Update

Wow, has it been a long time since we have updated our blog!  To those who do not follow us on Facebook or are not in some way directly associated with one of us personally, it would appear that Lanee's Legacy has slowed down or ceased to continue to operate.  To clear things up, Lanee's Legacy has continued to grow as we have added more hospitals (we now serve over 20 in Arizona), schedule box making service opportunities and send boxes all across the country as we offer support to grieving families. 

The blog, however, has sadly been neglected.  Remember, none of Lanee's Legacy's members are paid for the services they provide and must work their "day job" and attend to their families on their off hours of offering service through this organization.  All of us, however, are passionate about service and more specifically helping those who are going through the unimaginable experience of losing a child.  With that being said, many members of our team have recently undergone many life changes of our own including moving, marriage, being a foster parent, new pregnancies. . .just to name a few.  Life is certainly busy!

To give you a quick update on what we have been doing, its exciting to report that last year (2012) we were given another award.  We were the February recipient of the "Golden Rule" award from Republic Monetary Exchange and 92.3 KTAR.  We received $1,000.00 and a commercial that was aired for thirty days about our organization.  Thank you to Michelle Baker for nominating us for this award!

We were also invited to an LDS Women's conference where we assembled 200 boxes in 4 hours!!  WOW!  In case you don't realize, that is a huge undertaking!  Kathryn Montgomery is our Productions Manager and had it not been for her and her exceptional organization skills and driven attitude, we would not have been able to pull this off.  The theme was "By Small and Simple Things" which seemed very appropriate and fitting for us to be a part of.   We hosted many box makings throughout the year including participating in the Miss Arizona's Service project for the second year.  We felt it an honor to be invited back a second time.  Long story short, we donated 407 boxes  in the year of 2012. 

We continue to have families who request to "host" a box making and invite friends and family to assemble boxes in memory of their babies.  These families are typically those who have received a box at the time of their loss and then give back to other grieving families as they host an event.  Its both a touching and humbling experience as we get to see things come full circle.  Below are pictures of two of the box makings we did in 2012 with families: 

The Schlageck family.  In memory of baby "Jorren".

The Coronado Family.  In memory of baby "Michael Rae".

For 2013, our numbers are already exceeding what they were in 2012.  In the first three months of this year we have already donated 127 boxes.  We currently serve 26 hospitals in Arizona and also send boxes to hospitals in other states as they request them.  We are touched as we receive e-mails, letters and comments of those who have been recipients of our services which only inspires us to continue forward. 

Our next box making is scheduled for April 17, 2013 which will be hosted by Lisa Olsen who is the beareavement coordinator at Banner Thunderbird's NICU.  We are looking foward to this special event as Lisa will be speaking from a nurse's perspective before we assemble the boxes.

We appreciate your support and hope you'll continue to spread the word about us.