Dave tonight and he sounds better every time I talk to him. He said he has a huge appointment with his doctor tomorrow to see about the results of some blood work he had done today. If all goes well, he may be able to come back to Sheridan. Hooray!

I'll have a longer post in the next few days about what's going on because Statistics is calling my name. Until then...

-Meg

Just so everyone is aware...

I have been getting several emails from Sheridan College employees telling me that the Employee Appreciation party is in Gillette on the same day as the fundraiser. I am aware of this, but we could not get the whole dome for any other day but May 3rd. We will be making several accommodations for those who would like to go to Gillette.

First, the raffle is need be present to win, except for those going to Gillette. We will have little star stickers that those going to Gillette can place on their tickets. If we pull one of those tickets, we will write down the number and the prize and send out a global email to Sheridan College employees on Monday with the numbers and where they can go to pick up their prize. So, come buy some tickets before you leave, and be sure and hold onto them.

Second, we will not close the silent auction until midnight. It will be open from noon until midnight so that those who went to Gillette have ample time to get back and check their bids. We're getting quite a bit of fine art and pottery by local artists along with voice lessons from Gene Sager and the possibility of bidding on the chance to have Dr. Drumm and his wife come to your house and cook you dinner. I'd bid on that, especially if they'll do the dishes.

Third, if anyone who went to Gillette wants to go to the dance after the tournament, they can come in at the student charge of five dollars. We want everyone to be able to participate in some way. I don't want to leave anyone out of this event.

That's all for now, thanks for reading and thanks to everyone for their generous donations.

-Meg

About one of our donors...

I used to work at Perkin's here in Sheridan. I went there on Friday to eat lunch with some friends I hadn't seen in awhile and two elderly ladies that I used to wait on all the time were sitting together at a table. They each get coffee and soup and split a Macadamia Nut cookie for dessert. I chatted with them and they asked what I had been up to. I told them I was busy with school and that I now worked at the college. I also told them about the fundraiser. One of them began fumbling with her pocketbook and pulled out a dollar. She insisted that I take it, that she wanted to donate. I was very touched by this. She's in her nineties and probably not living on much money and she still wanted to help. I can't believe the outpouring of support I have seen from the community of Sheridan and beyond.

As Dave puts it, "Thank you for all that you do."

-Meg

The rundown of events part 2

Well, we had some awesome donations come in today. Fiberpipe has donated a 19" computer monitor from Dell, Accents of Wyoming donated a cool game called "Rodeopoly," and we had several others as well - once I get the receipts from John and Adam, I'll post them on the list.

As for the chili lunch, it's definitely going to happen. Easter Seals was kind enough to donate some chili and cinnamon rolls. I had never heard of chili and cinnamon rolls until I moved here. It must be a regional thing, but correct me if I'm wrong. The ideas and donations keep coming in.

We have a new item that will be up for auction as well. We are still working out the logistics, but Dr. Kevin Drumm (president of Sheridan College) will come to your house and cook you dinner. From what I understand, he and his wife have done this before, and they're pretty good cooks. Stacie Boehm, one of Dave's poker buddies, is getting together a band of Dave's buds to deal.

I'm so happy to see so many people using the Bat Phone. It's really heartwarming to see so many people is so short a time post messages up there. I know Dave loves hearing from everyone and he checks this site several times a day. Of course, when you're holed up, I suppose you need to do something to keep from going stir crazy.

This fundraiser is really starting to come together and there have been many people telling me that I have been doing a great job. I'll take credit for the first week's worth of work. Everything after that has been made possible by the wonderful volunteers and generous donors that have come together. Without the people who have volunteered, made phone calls and given me contacts, I would be chasing my tail right about now and scheduling time to breathe.

Dave's starting to feel better so it's high time I pick on him a little. Guess who this fresh-faced teenager has become? (I'll give you a hint: It's not Gandhi)









I'm going to fail Criminology for this...

-Meg

The rundown of events...

First off, some good news about Dave. I talked to him last night, and he's feeling a little better. The medication has been rough on him lately, but he sounds good. He went to the doctor yesterday, and his white blood cell count has dropped quite a bit. That's good, it means the medication is working. Oh, and he loves the Bat Phone. He checks it everyday, so keep posting.

About our meeting and such...we accomplished some awesome stuff yesterday. First off, our list of "The Usual Suspects" has ballooned. We had our organization meeting yesterday and a lot of great ideas came out. We're ready to begin advertising, and I'll be posting the fees for the tournament this weekend. I'm going to try to get some posters done as well.

Pam Klier will be heading up a car wash at the end of April and Jaime Summers is looking at getting together a chili lunch or some nachos. When those dates get firmed up, I'll post them here. If you'd like to help them with that, let me know.

I contacted the Jaycees, and it looks like we'll get chips and cards donated for use during the event itself.

I'll post some more later because I need to get to school. There's still more coming!

-Meg

New letter from Dave

Dave emailed me yesterday with a new message, so here it is:

"Dear Gang,

While I rest at home and attempt to stabilize my treatments, I see that you all have been busy. Words cannot express how I feel from the cards, emails, and telephone calls. While I try to maintain an image of a hard ass, the outpouring of your concern for me is overwhelming. I don't know what to say or how to react to it. All I can say is 'Thank you for what you do' and I am so very humbled by it all.

I realize that my sickness has caused some disconnects. Life is full of disconnects. How we deal with them makes us strong. Much of what I did on a day to day basis is now being done by others. Those folks are giving you the best and I trust that we will all get through this. I talk to Valerie Thomas every day and she is doing a great job, but she needs your help and understanding. Life is filled with "bumps in the road" and this is one of them.

I have it on good authority (the doctors) that I can recover from this and lead a pretty much normal life. (a better life through chemistry) What the hell, it is just another pill to take. Anyway, I will be with you during the benefit and graduation. I am not sure how active I will be during it all, but I want to deal at the final table.

I have every intention of returning to teaching next fall, maybe a bit thinner, but as I understand it, "thin is in." I now know a great way of losing weight, but you may not want to try it.

Thank you for support to me and my family during this time. We are strengthened by your prayers.

Dave Marquith"

New donors

We added some new donors today! Dr. Jane Elkington Wohl and Dr. Roger Davidson both have donated. IT at Sheridan College will also be donating 2 computers for the tournament. Things are coming together, so stay tuned.

-Meg

The Bat Phone

If you look below the description of the event, you'll see a new link. It's called "The Bat Phone." Dave looks at this website everyday so if you'd like to leave him a message, click on that link, and it will take you to a guestbook where you can post a message for him. It would make his day.

It is a free service, so you do have to type a validation code at the bottom. It will ask you for your website and such, but you just need to fill out name and email. It will also have a couple of free offers at the bottom, but you don't need to click on those either. This way, you can let Dave know you're thinking about him.

-Meg